Currently South Africa is Thailand's number one trading partner in Africa, with a GDP of US$1.6 trillion (about R10.9 trillion) for 2010. On the other hand, Thailand is also South Africa's number one trading partner in the Southeast Asian region. Thailand is ideally situated as the business hub of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which represents around 600 million people across 10 countries earning a combined GDP of US$1.5 trillion (about R10.215 trillion).
Aside from local exports, such as wood pulp, aluminium and organic chemicals, 2010 saw the import of about US$1.8 billion (about R12 billion) worth of Thai products to South Africa, from OEM car parts and rice to electrical machinery, prepared meat and fish and even precious stones and metals."
The show will feature a business matchmaking programme, where selected local businesses and exhibitors are given the opportunity to engage with each other directly. A specialist trade and investment promotion company will manage the business matchmaking programme and interested parties are encouraged to sign up.
For more information, go to www.thailandtradeshow.co.za.
