The 18-month 'Branding Thailand' project aims to identify opportunities for the country to capitalise on its best-known assets. It will also recommend ways the public and private sectors can reap benefits from these offerings.
According to Jain, Thailand has latent world class brands in its food industry, tourism and hospitality sectors, and agro-technology. He said that the country's core brand value consisted of it being a major holiday destination.
Thailand may find value in positioning itself as the 'Switzerland of the East', a hub for regional headquarter operations for international corporations, Jain said.
As examples of countries that had capitalised on their brand identities, Jain cited Ireland for high-tech industries, Singapore as a centre for professional services, telecoms and transportation, and South Korea for automobiles.
The research, set to be completed in May or June next year, will be presented free to the Government, said Jain.
The move follows a public outcry six months ago over the cost of the nearly US$1 million Government-commissioned project for Harvard University to conduct a study on Thailand's competitive advantages. The project was eventually cancelled. Jain and Suvit recently co-authored Marketing Moves, which examines changing marketing strategies in the digital age.
