CM Organiser branching out into Laos

The company will locate the office in either Vientiane or Luang Prabang. It is currently looking for a partner in the country.

Laos will become the third overseas market in which CM Organiser has operations, after Cambodia and Vietnam, and will complete the Indochina set in terms of handling business and delivering exhibition equipment.

The move is in line with the company's Asean platform strategy for establishing service operations in potential markets within the region, starting with Indochina.

"We have seen great potential with big business customers, including those in automobiles and consumer products, having developed their marketing events and campaigns not for a single market but for all potential markets within the region," said Pichet Turongkinanon, deputy chief executive officer of CM Organiser.

Pichet is also managing director of CMEX Exhibition, the group's exhibition arm.

He said the company would wait before setting up a business operation in Burma, due to the political issues in that country.

Pichet said CM Organiser had set up a joint venture named Baron CM in Siem Reap, Cambodia, about two years ago in partnership with individuals.

The company also entered into a business cooperation a few months ago with Metan Vietnam, a top-three event management organiser in Vietnam, as an initial step towards a partnership.

Pichet said CM Organiser had recently been awarded the title of first runner-up, behind Jordan, for small pavilions with space of less than 500 square metres at Expo Zaragoza 2008, held from June and September in Spain.

Organised by the Bureau International des Expositions, the expo was created under the main theme of "Water and Sustainable Development". The event attracted 102 countries demonstrating their water conservation initiatives.

CM Organiser won the contract from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. The 389-square-metre Thailand Pavilion was designed with the main theme of "Water is Life - Royal Initiatives".

"This is the first time a Thailand Pavilion has received this prestige award. The pavilion was able to attract more than 600,000 visitors during the exhibition period," said Pichet.