On Friday 12 March 2010 from 7.00 to 9.00 p.m., the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives of the House of Representatives led by its Chairman, Mr. Chada Thaised, paid a visit to the Royal Thai Embassy. During the working dinner hosted by Ambassador Nopadol Gunavibool, the Chairman and the Committee Members had an exchange of views with the Ambassador and Team Thailand on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

Ambassador Nopadol informed the Committee of the cooperation with Singapore in various fields as well as the status of trade between Thailand and Singapore. Agricultural products and food are Thailand's major export items. The Thai Hom Mali rice accounts for more than 95% of the market. Last year, the Office of Commercial Affairs of the Embassy began a campaign to promote glutinous rice among Singaporeans because they are not familiar with the cooking method and how to eat glutinous rice with main dishes. Thailand is also well known for fresh fruits, particularly durian, mango, pomelo and longan. Promotion of other fresh fruits such as mangoosteen, longong and lychee is in the pipeline. Ambassador Nopadol asked the Committee Members to impress upon the farmers and exporters to pay attention to the quality, the appearance and the packaging of the products.

The Ambassador and other members of Team Thailand also informed the visitors of the activities and various ongoing projects of the Royal Thai Embassy in 2010 such as increasing the number of Thai restaurants and looking after health and welfare of the 42,000 Thai workers.

Prior to meeting with the Ambassador, the Committee Members were escorted by Ms. Bunika Jamsai and Ms. Yanee Srimeechai, Minister-Counsellor and Counsellor respectively, as well as Ms. Sutthathip Vathitphund, First Secretary (Economic) of the Embassy, to meet with officials of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore. They also visited the Ang Mo Kio branch of NTUC Fairprice Supermarket, which sells several Thai agricultural and food products, to gain first hand information about preference and taste of consumers in Singapore.