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Published on November 28, 2007

Those who should know say there is no feeling more intense than parenthood, and after years of upbringing, watching a child grow to success and prominence.

For many, the "child" doesn't have to be a son or a daughter: it can be anything at all, even a business, or a project that has taken long and arduous effort.

In the case of Kwanchai Paphatphong, it is the Bangkok International Motor Expo. He is chairman of Inter Media Consultants, the company responsible for the Expo, and the show that opens at Muang Thong Thani on Friday will be his 24th.

With 1.6 million visitors expected and exhibits covering more than 85,000 square metres, the event is one of the biggest auto shows - in terms of sales - in Asia.

"I remember back to the time when we held the first Expo. It was at the Asoke Fairground and covered only 40,000 square metres. But over the years we moved to MBK for three years and then to Central Lat Phrao for 12 years and finally, for the past eight years, we have been at Muang Thong Thani. I have seen the visitors rise from 100,000 to the 1.6 million we expect this year," Kwanchai says.

The Expo first opened its doors with only 11 auto brands and has now grown to boast 36.

Kwanchai explains that there are three rules of happiness that he stands by when organising the annual event. First is to keep visitors happy, second is to keep the clients (auto companies) happy and finally to keep the people from whom the show floor has been rented happy.

An avid motor enthusiast, Kwanchai speaks - and writes - with a passion about automobiles. He is also one of Thailand's most respected automotive journalists. His fascination with cars explains why the Motor Expo has never had a hall for motorcycles.

"I believe in being passionate about everything I do in life. Bikes, although I do like them, are not my passion, so I've chosen to stay out of hosting a hall for two-wheelers."

He says there is plenty of room for growth left in the Thai automotive market. Only one person out of every 10 or 15 Thais owns a car and the figure is set to rise in the future, which means more and more people will visit the Motor Expo to look over their options at close quarters.

"Initially, when I was considering a theme for the Motor Expo, I thought that perhaps it should be held in the same fashion as other international motor shows. This means the cars are on display only, and are not for sale. But after a huge and expensive survey, I discovered that Thais in general don't like to go to events if they can't buy a part of the action. So we decided that show participants should be able to sell cars, as well as displaying the latest concepts and production cars," he explains.

Kwanchai wants the show to attract as many visitors as possible. His company will hand out as many as 3.3 million free tickets. But his big concern is that sales of automobiles generally have taken a beating in Thailand this year, and he is keen to express an optimistic attitude.

"The first half of the year saw a 12.6-per-cent drop in sales, year on year. However, in the third quarter the difference was only 9 per cent. It's possible that the total difference between 2006 and 2007 may be only about 5 or 6 per cent, as opposed to the two-digit drop foreseen by auto companies. I was particularly surprised this year when 75 per cent of floor space for automobiles and 80 per cent of floor space for accessories was sold out on the first day that I opened for bookings. It was a clear indication that auto and spare-parts companies expect high sales," he says.

Even with his passion for automobiles and the Motor Expo, Kwanchai, 60, feels that the time for his retirement is coming closer. He says he wants to remain as chairman of Inter Media Consultants for not more than five more years. Preparing to take over the company's operations are Kwanchai's son and daughter, Chalaichai, 31, and Chamaiporn, 27.

"There are lots of things I want to do after retiring besides kicking back and relaxing. As I've been getting more time to myself, I've been getting back into playing the guitar with my friends and spending time working on my classic cars. Life after all, is about living it with passion."

Vijo Varghese

 The Nation