Federation of Thai Industries urges government to issue lockdown measures in red-zoned areas, provide public remedies to recover economic growth . Pattaya News



Bangkok –

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has urged the government to issue strict lockdown measures in the high-risk and red-zoned areas of Covid-19 infections in Thailand, and provide public remedial measures and financial assistance to recover economic growth.

FTI president Suphan Mongkolsuthee revealed today, April 27th, that the FTI, as a representative of the private sector, has proposed to the government some recommendations regarding the country's Covid-19 situation to proceed nationwide as follows:

1. The government should quickly control the situation of the new Covid-19 outbreak by implementing lockdown measures in red-zone provinces and high-risk areas. (TPN notes they did not specifically state what they meant by "lockdown" and what measures this would take)
2. The government should accelerate the allocation of Covid-19 vaccines in order to control the pandemic as well as to build confidence among the public about the safety of vaccines and the injection.
3. The government should allow and encourage the private sectors to purchase and import Covid-19 vaccines that have been approved by the FDA in order to speed up vaccine distribution across the country. This should be allowed immediately.
4. The government sector should provide financial stimulus and remedies for those who have been critically affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to continuously help restore the domestic economy. This includes informal workers and anyone who would be affected by a lockdown or closure of their business. This also includes giving support to businesses that would be closed such as freezes on rent and utility payments.
5. The government should take action against the problem of the accessibility of loans for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
6. The government should find a solution to the problem of container shortage to help exporters and their business that could potentially stimulate Thailand's economy

PHOTO: Thansettakij

Despite the financial crisis, the president stated that the industry confidence index, in contradiction, is gradually increasing in the past two months and is forecast to increase in the next three months.

"The FTI forecasted that the industry confidence index for the next three months would increase to 94.0, from 92.0 in February 2021, as business operators were convinced that the Covid-19 vaccination has been in progress in many countries as well as their economic stimulus campaigns. This will help the global trade economy continue to recover as well as easing measures to welcome foreign tourists in the future," Suphan concluded.