FTI, EXIM Thailand join forces to strengthen business operators

BANGKOK, May 24 (TNA) - The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM Thailand) have agreed to join forces in supporting and strengthening the potential of business operators in the country, especially those running small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in order to enhance their competitiveness internationally. The agreement was signed in Bangkok on May 23, witnessed by FTI Chairman Supant Mongkolsuthree and EXIM Thailand President Pisit Serewiwattana. The EXIM Thailand president then told journalists that under the agreement, his bank and FTI will work together in an integrated system to provide useful information on trade and investment to business operators in the country. Besides, the EXIM Thailand and FTI will jointly disseminate updated news on goods and services and training workshops to enhance relevant knowledge and experiences to business operators who are FTI members, while his bank will offer loans with special lending rates to them to boost their trade and investment opportunities both domestically and globally. The FTI chairman said, meanwhile, that more than 90 per cent of businesses in Thailand are SMEs and FTI, thus, considers it is a need to help strengthen their potential in both the production and the business expansion to efficiently boost their competitiveness. FTI Vice Chairman Kriengkrai Thiennukul revealed that after Thursday's signing of the agreement, FTI and the EXIM Thailand will soon hold a meeting to discuss and work out plans and activities to enhance the potential of business operators in the country. (TNA)