Thailand's SME Support Program Generates Over 1 Billion Baht in Economic Value

The Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Office reported that its Business Development Service program from 2022 to 2026 created over 1 billion baht in economic value by supporting 6,131 SME proposals with subsidies exceeding 332 million baht, reflecting the use of co-payment budget mechanisms to accelerate business development and competitiveness. For 2026, the BDS system expanded its business service provider network by 110 additional units, bringing the total to 401 providers offering 1,464 services covering productivity and business management, product quality standards, and domestic and international market expansion.

Currently, approximately 3,000 SMEs have registered through the BDS Marketplace and project briefings, with 2,060 submitting support applications totaling 2,209 proposals worth 137.6 million baht in subsidies. International and domestic marketing services received the highest interest with 1,185 proposals, followed by product quality and standards development with 721 proposals, business management and productivity improvement with 269 proposals, and special measures with 34 proposals.

The BDS mechanism operates on a co-payment basis covering 50-80% of service costs to help SMEs access business development services tailored to their needs, from efficiency and productivity enhancement to quality upgrading and market channel development. The program demonstrates its role in reducing business development costs and providing SMEs with access to knowledge, technology, standards, and markets, particularly for international expansion, which is critical to strengthening Thai business competitiveness. In fiscal year 2026, six outstanding service providers received awards across four categories for excellence in product quality standards, business efficiency and productivity, market channel and marketing development, service provider network creation, operational quality, and innovation.