Thailand is a relatively open country in terms of trade and is continuing to deepen its
trade integration into the broader Asian region. This integration will continue as Thailand
approaches 2015 and the ASEAN Economic Community is implemented. To take full
advantage of the opportunities offered by this increased regional trade, Thailand will need
to pay closer attention to the international dimension for SMEs. One of the key concerns
here is that firms will need to possess the necessary skills and information to enable them
to export internationally. By providing information on foreign markets to Thai SMEs and
promoting Thai products abroad, EPOs could potentially play a role in improving the
competitive position of Thai SMEs vis-à-vis firms in other Asian countries.