On 12 September 2023, H.E. Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia was invited to participate in the opening ceremony of the Global Halal Summit (GHaS) 2023, organised by MATRADE (Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation) under Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) at MITEC (Malaysia International Trade Convention Centre), Kuala Lumpur. In their opening remarks, Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia and Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, MITI Minister mentioned the development of Malaysia’s halal industry and cooperation with other countries.

H.E. Ambassador Lada, the Executives of Thailand’s Institute for Small and Medium Enterprise Development (ISMED) led by Mr. Pitpiboon Teechantuk, ISMED President, along with Mr. Worawan Wanwil, Director of Commercial Affairs Office, Kuala Lumpur, visited Thai entrepreneurs’ booths exhibited at the MIHAS (Malaysia International Halal Showcase) 2023, which is organised as part of the GHaS 2023. This year, ISMED brought Thai SMEs to showcase a range of product categories including F&B, snacks, jewellery, halal cosmetics, tourism, health and halal spa, among others, of 14 booths in total.

On this occasion, H.E. Ambassador Lada was interviewed by a Thai TV channel about the potential for Thailand-Malaysia’s cooperation in the halal industry and the benefits for Thai entrepreneurs. H.E. Ambassador Lada considered MIHAS 2023 as a good opportunity for Thai entrepreneurs especially SMEs to showcase their halal products and understand the Malaysian market better as well as explore further halal market opportunities in other Muslim countries. She also highlighted Malaysia as a strong manufacturer and exporter of halal products, of which halal certification is widely recognised globally.

The MIHAS 2023 will take place during 12-15 September 2023 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur. This year, it is organised onsite in full scale as the COVID-19 pandemic subsided. There over 1,900 booths by Malaysian and foreign exhibitors from 44 countries. The Embassy wishes to encourage interested visitors to visit Thailand booths located at Exhibition Hall 8 at MITEC.