Small retailers to get govt aid

The Commerce Ministry says it aims to boost the number of what it calls strong enterprises to more than 25,000 this year as part of efforts to ensure that each community has a sold retail base.
The ministry estimates more than 400,000 small, traditional retailers nationwide need a helping hand to boost their competitiveness in a changing retail landscape.
Bangjongjitt Angsusingh, director-general of the Business Development Department, said a newly launched project emphasised the connection of small retailers and wholesalers to their communities. Under the project, the department will educate enterprises about business management, storage and stock management as well as shop image development.
“Previously, 20,081 local retail and wholesale businesses had been developed with this assistance. This year, the department will develop a further 5,454 retailers so that more strong local retailers and wholesalers can become growth engines for local economy,” Bangjongjitt said.
To educate each small retailers, the department has selected a prototype shop – based mostly around wholesalers in each province - so that each shop will be trained directly by experts from the department. Afterwards, these businesses will receive further training.
So far, the number of prototype shops set up has reached 114 in 65 provinces. The department aims to train 35 additional shops so that the scheme will cover all 77 provinces by the end of this year.
Bangjongjitt said that the department came up with the idea to train local wholesalers as they have small retailers under their networks, while they can help distribute cheap products to local communities easily.
She said if local wholesalers are stronger, they would be able to help develop the small retailers under their trading networks, while stimulating the local economy. As part of the government's efforts to promote local communities and reduce the cost of living, the department has encouraged retailers and wholesalers to sell cheap products under the “Pracha Rath: Low Cost of Living” project.
Large manufacturers have agreed to supply 18 essential products at cheap prices to local retailers and wholesalers. 
The price reductions are typically in the range of 15 to 20 per cent, and the items covered include likes of shampoo, soap, canned fish, and instant noodles.
These discounted goods will start to be sold to local communities at traditional retail and wholesale shops from this month.