17 January 2025 – GIZ in collaboration with the Environment Fund, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) organised a focus group meeting to gather opinions on “Selecting Potential SMEs Industry Group for Enhancing Capacity in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction under the ThaiCI Fund”. The meeting, held at Tipco Tower 2, provided an opportunity for relevant organisations to discuss, share insights and reflect on perspectives to promote SMEs with the potential to decrease greenhouse gas emissions under the ThaiCI Fund.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in Thailand’s economy as they are deeply embedded in the supply chain from upstream to downstream. They source raw materials, manufacture, and sell products primarily within the country. However, these industries often lack the necessary support or capacity-building for environmentally sustainable business operations and to cope with the environmental tax measures which will be launched in the future.

To enable Thai SMEs to operate an eco-friendly business and to mitigate risks associated with future environmental tax measures, the ThaiCI Fund, a collaboration between GIZ and the Environment Fund of ONEP, emphasises support for SMEs in the concrete reduction of GHG emissions. The fund has already provided financial support for climate change-related project proposals in two SME sectors: hotels and accommodation, and the iron and steel industry. It is now seeking other suitable SME industries for future funding rounds.

The meeting aimed to collect opinions from agencies involved in the SME sector regarding the selection of industry groups with high potential and readiness for GHG reduction support, the criteria for selection, and appropriate support mechanisms under the ThaiCI Fund. The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), as the key agency responsible for SMEs, provided data on the number of enterprises, GDP growth contributions by sector, and employment figures across various SME industries to facilitate comprehensive discussion. The insights and information gathered from stakeholders in this meeting will be used in further studies to identify the most suitable industry groups for future funding under the ThaiCI Fund.