SLTBC signs MoU with Chamber of Commerce and Thai BOT

Members of the SLTBC, Thai Chamber of Commerce and BOT with the Ambassadors 

After signing the MoU with Ambassadors of the two countries

SLTBC President Rizan Nazeer and Thai Chamber of Commerce and BOT Chairman Kalin Sarasin exchanging the MOU 

The Sri Lanka Thailand Business Council (SLTBC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand (BOT) during an interactive business meeting held at the Head Office of the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand in Bangkok recently. 

Chamber of Commerce and BOT of Thailand Chairman Kalin Sarasin and SLTBC President Rizan Nazeer signed the MoU in the presence of Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand Kshenuka Seneviratne and Thailand Ambassador to Sri Lanka Chulamanee Chartsuwan, with the presence of BOT of Thailand members and SLTBC executive members. 

The Chamber of Commerce and BOT of Thailand was established by a group of Thai merchants in 1933 to act as a coordinator between the Government and private sector to promote trade and protect the interests of the country for prosperity. 

The SLTBC was established 22 years ago by five members of Sri Lankan businessmen with the blessing of then Thailand Ambassador to Sri Lanka Dr. Thakur Phanit, to promote trade, investments and tourism between Thailand and Sri Lanka. Today, it’s an incorporated body with more than 100 active corporate members.

Addressing the interactive meeting, Kalin Sarasin said that there are few Thai investments in Sri Lanka and with the signing of this MoU, Thai BOT and Chamber of Commerce are capable of playing a productive role in further strengthening trade and economic relationship between the two countries and they will share the information with their members which is more than 100,000. 

He added that Sri Lanka is the fourth largest trading partner of Thailand from the Asian Countries. He emphasised that signing this MoU is another milestone in furthering the connectivity of the two countries.

Rizan Nazeer, addressing the gathering, said that the MoU signed between the two organisations will place a solid foundation for Business Corporation and it would be mutually beneficial for both countries. 

He added that there are significantly large Thai investments in Sri Lanka at present and invited the members of the Chamber of Commerce and BOT of Thailand to consider Sri Lanka for their next investment where the business climate had improved considerably in the post-conflict period. 

He also mentioned that the recent Government decision to waive off visa-free period of six months as a pilot project for certain countries including Thailand will be an added point to consider by Thai tour operators to enhance religious tourism to Sri Lanka when compared to the very poor numbers of tourists from Thailand to Sri Lanka in the recent past. 

Participants at the signing of the MoU were Ambassador Chulamanee Chartsuwan, Ambassador Kshenuka Seneviratne, Rizan Nazeer, Vice Presidents Lionel Fernando and Asgar Musajee, Secretary Priyantha Kolonnage, Treasurer Kamil Weerasekera, Assistant Treasurer Venura Fernando, Committee Members Lalith Kumarage, Athick Afeez, Rienzie Fernando, Yashodha Peiris and Luxhman Peiris.