Thailand’s boat show saga – aches and pains for Phuket’s yachting industry

“The country’s leisure yachting businesses may face yet another round of ‘too many boat shows’ once the Covid disruptor has passed into relative insignificance.”

It’s hard to imagine something as straightforward as a boat show causing endless controversy – but that has been the case almost since Thailand’s first show, Phuket International Marine Expo (PIMEX), held in 2003 at the Phuket Boat Lagoon (PBL).

The brainchild of Image Asia MD, Grenville Fordham, and his business partner Andy Dowden, the idea of a boat show in Phuket initially attracted doubters in droves… “They’ve got no experience” and “It would be risky giving them deposits” were just two of the anti-show cries heard from industry naysayers.

But built on the growing dissatisfaction expressed by returning Boat Asia (Singapore) exhibitors, the idea gathered momentum and supporters. Small by…