Incoming Commerce Permanent Secretary's 9 Urgent Missions

Thansettakij•Economy•22h ago

Reader Briefing

Poonpong Naiyanapakorn announced nine urgent missions for the Ministry of Commerce to adapt to global trade changes and support the Thai economy.

•Poonpong Naiyanapakorn will officially assume the position of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce on October 1, 2026.
•The strategy focuses on nine urgent missions divided into short-term and medium-term goals.
•Key priorities include cost of living management, SME empowerment, and accelerating Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
•The plan aims to increase the export value of Thai SMEs, which currently account for 14% of total exports.

•Poonpong Naiyanapakorn will officially take office as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce on October 1, 2026.
•Poonpong Naiyanapakorn established nine urgent missions for the Ministry of Commerce to handle intense trade competition and global changes.
•Thai SMEs number 3.28 million, representing 99.5% of all businesses and creating 13 million jobs with a 34.8% contribution to GDP.
•In the first seven months of 2026 (January - July), SME exports were valued at 32,817.8 million dollars, accounting for 14.2% of total exports.
•The Ministry of Commerce will prioritize the Thailand-European Union FTA and the management of existing 17 FTAs with 24 countries.
•The Ministry of Commerce plans to combat illegal businesses and nominee companies through stricter registration screening and database analysis.
•The Ministry of Commerce intends to transition government services from paper to digital systems to reduce corruption and facilitate business.
•The Ministry of Commerce will update outdated regulations to increase the competitiveness of Thai entrepreneurs.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Poonpong Naiyanapakorn(พูนพงษ์ นัยนาภากรณ์)

Director General of the Department of Business Development who will become the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce on October 1, 2026.

Ministry of Commerce(กระทรวงพาณิชย์)ℹ️

The government ministry responsible for managing trade, SMEs, and FTAs in Thailand.

Department of Business Development(กรมพัฒนาธุรกิจการค้า)

The department headed by Poonpong Naiyanapakorn before becoming Permanent Secretary.

European Union(สหภาพยุโรป)ℹ️

A party involved in the priority FTA negotiations with Thailand.

The European Free Trade Association, which has a bilateral FTA with Thailand.

Thailand-European Union FTA(FTA ไทย-สหภาพยุโรป)

A key trade negotiation priority for the Ministry of Commerce.