Canada’s new envoy pledges support for ASEAN FTA: commerce minister
Ambassador Ping Kitnikone meets Thailand’s commerce minister to discuss stronger trade ties, investment opportunities and free-trade pact in the region
The new Canadian ambassador to Thailand paid a courtesy call to Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan on Tuesday to discuss various issues of cooperation, including Thailand’s aspiration for a free-trade agreement.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Ambassador Ping Kitnikone at the Commerce Ministry, Pichai said both sides agreed to support the ASEAN-Canada FTA talks, so the pact can be signed as scheduled next year.
Pichai said once the ASEAN-Canada FTA pact is signed, it would boost confidence among both Thai and Canadian businesses, expand trade and investment opportunities as well as create closer ties between ASEAN and North America.
The commerce minister said the ASEAN-Canada FTA pact will be Thailand’s first FTA agreement with North America as well.
During the meeting on Tuesday, Pichai said he had assured the envoy of Thailand’s willingness to work closely with Canada to boost economic, trade and investment ties.
He also assured the ambassador that Thailand was willing and ready to welcome investment from Canada in innovative, new technology, particularly in targeted industries like clean energy, electric vehicles, electronics and digital industries.
Thailand is also keen to cooperate with Canada to develop AI and cybersecurity, he said.
He added that the Canadian ambassador was also assured that Thailand could be used by Canadian investors as a staging point to access markets in the region, while Thailand hopes to expand its businesses among G7 nations via Canada.
Pichai also thanked Kitnikone in advance for the plan to bring a huge delegation of Canadian business leaders to Thailand in May next year.
The minister also extended an invitation for Canada to join international trade fairs in Thailand, such as Asia’s largest food fair, Thaifex-ANUGA Asia, which will run from May 27 to 31 next year.
Pichai told reporters that he also had the chance to meet Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Minister Mary Ng during the October 9-11 ASEAN summit in Laos. He said he will be meeting Ng again during the APEC ministerial meeting in the Peruvian capital of Lima mid-next month to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries.
In 2023, Canada was Thailand’s 30th trading partner with bilateral trade valued at US$2.93 billion (99.06 billion baht). Last year, Thailand’s exports to Canada were worth $1.9 billion and imports from the country were worth $1 billion.
