นายกฯ เผยรับทุกข้อเสนอ ส.อ.ท. เดินหน้าหนุน MiT-SME-พลังงาน-โลจิสติกส์ เต็มกำลังPrime Minister Reveals Acceptance of All FTI Proposals to Advance MiT-SME-Energy-Logistics to Full Capacity

Today (Tuesday, May 12, 2026), Mrs. Pimjai Leeissaranukul, President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), accompanied by the executive committee, met with Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, at the Phakdi Bodintham Meeting Room, Government House, to discuss ways to develop the economy and industry amidst the challenges of the global economy, aiming to transform the Thai industry with the "5I" strategy while promoting Made in Thailand (MiT) - assisting SMEs in accessing capital - supporting clean energy - reforming laws - accelerating infrastructure investment, revealing acceptance of all proposals to collaborate in elevating the Thai industry

Mrs. Pimjai Leeissaranukul, President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), stated that currently, FTI has over 16,000 members covering 48 industrial groups and 76 provincial industrial councils across the country, with more than 90 percent being SME operators, which play a crucial role in the Thai economy, accounting for more than 30 percent of GDP or approximately 5.7 trillion baht.

FTI is moving forward with its operations under the vision “The New Chapter of Thai Industry: Empowering Growth with 5-I” to enhance the competitive capacity of the Thai industry and prepare for the new global economy through five key strategies, including:

1.  Intelligent Industry (I1) driving towards an intelligent industry using Digital and AI 
2.  Innovation & Creative Industry (I2) promoting innovation and creative industries to increase value 
3.  International Alliance & Network (I3) expanding collaboration and international business networks 
4.  Industrial Infrastructure Reform (I4) enhancing industrial infrastructure for competitiveness
5.  Inclusive & Sustainable Growth (I5) promoting balanced, inclusive, and sustainable growth

In this discussion, FTI proposed six key approaches to accelerate the Thai economy, including promoting Made in Thailand (MiT), assisting SMEs in accessing funding sources, enhancing energy security, reforming laws and regulations, accelerating infrastructure investment, and upgrading the management of industrial waste in the country, as well as proposing to revive the joint government-private committee to address economic issues (AER).

[Promote Made in Thailand Using State Budget to Stimulate the Thai Economy]
Mrs. Kanit Meungkrajang, Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), proposed that the government use its procurement budget as a key mechanism to stimulate the Thai economy through the promotion of Made in Thailand (MiT) products, also recommending that the procurement of MiT products be pushed for at least 40 percent of the target budget of 200 billion baht by 2027, so that government funds circulate directly into the Thai manufacturing sector, distributing income to SMEs and maintaining employment in the country.

In addition, it was proposed to establish a “Joint Working Group of FTI and the Ministry of Industry” to connect the government procurement plans with the production capacity of the private sector (Demand-Supply Matching), driving and upgrading MiT to meet current standards and modernize, as well as accelerating the expansion of the MiT product database, especially for construction materials, machinery, and electrical equipment to support future government investment projects.

[Launch “FTI SME Funding Connect” to Help SMEs Navigate Crisis and Access Capital]
Mr. Weerachai Munsinthorn, Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), stated that he proposed to establish “FTI SME Funding Connect”, which will serve as a hub connecting SMEs with appropriate funding sources, including loans, guarantees, co-investment funds, and government support projects, while driving the reform of the SME credit system to address access to funding systematically and help Thai SMEs recover and compete in the long term.

Additionally, FTI also proposed a “SME Credit Reform” through seven key measures, including:
•  Establishing a War Room for “SME Credit” using a Dashboard to track loan disbursement in real-time
•  Requiring banks to notify SMEs the reasons for loan rejections within 15 days 
•  Upgrading the Small Industry Credit Guarantee Corporation (SCGC) to a national credit guarantee system
•  Unlocking new types of guarantees, such as Intellectual Property, Software, and Technology 
•  Establishing a national SME credit database
•  Setting up a company to manage bad debts specifically for SMEs or T-SAMCO
•  Creating a “SME Debt Doctor” system to provide in-depth consulting to aid business recovery alongside debt resolution

[Support Clean Energy by Opening Up Direct PPA]
Mr. Mongkol Hengrojanosophon, Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), proposed to open up direct clean electricity trading (Direct PPA) within 2026 to enable the private sector and industries to access renewable energy directly in a fair and transparent manner, along with establishing appropriate criteria and network service fees to accommodate the industrial demand for clean energy amidst pressures from global trade environmental measures.

Regarding bioenergy, FTI proposed to promote ethanol as a Strategic Fuel for the country and support the use of biodiesel and Renewable Fuels in the transportation sector to reduce energy imports, create added value in agriculture, and support a green economy.

Furthermore, it was suggested to adjust electricity tariff structures to align with the changing electricity usage patterns, as well as accelerate investments in Smart Grid and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to enhance energy security and accommodate the increasing use of renewable energy in the long run, aiming to make Thailand the ASEAN Bioenergy Hub and a base for green manufacturing and high value industries, leading to a competitive economy in a low-carbon world, growing sustainably and equitably.

[Reform Laws to Reduce Business Barriers - Support the New Economy]
Mr. Rattaka Limsiritrakul, Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), stated that Thailand has a significant number of laws, including nearly 1,400 acts and royal decrees, more than 100,000 secondary laws, and over 2,115 types of licenses, which have become a burden on costs and business operations.

Therefore, FTI proposes that “law reform” be a national agenda within three years, supporting government policies aimed at complete OECD membership by 2028, establishing a joint working committee of public and private sectors, and considering implementing effective and appropriate tools for law reform to eliminate outdated and redundant laws.

Additionally, it was suggested to unlock limitations regarding clean energy, reduce steps for solar cell installation, eliminate overlapping licenses, and establish a One-Stop Service or a Super License system to facilitate the business sector.

[Accelerate Investment in Rail Systems – Address Missing Links – Enhance Thai Logistics]
Mr. Panithan Pawarojlarwit, Secretary-General of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), stated that FTI proposed to expedite the development of rail systems and logistics networks to increase the proportion of rail transportation, reduce logistics costs, and connect the Thai economy with the region, emphasizing that rail transport would help reduce bulk goods transportation costs, decrease energy consumption, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase efficiency in terms of time and safety compared to road transport.

Moreover, they are pushing to resolve the Missing Links issues in the transport system to accommodate intermodal transport, proposing to accelerate the construction of a new railway bridge across the Mekong River connecting Nong Khai – Vientiane to facilitate the connection of Thai-Laos-China rail, and to expedite the construction of the Suphanburi-Nakhon Luang-Ban Phachi railway route to connect the water-rail systems. Additionally, they proposed developing a railway line connecting Chumphon to Ranong Port to enhance the economic potential of the Andaman coast and link trade with China, India, and South Asian regions.

At the same time, they proposed to enhance water infrastructure in the EEC area to support investment in strategic industries such as EVs, semiconductors, smart electronics, and data centers, as well as support Digital Smart Logistics to elevate the capabilities of the Thai industrial sector.

[Promote Circular Economy to Enhance Industrial Waste Management]
Mrs. Pimjai Leeissaranukul, President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), further stated that the Ministry of Industry has continuously promoted and supported the improvement of industrial waste management. FTI, together with the Ministry of Industry, proposed the consideration of a draft Industrial Waste Management Act to align with actual practices, and promote Circular Economy and End-of-Waste to achieve tangible results, including the application of AI in the automated external waste permit system (Automatic E-License). FTI is ready to collaborate with the Ministry of Industry to support the application of AI in management, which will be a crucial mechanism to promote sustainability in the industry.

[Revitalize the AER Mechanism as a Government-Private Collaboration to Solve Economic Issues]
FTI proposed to revitalize the joint government-private committee to address economic issues (AER) at the central level, to open opportunities for both public and private sectors to exchange opinions candidly, reflecting problems and recommendations from the real economic sector. In the past, the AER meetings have only been held regionally, and since 2015, there have been no AER meetings at the central level. Therefore, it is believed that if revitalized to hold AER meetings, it will provide support for the government in moving forward with its policies.

“I would like to thank and commend the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister and all executives to present and exchange opinions, as we will work together to navigate through the current economic situation,” Mrs. Pimjai concluded.

Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, stated that he would like to first congratulate the assumption of office of the President of FTI, and is glad to see the FTI executives in this tenure having a strong understanding of the industry, production systems, and logistics management. He believes that under the leadership of the current president, along with the support from the government, the direction of building the economy, ensuring security, and creating income for the people, especially laborers, can be achieved in the long term.

Especially on the SME issue that FTI has presented, it aligns closely with the government's ongoing operations, which will be able to work efficiently together, as the government places great importance on SMEs, not just the issue of accessing capital but also including the issue of product quality and stability.

In logistics, the government is ready to support the 3 Missing Links project to enhance the rail system network of Thailand, improving transport efficiency, and connecting the Thai economy to the region in accordance with FTI's proposal, which aligns with the concept of the Land Bridge project that the government is currently promoting.

“Today, the government is ready to move forward and needs cooperation and support from the private sector, such as the Federation of Thai Industries, to develop the country’s economy sustainably,” Mr. Anutin concluded.

Mr. Aekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, added that the government aims to continuously revive the economy by implementing various measures, with the MiT project being one of them. It is essential to set a clear operational framework that can be quantitatively measured, assigning the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) to collaborate with the Joint Private Sector Committee of three institutes (ECRI) to drive this forward, to create a circulation in the real economic system and be a key force in stimulating the country’s economy. Additionally, in terms of public procurement, such as the PromptBiz system, preparations are in place to push for tangible outcomes.

Regarding the energy transition issue, the government believes it is necessary to accelerate immediate actions in both the dimensions of relief and recovery, including advancing carbon credit issues, which are currently being actively pursued.

In terms of labor, Mr. Chulapan Amornvivat, Minister of Labor, stated that human capital is extremely important because the world is changing rapidly. Therefore, developing people is essential. If Thai laws and people cannot adapt, they may not keep up with the changes in the world. The government already has a budget for skills development for workers but must start from the demand side or the industry's needs, desiring discussions with the private sector to allow participation in reflecting issues and jointly designing training courses with relevant content and skills to genuinely meet the needs of the industry.

Furthermore, Mrs. Pimjai presented a proposal document outlining economic and industrial promotion strategies compiled by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) to the Prime Minister and his team to use as supporting information for policy formulation and to advance measures to support the Thai economy and industry towards sustainable growth and competitiveness at the international level.

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Published by the Corporate Communications Department, Federation of Thai Industries (Tel. 0-2345-1051)