‘Cool Thai’ programme to help provide local flair
The Thai Chamber of Commerce has launched the “Cool Thai” programme, through which local entrepreneurs, particularly younger people, will be promoted to apply local culture to add value to their creative products and services.
Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the programme will cover food and beverages, garments and souvenirs, ornaments, local cultural activities, indigenous tourism activities, hotels and guesthouses.
As part of the latest initiative, the chamber will hold a contest for creative entrepreneurs who embrace local culture to add value to their products and services.
“Thai culture in each region is unique and valuable,” he said. “We hope young entrepreneurs will know how to differentiate and add value to their products and services,” he said.
Mr Kalin pointed to Malika R. E. 124 The Siamese Living Heritage Town in Kanchanaburi, a model town from the time of King Rama V (1850-1900), as an exemplary model for the initiative.
The town has become a popular tourist attraction in Kanchanaburi, creating both jobs and value for the local economy, he said.
Mr Kalin said the new programme will fall in line with the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s plan to upgrade 50,000 entrepreneurs this year to make them more innovative and add value to their business, in line with the Thailand 4.0 initiative.
The chamber also aims to raise revenue in the business sector by 20-30 billion baht over the next two years and increase gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 0.2 percentage points.
The focus of the upgrade will be on Thai strengths such as trade, investment, agriculture, food, tourism and services.
“Our upgrade is meant to convince at least 50% of our 100,000 members to use creative, cultural or digital economy models, as well as increase trade in services,” he said.
Mr Kalin said the service sector contributes just 52% of Thailand’s GDP, compared with 80% in the US, 76% in Singapore and 72% in Japan.
The Thai government has already set aside a number of financial assistance schemes f or Thai small and medium-sized enterprises, including the Public-Private Collaborative SME Development Fund and 115 billion baht i n mid-year budget f unding to strengthen Thailand’s small and medium enterprises.