After meeting yesterday with the Netherlands’ newly appointed ambassador to Thailand, Karel Johannes Hartogh, Apiradi said Dutch enterprises had told the ambassador they were interested in investing in Thailand and participating in its infrastructure projects.

“Dutch enterprises have foreseen Thailand as a centre of Asean and a link to countries in the Greater Mekong [Subregion] and Asean. Besides investing in infrastructure-development projects, they are also interested in the manufacturing sectors and service businesses, using Thailand as a springboard to Asean markets,” she said.

Thailand and the Netherlands have also agreed to collaborate in technology and innovation and in the agricultural sector, particularly water management, in which that country has high expertise.

However, the Netherlands has expressed concern over the Thai government’s measure to collect higher tariffs on beverages that have high sugar content, as this may affect dairy products imported from the Netherlands.

The Netherlands is Thailand’s 22nd-largest trading partner globally and No 3 among European Union nations.

Last year, Thailand’s exports to the Netherlands were valued at $4.27 billion (Bt150 billion).

The Netherlands is the EU’s second-largest investor in Thailand.