"MICE for communities" launched in Thailand

BANGKOK, August 24 (TNA) - The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and the Cooperative Promotion Department, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, have jointly launched the "MICE for communities" project, in which 35 potential local agricultural cooperatives have been first selected to join in 2018. TCEB Board Chairperson Atchaka Sibunruang and Cooperative Promotion Department Director-General Phichest Wiriyapaha jointly presided over an event to launch the "MICE for communities" project in Bangkok on August 23, representing the tripartite cooperation between the Thai public and private sectors, as well as local communities. Atchaka acknowledged that the "MICE for communities" project will not only become a new alternative learning source and new venues to cater for visitors to MICE events, but also create more income to the selected communities. Atchaka anticipated that the "MICE for communities" project should attract about 10,000 people this year, earning the local communities about 25 million baht totally, out of a total target of about 29 million international visitors to MICE events in the country this year, expectedly to earn the Thai Kingdom about 62 billion baht totally. The cooperative promotion department chief said, meanwhile, that additional 200 Thai agricultural cooperatives will be selected to join in the project next year. The cooperative promotion department chief stated that his department has also sought cooperation from the Thai Ministries of Industry and Science and Technology to help develop more value-added products for local communities, while the private sector has been urged to purchase more goods from the local communities. According to the senior official, a business matching activity, called the Table Top Sale, in which representatives of leading businesses and foundations, as well as educational and financial institutes were invited to participate, was also organized as part of Thursday's event to launch the "MICE for communities" project. (TNA)