Government urged to help old SMEs

BANGKOK, Oct 19 (TNA) -- The private sector asked the government to help old small and medium-sized enterprises because they should be able to help boost Thai export. Phat Phasucharasphong, president of the Home Decorative Design Association, said that most assistance measures from the government targeted new enterprises while many old SMEs were causing non-performing loans and facing high interest. She commented that if old SMEs received assistance, they would become strong enough to help promote export. Jirabool Vittayasing, secretary-general of the Thai Lifestyle Products Federation, said government measures designed to stimulate the property sector and help new SMEs would not significantly benefit lifestyle product manufacturers because people would spend their incomes on loan repayments first as the economy had not fully recovered. Therefore, his federation has tried to promote the export of lifestyle products for two years. He has seen increasing orders from the United States, China, South Korea, Taiwan and Iran. (TNA)