Thailand’s strengths goes beyond an attractive tourist destination to become a gateway for the fashion industry due to its global reputation for fashion design and production. With the hosting of the 34th Bangkok International Fashion Fair from March 9 to 13, it proves they are ready to be a fashion platform and trend leader, said . Malee Choklumlerd, director-general of the DITP (Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce).

According to DITP, Thai designers and manufacturers received good responses from both local and international buyers from China, Japan, Korea, and Europe.

Thailand, famous for its silk and cotton, has recently diversified into production of synthetic fibers and filaments. Thailand’s textile industry has a complete supply chain from the production of fibers, fabrics, and textiles to apparel, and home and industrial textiles.

The theme of the fair this year was “Catching the Creative Spirit,” with a focus on creativity, design, and quality. Some Thai designers and fashion brands are already well-known internationally. Their international success is a result of great talent and inner spirit, as well as strong support from local suppliers, manufacturers, and labor forces.

DITP encourages more brands to break into the global fashion scene, and the fair in Bangkok is a great platform to do that. More than 500 companies attended the fair in Bangkok this year to showcase their products and service

Thai silk is famous for its quality, unique designs, and affordability. One of the notable Thai brands at the Bangkok fair was Greenville Silk, which produces innovative silk fabrics and silk products. The company is owned by Thanapaisal R.O.P., which is a family-owned business with over 100 years of experience in cotton and silk production.

Pilan Dhammongkol, the owner of Thanapaisalm, the third generation of his family’s textile business praised the government-sponsored programs that aimed to advance the Thai textile and garment industries. The government hired a team of Italian fashion consultants who specialize in weaving, designing, dyeing, and finishing to advise Thai textile companies.

Pilan was one of the entrepreneurs who was inspired by these Italian experts, started to focus more on the quality of the fabric to differentiate his brand.

Pilan said that Italians do not focus on mass production, they focus on creativity. They take care of the fabric and they make it really soft. In technical terms, it is called mechanical finishing, massaging the fabric.

The Thai textile industry is expected to grow further in coming years with significant private sector technology investments and government policies to improve textile production, designing skills, and supply chain management.

Apart of this Thailand also enjoys a strategic location and serves as a gateway to the heart of Asia. The country offers convenient trade with China, India, and the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Thailand is the second-largest economy in ASEAN and a major player in the regional value chain for key manufacturing industries, including textiles.

Thailand is an export-oriented economy with exports accounting for around 65 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). To promote exports, the Ministry of Commerce developed six-year international trade strategies.

One of the government’s strategies is to promote Thailand as the regional hub of ASEAN in terms of trade and investment, another strategy implemented by the Thai government is to improve the competitiveness of the local private sector. said Somdet Susomboon, assistant director-general of DITP.

ASEAN, with a population of more than 600 million people and a GDP growth of 6 percent, is a highly attractive market for Thai industries like textiles.