In 2011, the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP)
conducted a study of the impact of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on the
industrial sectors vital to Thailand’s economy (high-impact sectors). High-impact
sectors are those important industrial sectors receiving the positive impacts of the
ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). As each industrial sector is different experiencing
a variety of factors, the study needed to specify the criteria for considering the
significance of that particular industrial sector. The study took into account index
values + key economic indicators of Thailand - and a number of entrepreneurs and
employees of SMEs.