“Marina Hub of ASEAN”

The sixth edition of the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show opened its doors to the public today for a four-day festival of the boating lifestyle. Held 23 – 26 November at Ocean Marina Yacht Club, HE Mrs. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports presided over the Opening Ceremony. This year’s show features a strong in-water display of global yacht brands and Thai built boats (pleasure and commercial), as well as a diverse range of onshore exhibitors.

Building on the success of past years, organisers are confident for a successful event.“We have an exciting line-up of exhibitors at this year’s Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show ranging from day boats to luxury superyachts as well as marine products and services, luxury properties and much more. The four-day festival has something for everyone with pop-up restaurants along the marina front and onshore activities for kids,” said Mr. Napong Paripontpochanapisuti, Acting Assistant Managing Director, Residential Business, Ocean Property Co. Ltd., organisers of the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show.

Kicking off the Asian boat show season, more than 6,000 people are expected to visit the 20,375 sqm of onshore and in-water exhibition space at the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show. A multi-billion baht line-up of boats and businesses will be showcasing everything from small day boats to superyachts, marine products and services, luxury automobiles and property, and all manner of marine gadgets and water toys. Highlights include experiential activities for visitors and in-water demonstrations as well as free daily yacht cruises.Organisers expect more than two billion baht (approx. US$60 million) of trade to be generated by the show while supporting the government’s policy to make Thailand the “Marina Hub of ASEAN” and showcase the marine leisure credentials – onshore and off – of the Gulf of Thailand.

“The goal of the show is to exposure more Thais to the leisure marine lifestyle, and to show them how much fun they can have on the water, as well as showcase the marine products and services in the Gulf of Thailand, and the region’s stunning cruising grounds, to international visitors” said, Mr. Scott Finsten, Harbour Master of Ocean Marina Yacht Club, home of the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show.

Visitors come from as far as Europe and all over Asia to visit the show, that is now ear-marked as a ‘must-attend’ event in the latter part of November every year. “We are very pleased at how well the show has been received and grown from year-to-year,” added Mr. Finsten.

Just a 90-minute drive from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and half that time from nearby U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport, Ocean Marina Yacht Club is the gateway to the Gulf of Thailand and the magical Koh Chang archipelago nearby where islands such as Koh Mak and Koh Kood provide sailors with many stunning anchorages and cruising sites to explore.

“We expect the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project to drive economic growth on the East Coast and Pattaya in particular is well positioned to support and benefit from this growth, both off and onshore,” added Mr. Napong.