The Announcement Ceremony of 2019 SME Network Support Project Success

The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) held an announcement ceremony for the 2019 SME Network Support Project under the concept of “Power of Cluster Power of Connection” at The Sukosol Hotel, Bangkok. With the aim of developing and increasing the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises and adding their products values to compete in domestic markets and international ones, 4364 SMEs were able to create a total economic value of more than 600 million baht.

Mr. Suwanchai Lohwatanakul, Director of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion OSMEP, said that OSMEP had carried out a project to support the creation of an SME network or cluster by focusing on the integration of entrepreneurs from upstream, midstream to downstream, as well as attracting pertinent professionals such as government agency experts, and specific field experts to ask for their supports.  Therefore, OSMEP had selected SMEs with interesting profiles and high potential.

The project had continuously been successful in creating entrepreneur network for 620 SMEs in digital content through promotional campaigns including marketing strategy, product promotion, and character copyrights. In addition, the project also stimulated creativity and connect people from various fields including students, university scholars and particularly the entrepreneurs who had their opportunities to exhibit their work and make business negotiation in Malaysia which was estimated at some 120-million-baht economic value. Moreover, entertainment network such as movies, radio, television, and music under the name of the Creative Entertainment cluster had total entrepreneurs of 445 members creating an economic value of 44.3 million baht.

Regarding to the Betta Fish business cluster of 728 members from various regions and 84 cluster coordinators, they were able to successfully organize support activities that create overall economic value of 101 million baht including job opportunities and income for more than 100,000 farmers including the fish businesses like fish farming for export, souvenirs , fish food, fish medicine, aquaculture equipment.

644 pineapple cluster entrepreneurs and 171 garlic cluster entrepreneurs had been supported and given knowledge on network strategy and planning by OSMEP. Some interesting examples of network integration products were garlic powder, honey-roasted pineapple, frozen pineapple, pineapple wine, pineapple ice-cream and pineapple powder for meat marinating making more than 65 million baht of economic value.

Concerning the sport economy network, which was the combination of businesses related to sports including sports apparels and accessories. There were 458 business operators who exported their products to the Japanese market worth more than 79.8 million baht of economic value.  In terms of Muay Thai cluster as Thailand’s main sport identity, there was a network of 420 entrepreneurs who had their chances of joining and signing MOU with their trading partners at the Fibo Global Fitness 2019, Shang Hai, China, making economic value of 100 million baht.

For Halal business cluster, 145 entrepreneurs who had been supported by OSMEP, had been entering and exporting their product innovations (i.e. GI rice facial cleansing powder, polyester fiber without musty odor, and Thai traditional ceramics with ancient Arabic characters) to the new market of GCC countries including Bahren, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.

Mr. Suwanchai revealed that OSEMP had injected their research and innovations supports into the clusters, developing their production capabilities and management, enabling them to produce more and less their costs of production. Additionally, development of production standard for export as well as environmental standard and service standard were focused by integrating appropriate technology and innovation for adding product values. To initiate and establish database connection on the cluster information, SME Connext was used as a database monitoring tool.

“If they were old clusters, we would have to see what types of improvement they need. In case they are new ones, finding the right strategies and planning for cluster improvement should be conducted. For all clusters in various regions of Thailand, OSEMP as a supporter of local government agencies will be promoting and making sure that the project has been running smoothly and hopefully in 3 to 10 years, all clusters mentioned will be creating market value of more than 600 million baht.” Mr. Suwanchai concluded.