A senior delegation from Thailand arrived in Tel Aviv at the end of last week to meet with Israeli companies in an effort to examine security-related technologies in preparation of a new civilian airport located at a military airport near Bangkok.

The delegation which arrived at the initiative of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor in Bangkok and the Israel Export Institute, will meet with Israeli companies specialized in the areas of internal security, and the security of airports and visit airports that are used for military and civilian purposes.

"Following the unrest in Thailand last year, there has been a growing interest by Thai security officials into Israeli technology in the field of internal security technology and in particular security of airports," said Zachi Selzer, Israel's commercial attache from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor in Bangkok. "The unrest caused severe damage to the Thai economy and in particular to the area of tourism which is crucial to the country."

The foreign trade department at the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry said that over the last few years bi-lateral trade between the two countries has risen significantly. In 2008, Israel's total trade with Thailand exceeded $1 billion. However, the global economic crisis has hit trade volumes. Trade figures for the first six months of this year show that exports to Thailand fell 26 percent compared with the same period last year as imports dropped 33 percent.