Bangkok--Jan 20--Good Network PR
*Phosphate mining industry, scrap metal industry and first mobile phone project
To celebrate an officially grand opening of the Nauru Consulate in Thailand, the Nauruan Government has given green light for the first-phase to do international trades and has supported business sectors from both countries including MONTREE Group and RONPHOS to operate phosphate mining industry and steel industry worth around one billion baht.
Mr. Kevin Lai, Deputy Consul-General of the Consulate-General of the Republic of Nauru in Thailand and the Advisor to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade reveals that the Republic of Nauru realizes the importance of the international trade between Thailand and Nauru. Hence, its government has officially opened the Consulate in Thailand. The Republic of Nauru has chosen Thailand to be a venue for an establishment of its main consulate to become a gateway for trade between Asia and the Pacific.
To advocate the trade and relations between the two nations, the Government of the Republic of Nauru has strongly supported to sign a joint venture agreement between the Thai private sector and its government leading by RONPHOS and MONTREE Group (Thailand), an operator of phosphate mining and fertilizer industries in Thailand.
The joint venture will include a phosphate mining business and steel metal material transformation business from the construction industry in Nauru. All the projects, worth about US$ 20 million or 800 million baht, are planned to be completed within 2006.
Mr. Kevin Lai, Deputy Consul-General, further says that another potential project to be operated in the near future will be in the fishing industruy because Nauru’s territorial waters are abundant with tuna. The Republic of Nauru is considering opening a fishing concession in its waters for Thailand as there is no Thai fishing operation being granted in the Nauru’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Earlier those countries receiving a fishing concession with Nauru include Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan.
Mr. Kevin Lai adds that the result from the official opening of the international trade relation will generate increasing business growth for Nauru annually with continuing export volumes from Nauru to Thailand that is targeted to 50% of its total exports. Currently, Nauru has a total of foreign exports worth about US$ 100 million. Over the years major trades between Thailand and the Republic of Nauru are rice and food with indirect transportation via a third country.
The Republic of Nauru has also played a role in the international arena by being one of the nations voting for a selection of a new UN Secretary-General like other major nations in the world. The country is likely to vote for Dr. Surakiat Sathirathai, Deputy Prime Minister, who is a candidate for the new UN Secretary-General, which is now turned to Asian candidates over the past several decades. Although the Republic of Nauru is merely the third smallest island country in the world which is located in the Pacific and in the northeast of Australia, and has only a population of 12,800 people living on an area of 21 square kilometers. The Republic of Nauru is rich with natural resources, particularly phosphate which a manufacturing capacity of 1 million metric ton annually. This is considered as the country’s most important export industry. Nauru’s phosphate is also the best in the world. The current Government Administration of the Republic of Nauru has been working for two years with a government election every three years. Its Members of Parliament are comprised of 18 people. Currently, Nauru’s youngest MP aged only 25 years old.
In the future, the Republic of Nauru is likely to import labourers from Thailand for mining and continuing construction industries in Nauru, as well as, considering increasing more aviation routes connecting between the two countries which currently there are only two flights a week from Australia to Nauru only, and also a cultural study exchange program with Thai education institutes.
For more information please contact:
Khun Pawinee Chanapolchai and Khun Warangkhana Rattanapan
Tel. 0-2946-8470-2 End.