Thai delegation and Diamond Dealers Club meet to work up trade ties

A meeting took place in New York between the executive leadership of the Diamond Dealers Club of New York, (DDC), headed by President Moshe Mosbacher, and His Excellency Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, to examine how to improve business opportunities between the American and Thai diamond and jewellery industry. The DDC delegation was invited at the initiative of the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Thai Ministry of Commerce.

The discussion centered around the potential for the expansion of trade, including bilateral trade cooperation. Prime Minister Vejjajiva related to the DDC leaders that his government was committed to an open economy with the private sector playing a critical role. He added that Thailand deals with business in a transparent manner and he looked forward to growth in the "business relationship between Thailand and the United States" in the jewellery as well as other sectors. The Prime Minister indicated that jewellery was now Thailand's second largest category of exports.

Thailand was represented at the meeting with a delegation including H.E. Kasit Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs; H.E. Don Pramudwinal, Ambassador to the United States; H.E. Norachit Sinhaseni, Ambassador to the United Nations; H.E. Alongkorn Ponlaboot, Deputy Minister of Commerce; and, other prominent officials, apart from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The DDC executive leadership delegation consisted of Moshe Mosbacher, President; Nissan Perla, Secretary; Jacob Weinstock, Treasurer; and Dr. Martin Hochbaum, Managing Director.

In response to the cooperation extended by the Thia Prime Minister, Mr. Mosbacher mentioned that more than two thousand Diamond Dealers Club members looked forward to more frequent exchanges with their Thai counterparts. These included encouraging more commerce in both directions, particularly partnerships when feasible. Mr. Mosbacher invited his Thai hosts to visit the DDC, saying that as New York is the gateway for diamonds and jewellery entering the United States, he looked forward to working with Thai business representatives to develop a comprehensive business agenda, one that proves beneficial to the diamond and jewellery industries in both countries.