Travel to Cambodia under the MLC-MSME Recovery Network Post Covid-19 project
On April 23, 2024, the MLC-MSME Recovery Network Post Covid-19 project research team led by Associate Professor Dr. Nisit Pattham, project leader, head of the ASEAN Studies Center, Chiang Mai University and head of the ASEAN Economic Center, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University traveled to Cambodia to visit the business of Big C Supercenter Public Company Limited, with Ms. Wipada Duangrat First Vice President of Big C Supercenter Public Company Limited honored to welcome and present the progress and work of Big C Cambodia and images of Cambodian consumers. They also visited the business of Mini Big C, "Talad Depo" branch, the first convenience store in Phnom Penh
This cooperation is considered part of the cooperation between the private and public sectors of Thailand, especially Big C Supercenter Public Company Limited and Chiang Mai University under BJC-Big C and CMU, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between them in 2021.
This is considered the first step of the cooperation that has expanded the cooperation to the Mekong countries of the MSME Recovery Network Post Covid-19 project. The research team, on this occasion, kindly provided an interview and presented an image of Cambodia especially providing opportunities for small entrepreneurs in Cambodia to support local products in Cambodia to distribute and continue to procure more and plan to jointly develop new products, which is considered a connecting point of the MSME Recovery Network Post Covid-19 project funded by the Mekong Lancang Project 2023 of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Fund, which aims to strengthen good relations between 6 member countries: Thailand, China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.
and increase competitiveness, create economic growth and promote sustainable development of the Mekong member countries in the development framework of connectivity development of production potential, cross-border economy, water resources, agriculture and poverty alleviation This meeting will lead to cooperation between BJC-Big C and Chiang Mai University in playing a joint role between the public and private sectors of Thailand. Through the Royal Thai Embassy in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Thai Business Council in Cambodia, led by Ms. Jiranan Wongmongkol (former Commercial Counselor, Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh), who is an outstanding alumnus of Chiang Mai University in 2017, in another way. Therefore, we are confident that this will be a point that is consistent with the objectives of the research project, which consists of
1. To study the problems and obstacles of MSMEs before and after the COVID-19 outbreak in terms of production, marketing, finance, employment, and regulations, as well as to create cooperation between the public and private sectors to strengthen MSMEs in 5 countries in the MLC region: Thailand, China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
2. To study the feasibility of strengthening and upgrading MSMEs by forming partnerships with the public and private sectors using the e-commerce concept based on the Chinese model, including the creation of an economic platform and effective methods to promote the strengths and upgrading MSMEs for each country in the Mekong region.
3. Propose policies to drive the strengthening of MSMEs that integrate the public and private sectors, including linking economic platforms to promote the strength and upgrading of MSMEs in countries in the Mekong region for sustainable development.
