Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) ministers from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) nations kicked off a meeting in Phuket on Monday, which was organised to promote the bio-circular-green (BCG) economic model among its members.
The Apec SME ministerial meetings, which will run until Saturday at SAii Laguna Hotel in Phuket, are organised by the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (Osmep).
Osmep director, Weerapong Malai, said the meetings are a chance for Thai SMEs to reach out to other businesses in the Asia-Pacific region and expand their reach beyond their immediate region.
The meetings will also focus on ways through which micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) could adapt to better meet the needs of the evolving global market.
Sessions during meetings will be led by speakers from both public and private sectors, including Vikram Ahuja, from Singapore's Giken Mobility, and Janekrishna Kanatharana from Thailand's National Science and Technology Development Agency.
According to the Osmep deputy-director, Wimonkan Kosumas, there are 42,598 SMEs in Phuket, which contributed about 85.4 billion baht to the economy last year. About 69% of SMEs in Phuket engage in tourism-related activities, while about 26% of SMEs in Phuket are in retail and commerce.
