Ekniti Champions BOI to IPO, Bringing SMEs into New Industries to Spur Investment and Revive the Economy
MacroIndustry
Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, in his capacity as Chairman of the Board of Investment, said the Investment-Led Growth Policy is crucial to reviving Thailand's sluggish economy, with investment stimulating short-term growth through consumption while raising the economy's long-term potential. He also highlighted the BOI to IPO approach, aimed at putting down deep roots for new companies, helping bring SMEs into the New Economy, and pushing upstream, midstream and downstream companies toward IPOs and participation in growth. Dr. Ekniti said the BOI has unlocked Thailand FastPass so that new seeds can grow in Thailand. Of the 1.4 trillion baht in applications submitted through the BOI, 530 billion baht became actual investment in the first half of the year, while investment figures grew 10% in the first quarter and nearly 14% in the second quarter, leading foreign investors to see that Thailand has changed. The BOI must ensure these seeds bloom and bear fruit through the Skill Bridge project, which transfers technology to Thai people and trains workers for new industries such as carbon measurement, as well as the new automotive industry, where 70,000 people were trained in two quarters as it moves into the Digital Economy. Dr. Ekniti said the industries set to grow include data centers, smart electronics, optical transceivers, smart agriculture, pet food, food processing and wellness, which represent small opportunities for new seeds waiting for a special fertilizer formula: BOI to IPO.
