COVID-19 has been both a positive and negative factor that has led to changes in the global industrial economic structure, resulting in a wave of SME revolution, or SMEs Disruption, in 2021.

 

 

         Mr. Natthapol Rangsitphon, Director-General of the Department of Industrial Promotion stated that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are crucial for driving the grassroots economy, need support to strengthen the Thai industry through three key factors: urgent skills, urgent tools, and urgent industries.

          In 2020, the Department of Industrial Promotion implemented the policy to enhance SMEs. It was found that there was a need to intensify promotion efforts. Therefore, in 2021, an urgent operational policy was set, with the Department preparing to shift its role to coaching, providing in-depth advice to entrepreneurs, and focusing on proactive promotion to transform SMEs into well-prepared entities or SME Disruptors. The goal is to promote no less than 3,356 businesses with a budget of over 500 million baht, which is expected to generate economic value of over 8 billion baht.

Through the policy "Mind: STI" consisting of three urgent factors:

Urgent Skills or Skill

This is a crucial factor that needs to be promoted to help entrepreneurs adapt quickly to create business opportunities, divided into three necessary skills:

Lean Skills through cost management that aligns with income, while developing existing skills to prepare for changes, innovation and technology development skills for application in various processes, and creative thinking skills that will help create value for the industrial sector. The Department will expand the Mini Thai-IDC centers to regions to promote the development of packaging and product design at the local level for effective commercialization.

 

 

Urgent Tools or Tools

          The urgent assistance tools for entrepreneurs include online platforms (DIProm Marketplace) that gather quality products from entrepreneurs promoted by the Department to increase sales channels, helping to build consumer confidence by connecting the networks of entrepreneurs to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and industry enhancement. Funding for business operations is also a crucial tool, such as working capital to promote family industry and Thai handicrafts, support loans from both state and private financial institutions, and promote access to private funding sources to create liquidity for business operations and establish future businesses.

 

 

Urgent Industry or Industry

          Focusing on the agro-industry, data from the Office of Industrial Economics shows that the export value of processed agricultural products from January to September 2020 was 243.855 billion baht, indicating sufficient potential for support in the urgent period to drive the economy through enhancing the capacity in the processed agricultural product sector, developing agricultural entrepreneurs, and promoting new generations to pursue careers in agriculture, enhancing the agricultural sector's potential, and developing business networks into high-value production processes for commercial expansion to strengthen the supply chain, as well as promoting enterprises to develop products that meet consumer demand.

         For the promotion of entrepreneurs in 2021, the Department will adjust its methods to align with the current situation. Previously acting as a coach providing advice to entrepreneurs, it will now focus on proactive promotion as a transformer of SMEs into well-prepared entities or SME Disruptors to stimulate timely adaptation in the industrial sector. The goal is to promote 3,356 businesses nationwide, develop skills for 13,375 personnel in the industrial sector, support 177 community enterprises, and enhance the quality of 982 products to strengthen the Thai economy with a budget of over 500 million baht, which is expected to generate economic value of no less than 8 billion baht.