ส.อ.ท. เดินหน้า “เชื่อมใจสภาจังหวัดสัญจร” ครั้งที่ 3 รับฟังเสียงเพชรบุรี–ประจวบคีรีขันธ์ เชื่อมโจทย์พื้นที่สู่การขับเคลื่อนFTI Advances “Connecting Hearts of Provincial Councils” Roadshow, Listening to the Concerns of Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan, Bridging Local Issues to Drive Progress

FTI continues to listen to the voices of entrepreneurs in Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan, identifying 7 key issues ranging from skill development, access to benefits and technology, energy costs, to regulations and urban planning. Proposals from the field will be connected to central mechanisms to promote tangible solutions.

On September 17, 2026, the Department of Promotion and Support of Provincial Industrial Councils conducted its third Roadshow activity, “Connecting Hearts of Provincial Councils,” visiting to listen to the concerns of entrepreneurs and Provincial Industrial Councils in the lower central region, specifically in Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan, at Phetchaburi Thai Dessert Co., Ltd. in Phetchaburi and Natural Fruit Co., Ltd. in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

This event was led by Mr. Phairat Uechuyoth, Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and Head of the Department of Promotion and Support of Provincial Industrial Councils, along with FTI executives including Mr. Sanit Ketsuwan, Ms. Benjamart Somboon, FTI Vice President, Mr. Nattakorn Sojindamani, FTI Deputy Secretary-General, and Ms. Papawadee Sutthavivat, Secretary of the Provincial Council and President of the Central Industrial Council, as well as Mr. Charoenchai Chaleokriang, Secretary of the Central Industrial Council, along with teams from the International Code Institute and FTI's Industrial Standards and Capability Department, who provided information regarding the services offered by the organization to inform committee members and stakeholders, enhancing their understanding of various services. Additionally, members of the Provincial Industrial Councils from both provinces, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan, participated in exchanging views.

This activity aims to connect the central operations of FTI with the Provincial Industrial Councils through listening to the problems, obstacles, and proposals from entrepreneurs in the area, to develop support strategies that meet the needs of each province while enhancing the Provincial Industrial Councils' capacity to be a crucial mechanism for linking and driving economic and industrial issues from local levels to the central level.

From discussions in the two provinces, 7 key issues were identified, covering aspects such as building confidence and bringing entrepreneurs into the system, developing workforce skills, accessing benefits and technologies, reducing energy costs, and unlocking regulations, urban planning, and investment areas.

[Phetchaburi Highlights 4 Key Points: “Build Confidence – Integrate Businesses into the System – Develop the Workforce – Unlock Areas”]
Phetchaburi reflected 4 important points that require the integration of work between the private sector, government, educational institutions, and communities:

1. Build confidence and integrate businesses into the system
Propose to connect cooperation between the industrial sector, government, and communities, along with promoting standards concerning the environment and governance, as well as reducing obstacles and incentivizing small enterprises and informal businesses to enter the system, enabling full access to benefits and various support measures.
2. Develop a workforce aligned with industrial needs
Promote collaboration between educational institutions and factories to develop workforce skills that meet business demands, encouraging cooperative education and long-term internships, proposing a pilot program in the electronics industry.
3. Unlock regulations and spatial limitations
Reduce government operational procedures and address obstacles related to exports, urban planning, and land use constraints to facilitate investment, improvement, and business expansion in the future.
4. Enhance the mechanism of the Federation of Thai Industries at the local level
Propose to create a joint agenda on key issues, including economy, investment, industry, labor, environment, and land use, to systematically promote problems from the provincial level to the group of provinces and central level.

The essence of Phetchaburi is to connect the “4 Forces” – business, people, government, and community – to work together, draw businesses into the system, develop workforce skills that match demand, and unlock regulations to continuously drive the economy and industry of the province.

[Prachuap Khiri Khan Focuses on “Access to Benefits – Reducing Energy Costs – Unlocking Investment Areas”]
In Prachuap Khiri Khan, entrepreneurs echoed their desire to enhance competitive capabilities, facing significant limitations in accessing benefits, technology, energy costs, and regulatory issues related to urban planning, all impacting development and business expansion in the area:

1. Increase access to benefits from FTI and enhance knowledge on 5I and new technologies
Some committee members and members were not fully aware of the projects, services, and benefits from the central FTI, needing knowledge about the 5I policy and new technologies. They proposed to increase communication channels and connect members to FTI projects, such as Smart SME Digital & AI, and share knowledge that can be practically applied in businesses.
2. Connect entrepreneurs with standardized Solar Cell service providers
Considering the growing interest among entrepreneurs to invest in solar energy systems, concerns about the reliability and standards of installers remain. It was proposed that FTI act as a facilitator to match entrepreneurs with reputable service providers to enhance confidence and mitigate investment risks.
3. Unlock urban planning limitations and zoning
Some land use regulations remain obstacles to expanding, relocating, or investing in factory improvements, including environmental actions. A proposal was made to review urban planning conditions to balance industrial development, investment, community, and environmental concerns.

Thus, Prachuap Khiri Khan aims for FTI to be a mechanism that connects “benefits – energy – investment areas” to reach entrepreneurs while actively promoting the reduction of limitations affecting industrial development in the area in a tangible manner.

The “Connecting Hearts of Provincial Councils” activity is another significant mechanism of FTI to provide space for Provincial Industrial Councils and entrepreneurs to reflect real problems and proposals from actual situations to connect voices from the field with agencies and central support mechanisms, pushing forward issues vital to economic and industrial development in each area to achieve tangible results.