SCB, FTI team up to help SMEs cash in on new opportunities
Siam Commercial Bank is joining with the Federation of Thai Industries to help small and medium-sized enterprises become more competitive in funding and knowledge sharing.
SCB president Kannnikar Chalitaporn said yesterday that with the positive outlook of the economy and the recovery of consumer confidence in the second half of this year, both his bank and the FTI consider that it is time for SMEs to prepare to cash in on the opportunities opening up.
SCB has set a budget of more than Bt16 billion to lend to some 8,000 SME members of the FTI in 12 industrial clusters until the project ends in 2016.
Waylaid in H1
Those SMEs that were waylaid by the economic slowdown in the first half are hungry for liquidity to improve their business to take advantage of the recovery of consumer purchasing power in the second half.
The bank and the industrial group will help provide knowledge and support distribution channels though the SCB-FTI Factory Outlet.
FTI chairman Suphan Mongkolsuthee said about 85 per cent of FTI members were SMEs. The FTI will expand the scope of work with SCB to cover entrepreneurs in terms of industrial and area bases.
The FTI and SCB Economic Intelligence Centre will offer analyses of all angles of the economy and industries in helping more than 8,000 SMEs in the federation to get ready for the coming of the Asean Economic Community.
