The Department of Industrial Promotion (DIP), operating under Thailand’s Ministry of Industry, serves as the country’s central governmental body for fostering industrial growth, innovation, and competitiveness. Located in Bangkok, DIP plays a pivotal role in transforming Thailand’s industrial base with a strong emphasis on SMEs, creative industries, and value-added production.
Core Mandate and Services
As a driver of inclusive and sustainable industrial development, the DIP is responsible for executing strategic policies and delivering services in the following key areas:
- SME and Entrepreneur Support: Through initiatives such as the SME Support and Development Program, DIP assists over 150,000 small and medium enterprises annually.
- Digital and Smart Industry Promotion: Facilitates digital transformation and Industry 4.0 adoption for manufacturing and service industries.
- Innovation and Technology Development: Manages technology incubation centers and collaborates with universities and research institutes for industrial R&D commercialization.
- Creative Industry Enhancement: Supports local designers, artists, and cultural industries through programs under the Creative Thailand framework.
- Agro-Industrial Value Addition: Develops food processing, herbal products, and agricultural innovations for both domestic and export markets.
- Community and Rural Industry Promotion: Integrates local craftsmanship into commercial channels through training, branding, and market access.
- Strategic Planning and Logistics: Helps industries improve productivity and reduce logistics costs via supply chain modernization.
Leadership and Governance
Under the leadership of Natthiya Netyasupha, DIP has adopted a proactive approach to policy implementation and program management, aligning with the government’s Thailand 4.0 vision. The department also plays a policy advisory role, contributing to industrial law reforms, standard setting, and business environment enhancement.
Unique Value Proposition
- Integrated SME Ecosystem: Offers end-to-end services, from training and consultancy to financial access and global marketing.
- Digital Tools and Platforms: Operates systems such as the DIProm Portal, SME One-ID, and e-learning platforms that served over 1 million digital users in 2023.
- Business Incubation Networks: Hosts 40+ Business and Technology Incubation Centers across Thailand, which incubated more than 3,200 startups since 2015.
Economic Contribution and Industrial Impact
- In 2023, industries supported by DIP generated over THB 170 billion (USD 4.8 billion) in domestic and international revenue.
- DIP’s targeted support led to a 22% productivity increase for participating SMEs and community enterprises.
- The department facilitated 6,000+ domestic product certifications and 2,800 export-readiness upgrades in 2022–2024.
Digital Transformation and Public Access
- DIProm YouTube Channel and online training platforms offer multilingual content, reaching over 2.5 million combined views.
- E-services now handle more than 85% of applications for grants, training, and certifications.
- The DIP's Smart Community Enterprise platform helped 4,000+ local producers access e-commerce networks like Lazada and Shopee.
Stakeholders and Target Groups
- MSMEs and mid-sized industrial enterprises
- Startups and entrepreneurs in technology and design sectors
- Community producers and agro-industry processors
- Thai exporters seeking industrial and production development
- Industry associations and academic collaborators
Collaboration and Compliance
- Collaborates with Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI), Office of SMEs Promotion (OSMEP), and BOI Thailand for policy alignment and resource pooling.
- Participates in ASEAN SME promotion programs and APEC Industrial Dialogues for regional cooperation.
Key Achievements and Recognitions
- Awarded the Thailand Digital Government Award 2023 for innovation in public service.
- Recognized by APEC SME Working Group as a model for industrial cluster development.
- Successfully piloted the Creative SMEs Internationalization Program, expanding market reach to 14 countries in 2022.
Training, Research, and Capacity Building
- Provides over 180 training courses annually with a participant base of 60,000+.
- Research units produced more than 200 industrial white papers between 2020 and 2024 on digital transformation, logistics, and sustainability.
- Developed a nationwide SME competitiveness index to track development outcomes at the provincial level.
Conclusion
The Department of Industrial Promotion stands as a cornerstone of Thailand’s industrial ecosystem, championing innovation, inclusivity, and digitalization. With an expansive reach across industrial sectors, regions, and business sizes, DIP plays a critical role in advancing Thailand toward a resilient and high-value industrial future.
