Thai govt to open 148 state-sponsored OTOP shops on April 1

[webfact]

Government to open 148 state-sponsored OTOP shops on April 1

BANGKOK, 28 March 2016 (NNT) - The government is planning to open hundreds of state-sponsored shops offering a wide variety of OTOP merchandise across the country in April.

Spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office Maj. Gen. Sunsern Kaewkumnerd said that a total of 148 “Pracharat Sukjai” shops will be introduced at two selected PTT service stations in each province on April 1.

Maj. Gen. Sunsern said that the new OTOP shops will each act as a distribution center for local products and a local tourist information center.

He said that the government has carefully selected and developed quality products with interesting packaging concepts to be sold at these stores, while adding that a total budget of 100 million baht has been set aside for the implementation of the project that will run from 2016 to 2018.

The government spokesman also said that this new project is aimed at supporting community enterprises and to help bring around 50 million baht in revenue into local communities. The outlets also promote employment nationwide.

Maj. Gen. Sunsern went on to say that the government hopes that, after three years of government-sponsored implementation, all stores will be able to operate by themselves.


-- NNT 2016-03-28

[JAG]

148 shops at two service stations in each province?

There won't be much room for parking then!

Pedantic so and so that I am.

[upena]

Just what Thailand needs - more crap for sale at PTT stations.

[thai3]

This OTOP stuff seems heavily subsidized and does not seem to be that successful. One tambon one product events usually have loads of silk and expensive jewelry on offer, not sure that's right for petrol stations

[cumgranosalum]

" interesting packaging concepts" - that's Thailand in a nutshell!

[cumgranosalum]

i hope tyhis new effort will prove better though out than previous attempts - as I travel around Thailand I see loads of derelict or semi-derelict bulidings that have been constructed for OTOP and they just dwindle and flounder only to be abandoned to the vegetation or a local tire repair shop.....

[cumgranosalum]

This OTOP stuff seems heavily subsidized and does not seem to be that successful. One tambon one product events usually have loads of silk and expensive jewelry on offer, not sure that's right for petrol stations

my guess is that a PTT would be a better location than the ones they've had before........in France they always used to offer local products at autoroute service stations........so not without precedence.

[cumgranosalum]

This OTOP stuff seems heavily subsidized and does not seem to be that successful. One tambon one product events usually have loads of silk and expensive jewelry on offer, not sure that's right for petrol stations

my guess is that a PTT would be a better location than the ones they've had before........in France they always used to offer local products at autoroute service stations........so not without precedence.

[theoldgit]

Off topic and racist post removed.

[diehard60]

April 1 - Isn't that April Fool's Day????? Coincidence? I thought OTOP was started by Thaksin and company. Maybe I am wrong.

[cumgranosalum]

April 1 - Isn't that April Fool's Day????? Coincidence? I thought OTOP was started by Thaksin and company. Maybe I am wrong.

Indeed it was, but i imagine that the current regime will dream up some story to take away any credit due.

[DrTuner]

I think I've bought something OTOP. Don't remember when. Seems to be the stuff they peddle at the music festivals and other road blocks.

[Ricardo]

If OTOP products are in such great demand, and are such very good value-for-money, wouldn't there already be many retailers offering them ?

I already see them available at obvious places like airports & large supermarkets & stalls at popular tourist-attractions, so why is it now necessary for the government to get involved, aren't Thai retailers up-to-the-job ?

There's a risk of creating an over-supply situation here, and governments aren't famed, for their commercial abilities !

[cumgranosalum]

If OTOP products are in such great demand, and are such very good value-for-money, wouldn't there already be many retailers offering them ?

I already see them available at obvious places like airports & large supermarkets & stalls at popular tourist-attractions, so why is it now necessary for the government to get involved, aren't Thai retailers up-to-the-job ?

There's a risk of creating an over-supply situation here, and governments aren't famed, for their commercial abilities !

The principle is simple and carried out worldwide - It's a government thing - the supermarkets aren't interested in promoting anything without maximum returns so to generate employment in rural areas and promote aspects of Thai culture Thailand, like most countries around the world subsidies such efforts.

how a project like this is managed, of course, is another matter all together

[Ricardo]

If OTOP products are in such great demand, and are such very good value-for-money, wouldn't there already be many retailers offering them ?

I already see them available at obvious places like airports & large supermarkets & stalls at popular tourist-attractions, so why is it now necessary for the government to get involved, aren't Thai retailers up-to-the-job ?

There's a risk of creating an over-supply situation here, and governments aren't famed, for their commercial abilities !

The principle is simple and carried out worldwide - It's a government thing - the supermarkets aren't interested in promoting anything without maximum returns so to generate employment in rural areas and promote aspects of Thai culture Thailand, like most countries around the world subsidies such efforts.

how a project like this is managed, of course, is another matter all together

"the supermarkets aren't interested in promoting anything without maximum returns"

Yet my local Big-C has an OTOP sales-area, and has had for years, is it unique in that, I doubt it ?

I don't question the limited-value of schemes like OTOP, I just wonder why the government needs to get involved at the retail end, more than a decade after the scheme was launched in Thailand.

Surely their contribution would be better invested at the production end, supporting & creating jobs in rural areas, as you suggest.

Perhaps it's just a way of funneling extra cash to PTT, who ought to be happy to develop it anyway, if it will actually make a return ?