Expo Centre Sharjah to host biggest ever Thailand Exhibition

"The show which was launched with only 50 exhibitors in 1996 has grown by more than 400 per cent. Last year it attracted 7,454 trade visitors from 43 countries," said Mubarak Balaswad, Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.

The exhibition is organised by the Department of Export Promotion of Thailand in association with the Thai Trade Centre in Dubai.

"The success of this show has given us the confidence to bring to the region more solo country exhibitions providing the Middle East business man with more investment opportunities and a wider choice of suppliers," added Balaswad.

The high-level delegation to the show will be led by HE Dr. Adisai Bodharamik, Minister of Commerce, Royal Thai Government who will inaugurate the exhibition.

The show is also set to break all visitor records this year with 1000 buyers already pre-registered.

The focus of the show is many-fold with One Tambon One Product (OTOP) programme taking centre stage. OTOP was launched two years ago under the directives of the Thai Prime Minister to boost Thailand's cottage industries.

"The programme, which means one village one product, has been very successful and includes contracts to sell OTOP products with Selfridges & Co from the UK, Jupiter Shop Channel from Japan and TFT Decoration from the Netherlands to sell OTOP products," said Sutisak Laohachewin, Executive Director, Thai Trade Centre, Dubai.

"We now hope to make inroads in the Middle East market for Thai handicrafts which are much sought after products around the world."

Thai exports to the Middle East in 2002 were US $2.5 billion and by the first half this year it had already seen a growth of 8.5%.

"The exhibition is a huge success allowing more Thai companies to come and explore new markets. In the UAE alone our exports increased from US $639 million in 2001 to US $717.3 million in 2002 a growth of 12.24%," said Sutisak.

He added, "Our success in this market is due to the fact that Thai products are made to international standards and are very competitive."

He further explained by citing an example of garments, "the perception and myth that was associated with garments made from Thailand are not of high quality has been crushed. We now have a lot of Thai clothing brands such as AIIZ that have joined the regional retail market."

This year's highlights of the show will include a wide range of halal foods and a look in Thailand's private health care sector that offers internationally acclaimed medical facilities. The Thai government is looking to promote health-tourism and this will be its first push in the region for this sector.

Also, for the first time the exhibition has introduced a new concept of 'Intertraders'. Intertraders are persons that will help the trade visitor source any product from Thailand that may not be exhibited at the show.

There will be 40 intertraders at the show.

"The inclusion of 'Intertraders' is to help business men with their queries and provide a friendly service," added Sutisak.

Some of the products on display include Auto parts and accessories, fashion, computers, toys, hardware and construction material, furniture and packaging products.

Visitors to the show can enter a daily business card draw to win an air ticket to Bangkok with a three nights stay at one of the top hotels. In
addition to this the winner will also get an executive check-up with one of the country's best private hospitals.

The four-day show is open to trade visitors daily from 10am to 1pm and 4.30pm to 9.30pm except on Tuesday (30th) when the afternoon session will be made open to public and run from 4.30pm to 8.30pm.