Home-Builder Exhibition 2006 is expected to draw thousands of visitors who want to renovate their home or buy a new one.

Somsri, 50, who visited the exhibition yesterday, said she planned to redecorate her home and was visiting the exhibition to find a suitable company to carry out the work.

"The economic slowdown is not a problem because I have been planning the renovations since the beginning of the year and I have been saving to pay for it," Somsri said.

Another visitor, Suphot, said he wanted to build a new house on his land and was at the exhibition to find a designer who could build a nice house on his budget of Bt5 million.

He said he was also interested in energy-saving measures to help him reduce costs in the long term.

Patum Design & Develop Co Ltd is offering a environmentally friendly housing concept it calls "Baan Rak Mai" (House loves wood) that uses steel, polymers and other construction materials other than wood. It also incorporates design concepts for energy saving, Patum Design president Sithiporn Suvarnsut said yesterday.

As an additional incentive, the company is also offering discounts of Bt 80,000-Bt800,000 and three-day, two-night package tours (Bangkok-Chiang Mai) to attend the World Royal Floral 2006 exhibition for customers who sign contracts to build a house valued up to Bt4 million, he said.

With this marketing package, the company expects to gain new construction business of around Bt100 million, he said.

Sakda Kovisut, president of the Home Builders' Association, said that members taking part in the exhibition were offering new designs that meet differing demands, in particular energy conservation and being environmentally friendly.

The association expects new construction contracts worth up to Bt800 million from the event, he said.

Most home builders in the group were also offering special discount prices for customers who sign up on the spot.

Other promotions include one from Four Pattana Ltd, who is offering discounts of Bt 1 million and a Bt10 gold coin once the client has made a deposit for its home-builder services.

Four Develop House Ltd will give an instant 5-per-cent discount and Bt100,000 price reduction to those who decide to have a house built while visiting the event. Heritage House, meanwhile, is offering discounts of between Bt200,000 and Bt1,000,000, and souvenirs to those who decide to choose its services during the event.

Home Standard Development Ltd will give a discount of Bt 600,000.

And Modern Group Real Property will give a 5-per-cent discount and a package tour to Australia.

"We believe that this event will help the home-builder market to achieve sales of Bt4 billion by the end of this year after demand growth slowed in the first half of this year," Sakda said.

Somluck Srimalee, The Nation