Thai Toys see a promising future with expected 5% export growth

THAILAND
(SANEPR.com) February 20, 2008 -- BANGKOK - 20 February 2008 -- Ms. Duangjai Koosrivinij, President of the Thai Toy Industry Association, said the association is confident that Thailand’s toy export value would increase at least 5 percent this year if there is no further baht appreciation. She noted that toys made of the natural materials and educational toys have the brightest future, due to the higher demands in the global market.

“We are quite confident that the export value of Thai toys this year will grow around 5 percent from last year if the baht value does not continue to strengthen further from the present,” Duangjai said.

According to the Department of Export Promotion (DEP)’s report, the value of Thailand’s toy exports stood at US$210.14 million last year. Thai toys’ major export markets are the US, Japan, UK, and EU respectively.

Duangjai noted that although the export sector has experienced negative factors - especially the baht value appreciation over the past two years and the economic decline of the US which is Thailand’s no.1 market, Thai toy industry, however, has gained benefits from the recalls of the Chinese-made toys by the US giant traders since July last year.

According to Duangjai, the incidence has prompted the buyers’ growing concern about toy quality and safety standards. As a result, many toy importers in the global market have turned to place a greater number of orders with Thai exporters, due mainly to the internationally-accepted quality and safety standard of Thai products.

“Our marketing strategy is to be able to underline our strong commitment in producing high quality products to our targets groups. This has successfully brought stronger trust and better understanding in Thai toy products among the global buyers. For the time being, they realize that Thai toy industry has potential to produce the outstanding design, high quality, and safe products - particularly the educational toys and pre-school toys,” she added.

As part of the continual support of the Thai toy industry, DEP’s Office of Product Value Development has joined forces with the Thai Toy Industry Association to organize its 10th toy design contest entitled ‘BIG Toys Design’ which will kick off in March this year. The concept of this year’s contest is ‘Pre-School Toy: ECO Play’ focusing on designing toys for children aged between 3-6 years. The campaign is aimed to develop toy design and production by bringing talent designers into industrial sector.

BIG&BIH, as the finest and largest trade show of lifestyle-products in ASEAN, is held bi-yearly in April and October by the DEP with its main purpose to provide business and export opportunities to local Thai manufacturers and exporters in gifts and premiums, home decorative items, housewares, home textile, toys, stationery and office supplies.

The 25th fair will be held during April 17-22, 2008 at the Challenger Hall, IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani. For more information, please visit www.bigandbih.com.