The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) marked a busy September in Bangkok, bringing together the city’s design community, AHEC members, timber industry professionals, and visiting architects from the Hong Kong chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for a week of activity.

The programme highlight was the Southeast Asian premiere of Forested Future at Alliance Française. Over 150 guests gathered for food and conversation to explore the history of the American hardwood forest resource, the role it plays in the lives of those who manage it, and the importance of well-managed forests to all our futures, wherever we live in the world.

AHEC was delighted to return to the Thailand International Woodworking Show (TIWF), where AHEC members from the US met with customers and formed new relationships across the industry. AHEC presented two sessions at the show, including a masterclass in surface treatments for American hardwood, led by award-winning Australian architect and furniture designer Adam Markowitz and Thai-Australian designer-maker Nae Tanakorn, who tackled an important but often overlooked skill in wood craftsmanship.

This was followed by Why Work with American Hardwoods?, a main-stage talk in which Markowitz and Tanakorn were joined by AHEC Regional Director, Roderick Wiles, to cover forest provenance, species selection, sustainability, legality credentials, and real-world inspiration to a packed and engaged crowd.

Winnie Wong, Marketing Manager for AHEC Southeast Asia, commented, “This is a trade show that we enjoy returning to. It enables us to engage with the Thai timber industry from several different angles—machinery, materials, and the latest developments in construction, architecture, and design—as well as providing the chance to network, build business, and share knowledge and experiences of American hardwood species.”

The week closed with AHEC accompanying the Hong Kong AIA chapter to a symposium at the historic Jim Thompson House, where local architects shared projects and experiences on the best materials for a more sustainable approach to Thai architecture, now and into the future.

Photo credit: AHEC