TAPA goes green

One of the world’s largest motor trade shows –Thailand Auto Parts & Accessories (TAPA) – is going green in 2012. 

“This year’s concept will be Automotive Technology Innovations for a Sustainable Environment. Green innovations and new products will be presented which have been designed to reduce pollution and global warming. These products will also save energy and be environmentally friendly. The fair is expected to attract manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers and purchasing agents in the automotive industry, as well as more than 16,000 visitors from Thailand and overseas,” says Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, Director-General of the Department of Export Promotion. 

TAPA 2012 will be held from April 26-29, 2012 as scheduled. It will cover an area of 15,000 square meters in the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Center (BITEC), Bangna, Bangkok, Thailand. Show organizers promise that the fifth TAPA will be the most comprehensive automotive parts exhibition to date in the ASEAN region. It will bring together all the leading carmakers plus automotive business operators covering auto parts and components and auto accessories from Thailand and beyond. TAPA 2012 promises to provide opportunities for auto entrepreneurs to find new business partners and suppliers, they say. 

TAPA is co-organized by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government and the Thai Auto- Parts Manufacturer Association (TAPMA). The two organizations have worked together to create a far-reaching public relations campaign, expecting to attract as many as 16,000 international visitors to the event. They will include visitors from Thailand, ASEAN and South Asian countries, as well as, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, African and European nations. 

“There are currently many leading Thai and foreign businesses applying to participate in TAPA 2012. This fair serves as a platform for trade negotiations and promotion of Thai industry, as well as providing opportunities for launching new products, technology, innovations and services. Preparations for the TAPA 2012 fair are brimming with excitement,” adds Sakuntanaga. 

The fair is a meeting place for automotive people from around the world. “This is a wonderful opportunity for exhibitors to reinforce Thailand’s position as the emerging automotive manufacturing hub in this region. The fair will also provide great opportunities for trade negotiations, public relations and for launching innovative technological products and new services to prospective buyers. It will also be a time to catch up with automotive industry trends”. 

The ASEAN region (consisting of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand) has the world’s eighth largest automotive production base. 

Thailand’s automotive sector has shown strong growth, and is recovering from the 2011 floods. In 2010, the Thai automotive parts and products, automotive accessories, and automotive equipment and machinery industries grew by an estimated 12%, an estimated value of US$16.8-billion or TBH560-billion. Vehicle production is expected to reach 2.5 million in 2015 – of which more than 50% will be for export. Thailand’s auto parts industry was given a shot by the arm in the elimination of import duties on automobiles and parts under the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) scheme. A 5% tax on completely knocked down kits (CKDs) and parts traded among the six ASEAN nations was removed on January 1, 2010. 

The geographical location of Bangkok, at the heart of Asia, compared to other cities such as Shanghai and Taipei, has helped the country emerge as important manufacturing centre for automotive production. Despite the global economic slowdown of the past few years, Thailand has managed to remain ASEAN’s poster child in terms of economic growth, with the second largest economy in the ASEAN region. The automotive industry is Thailand’s third largest industry, employing over 300,000 people. In recent years, it has contributed approximately 12% to Thailand’s overall gross domestic product or GDP. 

“Preparations for the upcoming TAPA 2012, Thailand, have reached unprecedented levels. The show is an integral part of Thailand’s strategic plan to promote its exports, and be ASEAN’s center of auto parts and accessories,” says Sakuntanaga.