Workshop on “SMEs Trade and Investment Opportunities”
October 10-21, 2011, organized by The Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency (TICA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in collaboration with The SEA-LAC Trade Center The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), Bangkok, Thailand

The Southeast Asia- Latin America (SEA-LAC) Trade Center of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce aims to build the bridge in terms of trade and investment between the two regions by launching the program targeting participant from public and private sectors as well as academic institutions from Thailand and LAC countries. The program is created to allow a selected group of participants to exchange views and share experiences on the changing context of Trade and Investment between Thailand and Latin American countries and on the challenge of inter-regionalization of SMEs.

Among fifteen selected participants, 2 were from Latin American countries; Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, Panama, Dominican Republic, from 

were divided into two participants from Thailand and thirteen participants from FEALAC members. Five participants were from public sector, six were from academic sector, and four were from SME sector.  The course was desiged for, but not limited to, those involved in the establishment and provision of institutional support to export business, including representatives from private sector. 
 
The field visits to private sector companies e.g. Aeroklas Company Ltd., Gemopolis Industrial Estate, Board of Investment Thailand (BOI), Department of Trade Negotiation and Department of Export Promotion (Ministry of Commerce) Thai Gem & Jewelry Traders Association, National Food Institute,   Bangkok International Gift Fair 2011 and Bangkok International Houseware Fair 2011 (BIG & BIH)  offered the participants a chance to explored some of the practical applications of the knowledge they acquired in lecture classes.  The visits provided the participants with a better understanding of the operations and management of SMEs in the globalizing market.