COVER STORY 12 | Thailand Special 2023 Vivid opportunities Prospects for Thailand’s coloured gemstone sector are bright, particularly in the trade of rubies and sapphires, which headline its gem and jewellery exports. Many gemstone manufacturers managed to keep production going in 2020 due to existing stock but ran into rough shortages in 2021, explained Phuket Khunaprapakorn, managing director of Gemburi Co Ltd. While Bangkok hosts several auctions for rubies and sapphires by Gemfields, Fura Gems and Gem Rock Auctions, among others, the slowdown in rough production during the pandemic, pent-up demand and the return of Chinese buyers to the market this year have resulted in substantial price hikes for good-quality rubies. “Bidding for ruby rough at auctions in 2022 was extremely tight. The upcoming auctions in Bangkok are likely to be as competitive,” said Khunaprapakorn, who is also vice president of the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA). Stiff competition for rough and polished stones is likely to keep prices up in 2023. Still, buyers have been heading to Bangkok and Thailand’s gemstone centre, Chanthaburi, to directly source for their requirements. Trade shows in the Thai capital since last year have also attracted serious gemstone buyers from around the world, he noted. Demand is especially high for small, calibrated rubies and for single rubies and sapphires of medium to gem quality. Khunaprapakorn said, “Thailand is a leading trading centre for coloured gemstones, particularly for rubies and sapphires. We are the best in acquiring the rough, sorting the material and heating the stones. We are fortunate that miners hold their rough auctions regularly in Bangkok, enabling Thai companies to have ready access to the material. The next step is to improve our ability to produce fine gemstones.” Thai workers are already highly skilled in cutting gemstones but there is always room for improvement, he noted. Government bodies and trade organisations are putting together programmes to develop and enhance workers’ gemstone-cutting expertise to yield better-quality and finer cuts. 面对关键性的市场走向，泰国将通过持续创新设计 和提高竞争力，进一步巩固其核心产业之一—— 宝石和珠宝生产及出口。 根据多位业内人士所称，现今的主要挑战在于原材料价 格和工资飙升、人才短缺，以及通胀和俄乌战争等宏观经济 不确定性。尽管如此，泰国的珠宝和宝石行业仍然保持韧性。 要克服这些挑战，业者必须生产质量稳定的优良设计， 以满足眼光独到的客户需求，同时采取激励措施提升员工 士气。疫后业界也稳步复苏，支持长远发展路向。 GIT泰国珠宝学院院长Sumed Prasongpongchai解释道， 虽然宝石和珠宝出口依然是该国贸易总额的重要构成部 分，但在地缘政治和经济因素的影响下，预计2023年第一季 的数字将会略为放缓。 他亦补充，泰铢兑美元汇率走强也有可能阻碍出口增 长。截至2023年3月中旬，汇率已达到34.43泰铢兑1美元水 平，上升约1.6%。 GIT的最新数据显示，2023年1月的宝石和珠宝出口额同 比下跌4.51%至7.3292亿美元。Prasongpongchai指出原因 在于白银、铂金及人造首饰和已打磨钻石出口下跌，然而部 分跌势被已打磨彩宝和金饰的出口增长抵消。 他说：“泰国向来以宝石贸易为重，因此彩色宝石仍然 是我们最重要的进出口产品。尽管如此，在停滞性通货膨胀 和持续的地缘政治问题影响下，我们预计今年出口将略为 放缓。” 泰国的十大出口市场包括美国、印度、中国香港、德国、 英国、新加坡、瑞士、比利时、阿联酋和日本。 疫后发展状况 泰国Jewelcraft Co Ltd的董事Vatsal Parmani解释说，尽 管市场持续复苏，买家在香港举行的3月份国际珠宝展上仍 然保持谨慎，并倾向采购价格较低的产品。 展会上，该公司介乎1,000到2,000美元之间的批发首 饰大受欢迎，销情胜于50,000到60,000美元的大型首 饰。Parmani透露，提供合适的产品组合极其重要。 他表示：“目前的市场分成两个类别，由购买力高的买家 和寻找某个价格点的买家组成。我们需要提供种类繁多的 产品，让他们可以根据预算进行选择。” Silver jewellery by Yakhunit Co Ltd Yakhunit Co Ltd的银饰 Sapphire 蓝宝石
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