Commerce Ministry promotes e-commerce to support AEC

BANGKOK, September 8 (TNA) - The Thai Commerce Ministry is encouraging the private sector to opt-in for e-commerce to reap benefits from the ASEAN Economic Community’s 680 million plus population.

Deputy Commerce Minister Siriwat Kachornprasart told reporters here on Thursday after opening an e-commerce day fair, that total online merchandise trade had amounted to over 5.27 million baht so far, and that it would likely grow further, given that about 2 billion people or some 28 percent of the global population now had internet access.

Siriwat said considering the potential growth of Thailand’s e-commerce and economic opportunities arising out of the AEC in 2015, he had, therefore, instructed the Department of Business Development to encourage more Thai businesses to try out online merchandising through both promotion of e-business strategies and training workshops.

The deputy commerce minister also promised his ministry would seek to remove unfavourable trade regulations in order to help facilitate sustainable growth of e-commerce. (TNA)