A senior officer from Thailand's state convention planning agency said Tuesday that the agency is eyeing for an early return of Chinese exhibitors to Thailand to boost the regional trade hub for logistics, infrastructure and advanced technologies.

Chinese exhibitors are well-known in introducing latest technology such as aviation, aircraft repairing technology, next-generation automotive, and smart electronics, among others, President of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya told Xinhua.

The agency is waiting for the Thai government to ease the COVID-19 related travel restrictions, he said.

The TCEB has registered 350 companies from China which had shown their intent to bring meeting and incentive groups to Thailand in April 2021, said Nichapa Yoswee, TCEB's senior vice-president.

"So if a COVID-19 vaccine is accessible, then our projection for the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions industry) growth will return to the pre-pandemic period of 10 percent," said Nichapa. "As for now, with no vaccines and with air restrictions in place, our projection of growth is at a conservative estimate of 3.5 percent only."

Nichapa said the latest Chinese innovation and technology can help bring about more alternatives and help facilitate investments and the supply chain in Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

"We have registered 200 groups of Chinese exhibitors, 150 people in each group, all waiting for the pandemic to sooth out so that air restrictions will eventually ease," said Nichapa.

Once the foreign exhibitors are in to showcase their products and innovation, the Thai economy will pick up again, Nichapa said.