Architect '06 organisers upbeat despite economy
Visitors examine new housing designs and the latest home decoration products at Architect ’06, in the Challenger Hall at Impact Muang Thong Thani, yesterday.
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Organisers and exhibitors at the Architect '06 exhibition remain optimistic about the number of visitors the show will attract during its six days, despite negative economic factors that cast a deepening gloom over the housing industry.
They hope that the exhibition, which opened yesterday at Impact Muang Thong Thani, will attract 250,000 visitors. Chief organiser Taweejit Chantarasaka said the wide variety of products from 700 exhibitors would certainly draw that number of people. Other factors supporting the optimistic view include various activities at the exhibition, including models of houses requiring less than Bt500,000 to build, consultants offering suggestions to help consumers solve problems with their houses, booklets helping consumers to get closer to architects, and seminars by a number of architectural "gurus", including experts from Japan and the United States. Suez Pangsrisomboon, vice president for operations of Price of Wood Co Ltd, is confident his company - one of the 700 exhibitors - will see good feedback from visitors. Exhibitors have invested more than last year to create larger and more attractive booths, he said. Moreover, they are focusing on educating visitors rather than selling products. The area covered by exhibits this year is more than 60,000 sq m - 20 per cent larger than last year. The emphasis at the exhibition is to stimulate architects, engineers, house builders, and consumers to concern themselves with environmental preservation, energy saving, and methods to maximise the correct use of natural resources, through innovative technologies. However, Malee Thayanuwat, director of Grand Home Mart Co Ltd, remains concerned that the number of visitors may fall because of rising interest rates and increases in prices for oil and energy. Her company is, nevertheless, introducing its latest tiles embedded with crystals from the legendary Austrian crystal-maker, Swarovski. The product is part of the company's drive to lift its sales by 10 per cent this year from last year's Bt3 billion. Grand Home Mart also plans to invest Bt300 million to renovate and expand its showroom on Rattanathibet Road. Although expressing optimism about visitor feedback, Suez said the negative economic factors would significantly delay purchasing decisions as consumers will concern themselves with products that maximise value for their money, rather than simply showing quality and fine design.
Nitida Asawanipont The Nation
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