EXIM Thailand is fully-prepared to assist Thai businessmen wishing to establish trading companies in the Middle East to enhance Thailand’s export of consumer products, machinery and building materials. The support also caters for growing purchasing power and need for imported goods, urban area expansion and economic growth in the Middle East, which serves as an economic gateway to Europe and Africa. Dr. Apichai Boontherawara (right), President of Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM Thailand), recently visited the Al Sharq Village Resort & Spa project in Qatar where Power Line Engineering Public Company Limited (PLE) installed electrical and sanitary systems under EXIM Thailand’s finance. Dr. Apichai was welcomed by Mr. Swake Srisuchart (left), the PLE’s Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Apichai revealed after visiting various Thai investment projects in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that Thai entrepreneurs still have plenty of opportunities to trade and invest in the Middle East as urban area expansion and economic growth ratesin this region continue to rise. Moreover, in line with the generally high purchasing power and level of sophistication among the population, almost all kinds of imported merchandise and services from abroad both for daily consumption and for business use, be it, luxurious items, consumer products, machinery, infrastructure and building materials are in high demand. Dubai in the UAE, in particular, has witnessed a massive expansion in the construction industry, judging from the myriad of new mega-projects arising from the country’s sizable income from oil sale. Besides producing and exporting goods or investing in business in the Middle East markets, Thai entrepreneurs should consider establishing trading companies to import products and services from Thailand and sell them to the local and foreign businessmen living in the Middle East countries. These trading companies will serve to pioneer new trading channels and expand Thailand’s trade and investment base into Europe and Africa. By providing fully-integrated services in the forms of finance and information to Thai entrepreneurs, EXIM Thailand helps sharpen their competitive edges in terms of production quality, pricing and payment conditions. The Bank also offers Export Credit Insurance service, which protects Thai investors against the risks of non-payment by overseas buyers, especially those new buyers in unconventional markets, due to commercial or political reasons. Investment Insurance service is also available to Thai investors abroad to cover political risks that adversely affect their project investments or repayment ability. These services will promote Thai entrepreneurs’ confidence in enlarging their market shares in the Middle East which has so far been very marginally explored by the Thai business communities.