"The six key regional markets will be closely monitored and managed by each hub leader,

who will be appointed soon,"

permanent secretary Karun Kittisataporn said yesterday. The regional heads will be selected after the annual reshuffle of directors-general has been settled, he said. The initiative of former commerce minister Somkid Jatusripitak is one of the policies of the ousted administration that came up for review by the interim government.

The ministry's study pointed out that the regional hub plan created duplicate work for the ministry. After a meeting with key offices of the ministry, Karun said the regional hub scheme was still needed.

"It's the ministry's important strategy to manage inter-departmental cooperation and promote the Kingdom under the same theme," he said. Officials would take a more proactive approach in dealing with the dynamic world market via the regional hub strategy.

The regional hub is supervised by the ministry's International Trade Strategy Authority and draws on three departments - Trade Negotiations, Export Promotion and Foreign Trade - but the project's budget comes under the permanent secretary's office.

The European Union hub is now led by Chutima Bunyapra-phasara, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, while the United States hub is headed by Kanissorn Navanu-graha, director-general of the Business Development Depart-ment.

Deputy permanent secretary Pitsanu Rienmahasarn governs the China hub, new ambassador to the World Trade Organisation Thawatchai Sophasteinphong is in charge of the India hub,

the director-general of the Export Promotion Department oversees the East Asia hub, and the director-general of the Foreign Trade Department guides the Asean hub.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation