RI suffers deficit in trade with Thailand

Bangkok (ANTARA News) - Indonesia still saw a deficit in its trade with Thailand despite a drastic increase in its exports to the neighboring country last year, an envoy said.

"We are trying to reduce it," Indonesian Ambassador to Thailand Muhammad Hatta said when receiving a delegation of the Indonesian Young Businessmen`s Association (HIPMI) here on Wednesday.

Indonesia`s exports to Thailand mainly consist of oil, gas and other natural resource products.

Indonesia`s exports to Thailand jumped to US$11 billion in 2008 from US$8.7 billion a year earlier, he said.

But he stopped short of revealing the amount of the deficit and the value of Thailand`s exports to Indonesia in the past couple of years.

The ambassador expressed hope that the association would play a bigger role in increasing Indonesia`s exports to Thailand in the years to come.

"Many (Thai) investors wish to invest in Indonesia. But a lack of supporting infrastructures has made them doubtful. I hope that HIPMI can capitalize on this opportunity," he said.

HIPMI Chairman for Information Technology and the Media Febrizal Rahmana meanwhile expressed hope that the Indonesian embassy in Thailand would always inform the association of any business opportunity in Thailand.

"We hope that we will be informed of any business potentials here," he said.

Both Indonesia and Thailand are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The other ASEAN members are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. (*)