Thai Printing Industry To Dominate In ASEAN -- SinoFoldingCarton 2014 Promotional Trip To Thailand

Online, January 7, 2014 (Newswire.com) - They met with a number of printing companies and trade associations, including the Thai Printing Association, the Thai Packaging Association and the Thailand Association for Printing Technology Promotion, to discuss the latest news and current trends within the country's printing industry.

Thailand is home to numerous enterprises in the printing and packaging industry, 300 of which are large-scale companies. The industry's annual market value is approximately THB 400-500 billion (USD 12.3 - 15.4 billion). During the visit, Pornchai Rattanachaikanont, Chairman of the Thai Printing Association, declared that there are currently about 3,000 printing factories in Thailand, 20% of which are involved in post-print processing.

Kriengkrai Thiennukul, Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries' Printing and Paper Packaging Industry Club, stated that Thailand is ready to welcome the arrival of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). He believes that the country's printing and packaging technologies make the country 'number one in ASEAN', since Thailand has achieved a GDP growth rate of 7-8%, surpassing Singapore's growth rate over the past few years. Once AEC has been established, the value of Thailand's exportation of printing and packaging products is expected to increase from THB 60 - 100 billion (USD 1.9 - 3.1 billion).

Noppadol Krairiksh, Vice Chairman of the TPA, acknowledged that Thailand's economic growth is affected by the strength of the global economy and can be expected to reach 5%, if the global economy starts to recover. Unfortunately, there are a number of additional factors which may negatively affect Thailand's economic standing, such as the European debt crisis; the U.S. financial crisis, Sino-Japanese relations; unemployment in Europe and the US; fluctuations in exchange rates and natural disasters.

Demand for paper packaging services has continued to grow, as Thailand is the preferred import base for many countries and a variety of industries, all of which need paper packaging. Purchasing power in Thailand will increase with the rise of the minimum wage. This will have a positive effect on the packaging and printing industry, as well as the general economy, and the annual growth rate for the printing industry in Thailand is expected to remain around 10%.

Pornchai Rattanachaikanont and Noppadol Krairiksh, Chairman and Vice Chairman of the TPA, both affirmed their belief that SinoFoldingCarton 2014 is the premier exhibition for the professional folding carton manufacturing industry in Asia-Pacific. They confirmed their support for the event by agreeing to inform TPA members of the exhibition and will also organize for relevant local companies to take part, in order to promote the long-term mutual development of the printing industry in both China and Thailand.