Thailand's e-commerce value set to double by 2021

NONTHABURI, THAILAND, December 26 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Commerce has set a target to double the value of the country's e-commerce to reach 5 trillion baht by 2021, which would be the top of the list in the ASEAN Economic Communtiy (AEC), if achieved. Kulanee Isadisai, Director-General of the ministry's Department of Business Development, told journalists of the target on Tuesday, noting that her department is, thus, working with the e-Marketplace, as well as other relevant public and private parties to promote and support the e-commerce expansion. To meet the target, Kulanee said her department has agreed with the e-Marketplace and large-scaled e-commerce entrepreneurs, based on a resolution at a recent meeting, to first promote and support community entrepreneurs across Thailand to utilize and expand their trade values through online channels that are accessible around the clock everyday with lower costs, when compared with other marketing channels. Kulanee revealed that her department has initially planned to promote and support at least 10,000 community entrepreneurs to enter the e-commerce system by 2018 with their online trade values totally over 500 million baht. According to the senior official, her department is implementing three approaches to promote the e-commerce expansion in the country, including supporting more community shops to utilize online marketing channels for their business growth on the sustainable basis, providing them with useful knowledge to stimulate and increase their online sales and markets and boosting confidence in the local e-commerce system among traders and consumers through helping organize promotional activities and certifying products produced by community entrepreneurs with the DBD Registered or the DBD Verified system. The senior official pointed out that the promotional activities to boost online sales for community entrepreneurs, known as e-commerce boosters, include introducing them and their products at trade events such as the Thailand Online Mega Sale, the e-Commerce Festival and the Offline 2 Online Expo, while also helping promote their products through the Content Marketing strategy, under which outstanding aspects of their goods are publicized in stories. (TNA)