Sor Chandara

Local cassava producers are finding the path to Thailand increasingly difficult to navigate and suspect officials there are erecting non-tariff barriers to protect their market

Cambodian trader Sam Yin used to sell his dried cassava chips to China, but after a supply glut there sent prices plummeting, he turned his attention to the Thai market. Yet there, too, receding Chinese demand has sent ripples through the market. Yin, the president of Malai Trading Company in Banteay Meanchey province, said the wholesale market price on cassava chips has shrivelled from 5.8 baht (0.162 cents) per kilo last year, to just 5.2 baht (0.15 cents) per kilo now, which has made margins razor thin. And while traders and factories in Thailand are still ready to buy his cassava, Thai authorities appear to be imposing trade barriers aimed at protecting their country’s half a million cassava-growing households.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/root-problem

Thai authorities appear to be imposing trade barriers aimed at protecting their country’s half a million cassava-growing households.

How quickly Thailand has forgotten the ASEAN Community. If Thailand is not going to give up its protectionism from ASEAN imports, it wither will cause ASEAN to collapse or more likely ASEAN will boot Thailand out of the Community.

Yes the same Thai protectionism that has driven away Western tourists. But it won't happen with China. If China waves a big economic stick Thailand will say yes and do as it is told.

Edited March 6, 201610 yr by metisdead
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