Bangkok: Supajee has launched working groups in four strategic areas aimed at bolstering the creative economy, high-value agriculture, community economy and SMEs, and international trade. The initiative targets rapid results within a 6-month to 1-year timeframe by removing regulatory barriers and reducing business obstacles. A long-term plan is also in place to enhance the country's competitiveness over the next 2-4 years.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Ms. Supajee Suthamphan, chaired the inaugural meeting of the Sub-Committee on Trade, Tourism, and Community Economic Development at the Santi Maitri Building, Government House. The meeting was attended by key figures including the Minister of Culture, Ms. Sabida Thaiseth, and the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Mr. Surasak Panjaroenvorakul, alongside advisors and representatives from the government and private sectors.
This meeting is part of a broader initiative to implement the Prime Minister's policy on economic stimulus, focusing on quality tourism, creative economy, agriculture, food security, and international trade. The goal is to address both immediate challenges and long-term structural adjustments.
The core objective is to identify and implement "Quick Big Wins," which involve measures that deliver results within a year. This includes revising and removing obstructive regulations, reducing burdens, and facilitating business operations without requiring large budgets.
Complementing these short-term goals is a 2-4 year "Big Win" strategy aimed at economic restructuring, market diversification, and creating a balanced export structure.
To achieve these objectives, four specialized working groups have been formed:
1. In the creative economy and visitor economy sector, chaired by Mr. Weerasak, the focus is on utilizing Thailand's cultural assets to add value and connect secondary cities with products and services.
2. In high-value agriculture, chaired by Mr. Kobsak, the aim is to enhance the agricultural value chain, from production to marketing, ensuring food security and industry linkage.
3. In community economics and SMEs, also chaired by Mr. Kobsak, the focus is on improving the entrepreneurial ecosystem, reducing licensing burdens, and supporting business scale-up for fair competition.
4. In international trade, chaired by Mr. Weerasak, the goal is to expand into new markets, leverage FTAs, and increase SME participation in exports.
The working groups will coordinate with clear objectives, using trade promotion mechanisms and public-private partnerships, before submitting proposals to relevant committees for implementation.
Mr. Weerasak stated that the creative economy will explore new opportunities to enhance competitiveness, while international trade will focus on connecting Thai entrepreneurs with global markets.
Mr. Kobsak emphasized gathering stakeholder opinions to address issues through policy, focusing on modern agriculture and SME competitiveness.
Ms. Sabida highlighted the Ministry of Culture's readiness to leverage cultural capital for economic development, while Mr. Surasak aligned the operation with tourism missions to enhance confidence, safety, and distributive income to communities.
The private sector proposed engaging SMEs across all committees and supporting tourism in over 50 secondary cities through local economic development mechanisms.