59th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair set Feb 22-26

BANGKOK, February 22 (TNA) - The 59th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair has been launched, expected to generate a total sale of over 17 billion baht during the five-day event. Thai Commerce Minister Apiradee Tantraporn told journalists on Wednesday, after opening the fair at the Impact Trade and Exhibition in Muang Thong Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok, that Thailand is one of the world’s leading jewelry producers and exporters and has been widely recognized by global customers for a long time. To develop Thailand as a world Jewelry hub, Apiradee said that the government has introduced several measures, including an exemption of import duties for local jewelry operators as of January 28, 2017, and a double deduction of their workers' salaries and wages, aimed to help boost their competitiveness on the world market. Over 700 gems and jewelry companies from all over the world participate in the fair, scheduled for February 22-26. The five-day event is also expected to attract over 23,000 visitor and drive the country’s gem and jewelry export value to reach 7.32 billion US dollars, or a 5 per cent year-on-year growth, this year, on top of last year's exports of 6.97 billion US dollars. (TNA)