Events

RAIL Asia 2021 gears up as the region prepares for growth

The Eastern Economic Corridor will be the main theme at RAIL Asia 2021 scheduled for 25-26 November in Thailand

Building on its success as Asia’s only international rail exhibition and conference in 2020, RAIL Asia maintained its position as the region’s most important trade event in one of the world’s most important and expansive markets. Thailand accounts for 40 per cent of all rail investment in Southeast Asia.

The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Thailand’s flagship economic zone, has attracted investment applications totalling more than US$39 billion, 59 per cent of all investment projects received by the BOI were from projects in the EEC. Thailand’s gateway to Asia ranges across three eastern provinces, Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong. The EEC Development Plan is designed to help transform Thailand into a valuebased economy with extensive and efficient transport links to Asia through its US$32.93 billion infrastructure upgrade plan headlined by the High-Speed Rail Ribbon Sprawl (EECh) linking three main airports to include the new Eastern Airport City ‘Aerotropolis’ (EECa).

RAIL Asia was hailed a great success in its previous edition by the government, hosts and supporting organsations as it defied global challenges and staged the only international exhibition and conference for the rail industry in 2020. Hosted by the State Railway of Thailand and opened by the Ministry of Transport, RAIL Asia 2020 highlighted its importance and strength in the region with a successful eighth edition in Bangkok as the industry ‘reconnects’ and business rebounds.

‘For Talgo this is our first time at RAIL Expo and we’ve met a lot of new clients from the industry including top executives and government. This is the exhibition that gathers people from the rail sector, not only from Thailand but from throughout Southeast

Asia. Talgo will definitely exhibit again next year’ explained Mr. Surawut Sakulhiranrak, Managing Director, Talgo Country Representative.

Opened by Mr.Pisak Jitviriyavasin, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport and hosted by the State Railway of Thailand, the RAIL Asia 2020 international conference and exhibition welcomed a global line up of world class technology, solution providers and 1,276 of the region’s stakeholders and other related industry professionals to meet, network, see the latest technologies, learn about the latest developments and trends and re-connect with the rail and metro industry in this new business environment we embrace.

RAIL Asia attracts a diverse attendance of industry, last year rail and metro operators made up 13 per cent of the visitors, government five per cent, contractors 15 per cent, consultants 17 per cent, professional and academic organisations nine per cent, suppliers 24 per cent and investors three per cent. Visitors to the event represented projects and budgets reported to be worth over US$2.426 billion in Thailand and the region.

According to the audited onsite survey the main product areas of interest to the trade visitors to RAIL Asia are rolling stock and maintenance (35 per cent), signalling (29 per cent), civil engineering (24 per cent), passenger experience for PIS, ticketing, station management (19 per cent), information technology (18 per cent) and other related sectors to include tunneling, OCS, trackwork, multi-modal integration, investment, tooling and consultancy (five per cent).

‘RAIL Asia is very important for us as it gives a very good chance to catch up with all our customers at the same time to introduce new products and to discuss new projects, it is also a very good chance to meet new potential customers from the rail authorities and operators. Overall it is very beneficial to us and we very much appreciate the exhibition’ explained Mr. Hannes Saurug, Chief Commercial Officer of Voestalpine Railway Systems.

RAIL Asia 2021 will be staged from 25-26 November for its ninth edition with continued full support and collaboration of government and industry, find out more by contacting the team directly at rail@aes-exhibitions.com