Wrap-up: Thailand Yacht Show

PHUKET: The second edition of the Thailand Yacht Show saw visitors enjoying sea trials, parties on superyachts, fashion shows, supercars and the latest water-borne toys.

With 60 exhibitors, and 55 vessels – including 18 superyachts – on display, the second edition of the TYS closed its doors on Sunday night. Held in partnership with the Thai government, it proved to be a good sign of things to come, with organizers hailing it as ‘a successful presentation of yachting to Thailand, and of Thailand to the world’. And indeed it was.

At the opening ceremony, managing director Andy Treadwell addressed the crowds with a clear mission: “Our aim is to position Thailand as the natural destination capital for yachting in Asia, as well as the preferred winter destination for the global superyacht fleet.”

He went on to explain that attracting charter superyachts and stimulating boating and yachting in Thailand would trigger a major impact on the country’s economy by bringing in the highest-spending tourism sector in the world, as well as creating jobs, global high-end PR, and stimulating inward investment.

Also in attendance were Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Deputy Minister of Transport Omsin Chivapruk, Chairman of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Kalin Sarasin, and the guest of honour, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Thanasak Patimaprakorn, who commended the TYS team for their efforts and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to boosting marine tourism by simplifying and streamlining regulations.

In addition to the display of yachts and superyachts at Ao Po Grand Marina, the show featured a ‘Demo Platform’ by Java Yachting with live demonstrations of dinghy sailing, SUP, dragon boating and kayaking, and an invitation to spectators to take part in these activities themselves.

The show also featured an exhibition pavilion featuring luxury lifestyle companies, Phuket property companies and nautical ancillaries, as well as a raging social scene with nightly parties.

Many exhibitors attested to the quality of visitors to the Show.

“You only need to get one or two really good leads to make attendance worthwhile,” said Della Rudgee, Senior Broker at Singapore-based Hong Seh. “We feel that the Thailand Yacht Show is complementary to the Singapore Yacht Show, and this is clearly the place to exhibit in Thailand.”

“Thailand needs more visibility around the world,” reports Ron Patston, CEO of Gulf Charters, based at Jomtien Beach on the Gulf of Thailand. “The Thailand Yacht Show and the Thailand Yachting Forum are doing a good job of spreading the word and provides a good boost for the marine leisure industry in this part of the world.”

The combination of the Forum and the Thailand Yacht Show brings together the knowledge and expertise of the Thai government ministries, the Thai Marine Business Association and the Thailand Yacht Show teams.

The next edition of the TYS will take place from December 14-17, 2017. Organized by the same team as the Singapore Yacht Show, the TYS and the Thailand Yachting Forum are timed to book-end industry activity in the region.

The Nation, the Phuket Gazette and Gazette Radio are the Thailand media partners for both the Singapore and the Thailand Yacht Shows.