Thai Local Product Makers Encouraged To Run Franchises

BANGKOK, April 14 (TNA) – Thailand’s Department of Business Development is encouraging one-tambon-one-product (OTOP) entrepreneurs to operate franchises and do e-commerce. Miss Pongpun Gearaviriyapun, director-general of the department, said that her organisation will encourage about 100 operators who make more than 300 premium OTOP products nationwide to run franchises. Their businesses are in the four product groups of textiles and garments; appliances, decorations and souvenirs; foods and beverages; and herbal products. In addition, the department and the Thai e-Commerce Association will promote OTOPs online. The online OTOP Shop Corner will be launched this August. Miss Pongpun also said that her department continues to empower OTOP entrepreneurs to develop their businesses to cope with incoming products from other Southeast Asian nations due to the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community next year. She said that most OTOP entrepreneurs are good at making quality products but still lack marketing channels, effective management and profit-making skills. The department will also work with the Department ofInternational Trade Promotion to export OTOPs under the OTOP Select project, Pongpun added. (TNA)