BANGKOK, Feb 2 – The ‘Thai Leather Week: Bag and the City’ was launched by the Commerce Ministry and was expected to boost Thai exports up to US$2 billion this year together with the domestic market.
Deputy Internal Trade Promotion Department Director-General Anchalee Promnart said at a news conference that the event was a collaboration with Thai Leathergoods Association.
The event is to showcase Thai brand leather goods and will be held Feb17-26 at the department’s exhibition building on Bangkok’s Ratchadapisek Road.
Ms Anchalee said the country’s flood crisis last year directly affected the leather industry and caused it to depend instead on imported raw materials from China. Other problems from the flood included damaged goods and delays in machinery transport and in goods distribution, resulting in foreign buyers’ lack of confidence in placing orders.
The Internal Trade Promotion Department accordingly assisted the Thai leather industry private sector to find funds and new markets for exports in Africa and India apart from Vietnam, Hong Kong, Denmark and the United States
Thai leather goods exports this year are expected to grow 15 per cent year-on-year from US$1.8 billion to $2 billion.
