The first Bangkok International Wine Fair is being organised at the Royal Paragon Hall Exhibition & Convention Center from 25-27 November 2010, with an aim to establish Bangkok as the leading wine hub for mainland Southeast Asia.
The 3-day show is expected to attract up to 200 wine producers from 15 countries as well as importers and distributors from Thailand and neighbouring countries in its maiden attempt. Organisers of BIWF are confident that the show will be supported by internationally famous wine labels and major regional producer bodies from both France and Australia.
Mr Joe Sriwarin, President of BIWF, said last week, ‘The time is ripe for Thailand to stage its first fully-fledged wine show. Bangkok lies at the centre of mainland Southeast Asia, which has a combined population of 300 million. We have a bigger domestic market, more 5-star hotels, more fine-dining restaurants and more tourists than any of our neighbours, so there is no reason why Bangkok should not aim to be the regional leader in this field. It is time for more of the world’s wine producers to start taking this market seriously.’
The theme of the first BIWF will be ‘Wine with Contemporary Thai Cuisine’, promoting the healthy-lifestyle qualities of both wine and Thai cuisine in combination. The show will feature live presentations of innovative Thai dishes prepared with wine in mind, and wines believed to accompany them successfully will be available for public tasting.
The show will have a series of wine seminars and special presentations. A feature of the show will be a 250 square metre Connoisseurs Club, housed in its own luxury pavilion, which will be available only to pre-registered members and serve only fine and rare wines.
With already-established shows in Hong Kong and Singapore, it may be a tough sailing for a new entrant in the region especially in the early years, but with the industry expected to be out of recession by next year, it may be a good idea to plan a visit to the Show or the city around that time. For more info, stay tuned through a visit to their website, www.bangkokwinefair.com.
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