On 24 September 2026, Her Excellency Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, was invited to attend the Opening Ceremony of the World Halal Business Conference (WHBC) 2026 under the theme “Prominent, Visible and Globalised Halal Malaysia”, organised by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) of Malaysia, in collaboration with the Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC), at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur, whereby the The Hon. Senator Dr. Zulkifli Hassan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), presided over the ceremony and delivered the keynote address; and Prof. Dr. Mohd Afandi Salleh, Chairman of HDC, delivered the welcoming remarks. The event was well-attended by over 300 participants, including members of the diplomatic corps in Malaysia, government officials, private sector representatives, academics, and members of the media.

 

In his address, Minister Zulkifli emphasised Malaysia’s strategic aspiration to transition from being a benchmark-maker to a market-maker in the global halal industry though commercialising products beyond halal certification, scaling up capable halal entrepreneurs for the global market, strengthening the halal value chain within ASEAN and the broader region, shifting from traditional halal sectors to high-value industries, and deepening collaboration with stakeholders and partner nations.

 

The global halal industry is currently valued at USD 2.6 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 3.6 trillion by 2029. Recognising its significant potential, the Governments of Thailand and Malaysia has identified the halal industry as one of the strategic areas of cooperation between the two countries whereby the Royal Thai Embassy is committed to continuously driving trade and investment in this sector, including through the organising of the Economic Forum 2026 on 25 September 2026, which focused on exploring avenues for expanding halal cooperation into the creative economy across high-potential sectors such as Muslim-friendly tourism, modest fashion, and halal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.