During 10 – 13 August 2014, H.E. Mr. Pitchayaphat Charnbhumidol, Ambassador of Thailand to Brazil, together with Mr. Khamhaeng Klasukhon, Director of Thai Trade Center in Sao Paulo and his Embassy secretaries delegation visited Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerias with an aim to strengthen and promote business relations and opportunities between Thailand and Minas Gerias as well as those between ASEAN and Latin America. 

 

           On 11 August 2014, Royal Thai Embassy and FederaÇão das Industrias de Minas Gerias (FIEMG) jointly organized the seminar entitled “Trade & Investment Opportunities between Thailand and Minas Gerias” with the participation of business people around 40 from various sectors. In this regard, the Ambassador and the Thai Trade center Director presented the potential ways and means to increase bilateral trade and investment between Thailand and Brazil since Brazil and Thailand are considered each other’s markets in South America and Asia. Thailand can also be the gateway of ASEAN and Asia for Brazil to distribute Brazilian products while Brazil can be the hub in Latin America for exporting those products to other countries in the region.  After the presentation, there were a number of questions raised by the participants about further information of trade and investment and the opportunity to conduct the business between the private sectors of Brazil and Thailand such as in the area of furniture, cosmetics and pulp and paper.

 

          In this connection, the Ambassador and his delegation had meetings with seniors government officers from Secretariat of Economic Development, Secretariat of Sport and Tourism and Secretariat of Culture to discuss and exchange views for promoting and strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between each other in various fields such as trade, investment, tourism promotion, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contact. 

 

           Mr. Ambassador and his party also met with business executives from the leading private companies in Menas Gerias, namely, Cenibra (Paper producing company), Itambe’ (Milk, Yogurt and Milk product company), the chairman of Supermarket Association in Menas Gerias (AMIS) and the presedent of Verdemar (High-end supermarket, selling the premium and selected products both from within Brazil and imported from other countries (especially, the food ingredients, ready-to-eat products and glassware from Thailand). The Ambassador also discussed ways and means to promote the joint venture and the importation of Thai products to Minas Gerias, and organize the Thai Food Festival in Minas Gerias in the future.