Crackdown on Cheap Foreign Goods Planned to Protect Consumers and SMEs

[webfact]

File photo for reference only: Wikipedia

 

Thailand's Commerce Ministry is preparing measures to combat the surge of cheap, substandard foreign goods entering the market, which is affecting local consumers and SMEs. In response to public concerns, the ministry has developed a strategic plan involving multiple government agencies to curb the influx of these products.

 

Deputy Commerce Minister Napintorn Srisunpang led discussions with representatives from 20 government bodies. The focus was on three key product groups—agricultural, consumer, and industrial. For agricultural products, checks on origin and pesticide residues will be enhanced to ensure safety.

 

Attention to consumer goods, particularly those sold on online platforms like Temu and Lazada, is paramount.

 

The ministry aims to enforce requirements for foreign e-commerce platforms to establish registered offices in Thailand and comply with local regulations, as specified in the Foreign Business Act and through the Consumer Protection Board.

 

Temu, a Chinese online marketplace, has made strides by registering as a legal entity in Thailand, effective from November 2024. This move aligns with upcoming regulations expected in early 2025.

 

For industrial products, the Customs Department will oversee imports, ensuring they meet standards set by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute.

The Commerce Ministry laid out short, medium, and long-term plans. Immediate actions are expected by the end of the year, while enhancing the competitiveness of Thai products is a medium-term goal for 2025. Long-term plans aim for a sustainable expansion of markets by revising trade laws by October 2025.

 

The ministry's initiative aligns with its goal to raise the GDP contribution from SMEs from 35.2% to 40% by 2027. This will involve training, funding, online marketing support, and business matchmaking.

 

Overall, the ministry has outlined five core measures and 63 actions, reinforcing law enforcement, revising trade regulations, implementing tax measures, and fostering international cooperation to protect the local economy, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-11-19

 

 

[mran66]

555 look forward to see the 'plan' 

 

In reality bigger problem than cheap substandard import products is that many thai products are of low quality and still expensive, overpriced compared what similar stuff is in other markets. Decent quality market priced import products certainly attract customers over the overpriced low quality local ones. 

Edited 2 hours ago by mran66

[UWEB]

May be they should start to provide the Location of a Shop on Shopee and Lazada, just have ordered a small item from a Shop with a Thai name but it was direct delivered from China.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's Commerce Ministry is preparing measures to combat the surge of cheap, substandard foreign goods entering the market, which is affecting local consumers and SMEs. In response to public concerns, the ministry has developed a strategic plan involving multiple government agencies to curb the influx of these products

Best call off the rail network linking Thailand to the north, also close the bridges, river crossings and any other means of transportation coming from China via all borders.