Following their participation in the Regional Training on ‘Trade Events Promotion’ in June this year, training participants from Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam have collaborated in organizing three trade events this month as part of their action plans. 

The trade events set out to promote cross-border trade and investment by linking up local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and buyers with each other, therefore expanding the enterprises’ network beyond the domestic market. Participating sellers were local producers, wholesalers and retailers of products and services in sectors like OTOP, agribusiness and handicraft, while buyers were private companies, local businessmen and government agencies. 

Kicking off the series of trade events was the Cambodia-Vietnam Business Matching 2017 on October 5, 2017 in Preah Sihanouk Province, organized by participants from Can Tho and Ca Mau provinces in Vietnam and Preah Sihanouk and Kampot provinces in Cambodia. In addition to the business matching, the participants also visited Preah Sihanouk Port as part of a learning visit. 

Following this was the Thailand-Cambodia Buyer-Seller Meet 2017 on October 7 in Battambang Province. Local sellers came from the provinces of Chanthaburi, Sa-Kaeo and Trat in Thailand, and Koh Kong, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Pursat in Cambodia. 

Another group of Cambodian and Vietnamese participants organized a similar business matching event on October 25 in Svay Rieng Province. Participating sellers from the province of Tay Nihn in Vietnam and Svay Rieng and Kampong Chnang in Cambodia, joined the business matching. 

Capping off the trade events is the Dawei-Thailand Trade Mission set for November 6-8, 2017, a collaboration between participants from Thailand’s Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Prachinburi Provinces and Myanmar’s Dawei District. 

Mekong Institute, through the Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF) Department, has provided technical support and grants in the implementation of these action plans.