Shopee has pledged more than 500 million baht in support for Thai micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) under a new programme aligned with the government's "Thai Chuay Thai" co-payment scheme, as the e-commerce operator seeks to deepen its role in the country's digital economy.
The initiative intends to help small merchants reduce operating costs, reach more consumers and strengthen their long-term competitiveness on digital platforms.
Shopee and executives from Sea Ltd, its parent company, recently met Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss cooperation in advancing Thailand's digital economy through online commerce.
The company also briefed the government on the progress of the MSME support scheme, which it said would cover roughly 1.2 million eligible sellers nationwide.
The programme supports Thai entrepreneurs selling via Shopee by offering fee reductions, promotional tools and digital training.
Registration is scheduled for July 6-10, with approved sellers receiving support for six months.
Under the scheme, sellers receive a sales fee waiver for the first 10 orders each month, capped at 60 orders throughout the programme.
Vendors with monthly sales of no more than 10,000 baht are eligible for a reduced sales fee rate of 0.5-1.5%, excluding value-added tax, for orders beyond the initial monthly quota. The actual rate depends on product category.
The company also offers discount codes and free-shipping vouchers to help sellers attract new customers and stimulate transactions.
Through Shopee University, in collaboration with government agencies, participating sellers are offered online courses covering sales techniques, store management and the use of digital marketing tools.
Mr Anutin said MSMEs remain a foundation of the Thai economy and digital platforms can play an important role in expanding market access for local entrepreneurs.
Shopee said many Thai vendors have already tapped overseas demand through Shopee International Platform and Shopee Global Sales, reaching markets such as Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia.
Chris Feng, president of Sea, said Thailand is one of the group's key markets and the company remains committed to using technology to help small businesses participate in the digital economy.
"After a decade in Thailand, we remain committed to leveraging technology and our systems to help entrepreneurs, especially MSMEs, to grow, compete and expand their opportunities sustainably in the digital era," he said.
