Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has urged the Thai Chamber of Commerce to help bolster community economies as a way of strengthening the national coffers.
"We need to help our agricultural sector," Mr Somkid yesterday told a TCC conference, reiterating the government's intention to help rural people who largely rely on farming.
To achieve this, the TCC, which has regional branches set up across the country, can play an important role by joining the government in introducing farmers to ways of processing their produce and helping them reduce business risks.
These measures will give farmers more "courage" to plant new crops and vary their means of earning a living, Mr Somkid said.
Since his appointment as deputy prime minister late last year, Mr Somkid has focused on grassroots action, helping farmers by boosting local economic activities. He believes a move to mobilise the economy at its foundations will help stimulate the rest of the country.
Agreeing with the approach, TCC chairman Isara Vongkusolkit yesterday urged members from all five regions to help the government raise awareness of community-based economics through marketing.
Businessmen can introduce new technologies to help farmers develop their products and find a market for them, he said.
Mr Isara is also interested in local tourism development, which he says should be carried out along with efforts to improve agriculture.
"Tourism can help support the current economy," he said.
Mr Somkid said the government is attempting to boost the national economy. In the first quarter of this year, the state increased its spending by 12%, which is "very high" compared with previous years,Mr Somkid said.
However, he said the government alone cannot bring Thailand out of a sluggish economy. It needs help from the private sector, though currently new investment is still low.
"We want businesses to expand investment by more than 19%," Mr Somkid told the TCC.
In November, the cabinet approved a plan to attract investment in 10 areas, including agriculture and medicine.