Issue 16

DITP Director-General Nuntawan Sakuntanaga revealed this month that Thai auto parts & accessories exports from January to September had increased by 4.4% to US$ 9.3 billion, and are expected to rise by 10% for the year. The main export markets are Asia, the US and Africa.

“The department aims to increase export value by encouraging Thai entrepreneurs to participate in various trade shows organised by the DITP,” she said, adding that support is available to Thai manufacturers for research and development of auto parts, development of human resources in automotive engineering, and design skills.

Pranita Kurdpikul, Director of the Thai Trade Center Chicago, said that US citizens are buying cars on longer loan terms and consequently seeking ways to increase the lifespan of their vehicles. She said this presented an excellent opportunity for Thai auto part suppliers to increase their exports to the US.

Issue 16

Animation movie, Phra Mahachanok, will be premiered on Nov. 29 in celebration of the occasion of His Majesty the King’s 87th birthday anniversary.

The news was announced by the Grand Chamberlain Distorn Vajarodaya together with Pornchai Ruchiprapha, Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Apinan Juntarungsri, Director General of the Public Relations Department, and Nitipat Somsaman, President of the Thai Animation Computer Graphics Association (TACGA) at the Bureau of the Royal Household in Sanam Sua Pa area.

Produced by 15 Thai animation companies, the 110-minute long movie is set to be premiered at cinemas on November 29 and December 6, as well as being screened on television by the Television Pool of Thailand from December 6 to 8.

Issue 16

Thai retailers are urged to use e-commerce to tap into the key US Christmas market following a survey indicating that festive shopping in set to surge in the superpower.

The survey conducted in the US indicated that consumers are likely to spend around US$538 per family on Christmas presents. Much of this will be via the internet.

“It shows a 13% growth in internet purchases or approximately US$10 billion from last year,” said DITP Director-General, Nuntawan Sakuntanaga. Around 3.4 million Americans are expected to purchase their Christmas gifts online for the first time, she added. “Therefore, it is a good opportunity for Thai entrepreneurs to expand their market via online business.”

Sakuntanaga highlighted Thai souvenirs and gifts as products that are highly sought after due to their quality, neatness and design. In addition, OTOP products are being promoted as gifts for international consumers as well. It is believed that the drop in gas prices and strong growth in the labour market are the main factors behind increased consumer spending.

DITP has launched www.thaitrade.com as a B2B e-marketplace and has received positive feedback from local and international customers. Currently, there are 12,941 online shops, 58,580 buyers and more than 2,059,340 visitors.

For more information, please contact Thaitrade.com Centre, Department of International Trade Promotion, or call +66-2-507-7821

Issue 16

Thailand ranks as the world’s seventh best destination for expats and is first in terms of affordable quality living, according to HSBC’s Expat Explorer Report 2014.

“This is great news, and it is very encouraging to see that expats have a high regard for Thailand, especially in terms of cost-effective quality living,” said Thawatchai Arunyik, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). “It is also very encouraging that Thailand receives a nod of approval from expats to be in the top 10 destinations, as the country has seen a number of positive changes over the last six months.”
Switzerland was ranked top by expats, followed by Singapore, China, Germany, Bahrain, New Zealand, and Thailand.

Thai cuisine, culture and shopping were regarded highly by those expats who participated in the survey. Over two-thirds of expats said they travelled more since moving to Thailand, taking advantage of the beautiful destinations across the country and Bangkok’s position as a gateway to the rest of Asia.

Issue 16

The DITP is to improve the quality of OTOP products in order to increase sales internationally, Director-General Nuntawan Sakuntanaga revealed in November. She said that during 2015, the department will conduct research and select OTOP products to join its four and five-star programme.

The purpose of this programme is to encourage OTOP manufacturers to enter the international market and raise Thai export revenue. It will also include courses in marketing and management, as well as product design and development. It is hoped that the programme will create new marketing channels and enable manufacturers to offer products that better meet the needs of international consumers.

The programme is initiated following the demand of Thai products in the international markets. The department and Thai entrepreneurs have attended trade shows in Japan, which indicated increase demand for Thai silver products, cotton and silk shawls, bamboo weaving bags, hemp fibre based products and handmade hill tribes products.

In addition, selected OTOP entrepreneurs will have opportunities to join various trade fairs in Thailand including Top of OTOP fair and trade fairs in abroad, including Japan, Germany, Mongolia, Poland and Turkey.

Issue 16

After a meeting with private and public sectors last month, DITP Director-General Nuntawan Sakuntanaga revealed that export growth for 2015 has been set at 5.9%. The export goal is in response to key strategies set down by the Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya.

Sakuntanaga said the department would encourage Thai entrepreneurs to take full advantage of opportunities opened up by the AEC and to increase their competitiveness within ASEAN. It will also support Thai companies that expand their production base into emerging economies in ASEAN to decrease production costs.

The DITP will conduct various trade promotion activities next year in ASEAN, including Thailand Weeks in Yangon, Myanmar from January 14 to 18 and in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from February 4 to 8.