As executive director of the Thai Trade Center Los Angeles (TTC), I want to welcome you as a friend of Thailand.  My colleagues here in Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, New York, Washington, DC, Toronto, and Vancouver serve as a liaison between Thai and U.S. and Canadian companies, helping them find ways to do business together.

In order to keep in touch with you, we’ve created a blog, Made in Thailand.  We look forward to exchanging information, experiences, and opinions via the blogsphere about what’s Made in Thailand and available to you.  We have a team dedicated to keeping you up to date on the latest products and services and how you can take advantage of them.

Summer always means the start of Hollywood’s blockbuster movie season, but it’s also a time to chill out with entertaining movies.  Thailand produces its share of action and horror films, and our animators are gaining international attention as well.  Perhaps you’ve seen the Hollywood remake of Shutter, whose twisted ending will keep you on the edge of your seat, or the remake with Nicolas Cage of Bangkok Dangerous, an action movie with an innovative story.  I encourage you to look for the original Thai versions of these and other films.

One of my favorite Thai directors, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, was awarded the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival last month for his magical and mystical story about a dying man and his encounters with family, past and present.  Read more about Apichatpong’s film, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall his Past Lives, and watch a trailer on this and other Thai films on YouTube.

If you’re in the film, video and advertising business, Thailand offers many beautiful and exotic locations for filming, and also a wide range of skilled production and post-production professionals, including animators, editors, musicians, etc.  We also produce films and videos for distribution and sale in North America.  Learn more about Thailand’s thriving entertainment and animation industry.

Traveling throughout North America each year to meet with local business people, the news media, and consumers, we at TTC have found increasing interest in Thai products and services.  We will use this piece of the blogosphere to stay in touch with you, exchange information, and share experiences and impressions each week via Made in Thailand.

We are constantly looking for opportunities to bring Thai products to you.  While you may be familiar with Singha beer, Sretsis fashions, and Muay Thai, or Thai martial arts, we hope to introduce you to Thai spa and beauty products, jewelry, furniture and home furnishings, food and beverages, games and toys, and so much more – products you may want to sell, distribute, or buy here.

We’d also like to tell you about the many services Thai companies have to offer, including graphic arts, fashion design and production, architecture, and assembly of automotive parts.  I hope you’ll check my Facebook page often, respond to our questions, and post your favorite photos of Thailand and/or Thai-made products.  Please email me at ttcnat@gmail.com if you have any questions about doing business with Thai companies or suggestions for Made in Thailand products and services you require, and visit our Web site often.

We look forward to hearing from you and your friends.

Chantira