100 Thai Brands Intend to Expand Investments in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Minister of Investment speaks at the Saudi-Thai Investment Forum, which was held in Saudi Arabia last year. (SPA)
The Saudi Minister of Investment speaks at the Saudi-Thai Investment Forum, which was held in Saudi Arabia last year. (SPA)
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100 Thai Brands Intend to Expand Investments in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Minister of Investment speaks at the Saudi-Thai Investment Forum, which was held in Saudi Arabia last year. (SPA)
The Saudi Minister of Investment speaks at the Saudi-Thai Investment Forum, which was held in Saudi Arabia last year. (SPA)

More than 100 leading Thai brands in various sectors are scheduled to participate in the first Thai exhibition of its kind in the Kingdom to enhance trade exchange and expand investments.

Trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and Thailand reached nearly $36.8 billion over the past year, a 37 percent increase from 2021. Riyadh's exports amount to $26 billion, and imports $10.8 billion.

The Thai Embassy and the General Authority for Commerce General Authority of Foreign Trade in Riyadh will host an exhibition, with the participation of Thai brands.

The four-day event will boost trade and economic exchange between Saudi Arabia and Thailand by highlighting the two countries' strong marketing and investment relations.

The exhibition will provide a unique platform for entrepreneurs, aspiring professionals, and companies eager to tap into potential business prospects and forge partnerships.

The event will allow visitors interested in tourism and cultural exchange to explore Thailand's heritage and attractions.

It will feature interactive training workshops to provide attendees with valuable knowledge and experiences in various fields.

Saudi Arabia hosted in late 2022 the Saudi-Thai Business Forum, with the participation of more than 350 senior officials and business leaders from the Kingdom and Thailand.

The Federation of Saudi Chambers organized the event at its Riyadh headquarters. The event was attended by Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Jurin Laksanawisit, who was visiting the Kingdom to discuss prospects for economic cooperation.

At the time, Laksanawisit revealed that his talks with Saudi officials reached positive results regarding signing three important agreements in free trade, facilitating trade procedures, and establishing a joint Saudi-Thai business council.

The official reiterated the importance of Vision 2030 led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The Thai government and the business sector look forward to actively participating in the projects and investment opportunities offered by Saudi Vision 2030, said Laksanawisit, adding that Saudi Arabia could be a significant energy supplier to Thailand.

During the event, he called on Saudi business owners to invest in Thailand in various economic sectors and take advantage of the opportunities, the investment environment, and the facilities it provides foreign investors.



Gold Eases from Record Peak on Profit-taking; Trump's Tariffs in Focus

Gold bars at a gold shop in Bangkok, Thailand, 01 April 2025. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT
Gold bars at a gold shop in Bangkok, Thailand, 01 April 2025. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT
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Gold Eases from Record Peak on Profit-taking; Trump's Tariffs in Focus

Gold bars at a gold shop in Bangkok, Thailand, 01 April 2025. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT
Gold bars at a gold shop in Bangkok, Thailand, 01 April 2025. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT

Gold dipped on Thursday as traders locked in profits after prices hit a record high, following a rush to safe-haven assets triggered by US President Donald Trump's aggressive import tariffs, which escalated the already intense global trade war.

Spot gold was down 0.4% at $3,122.1, as of 0710 GMT. Earlier in the session, bullion hit an all-time high of $3,167.57.

US gold futures fell 0.7% to $3,145.00.

Trump unveiled on Wednesday a 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the US, and higher duties on dozens of countries, including some of its biggest trading partners, deepening a trade war that has rattled global markets, Reuters said.

The reciprocal tariffs do not apply to certain goods, including gold, energy and "certain minerals that are not available in the US," according to a White House fact sheet.

One of the factors supporting gold was "the slowdown that tariffs are likely to cause the US economy, raising the prospects of future rate cuts," Capital.com's financial market analyst Kyle Rodda said.

The Trump administration confirmed that the 25% global car and truck tariffs will take effect on April 3, as planned, and duties on automotive parts imports will be launched on May 3.

Gold is in "a pure momentum trade, where bulls who were left for dust are agonizing on the side line, eager for even the smallest of dips, and until we see a volatile shakeout big enough to stun bulls and bears, the momentum trade could continue higher," said Matt Simpson, a senior analyst at City Index.

Gold, a hedge against political and financial instabilities, has surged more than 19% year-to-date, mainly driven by tariff jitters, rate- cut possibilities, geopolitical conflicts, and central bank buying.

"There's also some front running going on amongst traders who anticipate (Trump's) policies will drive central banks to park their reserves in gold rather than US dollar-denominated assets," Rodda said.

Market awaits US non-farm payrolls report due on Friday for clues into the Federal Reserve's policy path.

Spot silver slipped 2.8% to $33.07 an ounce, platinum fell 1.5% to $968.37, and palladium lost 1.4% to $956.50.