Moving Forward… with Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association Future Sustainability.
In 1999, The “Subcontracting Promotion Club” was established by a group of parts manufacturers which most of whom were Thai companies that produced auto parts and electrical appliances and conducted the buyer-meet-seller activities in conjunction with BOI Unit for Industrial Linkage Development (BUILD) (Thailand), Board of Investment (BOI), by taking members to meet with customers being the factories across the country, such as: automobile, machinery and electronics parts factories, etc.
Activities arising out of the “Subcontracting Promotion Club” had brought about the benefits as well as giving rise to the developments towards groups of industries, production and service supports. With the increase in the number of its members and the strength of various alliances, the Club was able to establish the “Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association” in 2003. At present, the “Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association” accounts for members of more than 500 companies which can be divided into groups and can support all industry groups according to the type of industry of parts and equipment which the members have been engaged in manufacturing as much as up to 16 industrial groups. All these are therefore the very important accountabilities of the “Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association” to act as a medium and driving force for all Thai subcontracting entrepreneurs to have potentials and avail a variety of products and services to the extent of becoming the world’s leading Subcontracting,
“Manufacturing Review” Magazine has an opportunity to interview the current President of Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association, Mr. Kiattisak Jirakajonvong.
20 Years of Success in Supporting Thai Manufacturers.
Mr. Kiattisak Jirakajonvong, President of the Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association, revealed that the Association was established 20 years ago, currently accounting for members of up to 500 companies that most of whom were SMEs manufacturers engaged in the business as the manufacturers of machineries, vehicles, rubber and plastic parts including electronics parts. The Association divided all these for promotions and supports into 5 main clusters, namely: industrial automation system for industries, comprehensive medical industry, aviation and logistics industry, defense industry and rail industry.
The Association is committed to bringing entrepreneurs under the Association to be able to keep up with the new era economy, especially, the traditional industry to catch up with the new era industry having emerged nowadays. Over in the past, the Association had cooperated with Board of Investment (BOI) and Infoma Markets in organizing Subcon Thailand event in conjunction with Intermach, which is held every year. In Subcon Thailand, the Association invited more than 100 of its member companies to take part in erecting the booths and that the number of members taking part in the event is noted to gradually increase every year. At this event, members will have a chance to meet with customers coming to visit eventually resulting in them to have direct business negotiations with the customers and to have more markets including more jobs and profits. In addition, buyers from abroad are invited to meet with members for trade negotiations so called Business Matching, as well. Yet, another purpose expected is to give rise to various trading links. In addition to the exhibitions of the industrial product activities, the Association also includes many other activities, such as: factory visits among members or non-members which, in this regard, there will be trips to visit factories across the country, such as: in Northern, Southern and Eastern Region, etc. All these will result in the members under the Association to be able to link with both the manufacturing and trading sectors including to organize the activities to invite members to do Business Matching with foreign markets, as well, such as: Japan and Europe.
“Under the economic situation as of today, the country with high investment, especially, in Thailand, is China that its investors receiving investment promotions from BOI have poured in for the investments by ranking No. 1 in Thailand because China’s economy is making great progress, particularly, on the matter of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and production technology which the Association has fully hoped to bring the existing members to connect with these businesses by coordinating with BOI and some parts of the government’s various agencies in order to convey communications to investors from China to see that Thailand has the production structure fundaments readily available to provide supports. Because we have similar cultures, so, it will be easier for Chinese investors to do business in Thailand.”
Mr. Jirakajonvong continues to give his accounts that the Association cordially invites interested entrepreneurs to become a part of the group of Thai entrepreneurs under the Association because the benefits to be received from joining as a member will be lot, such as: participating in erecting a booth to find markets, in doing Business Matching with both domestic and foreign partners including production potential development to be better because the Association has organized the training and seminar activities to develop the production potential for members continuously. Furthermore, the Association also provides assistances to members on various legal aspects and requirements to encounter the problems with which the members have been faced. Finally, I would like to convey my appreciation to the current members participating in the activities with the Association to strengthen the industry in Thailand for sustainability and invite interested entrepreneurs to join as a member with the Association to strengthen the Thai manufacturing industry to be even more and more.
