PHUKET, April 10 – Thailand will set up a rubber-processing industrial estate in the southern province of Songkhla to be fully engaged in producing and marketing in parallel to a similar rubber park in Malaysia, the deputy agriculture minister said today.
Yuthapong Charassathien spoke at the opening of the ASEAN Rubber Seminar in this southern resort province that Thailand should be upgraded as the world’s rubber centre given its production and export capabilities.
With modern technology in rubber production, the total value of Thailand’s rubber industry will increase significantly and will contribute to growth in the Southeast Asian region, he said
Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are three of the world’s largest rubber producers. The three countries have formed the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC) to standardise rubber prices, quality and exports.
The ITRC has limited rubber exports to 10 per cent to maintain the price structure in the global market. The agreement, which expired on March 31, will be extended for another six months.
Mr Yuthapong said the three-day forum in Phuket will enable 10 rubber producing countries in Southeast Asia to meet with major importers including China, Japan and India for trade talks and cooperation on sales expansion in the global market.
He said the government envisions a full-cycle rubber industrial park in Songkhla which should boost the trade value of Thai rubber to Bt120 billion.
