Commerce Ministry Pushes 3.28 Million Thai SMEs to Leverage Intellectual Property for Business Growth

The Department of Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Commerce is moving forward to strengthen Thai SMEs in an increasingly competitive landscape by officially launching the 'Thai SME Add Value Through IP' project. The initiative emphasizes the role of intellectual property as a vital tool to reinforce business operations, boost the value of goods and services, prevent counterfeiting, and capitalize on business opportunities in today's market.

The project launch took place on May 20, 2026, at the Department of Intellectual Property with attendance from government representatives, private sector officials, SME entrepreneurs, media, and stakeholders.

Ormorn Saipthaveetham, Director-General of the Department of Intellectual Property, revealed that SMEs are crucial drivers of Thailand's economy, with the country having over 3.28 million SMEs, representing 99.5% of all businesses. However, Thai SMEs currently contribute only 34.95% of GDP, approximately 1.72 trillion baht, reflecting their limitations in market access and value creation for products and services.

To strengthen Thai SMEs and increase their economic contribution, the Department of Intellectual Property partnered with the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) to launch this comprehensive project, recognizing that intellectual property plays a crucial role in differentiating goods and services through branding, packaging development, and innovation—creating competitive advantages that meet market and consumer demands while enhancing credibility and expanding trade opportunities.

The project aims to encourage Thai SMEs to innovate, protect their intellectual property, and practically apply IP to create added value for their businesses, particularly through the strategic use of trademarks to build brand identity and business credibility. The initiative aligns with Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachee Suthummapan's policy to strengthen SME entrepreneurs by enhancing their competitive capabilities through intellectual property.

The program features comprehensive SME entrepreneur development with key activities including: training sessions for over 300 SME operations across Thailand from June to August 2026 in six regions—Bangkok and surrounding areas, Ratchaburi, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Songkhla, and Khon Kaen—offering holistic IP development covering IP knowledge promotion, marketing, and branding, plus one-on-one consultations and logo design guidance to ensure proper trademark registration, starting in Ratchaburi and Bangkok in June 2026. Additionally, the first 300 entrepreneurs joining the program will receive subsidized trademark filing fees.