The Thai Ministry of Commerce is planning to hold a border trade fairwith Cambodia featuring a discussion with the Cambodian CommerceMinister next week with aim to increase the border trade value by 25percent this year, said the Thai Deputy Minister.

The DeputyMinister of Commerce Apiradi Tantraporn has revealed that a border tradefair is set to be held on March 26-30 at the Special Economic Zone inSa Kaeo province. The fair will also serve as a platform of discussionwith the Commerce Minister of Cambodia on trade and investmentopportunities. The discussion will also cover on trade and investmentcooperation between private sectors from both countries.

FiveMemorandums of Understanding (MOU) are expected to be signed at thefair. The Chamber of Commerce of Sa Kaeo and Banteay Meanchey provincewill sign the MOUs on joint investment in rice mill, logistics, and theestablishment of a goods distribution centre in Poipet Special EconomicZone, with the investment value estimated at 2.5 billion THB.

Bothcountries are targeting an annual trade growth of 20-25 percent, withthe trade value expected to reach 6,000 million USD this year.

Theborder trade fair will be the stage for mutual logistics development onthe route from Bangkok, Thailand to Hoi An, Vietnam via Cambodia, andthe East-West Economic Corridor that connects Myanmar, Thailand, Laos,Cambodia, and even Vietnam, which is considered the connectivity windowof ASEAN to the world.-VNA