Thai envoy calls for more Bangladesh-Thailand business ventures

Highlighting the ethnic history and cultural ties between Bangladesh and Thailand, Makawadee Sumitmor, Thai envoy to Bangladesh, has observed that the two countries should explore more bilateral business ventures.

He made the remark while the newly elected board of directors of BTCCI paid a courtesy call to the ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh at the Royal Thai Embassy on Tuesday (30 May), reads a press release.

BTCCI, at the time, presented some proposals to the envoy in regard to easier issuance of Thai Visa for Bangladeshi citizens, ongoing FTA discussion and potential joint ventures in Bangladesh.

The Thai Envoy assured the business leaders to work on all proposals of BTCCI, including the easier acquirement of Thai Visas.

BTCCI President Shams Mahmud apprised the ambassador regarding the plan of BTCCI to take necessary steps for enhancing the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Thailand.

BTCCI President also emphasised the increasing export from Bangladesh to Thailand and he requested Thai officials to take the initiative for adding new products to import from Bangladesh such as Pharmaceuticals, Jute and Jute goods, Leather, RMG and Ceramics etc.

Both the BTCCI and the Royal Thai Embassy through its Thai Trade Center based in Dhaka have decided to work jointly on the issue.

The Ambassador thanked the board of directors for coming forward to discuss bilateral issues between Bangladesh and Thailand and assured all-out cooperation from her side to enhance the bilateral relationship between the two countries. 

During the meeting, BTCCI Sr Vice President Md Munir Hossain said that Bangladesh provided a low-cost production base and competitive labour market for Thai Businessmen and therefore Bangladesh can be their investment destination. Thailand could also play an important role by investing in Bangladesh's infrastructure like Roads and Highways, Power and Energy, Agro-processing and such labour-intensive sectors. 

Welcoming Thai investors to invest in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Bangladesh, former DCCI President and BTCCI director Abdul Kasem Khan emphasised the need to strengthen the already established good relationship between Bangladesh and Thailand.

The Ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor thanked the BTCCI Board of Directors for the meeting. The Ambassador stated that apart from trading only, now countries should try to establish strategic partnerships. She assured them of all cooperation and support from her embassy to BTCCI in this regard. 

Some of the BTCCI Board of Directors also attended the courtesy call on including Panom Thongprayoon, Minister Counsellor of Thai Embassy, Dhaka, Khemathat Archawathamrong, Minister Counsellor (Commercial) & BTCCI Honorary Director, Md Salem Sulaiman, Vice President, Mohammad Junaed Ibne Ali, Director Finance, Mohammed Hussain Sattar,     Suchat Suntipada, Md. Ahsanuzzaman, Brahmanda Pratap Barua, Zubair Hassan Chouwdhury, Directors, Md. Nazmul Hossen ACS, Secretary of BTCCI and diplomats of Thai Embassy.