Customers visit a Vietnamese booth at the “Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2019”, which officially opened on September 18 in Bangkok, Thailand. — VNS Photo Linh Anh

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese businesses are proudly presenting their products at the “Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2019”, which officially opened on September 18 in Bangkok, Thailand.

This is the fourth year in a row that the Vietnamese week has been organised in the city. 

Themed “Taste of Việt Nam”, the five-day event has attracted the participation of 45 Vietnamese businesses, with the main purpose of promoting Vietnamese commodities in Thailand as well as creating export opportunities for Vietnamese suppliers in the Thai market.

The event is a project in the framework of ‘Promote Vietnamese enterprises' direct participation in foreign distribution networks up to 2020’ which was endorsed by the Prime Minister in his Decision No 1513/QĐ-TTg dated September 3, 2015.

At the fair, co-organised by Việt Nam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and Central World, Vietnamese businesses introduced their products with high export potential such as phở (noodles), tea, coffee, snacks, fresh fruits and spices.

The total exhibition area spans nearly 1,000 square metres of CentralWorld shopping centre. The event is expected to welcome 500,000 visitors over five days.

“In recent years, Việt Nam’s Government has encouraged Vietnamese suppliers to engage in international retail systems including in Thailand. 'Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2019' is an important event held annually since 2016,” said Đỗ Thắng Hải, deputy minister of Industry and Trade of Việt Nam at the opening ceremony.

In order to promote and export Vietnamese products to its retail system, Central Group Vietnam has recently co-operated with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to conduct market research, select potential products which are suitable for the Thai market, as well as organise practical training courses to improve the capacity and quality of Vietnamese suppliers and develop the unique products for Thai market, Hải said.

In his remarks, Thai Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanavisit said the event showed the vision and determination of Việt Nam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and Central Group in strengthening economic relations, connecting investment and business by exchanging products and services.

“The relationship between Thailand and Việt Nam is not merely co-operation between two countries but it is also connected with the community of ASEAN countries, so we need to closely collaborate with each other and with our ASEAN pals to develop more together,” Laksanavisit said.

Jariya Chirathivat, executive vice-president of business development at Central Group, said: “Vietnamese Goods and Tourism Week is one of the activities that Central Group attaches great importance to. After each year of organisation, our enthusiastic staff have tried to closely follow the instructions and suggestions of the Việt Nam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade to execute the programme with increasing scale and quality.”

“This activity helps realise Central Group Việt Nam's vision of contributing to the prosperity of Việt Nam and improve the quality of life of Vietnamese people. We are happy to be a part of Việt Nam."

Nguyễn Lâm, sales manager of Vietnamese Gia Lai-based cashew nuts processor Hải Bình Gia Lai Co Ltd, told Việt Nam News this was the second year his company had brought products to the event.

“We tried to renovate our design to make it more eye-catching, hoping to connect with Thai partners in the business matching session,” Lâm said.

In the first seven months of 2019, the total import and export turnover between the two countries reached US$10.2 billion, up 6.6 per cent over the same period in 2018. In particular, Việt Nam’s export turnover to Thailand reached approximately $3.2 billion, up 1.5 per cent. Việt Nam’s import turnover from Thailand reached $7 billion, up 9.2 per cent over the same period in 2018. — VNS