The Thai ambassador to the United States will visit Atlanta, March 5, to mark the re-opening of the Thai Trade Center in the city with the appointment of local businessman, Mark Towery, as the country’s honorary trade representative here.
“Thailand clearly recognizes Georgia as an important hub of industry and commerce,” Mr. Towery told GlobalFax. “And I sense a renewed interest and effort by the Thai government to promote and strengthen commercial ties between Thailand and the U.S.”
The re-establishment of trade representation in Atlanta comes three years after the Thai government closed the trade center in the city, following 1997’s Asian currency devaluations that cut into government budgets. Thailand’s trade promotion operations in the Southeast have, until now, been consolidated at the office in Miami.
Thailand, said Mr. Towery, continues to view Atlanta, and in particular, the Merchandise Mart, as a market for its fashion products, gifts and jewelry. Atlanta is also a center for marketing and distribution in the Southeast and its proximity to High Point, N.C. and Tupelo, Miss., both known for their furniture industry, stand to benefit Thailand, a major furniture exporter, he added.
Mr. Towery encouraged U.S. companies to look for investment opportunities in the privatization initiatives recently enacted by the Thai government, pointing specifically to the airport, banking, port, telecom and tobacco sectors in which Georgia has some strength.
Savannah currently ranks as the sixth-highest importer of Thai products in the U.S., he added.
A strategy consultant with Geo Strategy Partners, Mr. Towery has worked on and off in Asia for the past 19 years and plans to use his experience in Asian market research and entry strategy in the private sector to increase trade relationships between Thailand and the Southeast.
Contact Mr. Towery at (678) 354-1579 or via e-mail at marktowery@geostrategypartners.com. To take part in the visit of the Thai ambassador to the World Trade Center Atlanta, March 5, call (404) 880-1550.