Alibaba to mount Thai product showcase for Chinese shoppers
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said he met representatives of the Alibaba Group after opening the Shanghai Trade Exhibition in China recently and the online retail giant has now agreed to have a “Thailand Section” on its website by this month dedicated solely to selling Thai products.
“It will be a portal for Thai makers of quality products to access the online markets in China and other countries via the Alibaba platform,” Jurin said. “Buyers will be able to more conveniently browse specifically for items from Thailand.”
He quoted Alibaba as saying 45 Thai companies had expressed interest in advertising their products and services in the Thailand Section.
“The ministry will also cooperate with Alibaba’s Hema supermarket chain, which currently has 180 branches in China, in placing Thai products on their shelves,” Jurin said. “Hema is planning to expand to 400 locations within the coming year.”
Thai products in high demand in China include processed fruits, curry paste, seasonings and handicrafts, he said.
“Alibaba is a highly popular e-commerce platform in China and cooperating with them will help increase our export value considerably without having to build our own platform,” he added.
Related Story: Alibaba launches Thai news portal
