The Commerce Ministry will map out the country's first national business development plan aimed at helping trade associations to become more proactive and cooperate more in a bid to enhance the Kingdom's image as a "trading nation".
"Thailand has 836 trade associations. However, only 54 per cent or 451 associations are active and play an important role in the economy. Having a national business development plan will encourage the work of those trade associations," Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said yes?terday.
Thailand is a trading-based nation, as 72.3 per cent of its gross domestic product comes from exports. The national business development plan is needed to sharpen the compet?itiveness of each business, he told a seminar on "Strengthening trade associa?tions for sustainable economic growth" organised by the Business Development Department.
In the past, the country has lacked a central unit linking all trade and business associations. There has only been the Thai Chamber of Commerce to rep?resent the private sector, he said.
The national business devel?opment plan will focus on four main areas - increasing leader?ship among trade associations, encouraging them to partici?pate more in society, facilitating each business and association to set up its vision and mission, and upgrading the competi?tiveness of the membership.
The national business devel?opment plan would be imple?mented soon and complement the national economic and social development plan. The Business Development Department will soon set up a special taskforce to support those trade associations.
Besides exports, service and investment, trade associations will be one of four engines driv?ing the country's economic growth.
Trade associations will be reformed in particular in three main aspects, including the Asean Economic Community, adjustment to the creative economy and development of trading and efficient operations.
To open up trade opportuni?ties with other countries, the government will support the establishment of a foreign chamber, he added.
Thailand has 30 foreign chambers of commerce and business associations.
Nandor von der Luehe, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, said that to ensure sustainable development of local and foreign businesses, the government must liberalise rule and regulations.
It must increase opportuni?ties for enterprises to access capital, allow free movement of skilled workers and restructure industries for greater efficiency and contribution to the econo?my.
Trade associations often see their role as safeguarding their members by lobbying the gov?ernment to keep protective measures in place. However, the role of associations should be to strengthen industries and members to be ready for a high?er level of competition, he said.
The national business devel?opment plan must focus on education, skills development and capacity-building rather than protective measures, he added.