Air conditioner imports from Thailand were valued at about $16 million last year – a fraction of the total $5 billion Thailand earned from its air conditioner exports to international markets, the country’s Department of International Trade Promotion at the Ministry of Commerce said.

Speaking on Wednesday at a promotional event for “Bangkok RHVAC & Bangkok E&E 2019”, an exhibition which will be held in Thailand in the coming months, Department of International Trade Promotion deputy head Witt Maneenetr said most of the air conditioners sold in Cambodia were imported from Thailand and that the country is the second largest exporter of air conditioners in the world after China.

Cambodian support

“In 2018, Thailand’s air conditioner exports to international markets were valued at more than $5 billion. Of which, 25 per cent were from the Asean market,” he said.

The “Bangkok RHVAC & Bangkok E&E 2019” exhibition is scheduled to take place between September 25 and 29.

In 2017, Thailand produced 12.4 million air conditioners, of which 85 per cent were for export.

He said despite air conditioner exports from Thailand to Cambodia currently maintaining relatively little value, studies show that Cambodians strongly support Thai products.

Jirawuth Suwanna-arj, minister counsellor at the Office of Commercial Affairs in the Thai Embassy, who attended the promotional event on Wednesday, said bilateral trade between the two countries was valued at over $8 billion during the first 11 months of last year.