Jurin visits Thai owner of mega importer in LA, promotes Thai films at AFM event

Jurin, also a deputy prime minister, told accompanying reporters on Thursday that the two missions during his Los Angeles trip were a “success”, according to the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP).

Jurin and his delegation on Tuesday paid a visit to Anek Bholsangngam, the owner of Lax-C wholesale store, which the commerce minister said is the largest Thai goods wholesaler in the western United States.

The minister said he visited Lax-C because the store imports Thai goods worth 40 million to 50 million baht a year.

Lax-C, which imports various types of products from Thailand, serves as a centre to distribute the products to Asians across the United States.

“Lax-C is a major importer in the US and it sells various types of Thai-made products, including food and consumers goods for daily use,” Jurin pointed out.

He said even Thais can’t imagine the variety of products available at Lax-C, which include Parrot-brand soaps and several types of fresh traditional sweets, such as khanom tan, which is a yellow small steamed cake flavoured with toddy palm sugar and coconut milk wrapped in banana leaves.

“Lax-C is an effective distribution centre of Thai products, which is owned by a Thai. It helps distribute Thai-made goods in Asian markets and is strategically located near China Town in Los Angeles,” Jurin said.

“I would like to thank its owner for playing a part in helping Thailand export goods to the US.”

The DITP said the wholesale store imports several brands from Thailand, including house brands AC and Pa Siam. The store is well-known as the “Thai Costco Market” of Los Angeles.

Jurin noted that the US is the second largest export market for Thailand, with exports to that country valued at a whopping 1.2 trillion baht in the first nine months of the year – a growth of 30.34 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The DITP also said Jurin attended the American Film Market & Conference (AFM) 2022 at the Hotel Casa del Mar in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Jurin witnessed the signing of cooperation between Epic Pictures Group and Hollywood (Thailand) to produce “Insee Daeng” (Red Eagle) 2024 with an investment of 200 million baht.

The DITP said Jurin also attended “Thai Night”, which was hosted by the Commerce Ministry, at the AFM venue. Thai Night was presided over by His Majesty the King’s sister, Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya.

The event provided a chance for Thai movie directors and Thai film circles to meet some 250 international movie producers and companies.

Jurin said eight Thai digital content firms also accompanied him to the AFM. They were expected to sell products worth 800 million baht to international movie firms.

The eight were Benetone Films, Film Frame Productions, GDH 559, Hollywood (Thailand), Kantana Sound Studio, M Pictures, Right Beyond and Sahamongkolfilm International.

They presented some 50 films during the event, including “Haunted Dormitory”, “Home for Rent”, “5th Round”, “Faces of Anne”, “Immortal Species” and “Khun Pan 3”.

The Cabinet recently approved an expense rebate for international filmmakers to promote Thailand as a film shooting destination, Jurin said.

International movie companies would be given a 20 per cent rebate on expenses paid to Thais during film shoots in the kingdom, he added.

According to the minister, as many as 122 foreign films were shot in Thailand last year.

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