On 15 – 19  September 2015, Mr. PitchayaphantCharnbhumidol, Ambassador of Thailand to Brazil together with his spouse, Mr. Olan Pituck, Director – General of Department of Agricultural Extension, Mr. CharnpittayaChimpalee, Director – General of Department of Rice,  Associate Professor Dr. BanchaKwanyuen, Acting President of Kasetsart University and delegations from Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Thailand and Professors from Kasetsart University, paid an official visit to Porto Alegre, Santa Maria, and LindolfoCollor, State of Rio Grande do Sulto promote bilateral and technical cooperation in the areas of Agriculture and Rice between the State of Rio Grande do Suland Thailand.

 

            During the visit, the Ambassador and the Thai delegation paid a courtesy call on to H.E. Mr. José Ivo Sartori, Governor of Rio Grande do Suland met other state secretaries at the Government Palace where they discussed the future cooperation between Thailand and Rio Grande do Sul in various areas. The delegation also met with Mr. Guinter Frantz, the President of Institute of Rice in Rio Grande do Sul (IRGA) and exchanged views on rice cooperation. They were introduced to Mr. Alceu Ricardo, Mayor of LindolfoCollor City, and had a meeting with Mr. Cezar Augusto Schirmer, Mayor of Santa Maria. The Thai delegation discussed the possibilities to promote cooperation in agriculture and rice. They went to the leather factoryLindolfoCollor City for the study visit and held the discussion with Rice syndicate of Santa Maria.  

 

            During the discussion with each agency, Mr. Ambassador exchanged ways and means to strengthen the cooperation between Thailand and the state of Rio Grande do Sul, with a view to promoting two-way trade and investment between both sides. The cooperation in research and innovation in agriculture and rice are highly emphasized since the state of Rio Grande do Sul is one of Brazil’s largest agricultural producers, as it is located in the southernmost of Brazil and could be a gateway of Brazilfor expanding trade with itsneighbors.