First-ever meeting of Pak-Thai Joint Working Group held

Close partnership to lift millions out of poverty agreed

Both sides agreed to boost trade and investment

Islamabad: August 21

The private sector of Pakistan and Thailand has agreed to boost trade and economic cooperation in various fields and hold meetings of Joint Business Council biannually for future growth and prosperity.

Noted Thai investors have lauded the investment policies and environment of Pakistan and decided to visit Pakistan next month to explore new avenues of investment and economic cooperation.

The development came during the first-ever meeting of joint working group comprising private sector of the two countries.

Pakistan side was headed by President FPCCI Zubair Ahmed Malik while Thai side was led by Mr. Isara Vongkusolkit, Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking of Thailand and Chairman of the Board of Trade Thailand.

Both sides agreed to explore investment opportunities in energy, food processing, agriculture, pharmaceutical, auto parts, fisheries, marble, granite, tourism and health tourism and ensure significant progress.

Speaking at the occasion Zubair Ahmed Malik said that Pakistan market presents great opportunities to Thai investors and that we can help enhance their market access to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and some Gulf and Middle Eastern nations.

He said that Thailand is world leader in food processing, auto parts manufacturing while it is exporting fisheries worth 10 billion dollars per annum.

Thai investors can explore opportunities is Pakistan’s robust auto industry, food processing and agricultural sector, he said, adding that fish products of Pakistan match western standards.

The FPCCI President said that Pakistan’s marble and granite sector  exports to China and Hong Kong are picking up and he expects Thailand to consider this promising sector for investment.  

Mr. Isara Vongkusolkit took keen interest in the discussion and raised many question regarding reforms agenda, quality of Pakistani products including pharma and rice. He informed that Pakistan can export orange and its juice to Thailand where people prefer it over any other nectar.

He stressed preservation and processing of agriculture and fisheries products terming them important national resource of Pakistan. Thai side also took interest in Pakistan’s energy, gemstones and education sectors and offered scholarships to Pakistani students.

Vongkusolkit encouraged Pakistani businesses to look towards Thailand, a market of 70 million people for business expansion. Thailand can help enhance presence of Pakistan in whole ASEAN region, a market of 600 million people which will become a single market in 2015, he said.

The two sides agreed to forge close partnership to help lift millions of people out of poverty and build a stable, prosperous and democratic future for their respective countries.