Thailand is seeking Sabah trade partners as the country looks to East Malaysia, considering that Malaysia's Minister of International Trade and Industry (Miti), Datuk Darell Leiking, hails from Sabah.

Minister Counsellor (Commercial), Patcha Wutipan, conveyed this to the Federation of Sabah Industries (FSI) when she visited Wisma FSM, the headquarters of FSI recently.

She also visited other chambers of commerce and industries based here.

FSI President Datuk Chong Hon Len and other members welcomed Patcha Wutipan and her delegation.

FSI promoted the Sabah International Expo 2019 to the Thai visitors who said they also intended to organise more trade events to Sabah with the Thai business community, and invited Sabah businessmen, especially young entrepreneurs, to attend various trade shows in Thailand to expand their market reach.

Some FSI member companies have trade dealings with Thailand and import goods from Thailand.

Patcha Wutipan said she took the opportunity to visit supermarkets here and noted that some Sabah products can be marketed in Thailand with better packaging, which is important to develop a sustainable two-way trade relationship within Asean Community.

Accompanying her was Counsellor (Commercial) Thanej Jayasananon from the Office of Commercial Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Marketing Officers Ninasrin Radenarmad and Ameenee Yacoah of the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand.

FSI member companies in the logistics industry will explore better trade connectivity with Thailand. Patcha Wutipan said the ports of Laem Chabang (industrial zone) and Bangkok Port (general cargo), Thailand's two largest sea ports, can be used by Sabah shippers for direct sea-link trade as an alternative other than going through the costly Port Klang or Singapore shipping route.