Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said the entry of Chinese-made elephant-print pants into the market is seen as a lesson for Thailand in utilizing trade opportunities.
The phenomenon of the outbreak of the trend of wearing elephant-print pants among tourists, was called Thai News Agency as a dramatic issue due to the government’s soft selling power policy.
However, the Thai market is slower compared to China because most of the elephant-print pants, which are typical of Thailand, are imported by China to tourists’ favorite shopping destinations in wholesale and retail.
Prime Minister Thavisin also emphasized that the issue is a competition that arises as a result of trade issues.
“This is a trade issue, and where there is opportunity, there is also competition. The importance lies in protecting copyright and acting quickly to capitalize on trade opportunities. If Thailand delays, other countries will take the lead. This situation is a valuable lesson that needs to be discussed and addressed,” he said.
As a result, selling at a competitive price becomes a challenge for Thai manufacturers and traders. Then, the question arises how Thai factories can compete when Chinese products are produced at such low prices.
The Thai News Agency considers that Thailand will find it difficult to compete in terms of cost because it must still pay attention to product quality.
Therefore, the Thai Ministry of Commerce is advised to consider labeling them “Thai Select” to certify the quality of Thai-made elephant pants.
Similar problems are not only limited to elephant-print pants, but also other productions, such as cat-print pants, which are soft power fashion products from Nakhon Rarhasima Province, also face similar competition from imported Chinese products.
