Growth continues in exports to Cambodia of automobiles, motorcycles, sugar, textiles, and cosmetics and imports of agricultural products, minerals and wood.
The photo above is of young Cambodian children and their push-carts carrying goods and farm products across the border at the Aranyaprathet checkpoint near Bangkok.Though it may not contribute much to official trade statistics, this kind of trade is essential to the livelihoods of many lower-income people who live along the border.
THAILAND-CAMBODIA CONFLICT: Business community seeks quick fix to clashes by Nanchanok Wongsamuth, Phusadee Arunmas and Parista Yuthamanop
Businesspeople are calling for a quick resolution to border disputes with Cambodia, warning that continued clashes will hurt border trade and bilateral investment sentiment...
Border trade so far affected only slightly.
...According to the Commerce Ministry, border trade between Thailand and Cambodia last year totalled 55.41 billion baht, up 22.1% from a year earlier, with Thai exports making 51.11 billion baht and imports 4.29 billion, up 72.3%.
Despite sporadic border disputes, Thai-Cambodian border trade keeps rising, up 14.3% between January and March to 16.1 billion baht, including 14.54 billion baht in Thai exports, up 8.9%.
Major exports from Thailand include automobiles, motorcycles, sugar, fabrics and textiles, and cosmetics, while imports are mainly agricultural products, minerals and wood. Thailand also exports fruits and vegetables, food and sugar to Vietnam through Cambodia.
Border trade with Cambodia takes place mainly through Sa Kaeo and Trat provinces, representing up to 90% of the total between the neighbours.
Apart from border trade, Thailand last year invested 31 million baht through the Cambodia Investment Board, where it ranked 15th. Taiwan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Malaysia were the top investors in the country.
From 1994 to 2009, Thailand invested in 81 projects in Cambodia totalling $226.59 million or 7.02 billion baht. Nine projects are hotels worth 4.29 billion baht, followed by investments in the agricultural industry worth 4.35 billion, and garment and textile ventures worth 221 million.
Thai-Cambodian border trade currently represents only 7.1% of total border trade between Thailand and neighbouring countries, while the trade values in the conflict areas in Surin and Si Sa Ket make up 0.2% of total border trade, " said Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai. "Border trade is therefore unlikely to be affected if the clashes are limited only to the two provinces"...
(Source: Bangkok Post, THAILAND-CAMBODIA CONFLICT, Business community seeks quick fix to clashes, 27/04/2011, Nanchanok Wongsamuth, Phusadee Arunmas and Parista Yuthamanop, link)
According to bangkokpost.
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