Thailand: Clinical Laboratory Testing Devices and Equipment

Thailand’s market for clinical laboratory testing devices and equipment grew by an estimated twenty percent in 2007 and is expected to maintain the same growth rate between 2008 and 2009. Imported clinical laboratory testing equipment and accessories from the United States and Europe are perceived as having superior quality. Products from the United States are very well received and account for 32 percent of total market share. Most international manufacturers of clinical laboratory testing equipment are represented in Thailand. The importation of clinical laboratory testing equipment is controlled by the Thai Food and Drug Administration and prior approval of imports is required. The use of agents or distributors to market the clinical laboratory testing equipment and accessories in Thailand is highly recommended.  The agent or distributor generally will handle any regulatory requirements for imports, as well as perform the usual market development functions. U.S. products that have strong sales potential in Thailand include: drug testing kits, HIV test kits, alcohol level test kits, cancer diagnostic test kits, and glucose and cardiac diagnostic test kits. Read more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Cosmetic Products

The cosmetics market in Thailand is highly competitive. Most international manufacturers and suppliers of cosmetic products are represented in Thailand.  All of them invest heavily in promotional campaigns as a way to retain their share of the market and to stimulate the industry. The structure of the market is comprised of four highly competitive sectors: hair care, make-up, skin care and perfume. Cosmetic products from the US lead the import market with 20 percent. Perfume products from France dominate import market in that subsector with a 47 percent share. Channels of distribution for cosmetic products include direct sales, counter sales at department stores and hanging sales at specialty stores. The importation and marketing of cosmetic products is controlled by the Food and Drug Administration Office of the Ministry of Public Health. Approval by this office is required prior to the importation of all cosmetic products. Read more, please access to U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Electronics Industry

In late 2005, Thailand gained recognition as the world’s largest manufacturer of Hard Disk Drives (HDD), as it became a manufacturing location for the world’s leading companies, including Seagate, Western Digital, Fujitsu, Hitachi Global Storage and Nidec.  As such, Thailand needs to import nearly 90 percent of total electronics components value to the country every year. Thailand’s Electrical and Electronics Institute (EEI) projected the electronics manufacturing production will increase by 10 – 15 percent in 2008 due to demand for Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and Integrated Circuit (IC) to supply the high-technology production of consumer products such as MP3, external disks, digital cameras, LCD TVs, DVD players, notebooks, personal computers and household appliances. 

Regardless of global economic factors and the country’s political instability, Thailand continues to move forward on restoring foreign investor confidence and stimulating the economy by collaborating with government agencies to support private investment projects in targeted industries, research centers and independent institutions in R&D activities.  In 2007, with strong price competition, electronics manufacturers are required to seek new technologies and developments to enhance their competitiveness and give themselves an edge over their competitors.  One technology, which has become the talk of the town recently, is Radio Frequency Identification or RFID.  This technology will be used widely to order to increase productivity and reduce operation cost in various industries, for example, retailing, agribusiness, and logistics. In addition, automotive electronics is another sector that has a bright future; Thailand is one of the leading investment locations for auto parts and components production, particularly high-value auto electronics. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Food Safety Testing Equipment

The total market size for food safety testing equipment in Thailand was estimated at $361million USD in 2007.  The market is expected to grow at an average of 5 percent for the next 3 years due to the continuing enforcement of stringent food quality control regulations of major importing countries.  The slow growth is expected in 2008 due to the many negative factors from high oil price, political crisis, and inflation. 

The import market for food safety equipment is about 85 percent of the total market.  In 2007, total imports of food safety equipment were $307 million USD.   The U.S. had the largest market share at 33%, followed by Germany 25.6, Japan13.3%, China 4.3%, French 3.6%, United Kingdom 3.3%, Sweden 2.1%, Italy 1.9%, Korea 1.7%, Singapore 1.5%, Netherlands 1.5%, Switzerland 1.4%, others 6.8%.
 
In 2007, the US shared 33% of the import market or 93 million USD for food safety equipment and over the next few years has a potential growth rate of 5%. U.S. products have an excellent reputation for quality and technology and receive a high degree of acceptance from end users in Thailand.  Products that have the best prospects include diagnostic or lab reagents, protein and fat analyzers, gas analyzers, incubators, freezers, microscopes, physical or chemical analysis instruments, lab sterilizers, and floating meters. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: International Students Recruitment

The market for study abroad educational services in Thailand is growing and still has a lot of room to grow. Schools from the United States have an edge and are always Thai students’ first choice for bachelor, graduate and post graduate degree programs, and also English language programs. Accessibility of school information is one importance factor that affects Thai students’ selection of school they would like to attend. Word of mouth is the most efficient means of school promotion. Attending educational fairs is a good tool to recruit Thai students. Having someone in country to promote the school and be a point of contact for both students and parents yields continuous results for recruitment efforts in this country. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Land Infrastructure Development

The Thai Government recently approved development of seven rail-based mass transit projects with a total length of 145 kilometers and an estimated budget of $8628 Million (301,979 Million Baht).  Civil works including land acquisitions account for $6280 Million (219,813 Million Baht), while mechanical and engineering expenses including rolling stocks account for $2348 Million (82,166 Million Baht).  These projects include the development of the Purple Line, a connecting line under the subway (Blue line), extensions of the subway and the skytrain (Green line), and expansions of the railway (Red lines).  Implementations of these projects offer opportunities for providers of system components and engineering consulting services.  Meanwhile, the Thai Government’s ultimate goal of having an integrated ticket system for the different rail-based mass transit systems will create opportunities for experts in systems of fare collection and management.               

This report provides an overview of the existing rail-based mass transit systems in Thailand and upcoming projects over the next five years (2008-2013).  It includes information on the systems, their operators and their developers.  This information will enable interested suppliers of system components and consulting services to identify potential opportunities. It will also provide information on the market environment and strategy necessary for successful market entry. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand:  Tourism Infrastructure

Thailand has a well-developed tourism industry with strong growth prospects. During the past decade, the tourism industry has been robust and resilient. The country’s diverse natural beauty and various tourist attractions, world-famous cuisine, high-quality service and, most importantly, warm hospitality are the key contributors to this remarkable growth.

With its central location in the ASEAN region and new highway routes linking the country with the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries. The GMS is a regional cooperation among six countries (Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and China (Yunnan province)) involving several initiatives, such as establishing transport routes for economic development. Thailand is in a strong position to be the tourism hub of the region.

There are still many opportunities to invest in Thailand’s tourism infrastructure. Potential areas include; property development in major cities, spas, long-term accommodations for foreign retirees and medical patients, theme parks, short-haul air/sea transport, meeting and exhibition centers and yachting marinas. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Medical Equipment and Supplies

Thailand’s market for medical equipment and supplies grew by an estimated 17 percent in 2007 and is expected to grow at 20 percent between 2008 and 2009. About 80 percent of products used in this sector are imported.  Healthcare devices and accessories from the United States are very well received and account for 28 percent of total imports. Most international manufacturers of medical devices are represented in Thailand.  The importation of medical devices is controlled by the Thai Food and Drug Administration and prior approval of imports is required. The use of agents or distributors to market the medical equipment and accessories in Thailand is highly recommended.  The agent or distributor generally will handle any regulatory requirements for imports, as well as performing the usual market development functions. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Petrochemical Industry Machinery and Equipment

The petrochemical industry is one of Thailand leading industrial sectors, generating over $12 billion in revenues each year, representing about 5% to 6% of the national GDP.  In the past few years, the Thai petrochemical industry has experienced 8 to 12 percent annual growth.  Thailand provides excellent infrastructure and opportunities for both local and foreign petrochemical companies to operate. These companies are the major industrial equipment buyers and users consuming considerable amount of industrial and petrochemical equipment and machinery.

As today’s world oil supply struggles to keep up with demand and price fluctuation, the Thai petrochemical industry has been able to survive.  The past five years has been a consolidation period for Thai petrochemical companies to increase competitiveness and sustain growth.  This trend remains and we continue to see petrochemical firms merge and expand in order to cope with rising cost and higher demand for petrochemical products. This is in large part due to the locally available feedstock from natural gas, and a strong upstream petrochemical industry that delayed the need to import raw materials. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Printing & Graphic Art Equipment

In 2008, Thailand’s printing industry experienced continued growth driven by high demand for printed materials in the global market, especially the United States and the United Kingdom where the major importers of printed materials are located.  Last year, this industry performed strongly with export value increasing 715 per cent to US$840 million, its highest value to date, compared with US$103 million in 2006.  This is a result of continually improving production efficiency, basic infrastructure and human resources.  Thailand has made huge investments in imported high technology printing machinery and printing accessories during the past few years.  This is in line with the government’s policy to support the development of the printing industry in cooperation with the Printing and Paper Packaging Industry Club, the Federation of the Thai Printing Industry, and the Thai Printing Association to promote Thailand as the ASEAN Printing Hub and a cost effective alternative to Singapore.  To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Public Safety and Security Device

The Thai government’s overall annual spending on safety and security products is estimated at $70 million, and is expected to grow between 5-10% annually.  Trends driving growth in demand among Thai government agencies are defined by their needs to counter the unrest in the three southernmost provinces as well as by the on-going problems with drug trafficking, international terrorism, and most recently, efforts to control large crowds and prevent violence from public demonstrations.  As a result, the Thai market offers the best sales potential for such products as integrated security systems, access control devices, CCTVs, perimeter fencing & detection systems, internet protocol (IP) surveillance and control systems, X-ray machines, tracers for narcotics, and explosive compound detection devices. 

Importantly, buyers in Thailand are highly receptive to imports; hence the market is open to competition among global manufacturers of safety and security products.  The lack of local production at commercially viable scales and the market preferences for the latest technology support a competitive market comprised of a large number of imported products.  American products have successfully penetrated this market, currently representing a 30% share.  Thai consumers prefer U.S. safety and security products because of their superior quality and technology.  Other leading global manufacturers from Canada, the E.U., the U.K., and Israel also participate in this sector, and manufacturers from China and India are most competitive in terms of price.  The majority of these global manufacturers have local representatives or partners that play vital roles in their success, giving them the ability to respond to the specific project requirements of their customers. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Publishing Industry

Publishing business in Thailand has continuously grown no less than 10% since 2003.  However, the sluggish of economy, instability of political situation, and weak consumer spending have slowed down the growth to be a single-digit as a second year from 2007.  The Publisher and Booksellers Association of Thailand forecasts that the book publishing industry is expected to expand by 6 – 7 per cent or around $500 million for this year. The industry was driven mainly by big publishers – those with annual sales of more than $3 million – as they contributed as much as 62.8 per cent of overall sales.  They were followed by mid-sized publishers, or those with sales of $1 – 3 million or account for 25 per cent of the market.  Small publishers, or those who with sales under $1 million, had 12.2 per cent of the market. 

Import of foreign books is estimated to be worth $55.5 Million in 2005, $60.6 Million in 2006 and $62.4 Million in 2007, of which United States still had the largest share with 51.22 per cent, followed by United Kingdom with 29.71per cent in 2007.  Apart from exporting books to the country, foreign publishers can sell their rights to major publishers that take care translating and the local printing and publishing. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Outbond Tourism 

A stable political situation and strengthening local currency have improved the outlook for the outbound tourism market, which is expected to increase 10% to 5.5 million Thai travelers in 2008.

In the first ten months of 2007, a number of Thai visitors were 67,498 increasing 12 percent compared to the same period of 2006. If Thailand maintains this 12 percent growth rate through the end of the year, the country should generate over 77,000 arrivals to the USA in 2007.

The most popular cities for Thai travelers include Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Boston, Las Vegas, Orlando, Seattle and Washington D.C. However, new destinations in the U.S. may also be promoted to attract independent Thai tourists, who are more numerous every year. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Water Pollution Control Industry

The current total market size for wastewater treatment is estimated at about $1.533 billion USD, with an average growth rate of about 10% per year (government sector $613 million USD, private sector $920 million USD). In general, construction and engineering services costs are 85% of the project with the remaining 15% for equipment. Thus, the market for wastewater treatment equipment is about $230 million USD. The wastewater treatment market is expected to continue growing by an average of 10% for the next few years due to improved economic performances from the real estate, industrial and agriculture sectors. The growth will be enhanced by the government initiative to build the 3 largest water treatment plants in Bangkok and 15 medium plants in other provinces.

The majority of the equipment used by the water and wastewater treatment sector is sourced from Japan, Europe, ASEAN, the U.S. and China. Total imports of water and wastewater treatment equipment in 2007 were an estimated $161 million USD. Japan had the largest market share of 30.9%, followed by Europe (18.5%), ASEAN (10.6%), the U.S. (10.2%), China (14.4%), and other (15.4%). In 2007, the US shared 10.2% of the import market for wastewater treatment equipment and has a potential growth rate of 100% next year due to the favorable of strong local currency against U.S. Dollar. The U.S. wastewater treatment equipment has an excellent reputation for quality and technology, but a major concern is that there are many competitors from Japan and Europe (especially from Germany and Italy), which have similar technology. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here

Thailand: Wireless Communication

With full support from the government, the future of the ICT sector in Thailand is bright. According to the National ICT Master Plan (2007-2011), the ICT market will focus on four main pillars: ICT infrastructure, training, research and development, and ICT management.

In 2008, cellular users are expected to increase to 63 million or 100% of the total population. The overall internet penetration rate is expected to reach 15% with a market worth more than $303 million. Broadband penetration is expected to grow to 5-10 million users by 2009.  Wireless access demand is expected to rise over the next few years, fuelled by changing lifestyles that necessitate high-speed data communication. Advanced wireless technology provides greater convenience, reducing the need for work-related moves and saving travel time. Technologies such as wireless broadband internet enable users to access the internet at home, over mobile phones, or through laptops and PDAs. To learn more, please access U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library here