Thai corporate giants to assist SMEs going overseas

The project is part of the ministry’s strategy to support SME growth by encouraging them to start exporting, or to expand their businesses to other countries.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening Thai business competitiveness in a seamless regional market.
Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikalya said yesterday that under the “Hand-to-Hand” project to promote business growth, leading Thai companies had agreed to help educate and train SMEs to start trading and investing abroad.
“It is a good opportunity that large companies have accepted the need to help SMEs to do business, as well as support them to trade internationally. Under the project, large firms will also help SMEs and One Tambon One Product [Otop] producers by selecting potential goods to sell overseas through their shops, hotels or supply-chain businesses,” he said.
The large businesses will arrange business-matching with overseas buyers for SMEs and Otop enterprises, as well as select products to use at their hotels and other chains overseas, he added.
Throughout this year, about 500 SMEs will be targeted for training and education by experienced corporates about doing business broad.
Each large enterprise will train SMEs in separate events related to particular markets.
For instance, CP will train SMEs in how to do business in China. Executives from CP’s Super Brand Mall in Shanghai and Lotus in Guangzhao will join the project to select potential items, especially foods, from Thai SMEs for selling in China.
Saha Group’s emphasis, meanwhile, will be on helping SMEs to penetrate the Indonesian market, with a focus on clothes and fashion products.
Central Group will promote SMEs wishing to trade in Asean markets, as well as in Italy and Denmark – countries where the group has invested.
Potential SME and Otop products for sale at Central’s department stores overseas are mostly in the lifestyle, home decorative items, and food categories.
TCC Group will assist SMEs in penetrating the Chinese market through its accommodation businesses.
TCC’s executives in the hotel industry in China – Crown Plaza and Holiday Inn – will select products such as snack items from Thai Otop producers for serving at its chain hotels.
The “Hand-to-Hand” initiative will help ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are able to survive under globalisation and a seamless regional market, said the minister.
In a separate matter aimed at easing people’s cost of living, the Commerce Ministry – in collaboration with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Interior Ministry – this coming Monday is set to kick off its “Mobile Unit Selling Low-cost Products” project, under which essential products will be sold directly to consumers in the community.