Thailand Forces Models to Cover Up at Motor Expo, Attendance and Car Sales Plummet

Following the committee’s decision to impose a mandatory dress code on the models for this year’s Motor Expo in Thailand, the event saw a huge drop not only in its attendance, but also its overall car sales.

While the direct link is yet to be established, the decline in the number of attendees itself may provide an indication that car models dressing up in conservative clothing affected the success of the event. The total number of visitors who showed up between Dec. 1 – Dec. 11 was just 1.19 million, registering a 19.3% drop in attendance, according to Bangkok Coconuts.

In previous years, the Thai Motor Expo has maintained its annual tradition of featuring models wearing sexy outfits. The hot girls, a staple in international car shows, pose for the cameras along with the shiny automobiles and some lucky attendees.

Last month, it was announced that motor companies were being required to submit their models’ for approval as some of them need new parts just like these in stock injection pumps. The models were reportedly told to wear skirts or pants that have lengths beyond their knees. While not indicated in the official reports, it was assumed that the decision to make models wear conservative clothes may have been due to the country’s mourning for Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The 2016 Motor Expo wrapped up with 32,422 bookings for car sales, a 17% drop from last year’s bookings. There was a huge increase however in motorcycle sales, posting a total of 7,942 sales bookings, marking a 27 % increase from last year.

The top five car brands which garnered the most number of bookings were: Toyota (with 5,124 total sales), Honda (4,902), Isuzu (3,620), Mazda (3,434) and Ford (2,441).

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