Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan pledged on Saturday to enhance and optimise commerce and trade while promoting sustainable growth this year.
He said that the ministry would carry out the policies of the Pheu Thai-led government under the new motto “eMpower and Optimise Commerce plus Sustainable Growth” (MOC+).
In line with this theme, 80% of the ministry’s efforts will focus on strengthening business entrepreneurs and farmers, with the remaining 20% dedicated to oversight to ensure trade fairness, he said.
In terms of empowerment, the ministry will also regulate agricultural product prices, support small operators and expand their business opportunities, he added.
Efforts would also focus on adding value to products through Geographical Indication (GI) and positioning Thailand as a “food storage hub” to enhance food stability for countries facing food security challenges, he said.
For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the ministry would seek to relax regulations that hinder business operations and support branding, according to Mr Pichai.
For SMEs producing quality products but unable to create their own brands, their products would be given the Thailand Brand, he said.
AS well, the ministry will elevate the Thai Select certification programme, which guarantees quality for Thai restaurants both domestically and internationally.
To support exporters, the ministry will promote border trade and expedite free trade agreement negotiations with key trade partners, especially the European Union.
According to the minister, this month’s scheduled signing of the Thailand-EFTA agreement during the World Economic Forum will be Thailand’s first FTA with European nations.
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) has four member countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Thailand currently has 15 FTAs with 18 countries.
Turning to trade fairness, he said the ministry would strictly enforce regulations to protect consumers from exploitation and take action against illegitimate business operations to ensure fair competition.
