‘Automechanika Thailand’ to be Launched in May 2006

The first Automechanika Thailand will be held from 10 13 May 2006 at the Impact Centre in Bangkok. Thailand is already the largest manufacturer of vehicles in south east Asia, and some commentators point towards sustained and rapid growth. According to show organisers, Messe Frankfurt, the supply and demand sides of the auto industry are calling for a professional platform such as Automechanika to facilitate trade and maximize the huge market potential.

The Thai government itself is said to be taking aggressive steps to turn Thailand into the ‘Detroit of Asia’ – the foremost centre of auto manufacturing and production in the east. It is offering tax incentives to car manufacturers, increasing investment in building new roads, and investing in state of the art auto manufacturing technology. The goal is to double current vehicle production levels to 1.8 million units per year by 2010.

These government measures, combined with Thailand’s location at the heart of the ASEAN region, have made the country an attractive destination for foreign investors. A staggering US$10 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) has flowed into the Thai auto industry in recent years, showing great optimism about the auto sector. Ford, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota and Nissan all have auto assembly plants in Thailand, and a number of major auto manufacturers use Thailand as their base for the Asia region.

Looking at Asia as a whole, industry experts predict that automobile production in Asia will reach 24 million units by the end of 2005 – equivalent to the US’ current output and 2 million units more than Europe’s.

“We are bringing Automechanika to Thailand at a crucial time for the auto industry in southeast Asia,” says Katy Lam, director of trade fairs for Messe Frankfurt in Hong Kong. “The phenomenal growth looks set to continue, and the opportunities for auto industry manufacturers are huge. We hope that Automechanika Thailand will bring the industry together in a way never seen before in this region, and create new trade: both between east and west, but also between Asian countries.”

“Bringing a leading brand name show such as Automechanika to Thailand will raise the profile of the Thai automotive industry domestically and internationally, and offer exhibitors the chance to showcase their products and services to a professional and diverse visitor base,” says Mr Nikom Lertmalligaporn of Bangkok-based IPEX (International Promotion & Exhibition Company), co-organisers of the show.

“The Thai trade fair market is still relatively young and has great potential for development,” adds Lam. “Automechanika is Messe Frankfurt’s first step into Thailand, and one we will definitely follow with further fairs for different industries in the future.”