More than 2,500 shops across the country have descended on Bangkok for Otop Midyear 2016, with expectations from the government that the exhibition of village products will turn over 800 million baht in sales by the time it ends on Monday.
The exhibition at Challenger Hall 1-3 of Muang Thong Thani brings together local producers of One Tambon, One Product merchandise to sell their goods under the concept that everything across the country can be found under one roof.
The Interior Ministry, the exhibition organiser, expected it to draw 700,000 visitors by the time the doors close. Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda hoped they would spend 800 million baht at the venue.
- Photo gallery: One Tambon One Product fair
The government has promoted Otop for years to showcase locally-made products for Thais and foreigners to promote exports and stimulate local economies.
The Otop programme was created by Thaksin Shinawatra in 2001, when he was prime minister, as part of his policy to stimulate rural finances. It was adapted from the One Village One Product project in Otia, Japan, famous for its initiative to help rural people in the Japanese prefecture.
The Otop project has been through ups and downs in Thailand as many tambons turned to producing the same things, making the concept less attractive. Officials also struggled to find markets for them.
The present government is trying to revamp the scheme by helping to find buyers and adding value for the products.