Japan to open SME support office in Thailand

BANGKOK, June 8 (TNA) - The Tokyo SME Support Center plans to open its branch in Thailand later this year to serve Japan’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) investing in the Thai economy, timely for the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) among member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by the end of this year. Arthit Wuthikaro, Director-General of the Department of Industrial Promotion, under the Thai Ministry of Industry, told journalists of the plan on Monday, noting that in either October or November this year, the Tokyo SME Support Center will open its SME Support Center in the Thai capital to facilitate Japanese SMEs’ in Thailand, with its services including the networking of local SMEs operators, business matching and organizing their study trips. Arthit acknowledged that Japanese authorities have cooperated with their Thai counterparts in this field because Tokyo wants to use Thailand as its gateway to other ASEAN member economies after AEC is established. According to the senior official, the Japanese center has also opened the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute at his department in Bangkok since April 2015. The department earlier signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) on echnical and academic cooperation with Saitama, Yamanashi, Akita, Tottori, Shimane, Aichi, Toyama, Fukuoka and Fukui prefectures; Kawasaki and Minamiboso cities; the central SMEs Support Center; the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute; and the Tokyo SMEs Support Center. (TNA)