FTI urges protection for SMEs against surge of cheap Chinese imports

[webfact]

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is advocating for enhanced protection of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) against the surge of inexpensive Chinese products. Kriengkrai Thiennukul, the chairman of the FTI, has revealed that the importation of these products has caused certain local manufacturers, predominantly SMEs, to cut their production by 50%.

 

The FTI asserts that some imported goods require comprehensive inspection, as they may not adhere to safety and environmental regulations. The chairman has been vocal in urging the government to assist businesses in addressing this issue.

 

Pimphattra Wichaikul, the Industry Minister, had previously directed the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) to collaborate with the Customs Department to inspect the quality of imported goods, particularly those under TISI’s purview. The intention of this directive was to halt the surge of cheap, substandard goods. Despite these efforts, Kriengkrai claimed that many low-quality products are still being imported into Thailand.

 

by Alex Morgan

Photo courtesy of iStock

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-02-13

 

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[2baht]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

against the surge of inexpensive Chinese products

Insurgency! Nihao ma comrade!

[Tropicalevo]

But China has been exporting cheap schitt to Thailand (and many others) for years.

Thailand is even developing a new railway line to make it easier/cheaper to do so.

Why is this suddenly a problem?

[bokningar]

Didn't they get the memo about new masters now setting the rules.

Just bend over and take it ..........

 

[retarius]

I call foul on this. What is the point of an SME setting up a business that competes with cheap Chinese goods? China has cheap energy, a wide complement of natural resources, and only slightly more expensive labour. It has better infrastructure and economies of scale than Thailand. Banning Chinese imports to make the people but more expensive and probably inferior goods from a Thai company is no way to compete. If you are to become truly competitive, you can't do it by naked protectionism. Protectionism doesn't make you competitive, it makes you lazy. The only saving grace of capitalism is completion. Without competition we are back with a neo-feudal system with locally granted monopolies to the politically connected, while the citizens pay over the odds for crap merchandise. 

[John Drake]

3 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

But China has been exporting cheap schitt to Thailand (and many others) for years.

Thailand is even developing a new railway line to make it easier/cheaper to do so.

Why is this suddenly a problem?

 

Because there will be a new set of people selling it while they're in Thailand on 90 day visa free entries???

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is advocating for enhanced protection of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) against the surge of inexpensive Chinese products. Kriengkrai Thiennukul, the chairman of the FTI, has revealed that the importation of these products has caused certain local manufacturers, predominantly SMEs, to cut their production by 50%.

FTA's means competition... so get competitive. 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, retarius said:

Banning Chinese imports to make the people but more expensive and probably inferior goods from a Thai company is no way to compete. If you are to become truly competitive, you can't do it by naked protectionism. Protectionism doesn't make you competitive, it makes you lazy. The only saving grace of capitalism is completion. Without competition we are back with a neo-feudal system with locally granted monopolies to the politically connected, while the citizens pay over the odds for crap merchandise. 

Well said.

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is advocating for enhanced protection of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) against the surge of inexpensive Chinese products.

You think FTI missed the "boat" several times when Chinese owned Alibaba acquired a majority stake in Lazada in 2016 after buying 500 million USD worth of new shares and a further 500 million USD in existing shares. Alibaba then increased its stake from 50% to 83% in 2017, after which Lazada received no further investment until 2022.

With Alibaba's participation, Lazada made available in 2017 some 400,000 items sourced direct from China.

Chinese Jack Ma Yun is the co-founder of Alibaba Group and member of the CCP Politburo.

If Thai SME's want to sell in China, there's Alibaba's TMall.com.

[john donson]

so thai fake copies are ok of luxery good, but not chinese copies ?