As Thailand enters the third quarter of 2020, the country’s strict measures to prevent the pandemic of Covid-19 has paid off and applauded by the international community. The next step is to speed up the economic and industrial recovery especially the mold & die industry which is an important supporting industry. As a veteran of this industry, The President of the Alliance for Supporting Industries Association Mr. Viroj Sirithanasart has expressed his opinions as follows:

“The spread of Covid-19 has left a great impact on the Thai economy. Consumers may refrain from purchasing new products at the moment. However, some industries can still grow amidst this crisis such as medical tools and equipment which include face shields, PPE suits, rubber gloves, cleanroom equipment, as well as packaging supplies following the rise of WFH and online commerce which have contributed to the high demand of the latter product categories.”

“After we have managed the Covid-19, many factories may reduce their workforce, and there could be changes in the trend of foreign players in Thailand’s industrial landscape. For example, China may increase their investment in Thailand and replaces Japan as our biggest investor. At any rate, Thailand is still an essential production base of many Japanese brands due to a long history of cooperation and also the availability of infrastructure which Japan has invested in Thailand throughout many decades.”

“As molds & dies are necessary in a wide variety of industries, many factories will need to re-strategize their production and investment plans for the second half of this year and subsequent years. Some may look for good quality machinery with accessible price ranges. Some may want to purchase new machinery to elevate their operation quality and reduce cost, or some may try to invest in high-technologies to arm themselves against long-term uncertainties. When combined with the government’s current economic relief measures for SMEs, these manufacturers could be looking for solutions to help strengthen their operations.”