The inaugural Bangkok International Motor Show was inspired by and modeled after the British International Motor Show of 1975. It took several years to organize the event, so the first ever motor show in Thailand was held from April 2–6, 1979 at Lumphini Park, a 142-acre park in Bangkok. It drew 380,000 visitors over the five days it was open to the public.
The show has been growing steadily since its inception. It set the highest attendance record in 2006 with more than 2 million attendees. As of the 2010s, the Bangkok International Motor Show attracts around 1,7 million visitors every year. Its current venue is IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, a commercial complex with 144,000 square meters of total space.
The Bangkok International Motor Show is the biggest event in the automotive industry of Thailand. Its main goal is to demonstrate the latest advancements and developments in the automotive technology. The event has a rich and diverse program that includes the opening ceremony featuring the members of the Thai Royal Family, exhibitions, meetings, symposiums, press conferences, the International Conference on Automotive Engineering, the Car and Bike of the Year award ceremony, the Miss Motor Show pageant, and more.
The Bangkok International Motor Show is so far the only motor show in Southeast Asia accredited by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), which makes it one of the world’s major auto shows. Only three other Asian motor shows have been accredited by OICA: the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, the Tokyo Motor Show, and the Seoul Motor Show. All of them are held biennially, while the show in Bangkok takes place every year.
