Thailand nixes RI offer

Thailand nixes RI offer

BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand's Commerce Ministry has turned down an
offer to exchange Thai agricultural products for Indonesian
aircraft because of an ongoing trade imbalance, news reports said
Saturday.

Deputy Commerce Minister Chaiyot Sasomsub said after meeting
with the head of a visiting trade delegation that Indonesia
should buy more Thai rice before discussing a barter deal.

Indonesia had earlier ordered 200,000 tons of Thai rice for
delivery this year.

Thailand had a trade deficit of US$182 million with Indonesia
last year.

The Indonesian delegation on Thursday offered to sell Thailand
its NC212 and CN235 aircraft in return for Thai agricultural
products, news reports said.

A foreign ministry official told AFP Friday that this was the
first barter deal Indonesia had proposed to Thailand, but had
offered its aircraft for sale for years.