Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has asked Jack Ma to support Thai small and medium-sized enterprises as the Alibaba Group's founder wants the country to export farm products to China and Asean through the group.
Referring to their meeting in Hangzhou Monday night, Maj Gen Werachon Sukondhapatipak, deputy government spokesman, said on Tuesday Gen Prayut had invited Alibaba to develop networks and connectivity for Thai SMEs.
The contribution would greatly benefit Thai SMEs and the Alibaba Group as an investor, Maj Gen Werachon said.
Mr Ma told the prime minister the SME focus was in line with his group's activities and a new era of sales, production and finance would come in three decades. Societies would be driven not by energy, but data, Maj Gen Werachon quoted Mr Ma as saying.
The Chinese billionaire proposed Thailand use Alibaba's logistics and payment system to export its rice and fruits including durian to China and Southeast Asian nations.
He was also quoted as saying Alibaba's Alitrip system could promote Thai tourism and support millions of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand yearly.