The Office of SME Promotion of Thailand (OSMEP) commissioned the MI to design and facilitate the development of GMS SME Business Network, in order to promote SME Export Network among Thai SME Exporters and SMEs and key persons of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam (CLMV) and Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China (SC).

With this in mind, MI organized a BIZ Network Forum from 6 to 10 September 2010 at Khon Kaen Thailand to promote closer working relationship, long-term business cooperation and network between Thai SME Exporters and Logistic Providers and SMEs and key persons of CLMV and SC. The Forum also served to facilitate the formulation of joint business plans among the SMEs in the GMS, and added value to trade and investment of Thai SMEs. More than 60 SME Exporters and key persons in promoting transnational SME network participated in the Forum.

In her opening speech, Dr. Wimonkan Kosumas, Director of International Cooperation and Policy Support Department of OSMEP, shared OSMEP?s vision of promoting the establishment of three trade and investment networks among SMEs in the GMS, namely the ASEAN SME Export Network, ASEAN SME Service Provider and ASEAN SME Logistics Platform. She reiterated that creating network of Thai SMEs and SMEs of neighboring countries will synergize the effort in promoting the GMS as SME Gateway to ASEAN.

During the 5-day Forum, participants discussed a wide range of topics, ranging from the implication of ASEAN Economic Community on GMS Economic Cooperation, to trend of global value chains and opportunities and threats of GMS SME Regional Gateway. Field visits to selected businesses in Khon Kaen Province were arranged; by the end of the Forum, participants formulated joint business plans which would be executed in 6 months? time.