Warawut, Minister of Industry, agrees with CP Group Chairman on advancing agriculture and SMEs after discussions with major business leaders, noting that no matter how much money is spent on weapons during war, food security is the most important.
On 19 May 2026 at the Government House, Warawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, spoke about proposals from joint discussions between the government and private sector. He said that during the talks, Thanin Chiawvanont, Senior Chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group, made an excellent observation that Thailand's oil is above ground, which is more important than underground oil. Regardless of how much budget is allocated to purchasing weapons, armies must be fed; without food, they cannot operate. This aligns with the Ministry of Industry's approach, following the Prime Minister's policy emphasizing agricultural industries. On 18 May, Warawut also spoke with Supachai Sutthumpun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, about ways to maintain Thai fruit quality year-round or extract valuable compounds from fruits to export, which is key to Thailand's food security.
He also mentioned support measures for SMEs, which mainly face challenges in the small and medium sizes. Besides providing loan support, the Ministry of Industry coordinates with all relevant agencies through SME D Bank to not only supply funds but also knowledge for personnel development. SME D Bank will implement a unified industry policy utilizing the Ministry's ecosystem to elevate SMEs.