The 64th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair, held from September 10th to 14th, saw a sizeable increase in the number of foreign buyers and generated millions of dollars in revenue, according to a statement by the show organiser, the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), ministry of commerce, Thailand.
Banjongjitt Angsusingh, director general of the DITP, deemed the Bangkok fair a success, citing a double-digit increase in the number of foreign visitors year – on-year, which she attributed to a higher level of confidence in Thai gem and jewellery products. The fair welcomed 15,188 visitors from 110 countries, of which 7,237 were foreign visitors, a 13% increase from the September 2018 edition.
Over five days, sales generated at the event totalled $70 million, with immediate sales worth $16 million, DITP noted, adding that this performance demonstrated the potential of Thai businesses, manufacturers, and designers in crafting high-quality gem and jewellery products. Products with the highest value of trade at the fair were gemstones at $24 million (accounting for 34.3% of all sales); silver jewellery at $16 million (22.9%); fine jewellery at $15 million (20.9%); machinery at $6 million (8.8%); and diamonds at $3 million (4.2%).
At the opening ceremony, Jurin Laksanawisit, Thailand’s minister of commerce, said, “The fair is held under the theme of ‘Thailand’s Magic Hands: The Spirit of Jewellery Making’, which showcases the uniqueness of Thailand’s gems and jewellery products that have been made by talented craftspeople together with the new generation of designers with creative ideas. These characteristics have propelled Thailand to become the manufacturing and trading hub for international traders, or the jewellery hub, that has been internationally recognised for its unique jewellery, high quality, creative designs, and the use of new technology together with the craftsmanship of Thai artisans.”
In 2018, the total export of gems and jewellery products (including gold) from Thailand was approximately $12 billion, the third highest among all industries in the country. The gem and jewellery industry employs over 1.2 million workers nationwide.
“We appreciate the expertise of Thai artisans and their craftsmanship. This is the reason why we choose our production base here and we have planned to expand further in other parts of the country because Thailand is in a strategic location for doing business,” said Nils Johan Helander, senior vice president, manufacturing & managing director, Thailand – Pandora.
“Thai jewellers have their outstanding design. It’s great that the DITP supports young designers to have an opportunity to participate in the important event in the jewellery industry like the Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair,” added Igor Kadzhala from Jewellery Russia magazine.
“We’ve been participating in the show for over 20 years. It’s a very important show as you can meet a lot of people from around the ASEAN region and worldwide,” said Mohammed Mahallati, vice president of Mahallati. The 65th Bangkok Fair will be held on February 25th-29th 2020 at Challenger Halls 1, 2 and 3 at Impact Muang Thong Thani.