H.E. Ambassador Chirachai Punkrasin, accompanied by Mr. Vorachart Choochom, Director of the Office of Board of Investment of Thailand in Los Angeles, USA who also covers Mexico along with officers from the Royal Thai Embassy in Mexico and the Thai Trade Centre in Mexico paid an official visit to the State of Baja California from 26-29 August 2013.

During the trade promotion trip, the Ambassador and his team met with Mr. Paulo Alfonso Carrillo, Under-Secretary of Economic Development of Baja California, Mr. Miguel Velasco Bustamante Secretary of Economic Development of Tijuana, and Mr. Jaime Gonzalez-Luna, Vice President of COMCE Baja California. The two sides discussed mutual issues of interest to promote bilateral trade between Thailand and Mexico, and the importance of the City of Tijuana as the Industrial hub under the NAFTA Free Trade Agreement with over 500 Maquiladoras of various industries including auto parts, electrical appliances, aerospace, and medical supplies. Both parties also discussed the possibility of facilitating a Mexican business delegation to Thailand this coming October.

In Ensenada, Mr. Chirachai met with Mr. Carlos Aceves Gonzalez, Acting Secretary for Fishery and Aquaculture to discuss cooperation in the field. Thailand is a leading exporter of canned tuna and farmed shrimps, while Baja California accounts for most fishery product of Mexico including tuna, grouper, abalone, clam, as well as oysters, with technology to farm blue-fin tuna in the ocean.

During the visit, Team Thailand, in coordination with Tijuana EDC and Ensenada COPREEN, organised seminars in both cities in order to exchange business information with over 60 local businessmen. The group also met Mr. Enrique Pelayo Torres, Mayor of Ensenada and Mr. Gilberto Hirata Chico Mayor-elect of Ensenada.

Furthermore, the delegation conducted onsite visits to learn of economic potentials of the State of Baja California including visits to companies such as Benchmark, CST, and Atenea en el Mar. The Team Thailand also visited the Port of Ensenada and the vineyards of Valle de Guadalupe. On their final day, the delegation visited the 4^th International Aerospace Forum to learn of the dynamism of Tijuana in the aerospace industry.