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.