BOI Fair 2011 will be held between 10 and 25 November 2011 at the Impact Exhibition Center, Muang Thong Thani, in Nonthaburi Province, which adjoins Bangkok. The event, which will cover 240,000 square metres of space, will include not only exhibits of products and services but also major conferences and seminars. The theme of the fair is ‘Going Green for the Future’ in line with the Board of Investment’s new policy shift towards promoting investment for sustainable development.
The fair will be more than just a display of technology and innovative trends that point toward the future. It will also spotlight environment-friendly production methodologies, reflecting the industrial sector’s determination and readiness to protect the environment. This focus will build confidence among domestic and foreign investors, as well as among the people of Thailand, in the effectiveness of new production methods that safeguard both the natural environment and the community.
With this concept in mind, the BOI Fair 2011 has itself been organised to be environment-friendly, so that it will help to create awareness in Thai society of the importance of caring for the environment and conserving energy. The organizer aims to make this event Thailand’s first low-carbon fair.
Planning for BOI Fair 2011 has included measures that encourage both participating exhibitors and visitors to help reduce energy consumption or employ alternative energy sources to cut down on the quantity of greenhouse gases released into the environment.
All of the pavilions built on the shore of Muang Thong Thani Lake, including those housing exhibits by major companies and public agencies will be eco-friendly and energy-efficient, constructed from natural or recycled and recyclable materials. To reduce the use of conventional energy, solar power and wind power will be employed. For instance, the roof of the Office Organizer Building will be covered with solar cells to provide solar power to fulfil some of its energy requirements. In addition, wind turbines set along the shore of the lake will power lighting for the lakeside exhibits after dark.
The leading companies participating in the fair are organising conservationist activities that will allow visitors to take part in keeping the environment healthy. Among these will be a plastic bottle exchange facility and a design competition for fashion items and furniture made from recycled materials like plastic and polyester.
As organisers of the fair, the BOI are sponsoring a contest for the design of pavilions that stresses the potential of eco-friendly technology, including ways of developing Thai industry that are in line with the BOI Fair 2011’s theme, ‘Going Green for the Future’. The entries will be judged on the basis of the imagination and creativity shown in making the structures effective in preserving the environment – use of natural materials in construction, energy efficiency or use of various kinds of alternative energy, and other factors that will keep the fair pollution-free.
In addition, the BOI will encourage visitors to separate refuse into different types, like glass bottles, plastic bottles and bags, paper, wet garbage, etc., so that it can be more easily processed for reuse. Visitors will also be invited to plant trees. All of these activities will create awareness of the importance of preserving the environment.
Anyone intending to visit the BOI Fair 2011 can register online in advance to increase efficiency while reducing the use of paper. For those travelling to visit the fair, the BOI is helping to keep greenhouse gases to a minimum but setting up a ‘Park and Ride’ area where they can leave their cars and take specially-arranged public transportation the rest of the way to the fair. Furthermore, the BOI will provide electric vehicles to carry visitors around the expansive fair grounds.
In organising the BOI Fair 2011, the BOI is creating an arena in which government offices, private industry and Thailand’s people can all demonstrate their determination to preserve the environment while ensuring that every aspect of the country enjoys sustainable development on into the future.
