In Thai national economy, there are more than 3 million micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. They account for approximately 35 percent of the country’s GDP and above 70 percent of employment. Both the government and private sectors have been supporting startup and small business development for many years, while also creating business digitalisation infrastructure. Thus, Thailand is an ideal place for Bank of Ayudhya Public Company Limited (Krungsri) and strategic alliances to host its first Japan-ASEAN startup business matching event.
A member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Krungsri collaborated with key partners, including Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Thailand's Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), the Techo Startup Centre, and Khmer Enterprise of the Cambodia Ministry of Economy and Finance, to organise the "Japan-ASEAN Startup Business Matching Fair 2023." The event took place at Krungsri Head Office in June 2023. As the largest startup matching event in ASEAN, it commemorated the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations and provided a platform for over 60 startups from nine countries—Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, and Finland—to showcase their potential to more than 160 leading international investors and companies.
