Paris: The Prime Minister encourages Thai businesses in France to expand their imports of Thai raw materials and promote the growth of Thai franchises in the European market. Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul held discussions with executives from three Thai private companies investing in France, aiming to explore opportunities and challenges in operating within the European market, and to enhance economic cooperation between Thailand and France.
According to Thai News Agency, the meeting included Mr. Herv©n Villefer, President of Ambient Branded under Thai Union Europe Co., Ltd.; Mr. Hermes Panayotopoulos, Head of Sustainability Policy for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Indorama Ventures Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Supasit Sukhanin, CEO of Mud and Hound Co., Ltd. These discussions focused on promoting economic growth and cooperation, with the private sector presenting several proposals to the government.
The private sector highlighted the need to accelerate negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Thailand and the European Union. Such an agreement would significantly reduce tariffs levied by the EU on Thai goods from 24% to 0%, thus enhancing the competitiveness of Thai products in the European market. This reduction would provide substantial benefits to Thai exporters across all product groups, allowing for a greater market penetration.
Additionally, there was a strong emphasis on promoting franchises for Thai brands within the European market, especially in the restaurant sector. The Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM Bank) could play a crucial role in this initiative. Thai cuisine enjoys international popularity, yet many Thai restaurants abroad are managed by individuals who may not have the expertise to prepare authentic Thai dishes, leading to flavor discrepancies. The private sector proposed measures to encourage Thais in France and other European countries to establish Thai restaurant businesses, which would also bolster the demand for authentic Thai ingredients and help maintain the cultural identity of Thai cuisine.
The Prime Minister expressed a keen interest in these proposals and assured continued governmental support in promoting these initiatives. The government plans to facilitate discussions between Thai private sector companies with restaurant franchises and EXIM Bank to devise further promotional strategies.