Presentation to Developing Trade with ASEAN Conference

New Zealand-Thailand Trade Linkages

Barry Hellberg

Honorary Trade Advisor for the Thai Department of International Trade Promotion in New Zealand

25 June 2015

Overview of Presentation

• The role of DITP and its HTA Advisor programme;

• The role of the Thai HTA in New Zealand and its association with the Thai Trade Centre in Sydney;

• Overview of current Thailand New Zealand trade;

• Opportunities for increased trade and investment flows between Thailand and New Zealand.

• The Thai Department of International Trade Promotion works under the auspices of the Thai Ministry of Commerce that has its Head Office in Bangkok;

• DITP operates a number of regional trade offices in Thailand and has 62 trade centres throughout the world including an office in Sydney;

• The role of the Thai Trade Centres are complemented by some 50 Honorary Trade Advisors throughout the world who assist the respective trade centres to promote opportunities for the sale of Thai merchandise throughout the world;

The role of DITP and its HTA programme

• Barry Hellberg was appointed as the Thai HTA in New Zealand in 2007.

• In this role he has:

• assisted Thai exporters to develop contacts with NZ importers;

• assisted New Zealand importers and retailers to attend trade fairs in Thailand;

• assisted to promote seminars in New Zealand to grow bilateral trade linkages;

• attended HTA Conferences in Bangkok where the DITP Annual Trade Strategy has been developed and discussed.

Role of the HTA Office in New Zealand and its association with the TTC in Sydney

Overview of Thailand New Zealand trade

• Thailand is currently New Zealand’s 10th largest trading partner;

• NZ exports to Thailand totalled some NZ$790m in 2014 and represent 1.6% of NZ’s global exports. Exports increased by 12.4% between 2013 and 2014;

• NZ’s imports from Thailand totalled some NZ$ 1,762m in 2014 and represent some 3.4% of NZ’s total global imports. Imports increased by 2.5% between 2013 and 2014;

• NZ’s main exports to Thailand include primary produce such as milk powder, butter, casein etc;

• NZ’s main imports from Thailand include passenger and commercial vehicles, tyres, air conditioners and refrigerators.

Opportunities for Increased trade and Investment Flows between Thailand and New Zealand

• New Zealand has trade linkages with Thailand through a bi-lateral trade agreement (NZ Thailand Closer Economic Partnership 2005) and a multi-lateral agreement (ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement 2010);;

• Thai exporters can be assisted through the Offices of the HTA in New Zealand (www.barryhellbergconsulting.com) as well as the TTC in Sydney ( www.thaitrade.com), the Thai Embassy in Wellington (www.thaiembassynz.org.nz) and the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council (www.asean.org.nz)

• New Zealand exporters can be assisted through the NZTE Trade Commissioner (www.nzte.govt.nz) and NZ Embassy based in Bangkok (www.nzembassy.com/Thailand) as well as the New Zealand Thai Chambers of Commerce (www.nztcc.org);

• New Zealand companies interested in investing in projects in Thailand can be assisted by the Thai Board of Investment based in Sydney (www.boi.go.th);

• Thailand is recognised for the quality of the merchandise it produces rather than for the price at which merchandise is offered for sale;

• New Zealanders for instance primarily think of Thailand as being symbolic for fine silks and high quality apparel but Thailand is also recognised for the broad range of culinary quality food products that are offered for sale in retail stores as well as through the various Thai restaurants now evident in most cities throughout New Zealand;

• There are excellent shipping and air links between Thailand and New Zealand and the New Zealand business community is well placed to build on the liberal trading arrangements that have been established between the two counties and foster increases trading opportunities and investment flows.

• Opportunities also abound New Zealand exporters to build on their export trade with Thailand as well as their investment in particular projects in Thailand given that Thailand currently has a very stable political environment.