AEC tops chamber’s agenda

BANGKOK, 10 August 2012: The Thai Chamber of Commerce will host a seminar on the ASEAN Economic Community, 23 August, at the Plaza Athenee Bangkok, inviting Thai entrepreneurs to participate in the seminar free of charge.

The chamber partners with the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion and the Ministry of Industry to host “AEC and SMEs Challenges: Next Steps (Phrase 3)”.

The seminar aims to educate participants on AEC 2015 specifically for SMEs trading with overseas partners  and is part of an on-going series of events to highlight the challenges and opportunities linked to  AEC.

The free seminar is restricted to participants who are members of either the Thai Chamber of Commerce or the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion.

Those who wish to participate must complete the registration form that can be downloaded at http://www.thaichamber.org/userfiles/file/Next%20Steps%20Phase3_23%20Aug%202012_for%20web1.pdf, before 15 August.

The seminar will cover SMEs business opportunities in general and SMEs business and the financial industry, information technology and the service and tourism industries. Topics details and presentions:

• Thailand’s SMEs strategies in the light of AEC by the Industry Minister Pongsawat Sawatdiwat;

• Introduction to AEC Prompts role under the Thai Chamber of Commerce by Thai Chamber of Commerce Chairman, Pongsak Assakul;

• Thai service SMEs in the AEC era: How to adjust and survive by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra;

• Financial services that will benefit Thai SMEs by Kasikorn Bank executive vice president, Prasert Samalapa;

• Service business direction in ASEAN countries: open opportunity for Thai SMEs business by Thai Credit Guarantee Cooperation legal affair director, Pintip Rujthikhamporn;

• Discussion on information and communication technology service: How Thai SMEs will become part of the supply chain by: Advanced Info Service chief executive officer, Wichian Mektrakarn; True Move president and CEO, Supachai Chearavanont; Software Park Thailand director, Thanachart Numnonda and IBM Thailand Company executive government programmes, Kraingkrai Phuwanich;

• Discussions focusing on the service and tourism industry: Opportunities and challenges of Thai SMEs businesses by: the Tourism Authority of Thailand governor, Suraphon Svetasreni; Creative Destination Management managing director, Sumate Sudas na Ayuthaya; Roongsarp Grand Tour managing director, Manas Phipatnan and Thailand Digital Entertainment Content Federationvice chairwoman, Srirat Nuchniyom.