Thais seek trade

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 6

Thais seek trade

Six members of a trade mission from Thailand visiting Christchurch yesterday found many local wholesalers and retailers ready to discuss importing Thai products. Miss Orajit Singkalavinich, the leader of the trade mission, said yesterday that her five colleagues had as many as four appointments each in one afternoon while they were in Wellington at the beginning of the week-long mission, and the schedule in Christchurch promised to be just as busy. In addition to Miss Orajit, senior trade officer for the Thai Ministry of Commerce, the mission consists of four men and one woman, all representatives of big manufacturing concerns in Thailand. Miss Anukool Kulvivatana, export manager of Siam Art Flowers Company, Ltd, wants to meet prospective importers of her company's hand-made, artificial flowers; Mr Chalit Ohpanayikool, marketing sales and export supervisor for the Thai-Ger-man Ceramic Industry Company, Ltd, is looking for buyers of ceramic wall and floor tiles; Mr Chalermchai Sri-UmDOldech, export sales manager for Sri Umpol, Ltd, is seeking buyers of . wire netting, steel wire mesh, welded and galvanised be-

lore weaving; Mr Kasem UsawakornguT, assistant sales manager .for the Racha Weaving Company. Ltd, is involved in selling cotton towels; and Mr Pichit Likit-. dechasak, sales manager of Pan Asia Food Industry, Ltd, is involved with canned sea foods and pet foods. For all six members of the trade mission, it is their first visit to New Zealand. In between trade appointments, they have two days to see the sights at Wellington and Rotorua. This is the second Thai trade mission to visit New

W Zealand — the first was in | 1978. Miss Orajit said the trade : ' mission members were from companies that produced selected items already imported into New’ Zealand from other countries. They s* were trying to persuade buyers that they could obtain i: as good, if not better, products from Thailand. h The trade mission is sponf sored by the New Zealand Government and is organised by the Department of Trade j. and Industry. £ Miss Orajit said the New, Zealand Government was i* trying to encourage New ' Zealand firms to import ; more goods from Thailand to * redress the trade balance, at present three to one in New Zealand’s favour. 1 1 11-! ' I ..'II. I ' ; ■