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New Silk Road? Thailand Eyes Market Beyond Asia

New Silk Road? Thailand Eyes Market Beyond Asia
University of Oxford | New Silk Road

Announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, "One Belt, One Road" comprises of two routes — the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The routes link China to Europe by way of Central Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Africa.

Thailand hopes that China’s “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative would boost trade and investments as well as increase the number of tourists visiting Thailand from Eurasian countries, including Kazakhstan which is hosting the Astana Expo 2017.

Nat Pinyowattanacheep, Thailand’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, said that although the trade value between Thailand and Kazakhstan is currently not much due to transport issues as the cargo must be shipped via Moscow, Thailand hoped the OBOR’s key AH1 route would shorten transportation time. AH1 would link China, Vietnam and Thailand and thus boost trade between Thailand and the Eurasian countries. 

Premier Li Keqiang meeting with leaders of Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar in Bangkok in December last year. Image: AFP
Premier Li Keqiang meeting with leaders of Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar in Bangkok in December last year. Image: AFP

 

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), comprising more than 180 million people, includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Moldova, the latter becoming the first Observer member of the Union on April 14 this year.

During Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s official visit to St Petersburg, Russia, in mid-May and for the Asean-Russia Summit, there were discussions on boosting trade volumes between the two sides by five times within five years.

There were moves towards a free-trade agreement with the EAEU. The Thai Commerce Ministry and the Russian Ministry for Economic Development also signed a memorandum of understanding on trade and economic cooperation.

"Kazakhstan wants to become this region’s financial hub like Dubai is to the Middle East,” Nat said.

Thailand keen to cooperate with Kazakhstan. Image: Kazinform.kz
Thailand keen to cooperate with Kazakhstan. Image: Kazinform.kz

 

Nat also urged Thai businesses to adjust themselves and view this region as a niche market with demand for food. He said Thailand had a clear edge in supplying halal food, as well as for food crops such as coconut oil.

“If Thai investors would explore investment opportunities in Eurasian countries, it could augur well for the future,” he added.

Kazakhstan, with abundant raw petroleum and minerals, has per capita GDP of UD$18,000 per head. About 50,000 Kazakh tourists visit Thailand each year. There are plans to launch marketing activities to woo more Kazakh visitors, he added.

Thailand’s Vice Minister for Energy, General Surasak Srisak, said that the Astana Expo 2017, held on a 1.74-million square metre plot of land in Astana under the theme “Future Energy” was expected to get 500,000 visitors and participants from 115 countries and 20 international organisations from around the world.

 


Source : The Nation |  CNBC 

Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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