Thai Show Goes On

April is hot in Bangkok. But neither 100-degree temperatures nor the emergence of Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Southeast Asia could slow down the Bangkok International Gift & Housewares (BIG) Fair, which went ahead as scheduled despite a slight drop in buyer and exhibitor attendance. Though a number of the region's spring trade shows were rescheduled or cancelled due to the health scare — including gift industry shows in China and Hong Kong — organizers assured BIG 2003 attendees that SARS posed no serious risk in Thailand.

Speaking at the show's opening ceremony, Dr. Adisai Bodharamik, Thailand's Minister of Commerce, said, "It is fortunate that Thailand is not on the World Health Organization's list of affected areas. The Thai government has been taking all necessary measures to minimize risks to all parties concerned, and I strongly believe that this situation has been brought under control." According to the World Health Organization, there have been no cases of SARS originating in Thailand to date.

The 15th Bangkok International Gift & Housewares Fair, organized by Thailand's Department of Export and Promotion (DEP), Ministry of Commerce, took place April 18–23 at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre, and featured a wide array of product from the country's local artisans and manufacturers. Categories included gifts, home decor, handicrafts, toys, games, stationery, and more. Supported by six of Thailand's leading trade associations, BIG 2003 was organized under the theme of "Everyday Living" to emphasize customers' modern desire for functional products that reflect a sense of style. The six associations that helped organize the show were the Thai Stationery and Office Supplies Association, Thai Houseware Trade Association, Thai Toy Industry Association, Thai Gifts & Premiums Association, the Northern Handicrafts Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and the Design & Object Group.

The clear emphasis at BIG 2003 was on handcrafted merchandise reflecting the diverse culture of the Thai people. Time and again, exhibitors and organizers differentiated Thai products from the factory-produced, mass market wares typical of Chinese manufacturing.

The Northern Handicrafts Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NOHMEX), based in Chiangmai, Thailand, is comprised of 85 companies from the northern provinces of the country. Producing everything from decorative wooden vases in teak, mango, and pine to delicately handcrafted candles, NOHMEX designs represent the Lana culture, characterized by finely rendered temple motifs.

Another highlight of BIG 2003 was the DEP's One Tambon (Village) One Product (OTOP) initiative, which encourages local people to use local wisdom to make products with a distinctly Thai image. BIG 2003 put together a special exhibition of gifts and home accessories selected to represent the wide array of products being created in the OTOP program. Merchandise in the OTOP exhibition included examples of finely woven fabrics and handcrafted items made from wood, resin, pewter, and other indigenous materials. The goal of the OTOP program is to bring the traditional ingenuity of local Thai artisans to foreign markets. The first international exhibition of products from the OTOP program took place in September 2002, in Tokyo.

The next BIG show takes place October 18–23, 2003.