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.