OSMEP joins hands with 5 other agencies to support and assist 1,300 SMEs affected by the Covid-19

The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) as part of a government sector starts a project to help provide collateral, create, and support 1,300 targeted SMEs with digital transformation and product standardization policies in order to recover in the New Normal era and thrive in the Next Normal era sustainably.

Mr. Weerapong Malai, Director of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), revealed that the Covid-19 outbreak had had a significant impact on Thailand and the world economy. Under implementation of Covid-19 prevention policy and control measures, government agencies must provide SME entrepreneurs with technology support and assistance through gaining a deep dive into actionable insights of business information. Thus, extraction of the meaningful data would turn into useful insights to help improve the business during the New Normal and adjust to the Next Normal era creating SMEs financial suitability.

With the aim of promoting and enhancing technological orientation, knowledge, and skills for businesses including OTOP groups, community enterprises, and small enterprises with income lower than 1.8 million baht, OSMEP recently launched a scheme called MSME Step up during the Fiscal Year 2022. The project consists of two following activities which include the standardization of SME products by passing on the knowledge of laws, regulations, and guidance enforced by the Food and Drug Administration of Thailand (FDA), making nutrition facts label, assessing manufacturing location onto the local entrepreneurs as well as guiding outlines requirements for preparing submissions through the Food and Drug Regulations supported by 200 Food Control Institutions across Thailand.

The second activity of the scheme in collaboration with universities aims to encourage public-private partnerships by promoting bilateral, regional, and multinational science and technology cooperation in 4 regions of Thailand:

• Central region including Bangkok and Eastern Region collaborated by Rajamangala University of Technology
• 17 provinces in Northern region collaborated by Thammasat University
• 20 provinces in South eastern region collaborated by Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University
• 21 provinces throughout Southern and Western regions

As part of the five agencies who support and assist SMEs, not only the Federation of Thai SME aims to share knowledge about various types of digital and financial tools and equipment, the federation itself also promotes ways to implement them to create and modernize work procedures and system that would boost SME business of productivity. In addition, selecting right man for right job with digital business experience, helping increase sales or encourage the use or trial of a product or service and providing SMEs with sufficient liquidity to carry on their business as part of government tasks.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sommai Pivsa-Art, President of Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) on behalf of the activity collaborator, revealed that RMUTT would be supporting and bolstering SMEs in central region (including Bangkok and its metropolitan) as well as the eastern part of Thailand. The president also addressed the importance of OSMEP that its SME support program which have been starting since 2017, helps support academic development and strengthen innovation capacity to ensure the accomplishment of SME enterprises in private sector that lead to the success of promoting community and social development and driving sustainable local economic growth during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr. Niti Witthayawiroj, Director of Office of Academic Resources and Information Technology (RMUTT) as program collaborator further supported, “The aim of transforming SME digital experience and improving product standard will be emphasizing on private sector including those who are OTOP groups, community enterprises, and small enterprises with income lower than 1.8 million baht per year. Digital transformation will bring benefits and opportunities to SMEs including online sales channel, sales boost, and provision of SMEs with sufficient liquidity provision to carry on their business as part of government tasks including SME-GP.  RMUTT will be responsible for Central region and Eastern Region including Bangkok, Chai Nat, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Sing Buri, Saraburi, Ang Thong, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Samut Sakhon, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, and Sa Kaeo.”

With highly talented with plenty of business experience, RMUTT experts will be providing SMEs and entrepreneurs with academic and practice-based knowledge to ground and drive innovation and strategies for business growth and sustainability.

For those who are interested, please apply now at www.smeonline.rmutt.ac.th/stepup65 or contact for further information at 02 549 4004, 090 916 2227 or 097 278 8879