BANGKOK: Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn will travel to the United States to attend the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) from April 20 – 22. According to the Commerce Minister, her visit to the U.S. will serve as an opportunity for the two countries to discuss the possibility of expanding bilateral trade, investment and economic ties for the first time in 13 years.
The Commerce Minister is planning to push for duty-free exports of Thai coconut water and travel products to the U.S under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. The GSP extended coverage to Thailand until 2017.
The U.S. also wants Thailand to serve as a hub of alternative energy investment in ASEAN. Mrs. Apiradi forecast exports to the U.S. to grow by at least 3% this year, once the GSP has been approved for more products from Thailand.
