THE mini Thailand week officially opened at Ayala Center Cebu on Thursday, June 26, 2025, marking its third staging in the city and its first return since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The four-day trade exhibition, which ends Sunday, June 29, serves as a dynamic platform to showcase the potential and diversity of Thai products to the Philippine market.
Organized by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) under Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce, the event features 52 booths offering a wide range of Thai products, including food and beverages, fashion and lifestyle items, gems and jewelry, health and beauty goods, household items, and more.
“We think Cebu is an interesting city to expand Thai business,” said Miss Sutinee Vathana, Director of the Thai Trade Center in Manila. “That’s why we organize Mini Thailand Week here. After Cebu, we plan to expand to Davao, maybe in the next two to three years.”
H.E. Mrs. Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Republic of the Philippines, also emphasized Cebu’s potential. “We have direct flights between Bangkok and Cebu, so there’s high potential to extend cooperation,” she said.
Sumitmor added that Cebu serves as an effective platform for trade opportunities, largely because of its substantial growth and its significant contribution to the country’s gross domestic product.
In her speech, she emphasized that trading is not merely a transaction but a “long-term partnership.”
Charles Kenneth Co, former president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shared during the opening ceremony that the event is more than just an exhibition—it also symbolizes the deepening partnership between Thailand and the Philippines.
“A partnership wielded in mutual growth, cultural appreciation, and shared prosperity,” he said.
“An open gateway for countless possibilities to strengthen our economic ties and foster collaboration in trade and commerce,” he added.
Co underscored that collaborations like these are designed to optimize community potential and drive economic progress, highlighting the belief that such advancement is best achieved through collective efforts.
‘Great potential’
Meanwhile, in May this year, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., cited the “great potential” for a partnership between the Philippines and Thailand in the electronics, artificial intelligence, copper, vehicle wiring and precious metals industries.
“I really see that there is great potential in all of these areas,” Marcos said as the Philippines targets to increase its exports to Thailand for a more balanced trade.
In 2024, Thailand was the Philippines’ sixth-largest trading partner.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn agreed to broaden agricultural cooperation with the Philippines, with Thailand investing heavily in research and development. / Hilary Natalie Berongoy, HNU intern and Divine Grace Bendanillo, CNU Intern / KOC