The Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand convened the third Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting from 26 – 27 September 2019, in Thimphu, Bhutan.
The Bhutanese delegation was led by H.E. Lyonpo Loknath Sharma, Minister of Economic Affairs, Royal government of Bhutan and the Thai delegation was led by H.E. Weerasak Wangsupakijkosol, Deputy Minister of Commerce, Government of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The main objective of the third meeting of the JTC was to reinforce the implementation of the Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (TECA) signed between the two countries in November 2013. The high-level meeting reviewed the decisions taken during the last JTC meeting and discussed on trade and economic aspects of mutual interest to both the countries to further enhance the bilateral relations in trade, investment, and economic cooperation between the two kingdoms.
The meeting came up with a workplan to collaborate more in the area of promoting export of agricultural products, handicraft, branding of SMEs (e-commerce) and assistance in developing single window.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has grown steadily over the years with total trade accounting for Nu. 1.10 billion in 2018.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs initiated the first meeting of the JTC in August 2016 in Thimphu.