Rakuten and Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion Sign MoU to Promote Thai Products

• Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand

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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.

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 10^th 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.

Note
*1 Currently rolled out in Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and U.S. (alphabetical order). One company has been selected in each of the nine countries/regions to host a TOPTHAI store selling Thai products online.

TOPTHAI Product Exhibition Overview
Dates: May 10 to July 10, 2024
Official site: https://event.rakuten.co.jp/area/global/topthai/ (*Japanese page)
Overview:
・ In addition to popular items such as Thai cuisine and beauty and fashion products, the exhibition showcases unique products such as alternative foods, as well as recipes using Thai ingredients and seasoning.
・15% discount coupon available for purchases of 2,000 yen (tax included) or more on selected items.
*Coupon distribution period: 10 a.m. on May 10 to 9:59 a.m. on June 10, 2024 (JST) and 10 a.m. on June 10 to 9:59 a.m. on July 10, 2024 (JST). Both coupons limited to the first 1,500 users.

Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand
The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) is a part of the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, which promotes the export and market expansion of Thai products and services outside of Thailand. DITP aims to expand the value and volume of exports from Thailand by developing export products and services, creating added value, providing trade-related information and data, and strengthening the competitiveness of Thai companies in international markets. Currently, DITP has a total of 58 bases outside Thailand.

About Rakuten
Rakuten Group, Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global technology leader in services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to 1.8 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has more than 30,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions. For more information visit https://global.rakuten.com/corp/.