The SEA-LAC Trade Center (UTCC), in collaboration with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Thai Chamber of Commerce, and Thailand Trade Representative, conduct a seminar in the topic of "Business Opportunities of Trade and Investment in Latin America (Brazil, Argentina and Chile)". The purposes of the seminar are to share experience of Thai businesses joining the Thailand Road Show in Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, and Chile), on October 27th to November 7th, 2009, and to provide ideas of business opportunities in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile as well as the ideas of starting business with Latin American.

On October 27th to November 7th, 2009, Thailand Trade Representative, Thai Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federation of Thai Industries, along with prominent figures of Thai private sectors visited Brazil, Argentina and Chile in a project of "Thailand Road Show in Latin America (Brazil, Chile and Argentina)" to promote two-way trade and investment between Thailand and Latin American countries.

During the visit, Thai delegation held bilateral meetings with high level representatives of Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Investment Committee, and Chamber of Commerce of Brazil, Chile, and Argentina to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in various areas of mutual interests. The results from the visits and meetings were following:

• Brazil and Thailand are interested in promoting trade and investment in the energy, automotive, and electronic industries as well as agriculture and tourism.
  Thailand is interested to receive technology and knowledge transfer production of bio-diesel from Brazil while Brazil wishes to learn from Thailand on tourism management. In addition to alternative energy, other areas of cooperation discussed include sports and promoting the role of developing countries in the international arena.
• Thailand signs MOU on Partnership Program for Joint Cooperation with Argentina. Thailand and Argentina expressed strong determination to move forward relations and cooperation, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels, in particular through the ASEAN- MERCOSUR framework.
• Chile is interested in concluding FTA with Thailand. Thailand and Chile expressed strong will to further expand bilateral economic ties, particularly in the area of trade and investment expansion in potential sectors. Chile also expressed its interests in concluding the Thai- Chile Free Trade Agreement at the earliest opportunity. The FTA will be an essential instrument that facilitates trade and investment flows for the two countries in the future.
• During the visit to the Chilean National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism, both sides signed the MOU of Cooperation between Board of Trade of Thailand and the Chilean National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism so as to reiterate their readiness to increasing trade and investment activities among the two sides.
• In addition, more than 40 Thai and Chilean entrepreneurs participated in a very successful roundtable meeting and had fruitful business matching sessions with concrete results.
• Etc.

However, to promote trade and investment between Thailand and Latin American countries, especially in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, the SEA-LAC Trade Center, Thai Chamber of Commerce, and Thailand Trade Representative would like to give the ideas of opportunities of trade and investment in Latin America in several sectors, especially automotive, electronics, jewelry, and food industries. On this seminar, we invite speakers who have successful cases in doing businesses with Latin Americans, such as Khun Somkiat Anurat (Chairman, Span Marine Co.,Ltd), Khun Pairush Burapachaisri (Chairman & CEO, Pin Siam Co.,Ltd), Khun Thanomwong Taepaisitwong (Executive Vice President, Betagro Co.Ltd), etc, to share their experiences of doing businesses in Latin America