CHIANG MAI, 5 June 2015 – A ‘Know Global-Build Local” exhibition and an accompanying workshop about export marketing has kicked off at Chiang Mai International Convention Center, organized by the Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD) and will continue through 9 June.
The event brings in major product distributors, fashion industry gurus and supporting agencies to share experiences and point out the vast opportunities that exist for Thai entrepreneurs to grow in the global market. The aim is to further develop Thai OTOP producers to better adjust themselves to the domestic and international demand and expanding their customer base to prepare themselves for the ASEAN integration.
OKMD also sees an opportunity for the Thai OTOP export product value to reach the hundred billion baht mark this year, and hopefully spur a greater increase beyond the constant 13 percent OTOP export value growth year-on-year.
Dr. Apichart Prasert, OKMD Director addressed the conference and said that entrepreneurs wanting to further expand their customers’ base need to know more about the market they wish to go into, along with consumer behavior, the economy, what consumers are willing to pay, and what kind of functions and product features the consumer expects.
Besides learning about the external environment, Dr. Apichart stressed that producers must look back to themselves and think of ways they can improve their product quality and business practices to match the design and the demand of consumers.
“There are still demand for Thai products in the European, US, Japan, and ASEAN markets despite the economic slow down,” Dr. Apichart pointed out that there are still opportunities in the market and the challenges we are facing are not about the economic slow down but how to develop the products and services to meet the market demand.
Lastly, for those who either can or cannot cope with the rapid development to comply with the demand should seek help and there are many governmental organizations and associations that entrepreneurs can go to for guidance and support such as the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) Ministry of Commerce. Dr. Apichart suggested that business people should not work by themselves but accept outside help as well.
