Europe, Africa remain major markets for Thai fashion products

BANGKOK, January 24 (TNA) - Thai fashion products have remained popular among people in Europe and Africa. Phrakanchai Sripawathikul, Chairman of the Bobae Export Service Center in Bangkok, told reporters on Friday that old customers from Spain, France and African countries, who are familiar with Thailand's political situation, have continued arriving in the Kingdom to buy local fashion products. Phrakanchai revealed that European visitors usually buy original Thai fashion products from communities in Chiang Mai and Lampang Provinces in the Thai North. Phrakanchai acknowledged, however, that domestic political demonstrations and the caretaker government’s imposition of special security laws have reduced purchase orders for Thai fashion exports to Europe and Vietnam by 20-30 per cent and to the Philippines by 50 per cent so far. According to the Bobae Export Service Center chair, the value of Thai fashion exports last year amounted to 25 billion baht, some five billion baht lower than an earlier target, and he doubted that Thailand would reach this year's targeted exports of fashion products, again set at 30 billion baht, because the exports depend on domestic political situation, despite economic recovery in the United States and Europe, and since November 2013, some foreign customers have turned to buy fashion products from China and India, where wages are lower than Thailand. For sale value of Thai fashion products on the domestic market, the Bobae Export Service Center chair noted that it has also fallen by 20-30 per cent so far, pointing out that sales of Thai fashion products in Bobae area normally stand at about 15 billion baht annually, but the amount has dropped to 14 billion baht last year due to the country's economic slowdown and political problems. The Bobae Export Service Center chair assessed that sales of Thai fashion products in Bobae area should rise to 15 billion baht again this year, as the domestic political situation should be later alleviated. Besides, the depreciation of the Thai baht should encourage foreign customers to order more Thai fashion products.(TNA)