Fund to help over 500 SMEs with export problems
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The Commerce Ministry has approved Bt67.5 million from the SMEs Proactive fund to help 506 small and medium-sized enterprises cope with export difficulty this year.
Srirat Rastapana, director-general to the International Trade Promotion Department, said the budget approval would help SMEs participate in 81 trade fairs and join six trade missions overseas to promote their goods.
The department expects to provide support to another 100-400 SMEs in the rest of the year.
Under the SMEs Proactive project, the government has created a Bt300 million fund to help develop Thai SMEs. The project plans to allocate Bt100 million towards the fund to help enterprises each year.
Srirat said that more SMEs are expected to ask for government support under the project, as the government is focusing on promoting SMEs to become international traders.
Proactive project to help more
If many SMEs ask for support, the department will consider allocating a bigger budget from the international trade fund, said Srirat.
Under the SMEs Proactive project, about 33,000 SMEs are expected to get assistance.
She added that the department would expand this project to help more SMEs in other provinces. SMEs could apply to the Federation of Thai Industries, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and the Thai National Shippers Council’s provincial offices. Officials will then consider whether to support their products.
Export products supported under the project include jewellery and ornaments, food, safety products, toys, farm equipment, gift and souvenirs, handicrafts, furniture, herbs, cosmetic, garments, air-conditioners, and medical equipment.
Countries that the department has encouraged Thai SMEs to penetrate are India, Turkey, Myanmar, Japan, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Singapore, the United States, France, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Mongolia, Russia, Germany, Cambodia, Italy, South Korea, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
