ส.อ.ท. ดัน CBEC เป็น “ประตูดิจิทัล” สินค้าไทยสู่จีน ปักหมุดเซี่ยงไฮ้สร้างโมเดลเชื่อมผู้ผลิตไทยถึงผู้บริโภคจีนFTI Promotes CBEC as a "Digital Gateway" for Thai Products to China, Targeting Shanghai to Establish a Model Connecting Thai Producers to Chinese Consumers

FTI highlights Cross-Border E-Commerce as a strategic mechanism to open new markets for Thai products in China, proposing Shanghai as a pilot area to create a model that connects Thai producers with platforms, trade networks, logistics, and Chinese consumers. The system will be established from product selection, market testing, brand creation, digital marketing, to using consumer data to develop products, aiming to reduce barriers to entry for SMEs, shifting from "exporting products" to "creating markets for Thai products", and expanding to major economic cities across China.

On August 13, 2026, Mr. Wethi Chokwatthana, Senior Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and Chair of the ASEAN and Logistics Sector, along with Mr. Sunthornpol Veeraprawat, Vice President of the ASEAN and Logistics Sector and Chair of the Subcommittee on Promoting Imports-Exports and Cross-Border Trade, welcomed the executive committee from the Shanghai Institute of Commerce and Foreign Languages (SICFL) led by Ms. Xie Min, Vice President, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Danai Thungpacharathep, Head of the China Intelligence Center (CIC) at Chiang Mai University, at FTI to discuss ways to elevate Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC) as a mechanism to systematically expand the market for Thai products in China.

From "Exporting Products" to "Creating Markets" for Thai Products

FTI believes that the key challenge for Thai exports in this era of digital trade is not only the ability to produce quality products but also the ability to access markets and end consumers, especially in China, which has a large market, high competition, and rapidly changing consumer behavior.

CBEC should therefore not be viewed merely as an online sales channel, but can be developed into a strategic mechanism to bring Thai entrepreneurs into the Chinese market, helping to reduce the limitations of reliance on traditional trading channels, allowing entrepreneurs to access consumers directly, test the market more quickly, and use market data to refine products to meet consumer demands.

Thus, FTI proposes using Shanghai as a pilot area to develop a CBEC model that connects producers, entrepreneurs, and Thai brands to Chinese trade platforms and networks before expanding to other economic cities and target consumer groups in the future.

Creating an Ecosystem for Entrepreneurs, Not Just Opening Sales Channels

The core of this approach is to establish a comprehensive support system for entering the Chinese market, from selecting potential products and brands, analyzing market and consumer behavior, conducting market testing, creating brands and digital marketing, connecting with CBEC platforms, logistics systems, and delivery, to using market and consumer data for product development and planning for future market expansion.

This approach will help shift from Thai entrepreneurs needing to "find their own way into the Chinese market" to having a "navigation system to enter the market" that alleviates limitations related to information, language, understanding of consumer behavior, marketing channels, and business networks, especially for SMEs that may have valuable products but lack resources and networks to enter large markets.

Linking Thai–Chinese Networks and Integrating Knowledge with the Manufacturing Sector

The collaboration between FTI, SICFL, and Chiang Mai University will provide opportunities to connect the Thai industrial network with knowledge and market networks in China by integrating understanding of consumer behavior, digital channels, and trade contexts in China with the base of Thai entrepreneurs and the manufacturing sector to develop support mechanisms that address the real market needs.

Therefore, the goal is not just to have Thai products available on online platforms, but to assist entrepreneurs in selecting the right markets, choosing the right products, building recognizable brands, and utilizing market data to develop their businesses, thereby increasing their competitive opportunities and ensuring sustainable growth in the Chinese market.

Focusing on Shanghai to Create a Prototype Before Expanding into China

FTI aims to push for Shanghai to become the pilot area for developing the Thai–Chinese CBEC model to test ways to bring Thai products and brands into a real market while developing support formats for entrepreneurs that are measurable and scalable.

Once the pilot model is ready, it can be expanded to major economic cities and other target consumer groups in China, including selecting potential Thai products in each market group to create opportunities for Thai products to reach consumers more broadly.

Creating New Export Channels to Increase Opportunities for SMEs and Thai Brands

In the long term, FTI aims for CBEC to evolve beyond being just a "sales channel" but to become another crucial mechanism for expanding international markets for Thai industries, especially during a period when global trade patterns and consumer behavior are changing rapidly.

Creating a systematic entry channel into the Chinese market will provide opportunities for potential Thai products to test the market, raise awareness, expand the customer base, and advance towards brand building in the Chinese market, while also opening opportunities for SMEs, which previously may have faced limitations regarding capital, networks, and knowledge of foreign markets, to participate more in the international trade chain.

The key goal is to transform CBEC from a "sales channel" into a "digital trade gateway" that connects the production potential of Thailand with the purchasing power and consumer market of China, creating new export channels, increasing business opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs, and enhancing the competitiveness of Thai products and brands in the global market sustainably.