The Government of Thailand has launched a ‘Buy With Confidence’ programme under the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Tourism & Sports to boost confidence about the quality and standard of Thai gem and jewellery products among domestic and international consumers.

The programme, which aims to help gem and jewellery exports grow by about 30%, was officially launched by the Minister of Commerce, Sonthirat Sonthijrawong, at the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (GIT) yesterday.

Leading jewellery manufacturers and retailers have been encouraged to take advantage of getting certified under the programme. Currently nearly 140 companies have applied for BWC membership, and 68 of them have met the initial standards and already been certified.

According to the minister, the gem and jewellery industry is the third largest in the country in terms of exports, after automobiles and computers, generating 435 billion baht in exports and 533 billion baht in domestic trading, or about 6.3 percent of the country’s GDP. Tourism is also big business with approximately 35.38 million foreign tourists visiting Thailand in 2017.  “BWC is expected to help generate an additional 10 billion baht in sales of cash and carry goods to foreign tourists which will result in the total sales of gem and jewelry in this category reaching 45 billion baht, a 30 percent increase,” the minister said.

Duangkamol Jiambutr, Director of GIT, which will coordinate and run the programme, said, “The QR code may be scanned for details about the shop, then, more QR codes on the products may also be scanned for the certification on specific pieces of jewellery. Consumers can ask for physical copies of the certification from the shop to match the slogan of the programme: Buy With Confidence, Look for GIT certificate to ensure the products on sale and Buy With Confidence.”

By the end of 2018, GIT aims to expand membership of the BWC programme to 500 companies, targeting cities such as Bangkok, Chanthaburi and other key tourist destinations.