Handicraft exports defy forecasts and flourish

Handicraft exports defy forecasts and flourish

Handicrafts from the Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Craft Centre displayed at a shopping mall. Exports of Thai arts and crafts show promise amid a dimmer overall picture. SOMCHAI POOMLARD
Handicrafts from the Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Craft Centre displayed at a shopping mall. Exports of Thai arts and crafts show promise amid a dimmer overall picture. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

Despite the country's overall bearish export picture, outbound shipments of Thai handicrafts are expected to eke out growth this year.

According to Amparwon Pichalai, chief executive of the Support Arts and Crafts International Center of Thailand (SACICT), Thai handicraft exports are likely to increase by 1.5-1.6% from 59.4 billion baht in 2015.

SACICT is tasked with promoting Thainess around the globe through handcrafted products.

Thailand's overall exports were projected to stay flat this year, according to the latest forecast made on Monday by the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), improving from earlier projection of 1.9% contraction.

The Commerce Ministry reported late last month that exports expanded 3.4% year-on-year in September to US$19.5 billion (683 billion baht), the highest in two years.

The surge helped narrow the nine-month contraction to 0.7% year-on-year to $160 billion.

The shipments rose in nearly all markets except the Middle East -- exports to that region fell by 18.9% year-on-year. Exports to mature markets -- the US, the EU and Japan -- rose by 7% in September, while those to dynamic markets such as Asean, China and South Asia, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan climbed up 3.7%.

For the first nine months of this year, according to SACICT, Thailand shipped 45.6 billion baht worth of handicraft products, up 1.7% from the same period last year, lifted by strong demand from China, the US and Switzerland.

Gold and silver products fetched the highest exports, with values amounting to 34.04 billion, up 2.6% from the same period last year, followed by fabric totalling 5.71 billion baht, up 3.6%.

Handicraft exports totalled 5.18 billion baht, up 1.6%, with ceramics making for 673 million baht, up 0.8%.

According to Ms Amparwon, the shipments to China, in particular, saw outstanding growth of 24.2% for the first 9 months of this year mostly driven by the imports of gold and silver-made products, fabric and handicraft products. Robust growth was also seen for shipments to the United Arab Emirates (up 18.3%) and Switzerland (up 13.7%).

In a move to beef up promising exports in China, SACICT is now preparing to team up with Thai masters and artisans to establish artisan networks with Chinese counterparts in big Chinese cities as previously done in Huai'an and Nanjing.

According to Ms Amparwon, SACICT has already discussed the possibility with high-ranking officials of Nanjing-based SMG Group which operates banking, real estate, hotel, resort and department stores.

SMG Group has announced policy to develop and promote cultural tourism.

SACICT has partnered with Central Group, DHL, and online shopping and shipping portal comGateway to display contemporary handicraft products from now to next May 14 at Central Embassy.

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