Bangkok's auto parts fair 2016 set April 7-10

BANGKOK, March 23 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Commerce and private business operators in the automobile part industry will jointly organize the Thailand Auto Parts & Accessories Fair (TAPA) 2016 in Bangkok during April 7-10, expected to result in purchase orders worth about 2.1 billion baht within a year. Malee Choklumlert, Director-General of the ministry’s Department of International Trade Promotion, told journalists on March 22 that the TAPA 2016 will be held at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC), themed “World Auto Parts Sourcing Hub, The Green Innovation and High Quality Product for Sustainable Growth”. Malee said high quality automobiles, auto parts and accessories, as well as innovative and environmentally-friendly production technologies will be displayed at the upcoming fair, aimed to promote Thailand as a world-class production base of auto parts and accessories and to encourage the further development and the application of safe and green technologies in the country. Malee acknowledged that participating exhibitors at next month's fair are 590 manufacturers from more than 10 Asian and European countries, including those in Thailand and neighbouring countries in the ASEAN Community (AC). The senior official foresaw that the fair should attract about 10,000 visitors from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Russia and South America. According to the senior official, the TAPA 2016 will be only opened for business operators during April 7-9 and for general visitors on April 10. The senior official noted that Thailand is now the world’s 12th biggest automobile-producing country and the leading auto part manufacturer in Southeast Asia, with the country's exports of auto parts recorded as high as 31.36 billion US dollars last year and expected to rise by 3.8 per cent year-on-year to 32.56 billion US dollars this year, mostly to Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Middle East countries and the Philippines. (TNA)