The government is trying to foster active cooperation among rice producers within Asean countries, said Yangyong Puangrach, Permanent Secretary for Commerce.

Initially, the marketing mechanism will be divided into three levels - ministerial, cooperative committee and rice trader federation levels, Yanyong said.

The Department of Foreign Trade met twice with the rice miller federation and rice traders, Thai News Agency reported Tuesday.

In the next meeting, relevant ministers of the rice producing countries - Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand - will be invited to meet to consider establishing a tangible cooperative mechanism in rice market operations.

Such cooperation will also pave the way for more cooperation in food security and energy among the Asean bloc and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the future.

Thailand will cooperate with Cambodia to increase Cambodia's efficiency in rice production.

The commerce ministry is sending trade and investment representatives to negotiate with Cambodian businesspeople in Siem Reap, Battambang and Phnom Penh from August 14 to 17 to boost exports and border trade in the sub region and to facilitate Thai investments in the neighbouring country.

Source: The Nation