SMEs at the Crossroads: Finance, Policy, and Thailand’s Economic Future

April 23, 2026

SMEs at the Crossroads: Finance, Policy, and Thailand’s Economic Future – Apr 22

Speaker: Professor Krislert Samphantharak of the School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego

Organized by: Small Business & Entrepreneurs Committee

Event Highlights:

The AMCHAM Small Business & Entrepreneurs Committee hosted a session on the critical role SMEs play in Thailand’s economy. The professor guided attendees through the structural landscape of Thai SMEs, from their outsized contribution to GDP and employment to the challenges they face amid geopolitical uncertainty, climate risk, and a rapidly aging workforce.

The session sparked discussion on the barriers that keep small businesses trapped in a “vicious cycle of being small,” where limited scale restricts access to finance, technology, and markets. Attendees left with perspectives on the opportunities and complexities that lie ahead.