Budget delay dents SME centre openings
The plan of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (Osmep) to launch 50 business development service centres this year was shattered by the delay of the 2007 budget, with only 10 centres opened.
"We asked for a budget of Bt8.5 billion for 2007, which hasn't been approved yet. We hope we can go ahead with our plan after the Cabinet is formed," director-general Jhitraporn Techacharn said yesterday. Osmep was allocated only Bt1.8 billion for the 2006 fiscal year, which ended last month. Securities houses are confident that the new appointed government could start disbursing the 2007 budget in the first quarter of the next calendar year. The business development service centre project is one of the collaborations between Osmep and the Organisation for Small and Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan (SMRJ). The project is aimed at boosting the competitiveness of SMEs. Jhitraporn said Osmep would also launch e-business development service centres by this year-end. "There are about two million entrepreneurs in Thailand. We expect over 100,000 entrepreneurs to register with our new system this year," she said. Another project is to educate young generations in SME subjects. Japan has nine SME universities, said SMRJ chairman Takao Suzuki. SMRJ will share its in-depth knowledge and experience so Osmep can succeed in incubating entrepreneurs as well as Japan does. However, because of budget constraints, Osmep plans to draw up the SME course with vocational colleges and universities nationwide instead of establishing SME universities like Japan did..
Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul The Nation
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