On 27 May - 3 June 2023, the Department of American and South Pacific Affairs, in collaboration with the Royal Thai Embassy in Brasilia, the Royal Thai Embassy in Mexico City, and the Royal Thai Honorary Consulate in Guadalajara, carried out the “Latin Link 2023” Program in Brazil and Mexico, the two largest economies and Thailand’s largest and second largest trading partners in Latin America and the Caribbean, respectively. Led by H.E. Ms. Busadee Santipitaks, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the Thai business delegation visited São Paulo, the capital of the State of São Paulo in Brazil, as well as Mexico City and Guadalajara, the largest and second largest cities in Mexico.

The eight-day program aimed at forging partnerships between the Thai businesspeople and the Brazilian and Mexican government agencies and private sector, enabling the Thai SMEs to seek business opportunities and strengthen ties with potential partners in Latin America and the Caribbean. Participating in the program were 11 businesspeople from Thai SMEs specializing in various fields, such as frozen meat, farm products, sugarcane, sugar, sugar substitutes, agricultural technology, agricultural machinery, auto parts, import and export representation, shipping supply and service, and business consultancy.

In São Paulo, the business delegation met with both government representatives and the local business community, including Thai-owned businesses in Brazil. They paid a visit to the São Paulo State Government and engaged in productive discussions on Thai-Brazilian trade ties and agricultural cooperation with Mr. Lucas Ferraz, International Affairs Secretary; Mr. Marco Rocha, International Affairs Deputy Secretary; and Mr. Jose Luis Fontes, Coordinator of Institutional Relations of the Secretariat of Agriculture. They also visited the Federation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism of the State of São Paulo (FecomercioSP) where they received briefings from Mr. Rubens Medrano, Vice-President of FercomercioSP, on economic development and business opportunities in Brazil. They also visited Brazil’s leading companies, including JBS S.A., one of the world’s largest meat processing companies, and BRASKEM, a global leader in petrochemical and bio-based plastic production, to exchange best practices in sustainable business development and explore business opportunities. The Thai businesspeople, moreover, conducted market surveys at leading Brazilian supermarkets and department stores. In addition, they participated in a business-matching luncheon organized by the Royal Thai Embassy in Brasilia, where they exchanged views and learned from Thai investors’ experience in Brazil on how to do business in the country. Business opportunities with potential partners in Brazil were also discussed.

In Guadalajara, the business delegation met with Mr. Miguel Ángel Landeros Volquarts, President of the Mexican Business Council for International Trade, Investment and Technology for the Western Region of Mexico (COMCE OCCIDENTE), along with approximately 70 members. They received briefings on the economic potential of Guadalajara, Jalisco State and the Western Region of Mexico, particularly in industries ranging from electronics to automotive manufacturing to liquor production, and exchanged views with the Mexican counterparts on business partnerships. The business delegation further visited El Castillo de Tequila, a leading tequila factory, to learn about agave plantation and Tequila production, and explored business opportunities in the field.

In addition, the business delegation participated in the market survey of leading supermarkets and department stores in Mexico City. They also attended the Business-to-Business (B2B) activities, organized by the Royal Thai Embassy in Mexico City and the Thailand Trade Promotion Office in Mexico City, where they met with potential Mexican companies in various sectors to explore business opportunities.

Arranged by the Department of American and South Pacific Affairs, “Latin Link 2023” was Thailand’s third business program in Latin America and the Caribbean. The first program was organized in 2016 in Cuba and Peru. The second program was later held in 2019 in Mexico, Brazil and Chile. These Latin Link programs helped enhance economic ties between Thailand and Latin American and the Caribbean countries, opening doors for Thai businesses and generating an increase in bilateral trade and two-way investment.