Global warming is a today’s important environmental issue with undeniable impact on everyone’s lives. Thailand is also no exception. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB is an organization supporting MICE industry in Thailand and realizes the importance of environmental conservation for the MICE industry. As a result, TCEB is boosting the “Go Green Exhibition”, a project aimed at promoting an exceptional environmental practice in the exhibition industry, for the second year. This year, the project focuses on integrating environmental management knowledge of which consequence’s policies could be put into practice in Thailand’s exhibition industry.

The Go Green Exhibition project was established with the objective of raising awareness of the importance of “green” practice among people involved in the exhibition industry in public and private sectors nationwide. Green practice aims at minimizing environmental impact occurred from organizing exhibitions while fostering the capability of entrepreneurs to reach their competitive strength in the exhibition industry, as well as other related businesses in Thailand, towards the global competition.

Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, TCEB International Exhibitions Director says, “Right now we have 35 institutes altogether supporting our policy as participants in the Go Green Exhibition project. This year we plan to expand the project’s overall outcome and promote better understanding of the project among private sectors. Therefore the policy can be applied in practice. Moreover, we have encouraged brainstorming among all sectors in setting up the “National Strategic Environmental Plan for the Exhibition Industry” for the first time. We are introducing the “Environmental Committee for the National Exhibition Industry” as a means of actively pushing for transforming policy into future practice under the framework of green concept application, management and marketing. By further integrating the idea of increasing conservation ability and minimizing environmental impact in the use of natural resources to create “Green Branding”, we can achieve international recognition for Thailand’s exhibition industry.”

Regarding methods for setting up this strategic plan, TCEB has employed the framework of “Sustainability and Branding for the Exhibition Industry.” This framework focuses on sustainably developing the exhibition industry to gain international acceptance. The strategic plan emphasizes improvement and compliance with the policy of building green brands for Thailand along with expectations for private and public sector to support. The plan also cooperates with the Thai Exhibition Association in order to develop a standardized framework applicable to the Thai setting. TCEB is about to establish the “Environmental Committee for the National Exhibition Industry” so that the policy can be put into practice at the institutional level in the near future.”

“To motivate and persuade both public and private sectors involved in the exhibition industry toward seriously adapting green policy, TCEB has also initiated the “Go Green Exhibition Award” project among all sectors, including exhibitors, contractors, freight forwarders, organizers, etc., and invited them to submit their business plans. The accepted business plans must apply green concepts to all aspects of their organizations, including administration, environmental conservation outside the organization and business operations. The plans and companies selected will be supported by TCEB in nominating their plans into the competition at the international level. Those organizations will also become models for green organizations in domestic exhibition industry,” added Mrs. Supawan.

Green policy is becoming an interesting new trend in the international exhibition industry. If Thailand can follow this trend by implementing green concepts into practice and achieving international recognition for our “Green Branding”, the achievement of our country’s ultimate goal of becoming Asia’s exhibition industry hub should be attainable.