Support for flood-stricken factories in the works
The Industry Ministry will issue new measures to alleviate the suffering of factory operators in flooded areas such as Phetchaburi province.
The measures are aimed at local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The ministry will waive all related fees that every registered factory must pay annually to the Industrial Works Department, such as for machinery registration and quality control.
The remedy measures are effective only in 2018.
Industry permanent secretary Pasu Loharjun said the government will apply six-month debt settlement for any SME factories who are borrowers with the state-run Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank (SME bank).
The government will provide emergency finance and credit for SME applicants to recover losses from the flood with an annual interest rate of 4.99% for loans under 15 million baht.
“The ministry is monitoring the flood situation, with the expectation that some local factories and communities will suffer,” Mr Pasu said. “The government has ordered all related agencies to be prepared to provide support.”
Mr Pasu said the government has team up with government networks, educational institutions and business operators in flood areas to prepare basic support after the situation improves.
They will provide repairing and maintenance for machinery and equipment, electric power systems and provide advice for suffering factories to help them resume operations to meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.
The ministry has surveyed flood-prone
and at-risk areas, and will provide a manual on flood protections for machinery and equipment.
The SMEs Support and Rescue Center (SSRC) in flood provinces has been ordered to provide emergency support and connect with other agencies when factories
ask for additional help.
Suphan Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the FTI has yet to receive any reports of damage to factories in Phetchaburi province, and the flooding has yet to hit any manufacturing plants.
“Phetchaburi is not an important area for large factories, but the province has many SME factories such as garment, textiles and electronics parts, so the FTI is confident that most business operators in that province can handle and manage risks to protect their assets,” Mr Suphan said.