BoI, Japan to support SMEs

BANGKOK, Nov 22 (TNA) – The Board of Investment (BoI) has asked Japan to help support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the attempt will include business matching in agricultural, food and medical supply sectors. BoI secretary-general Duangjai Asawachintachit said she met the governor and 20 business people of Japan’s Mie prefecture and found that they were aware of the Thai government’s policy to support SMEs especially with technology and innovation. As the delegation from Mie was interested in promoting cooperation between Thai and Japanese SMEs, the BoI proposed the cooperation cover knowledge transfer, personnel development and the detailed exploration of cooperation possibilities, she said. Ms Duangjai said BoI would specify industries and activities for the cooperation with Mie prefecture and they would include business matching and technological cooperation. BoI would lead representatives of Thai SMEs to Mie in mid-2018 and the cooperation should begin with agricultural, food and medical supply businesses, she said. Mie was good at food, food-producing machines and electronic parts and its SMEs would be able to cooperate with Thai SMEs that were producing parts in those fields, Ms Duangjai said. (TNA)