Bangkok: The Thai SME Federation has urged the Prime Minister to introduce distinct assistance policies tailored specifically for the 2.75 million micro-enterprises in the country.
According to Thai News Agency, the Federation has emphasized the need for the government to implement measures that directly support entrepreneurs based on the size of their businesses, particularly focusing on micro-enterprises that often find themselves outside the scope of conventional government aid.
Dr. Napapong Teerawor, President of the Thai SME Federation, disclosed details following a meeting with the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and key business leaders. The Federation, representing MSME entrepreneurs, proposed five critical policy recommendations designed to ensure government support effectively reaches entrepreneurs across all levels.
The Federation has raised concerns that the broad classification of policies under “SME” may inadvertently sideline micro-enterprises. Thus, they propose a clear delineation of assistance measures according to business size. In Thailand, the MSME structure is categorized into three groups: Micro businesses with annual sales not exceeding 1.8 million baht, Small businesses with sales limits of 100 million baht in manufacturing or 50 million baht in trade and services, and Medium businesses with sales thresholds of 500 million baht in manufacturing or 300 million baht in trade and services.
The five proposals presented include stimulating purchasing power to boost sales for all MSMEs; creating distinct loan products for micro and small businesses; managing household and commercial debt; refining regulations to enhance MSMEs’ competitiveness against multinational companies; and facilitating easier access to AI and essential technologies for these entrepreneurs.