Rakuten and Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion Sign MoU to Promote Thai Products
Tokyo, May 10, 2024 - Rakuten Group and the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) in Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce today announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the promotion of Thai products.
From left to right: Director and Group Executive Vice President of Rakuten Group Kazunori Takeda, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Thailand Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, Director General, Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand Mr. Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit
This MoU is part of the "TOPTHAI" project led by DITP, aimed at collaborating with leading e-commerce platform operators in their respective countries to increase awareness and promote sales of Thai products.
The TOPTHAI project is currently rolled out in nine countries and regions around the world, and Rakuten has been selected to represent the 10th partner, Japan*1. Through this MoU, the two organizations plan to open an official TOPTHAI Store on the online marketplace Rakuten Ichiba to promote sales of Thai products. They will also cooperate on planning marketing activities to increase sales of Thai products and supporting activities for Thai entrepreneurs through e-commerce-related seminars and other initiatives. Rakuten Ichiba will be the first e-commerce site in Japan to host an official TOPTHAI Store.
As the first phase of this initiative, the TOPTHAI Product Exhibition will be held on the TOPTHAI Store from May 10 to July 10, 2024. The site aims to promote Thai products by showcasing their appeal alongside recipes using Thai ingredients and seasoning. Coupons usable on-purchase will also be distributed to shoppers, further sweetening the appeal of the products on display.
Rakuten and DITP have collaborated in the past to increase awareness and promote sales of Thai products. For instance, they have launched dedicated webpages on Rakuten Ichiba showcasing Thai products, as well as jointly hosted a Thai Fair campaign on Rakuten Ichiba in 2023 during the 23rd Thai Festival Tokyo held at Yoyogi Park, where online coupons were distributed to attract customers to both the online campaign and the offline event.
The two organizations will continue to promote the unique charms of Thai products in Japan, including new products that are not yet well established in Japan, and create an enjoyable shopping experience for all users.
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