Commerce Ministry  joining TAT for stimulus

Commerce Ministry  joining TAT for stimulus

Tourists visit Wat Phra Kaeo in the Grand Palace as the temple facelift is being conducted in preparation for His Majesty the King’s coronation ceremonies from May 4-6. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
Tourists visit Wat Phra Kaeo in the Grand Palace as the temple facelift is being conducted in preparation for His Majesty the King’s coronation ceremonies from May 4-6. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

The Commerce Ministry looks set to work more closely with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to stimulate domestic consumption and draw more foreign tourists to offset lower export prospects.

Chutima Bunyapraphasara, the acting commerce minister, said departments under the Commerce Ministry including International Trade Promotion, Business Development, Intellectual Property, Internal Trade and the Permanent Secretary office are scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a trade and tourism alliance with the TAT on April 24.

The objective is to develop target goods, including organic and innovative agricultural products, to link with tourism destinations to stimulate the local economy and foreign tourist spending.

The coordination will cover marketing promotion, public relations, data integration and providing knowledge to local entrepreneurs to develop products in line with their own community and tourism destinations, as well as international demand.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak ordered the ministry earlier this month to help rev up local economic development schemes to stimulate domestic consumption and draw more foreign tourists to offset lower export prospects.

Local economic development needs to be beefed up over the next 2-3 months to shore up economic growth while the country waits for a new government to form, he said. The ministry needs to work more closely with the TAT to promote local community markets and find local products in major and secondary provinces to serve the 40 million foreign tourists projected for this year, said Mr Somkid.

Banjongjitt Angsusingh, director-general of International Trade Promotion Department, said a special task force is being set up to ensure concrete results within 3-6 months.

The department is committed to developing potential entrepreneurs in communities under the New Faces project to produce goods in line with foreign tourists' demand and upgrading products for export.

The Commerce Ministry has teamed up with PTT petrol stations to bring community products such as food and souvenirs to sell at 74 PTT stations. The number of stations is targeted to reach 100 by the end of this year.

Chatchai Saksilapachai, deputy director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said it has developed "Must-See" markets (talad tong chom) in every province nationwide to increase income in communities.

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