Bangladesh and Thailand are set to initiate Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions in Dhaka next month, with the aim of boosting bilateral trade to $2 billion, announced Thai Ambassador to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor today.
“A high-level Thai trade delegation will visit Bangladesh in the last week of August to hold talks with the Bangladesh delegation, led by State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu,” the ambassador stated at a press conference for a Thai food festival in Dhaka.
The Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka, in collaboration with the Thai Trade Centre and the Embassy of Thailand, will host a four-day Thai Food Festival from July 10-13. The Thailand Trade Show will also take place in its Grand Ballroom, according to a press release.
In response to a question, Ambassador Makawadee Sumitmor revealed that Thailand will send a high-level business delegation to explore business potentials and the investment environment in Bangladesh.
The ambassador highlighted that during her visit to Thailand, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina invited Thai entrepreneurs and businessmen to invest in promising sectors of Bangladesh. Sumitmor noted that Thai investment in Bangladesh would help reduce the trade gap between the two countries. She also emphasized that trade fairs are an effective way to strengthen bilateral relationships, with 64 exhibitors participating in the upcoming exhibition.
Describing Thailand as one of the most popular tourist destinations globally, Sumitmor mentioned that the number of Bangladeshi visitors to Thailand had returned to pre-pandemic levels, with around 140,000 Bangladeshis traveling to Thailand in 2023. She also noted that Thailand issues approximately 4,000 medical visas to Bangladeshis annually.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Thailand from April 24-29 on a bilateral and multilateral mission to enhance relations between the two countries.
