A "Street Fashion Runway" project is expected to push the total export value of small and medium-sized garment-makers to Bt46 billion this year, up 15 per cent from last year's Bt40 billion.

The project is a collaboration between the Industry Ministry, the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (Osmep), the Export Promotion Department and five associations of garment manufactures in the SME sector. The five associations represent five popular garment areas: Bobae, Siam Square, Chatuchak, Pratunam and Sampeng.

Bobae Garment Association director Panipak Wattanodom said operators from the five locations exported about Bt40 billion last year, or 30 per cent of the Kingdom's total garment exports.

At the same time, they generated sales revenues of Bt150 billion in the domestic market, half of the total market value.

But domestic sales are forecast to shrink about 15 per cent this year, due to the economic slow-down, she said.

She hopes the project will serve to boost the export value, or at least maintain the Bt40-billion figure. Initially, 500 local brands are participating in the project.

Deputy Industry Minister Piyabutr Cholvijarn said the project would encourage small and mid-sized firms to create their own brands and help them promote their products internationally.

"If we want to boost our garment industry's competitiveness in the global market, we must develop our designers and manufacturers in the SME sector to be ODM [original-design manufacturers], not OEM [original-equipment manufacturers]," he stressed.

Export Promotion Department deputy director-general Benjawan Ratanaprayul said the department had provided Bt10 million for the project. In addition, it will focus on promoting Thai-branded clothes in international markets, including neighbouring countries, Africa and Russia.

Osmep director-general Jhitraporn Techacharn said her agency also supported the project, providing a budget of Bt20 million this year.

The Osmep funds will be used to hold events and set up an information centre to help operators analyse and update fashion trends.

Part of the budget will go towards creating an online system to expand their distribution centre in international markets.

Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul

The Nation