on 12 Jan 2023
The Thailand International Boat Show 2023 (TIBS) is taking place this weekend (12-15 January 2023) at the award-winning Royal Phuket Marina.
Over 6,000 visitors and more than 100 exhibitors are expected to attend this year’s event.
Event organisers Jand Group say they are welcoming wealthy jet-setters from overseas to one of the region’s first boat shows in three years, after the 2022 edition was cancelled at short notice. Yachts of all sizes, both power and sail, will be on display in the water from today, ranging from dinghies and day trippers up to superyachts.
The brand-new superyacht Song of Songs is dubbed the headlining vessel at the show. Delivered in 2022, the yacht was built by the Chinese yard Heysea and is a new addition to the Burgess sales fleet. The boat, which can reach top speeds of 19 knots, can accommodate 12 people in six cabins and will be available for viewings throughout the show.
The daily schedule for the show was revealed earlier this week, and features a variety of entertainment alongside the yachts, including jazz performances, a b-boy street dance and F+B.
Phuket is the yachting playground of Southeast Asia and a key connector for the wider region. With four world-class marinas and a superyacht marina in planning, Phuket is where many owners from places such as Hong Kong and Singapore choose to keep their boats and fly in to use them, and is at the heart of the region’s burgeoning superyacht scene.
Colourful celebrations marked the show’s opening day
“Pre-pandemic, Thailand’s yachting industry was a multi-billion baht industry, welcoming yachts from cruisers to superyachts and their owners from around the world,” says David Hayes, CEO of organisers Jand Events. “Thailand has fully reopened and is welcoming visitors again. The Thailand International Boat Show aims to put Phuket and Thailand back in the limelight and on the world stage after three years of incubation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our goal is to bring the industry together and showcase the best brands and products from the marine and lifestyle sectors to a global audience while re-cementing Phuket and Thailand’s position as one of the top boating destinations in the world.”
Ditapong Thitadilok, Chairman of the Thailand Yachting Business Association, adds: “Complementing the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia is a new cruising destination gem, and Phuket is the centre of boating and marine leisure tourism in the region. Phuket continues to welcome boat owners, superyacht owners and charter guests from all around the world to enjoy the stunning cruising that Phuket and surrounds have to offer.”
The 2023 Thailand International Boat Show will comprise up to 50 boats in the water, an onshore pavilion with a luxury hub and marine products and services, as well as an onshore social programme that will include live music, a bustling dining scene on Royal Phuket Marina’s boardwalk as well as family activities on Children’s Day (14 January). One of the social highlights is a first-of-its-kind charity gala dinner that will take place at the InterContinental Phuket Resort on Saturday 14th January.
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