On 6 June 2013, Ms. Panpimon Suwannapongse, Thai Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City, presided over the Thailand-Vietnam Shoes Business Matching at White Place convention hall, Ho Chi Minh City. The event was organized by the Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with the Association of Thai Footwear Industrial Promotion (ATFIP) to facilitate long term trade and networking opportunity between private sectors of both countries. Moreover, 30 leading footwear companies from Thailand and 50 Vietnamese companies also took part in the event.