THE UAE and the rest of the GCC have become a lucrative market for Thai jewellery designers and manufacturers, prompting them to focus more on the country and the region.

Thai jewellers had an impressive presence at the MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show at Expo Centre Sharjah which concluded recently, and the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) and the Thai Gems and Jewellery Traders Association (TGJTA) are planning to scale up Thai participation in future editions of the show.

Aiming to enhance the existing ties with Thailand and its gem and jewellery traders, an Expo Centre Sharjah team of senior executives visited Bangkok recently and held talks with key stakeholders from both private and government sectors.

“We met decision-makers of the Department of International Trade Promotion, the Thai Gems & Jewellery Traders Association and other key stakeholders of the Thai jewellery industry. Our visit was aimed at strengthening trade ties with jewellery traders and mutually benefit from the rise in demand for gold and diamond jewellery,” said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah.

Al Midfa along with P Ravi, director, marketing, Expo Centre Sharjah, met senior executives of DITP, TGJTA, and the Gems, Jewelry and Precious Metal Confederation of Thailand (GJPCT), including Somchai Phornchindarak, president of TGJTA and chairman of GJPCT.

“More than 30 Thai exhibitors took part in the 37th MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show at Expo Centre Sharjah. We are planning a substantial increase... our aim is to eventually increase the number of exhibitors to 100 in the near future,” said Phornchindarak.

The Thai Gems and Jewellery Traders Association organises the bi-annual Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair, which is regarded as the world’s fifth and Asia’s second largest gems and jewellery trade show.

“The Thai exhibitors had a very satisfactory experience at the just concluded autumn edition of the MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show. The Thai Pavilion was a major crowd puller and became a talking a point for its excellent designs, quality and craftsmanship among both trade and general visitors to the show,” said Ravi.

During the meetings, the Expo team and the association members also discussed ways to augment participation from GCC countries in the upcoming 55th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair scheduled to be held at Bangkok’s Impact Exhibition and Convention Centre from February 24 to 28.

The Expo team also met several other government and private sector entities engaged in promoting jewellery trade in Thailand and briefed them about the MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show and the unique status it enjoys in the GCC as the most popular and longest running biannual jewellery event in the region.

The 37th MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show was held at Expo Centre Sharjah from October 14 to 18 under the patronage of HH Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and attracted 55,605 visitors.

The 38th edition will be held at Expo Centre Sharjah from March 31 to April 4, 2015.