Delegates from OSMEP Thailand, led by Dr. Thitiwat Adisornphankul (4th L), with APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra and representatives from the Secretariat.

The APO Secretariat received a delegation from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), Thailand, on 29 March. The delegation, led by Dr. Thitiwat Adisornphankul, Deputy Secretary to the Prime Minister for Political Affairs, Chairman of the Subcommittee on SME Promotion Strategies and Implementation, Executive Board of Directors, was cordially welcomed by Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata for informal, frank exchanges of ideas to assist SMEs navigate and thrive in a business environment in which environmental trade standards are becoming increasingly stringent.

The delegation heard presentations from Secretariat staff on the APO’s history and structure as well as the numerous projects carried out to increase the capacity of SMEs, including demonstration companies, research, training courses, workshops, and e-learning courses. Delegation members appreciated the introduction to the wealth of easily accessible online research and e-learning courses, which they could disseminate to SMEs in Thailand to benefit their operations.

The Secretariat’s presentations were followed by a wide-ranging discussion of challenges SMEs face in transitioning to more environment-friendly modes of operation, such as a lack of know-how in calculating amounts of carbon dioxide emitted by their production processes. Recognizing this as a crucial area for future support, Secretary-General Dr. Indra expressed gratitude to the delegation for their insightful suggestions, underscoring the potential for targeted APO efforts to aid SMEs in their transitions. The meeting concluded with a mutual understanding of the areas in which the APO could support SMEs in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region. Dr. Thitiwat and Secretary-General Dr. Indra looked forward to future collaboration opportunities in coordination with the Thailand Productivity Institute (FTPI).