This blunt feedback from an important customer to Tanit Chearavanont, Group Chief Wholesale Business Officer of CP AXTRA, was the starting point that drove him to undertake a massive strategic rethink — transforming a platform once plagued by complaints of a "bad system," "slow delivery," and "ordering on Monday only to receive goods on Friday," leading to the decision to strip out the old system entirely and build a brand-new one from scratch using Thai tech talent.

What is the behind-the-scenes story of how Tanit and his engineers evolved into a massive technology powerhouse, successfully steering the organization to become a leading Thai E-commerce player?

Techsauce breaks down the lessons learned from Tanit Chearavanont's session at The Economist Impact: Technology for Change Asia, revealing the formula for transforming an enterprise into a top-tier regional Retail Tech leader.

3 Years of Turning ‘Numbers’ into ‘Trust’

In 2022, Makro's online revenue share was just 13.6%. Following an intense digital transformation from 2022 to 2025, that figure has surged to between 31% and 32%.

2026 marks a crucial milestone. Makro is no longer just optimizing its existing branches and assets; it is aggressively expanding its "Dedicated E-commerce Fulfillment Centers."

Investments in both warehouses and storefronts, coupled with the development of a proprietary Order Management System (OMS), have largely eliminated delivery pain points, achieving near 100% order completeness.

The Secret to Overtaking the Giants: The 1P Strategy

The Southeast Asian and Thai e-commerce markets are dominated by three platform giants.

These platforms operate on a 3P (Third-party) model, providing a marketplace for third-party sellers.

Consequently, the actual revenue these platforms earn is much lower than the total Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) generated on their sites.

Tanit, however, chose to pursue a different model: a platform built on a 1P (First-party) approach, which focuses primarily on selling the company’s own inventory. This strategic move yielded two major results:

• Makro is now #1 in 1P sales.
• It has become the leading Thai-owned e-commerce platform.

"This is just the beginning. We are pushing to expand our GMV growth, which will undoubtedly elevate us to the #2 or #3 spot even when compared to global platforms,"

When the OMS Crashed... It Was Time to ‘Build Our Own’

Another pivotal moment for Tanit occurred during the highly anticipated launch of Makro Pro, featuring celebrity Yaya Urassaya. The sheer volume of orders overwhelmed their third-party SaaS Order Management System, causing a total system failure. That very day, the team made a decisive move to abandon the external software, pivot to an open-source solution like Medusa, and build an entirely new system in-house within 6 months.

Today, this proprietary OMS processes up to 2 million parcels per day. Its underlying intelligence allows it to instantly reroute orders between branches if one cannot fulfill them, ensuring customers receive 99-100% of their items. Notably, 60-70% of this traffic comes from provincial areas outside the capital.

The People and the Mindset to ‘Keep Going’

This transformation required CP AXTRA to dramatically scale its engineering team — growing from roughly 20 people to a tech workforce of 400. The ultimate goal is to push the engineering ratio within the team even higher.

Beyond headcount, the real driver of CP AXTRA's competitive edge lies in owning its innovation. Over the past 1-2 years, the company has registered four AI patents. The first two were developed using Llama technology, while the two most recent patents leverage a combination of various Large Language Models (LLMs) from both the West and China to maximize operational capabilities.

However, Tanit believes that becoming the undisputed #1 in the region cannot be achieved alone. This led to a strategy of partnering with global tech companies through "Co-creation"—building innovations specifically tailored for the Thai market. Key partnerships include:

Cainiao (under Alibaba Group) Revolutionizing Makro's in-store operations with AI and smart logistics:

• iWMS (Intelligent Warehouse Management System): Boosted picking and packing efficiency by 140%.
• TMS (Transportation Management System): Manages a fleet of over 4,000 trucks, expanding delivery capacity from 15,000 to 100,000 orders per day.
• AI-Powered Planogram: An intelligent layout system that analyzes retail space and branch inventory for highly accurate product placement.

CJ Logistics: The South Korean logistics giant with over 90 years of experience stepped in to elevate the end-to-end supply chain

• Total Control Tower: Provides real-time visibility over the movement of all goods.
• TCO (Total Cost of Ownership): Applied holistic cost management principles to cut cross-docking delivery times (from warehouse to branch) from 72 hours down to less than 24 hours.
• Software & Source Code Sharing: More than just a software purchase, this is a source-code-level collaboration to co-develop a Warehouse Management System specifically tailored for modern retail.

Transformation comes from the people and mindset. Not everyone is going to be on board with your vision, but you have to have that conviction to keep driving forward.

Throughout this journey, CP AXTRA has proven that corporate transformation starts with the courage of a leader who refuses to surrender to criticism — someone brave enough to discard legacy systems, build an in-house engineering powerhouse, and co-create proprietary innovations alongside global tech partners.

And this is just the start. CP AXTRA's next move is to take this proven technological model and scale it to expand into major ASEAN markets, such as Malaysia and the Philippines.

This reinforces its ultimate goal: to rise as the undisputed "Retail Tech Leader of ASEAN."

Reference: Case Study Session "New Retail Experiences" from The Economist Impact: 6th annual Technology for Change Asia

Venture Spark, the premier sector-agnostic accelerator established by A2D Ventures, today announced the launch of Cohort 2, powered by a landmark partnership with LINE SCALE UP and supported by Thailand's innovation powerhouses: depa, ExpresSo NB, and InnoSpace (Thailand). This unprecedented coalition creates the ultimate growth engine for Thailand-based startups and high-growth SMEs, combining elite fundraising preparation with unparalleled mass distribution, corporate pilot opportunities, and government backing.

While Cohort 1 successfully put founders on the global stage, Cohort 2 is rewriting the playbook on scaling. By uniting LINE SCALE UP's massive digital infrastructure with the corporate, public, and support of ExpresSo NB, depa, and InnoSpace, Venture Spark is solving the biggest hurdles startups face: perfecting the pitch, securing enterprise partnerships, and reaching the customer.

"We are giving our Cohort 2 founders the ultimate unfair advantage," said Ankit Upadhyay, Founder & CEO of Venture Spark. "Venture Spark is bringing in top-tier consultants to tear down and rebuild your pitch, and public speaking experts to make sure you command the room. But a great pitch means nothing without users. By partnering with LINE SCALE UP, we aren't just getting you ready for investors—we are plugging your business directly into the daily lives and chat windows of millions of Thais."

“We’re excited to partner with Venture Spark to help ambitious founders scale with greater speed and confidence,” said Sirunya Buntornvorapun, Director of Corporate Strategy & Incubation at LINE Thailand. “Thailand has extraordinary startup talent, yet scalable distribution remains one of the most critical growth barriers. Through the LINE ecosystem, startups can directly access over 56 million users and build seamless experiences within a platform that millions of people already rely on every day. By combining Venture Spark’s world-class founder development expertise with LINE’s technology infrastructure, APIs, and mass distribution capabilities, we are accelerating the pathway from product-market fit to meaningful national scale.”

The 'Unfair Advantage' : What Founders Get

Selected startups will gain dual access to an elite mentorship track and a massive technological distribution channel, backed by partners like depa, ExpresSo NB, and InnoSpace (Thailand).

From the Venture Spark Program:

• Massive Investor Access: The program culminates in a blockbuster Demo Day designed to put you in front of a curated audience of over 400+ global venture capitalists, angel investors, and corporate partners.
• The Pitch Clinic: Stop guessing what investors want. Work directly with top-tier consultants who will refine your business model, stress-test your strategy, and rebuild your pitch deck to global standards.
• Expert Public Speaking Coaching: Master pitching and closing deals with dedicated coaching from communication experts, ensuring you deliver your vision with maximum impact and confidence.
• World-Class Mentorship: Learn 1-on-1 from founders who have successfully exited, alongside global industry experts who have navigated the exact scaling challenges you face.

From the LINE SCALE UP Ecosystem:

• 56M+ User Reach: Direct pathways to tap into Thailand’s largest digital audience, accelerating mass adoption for your product or service.
• Deep Tech & API Integration: Expert guidance on building native, frictionless, app-like experiences using LINE APIs, LINE MINI App, and LINE Official Accounts.
• Mastering Chat Commerce: Strategic frameworks for utilizing LINE's commerce and SME digital tools to drive immediate user acquisition and revenue retention.

Supported by Thailand’s Innovation Powerhouses: depa, ExpresSo NB, and InnoSpace (Thailand)

While LINE Scale Up provides the digital mass-distribution engine, Venture Spark’s strategic backbone is fortified by an unprecedented alliance of Thailand’s top public, private, and corporate entities. Together, A2D Ventures, depa, ExpresSo NB, and InnoSpace (Thailand) are pioneering a new era of venture building, creating a platform where founders can achieve their full potential and scale globally.

The Strategic Partners Driving Cohort 2:

• InnoSpace (Thailand): A key partner in fostering Thailand’s innovation ecosystem, InnoSpace is a public-private joint venture that has already backed over 21 startups, primarily focusing on early-stage deep-tech companies with the potential to become new S-Curve global players. Backed by leading conglomerates (including PTTOR, SET, BDMS, C.P. Group, and ThaiBev), InnoSpace provides startups with seasoned advisors, product validation, and pathways to international markets.
• ExpresSo NB (PTT Group): As the innovation and corporate venture arm of PTT Group, ExpresSo NB bridges the gap between agile tech startups and massive industrial infrastructure. Startups in Cohort 2—especially those in deep tech, energy, and enterprise SaaS—will gain unparalleled opportunities to explore corporate pilot projects (PoCs), tap into ExpresSo NB's vast industry expertise, and scale their B2B solutions across PTT’s extensive network and ecosystem.
• depa (Digital Economy Promotion Agency): Bringing the full support of the Thai government, depa empowers startups with essential digital infrastructure and regulatory navigation. Their involvement ensures founders have a direct pipeline to government-backed matching funds, smart city initiatives, and public-sector deployment opportunities.

Through this powerhouse collaboration, Cohort 2 participants gain an "unfair advantage." They are not just refining their pitch decks; they are actively bridging academia and early-stage tech to massive corporate pilot projects, government-backed scaling opportunities, and a network of over 400 global investors.

Who Should Apply

Venture Spark Cohort 2 is seeking the boldest tech startups (Fintech, HealthTech, SaaS, Deep Tech) and high-growth Smart Commerce brands building from Thailand for the world. The program is open to both Thai and expat/digital nomad founders who have an MVP ready to scale or are in their pre-seed/seed stages.

Applications for Venture Spark Cohort 2 are now open. Startups interested in accelerating their growth can apply and find more information at https://venturespark.asia

If we went back 10 years and AI was as smart as it is today, would you still run your business the same way?

Korat isn't just a venue; it's a symbol. Oranuch noted that Techsauce's decision to host their first event here was no coincidence. Korat is the "gateway" to the Northeast (Isan), a region brimming with talent, business potential, and untapped opportunities. Techsauce's goal that day wasn't merely to host an event, but to plant new seeds of thinking for the region's entrepreneurs.

When the World at Davos Says, "Nothing Will Ever Be the Same"

Earlier this year, Oranuch attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, representing Techsauce. It’s a global stage where government leaders, business executives, and thinkers worldwide sit at the same table. What she brought back wasn't just insights, but a profound sense that the world is spinning faster than we think.

Roughly 70% of the discussions revolved around volatile geopolitics and the global economy—geopolitical conflicts, climbing energy prices, and fragile supply chains. But the more interesting part was the remaining 30%. When distilled down, only one technology was discussed so heavily that it became the sole trend in the room: AI.

They didn't talk about anything else. It was primarily about AI and its impact on society, business, and humanity as a whole.

Every era has its own crises. We missed the Great Depression of 1929, and the next generation might not feel the weight of what we are facing right now. But one certainty is that in every business lifecycle, entrepreneurs will face volatility to some degree—and today, we are right in the middle of it.

Three Things Changing the Structure of Business

Oranuch didn't speak of AI merely as a tool to work faster; she pointed out that it is changing three things simultaneously.

Change 1: AI Doesn't Just Increase Speed; It Changes Business Structures. From ChatGPT's launch in 2023 to where we are in 2026, we've seen the evolution from Generative AI — which helps summarize emails, write captions, or edit photos — to Claude, Copilot, and countless other tools that do far more. More importantly, we are stepping into the era of Agentic AI, which operates autonomously like an actual human employee. When an order comes in, the system checks stock, issues invoices, and preps shipping automatically — without waiting for a human to approve every step. This isn't just working faster; it's redesigning the business structure from the ground up.

Change 2: Capital and Teams Are No Longer Obstacles. In the past, building a business required deep pockets, a sufficient team, and clear financial backing. But that equation is changing, and the clearest example comes from an unexpected place.

Look at small entrepreneurs from China. They don't have more capital than us, but they use AI to localize content and understand the deep insights of consumers in the Thai, Indonesian, or Malaysian markets without having a single local team member.

That picture is already a reality on our social media feeds every day. Products and content that seem tailor-made for Thais are actually being designed from offices in Shenzhen. This is a challenge Thai entrepreneurs are facing without even realizing it.

Change 3: Market Boundaries No Longer Exist. Provincial entrepreneurs were once limited to their local markets. Today, that equation has collapsed entirely. Oranuch pointed out that if entrepreneurs from Shenzhen can understand and penetrate the Thai market without having a team here, then entrepreneurs from Korat can do the exact same thing with other markets — nationally, across Southeast Asia, and globally. What has changed isn't just the tools; it's the very mindset of "what is my market" that needs to be completely redefined.

The Solopreneur: A Megatrend That's Already Here

A term Oranuch suggests searching for is "Solopreneur"—a portmanteau of Solo and Entrepreneur. It refers to a business owner who starts and drives a business entirely on their own, using technology as a force multiplier.

This trend isn't just happening in the West; it's being actively supported by local government policies in China. For instance, Shenzhen has specific support programs for one-person businesses. A key condition is that these companies must use AI and technology as their foundation and clearly measure their efficiency to receive tax incentives and funding.

This means the world is no longer waiting for large corporations to lead the change. Small, smart teams that know how to use the right tools can become regional players from day one.

NEXT: A Framework Built for Today's Entrepreneurs

To make these concepts actionable, Oranuch introduced a conceptual framework called N.E.X.T. These aren't just buzzwords, but a practical guide for starting and scaling a business in this era.

N is for Navigate Technology: The starting point of NEXT isn't directly about AI, but about data. For a business to truly leverage AI, it must start with good data—systematic data collection, data cleansing for quality, and building an actionable customer database.

Oranuch emphasized that you don't need to be a programmer or a high-level technology expert. What's more important is understanding the technology's potential and having enough domain expertise in your own business to know exactly where AI should be applied to solve pain points or bottlenecks.

Today's technology helps businesses become faster, smarter, and more scalable. If "faster" used to mean AI summarizing emails, today it means AI agents working 24/7 without needing sleep. When an order comes in, the system will check stock, issue invoices, and prep shipping automatically without waiting for a human to approve every step.

"Smarter" means predictive capabilities, like AI predicting which customers are likely to churn in the next three months so your team can intervene before they go to a competitor.

E is for Experiment Fast: The speed here means running through the entire business cycle rapidly: launch products fast, test the market fast, gather feedback fast, and iterate fast.

If we say we launch fast but don't learn, that's a flop too. The perfect product doesn't exist on day one. Perfection only happens when we learn and keep incorporating customer feedback to improve.

X is for Exponential Thinking: This is where many are still stuck in the old mindset. Instead of asking, "How can we grow another 10%?", exponential thinking forces us to ask, "How can we grow 10x?"

The difference isn't working 10 times harder; it's redesigning the entire system. Ten years ago, scaling a sales team 10x meant hiring 10 more people. Today, you can build an AI chatbot that handles a hundred thousand or a million customers simultaneously, scaling globally without proportionally increasing costs. This is why 10x growth is no longer impossible.

T is for Trust and Tribe: The final pillar is often overlooked. In an era where ads are scrolled past and algorithms change daily, customers no longer buy based on one-way promotion. They buy based on trust built through word-of-mouth, real experiences, and the community a brand builds around itself. Building a brand tribe has become the hardest asset for competitors to replicate.

Clear Goals First, Technology Follows

Before leaving the stage, Oranuch left the most important reminder: don't jump into technology immediately if your business goals aren't clear. Technology is no longer just a tool, but a core driver. However, it will only work well with a clear direction.

Entrepreneurs must first answer: What is the business goal? What percentage of new revenue streams do you want to create? Which processes in the organization need automation to reduce human error and improve efficiency? Those answers must be clear and communicated so the entire team sees the same picture. Otherwise, even if you adopt AI, it will just become a haphazard use of tools disconnected from real objectives.

The remaining two points are simple but important: move fast in a relentlessly changing world, and expand your mindset beyond the local market. In the digital age, a business from Korat can grow across Thailand, Southeast Asia, and the world—if you understand the opportunity in front of you.

The Future Isn't 10 Years Away

Oranuch concluded by emphasizing that Techsauce doesn't see itself as just a business company, but as a platform aiming to build a new economy, new industries, and new opportunities for Thailand.

For every entrepreneur sitting in that room, the question isn't whether they are ready, but how they will start — from right here, and starting today.

Modern entrepreneurs aren't just building companies; they are building new industries, new opportunities, and a new future for Thailand. The future of entrepreneurs isn't 10 years away. It starts now, today.

Source: Session "The Next Entrepreneur: สร้างธุรกิจให้แข็งแกร่ง ฉบับผู้ประกอบการยุคใหม่" (The Next Entrepreneur: Building a Resilient Business for Modern Entrepreneurs)" at the Techsauce Next Entrepreneur Summit.

"I think it's quite possible, actually," he stated, noting that highly independent founders can navigate new markets without a local partner. "I wouldn't say nothing's impossible. You can't do it on your own."

"Norman says I choose not to agree," replied panel moderator Reuben Chin, acting head of program management at the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB).

The exchange underscored the core challenge for tech founders looking to scale across Southeast Asia's 600 million consumers: a unified regional market is an illusion, and expansion demands hyper-local execution.

The Myth of the Universal Playbook

The most common trap founders fall into is assuming a successful domestic model can simply be exported. Thang (Cong) Huynh, Chairman and CEO of InnoLab Asia, pointed to an estimated 90% failure rate for foreign startups entering Vietnam.

"Let's say you have your website in Thai language and you translate that into Vietnamese, which means that you are already localized," Thang noted. "No. It's not about transforming your business thinking."

To illustrate the cost of ignoring local habits, he shared the story of a mentee who lost $1 million attempting to apply a Vietnamese-style, ad-heavy digital conversion strategy in Thailand. The founder stuck to an online-only model, misreading the local preference for physical retail validation. He eventually replaced his local partner and opened a physical store to gain traction.

In the Philippines, the challenges are different. Janessa Carlos of TechShake pointed out that while the country's high English proficiency and large digital user base appear attractive to foreign founders, incoming businesses often misjudge the macroeconomic reality.

"Please do not misjudge their purchasing power at the end of the day," Carlos warned, noting that a pricing model that works in Singapore or Malaysia will likely stall in Manila. She advises new entrants to follow a strict 90-day playbook: pause wider distribution and spend the first three months validating a single anchor customer.

Navigating the Cost of Entry

Beyond consumer psychology, the structural cost of entry varies wildly across the region. Mega Prawita, Managing Director of Kumpul, laid out the financial reality of entering Indonesia.

Foreign tech entities face a $600,000 USD minimum capitalization requirement. Acknowledging that establishing a formal presence is a daunting financial step, Prawita advises founders to delay full incorporation and instead run low-risk Proof of Concepts (PoCs). "Just don't settle first before you know the market," she advised. "Start with the small to medium enterprise first because it will help you validate the product."

Thailand takes a different regulatory approach. Techsauce Media Co-founder and CEO Oranuch Lerdsuwankij outlined how the Thai Board of Investment (BOI) is structured to attract "New S-Curve" industries like AgTech and BioTech. Startups that qualify can secure 100% foreign ownership and up to 13 years of tax exemptions.

However, Oranuch clarified that regulatory freedom does not equal commercial access. In Thailand’s B2B and B2G sectors, penetrating corporate hierarchies or government procurement channels requires deeply connected local partners who understand domestic deal-making.

The B2B2C Pivot and Strategic Niches

When the conversation shifted to consumer-facing platforms, the panel addressed the rising customer acquisition costs across mature markets like Thailand and Malaysia. For early-stage startups, paying for user acquisition through digital ad networks is increasingly unviable.

Oranuch proposed a structural workaround: pivoting to B2B2C models. By integrating into the existing infrastructure of retail networks, banks, or super-apps, startups can access established user bases. She pointed to LINE’s joint venture to create LINE MAN Wongnai as a primary example of leveraging an existing audience rather than building one from scratch.

For Bruneian founders looking to enter these larger ecosystems, Matthieu returned to the question of how smaller startups can compete, urging them to avoid derivative ideas.

"To put it simply, don't be a 'me too,'" he stressed. "Someone else has done it, do something else. How do you put yourself ahead of others?" He added that despite a cautious capital landscape, "if you have a great idea, a great solution, a great strategy, the money will come."

Thang challenged the local ecosystem to push harder. "From what I observed so far from Brunei, you guys live in a quiet comfort zone," he said, urging founders to step out of that space if they want to compete regionally.

Carlos acknowledged the sheer difficulty of penetrating new markets but reminded founders to lean on local ecosystem builders for honest reality checks. "We provide you with realistic feedback or evaluation if it's really working in our country," she said. If a product isn't landing, she noted, good local partners will redirect startups to other ASEAN markets rather than letting them fail.

Yet, Bruneian startups do have a structural advantage. Oranuch pointed to the Halal tech economy—a large demographic in Thailand that domestic developers often lack the cultural nuance to serve effectively. For Bruneian entrepreneurs, that specific expertise represents a highly defensible market position.

"This is a sweet spot," she told the founders in the room. "This is a lot of opportunity for you guys. Starting from doing the homework: What is your strength? Why will the local players in Thailand not do this?"

This structural pivot served as the central anchor of the Brunei Startup Summit 2026. Over the course of the two-day event, regional policymakers, institutional investors, and veteran founders bypassed the usual tech conference optimism to focus entirely on the mechanics of execution. The discussions stripped away the illusions of easy expansion, revealing a landscape where scaling across ASEAN’s borders relies heavily on a pragmatic respect for local business cultures rather than a charismatic pitch. Furthermore, the patience for theoretical business models has vanished; investors are now looking for operational maturity, expecting founders to present unit economics that actually map to reality and AI integrations that do the heavy lifting rather than simply dressing up a valuation.

The End of the Mega-Valuation Trap

The venture capital ecosystem is currently penalizing the exact behavior it heavily rewarded just a few years ago: the pursuit of the highest possible early-stage valuation. Shahril Ibrahim, Partner at 500 Global, dissected this trap during his session, explaining that aggressively overpricing an initial round effectively paints a target on a startup's back. When a company inevitably struggles to meet the exponential growth metrics required to justify that early figure, the financial fallout is severe. Founders are left cornered, facing either a complete freeze from later-stage investors or the administrative and cultural nightmare of a down round.

Because the margin for error is now so thin, Ibrahim advised founders to carefully sequence their capital intake rather than rushing toward institutional money. He likened venture capital to a backseat driver who covers the fuel cost but insists on navigating, whereas non-dilutive government grants function more like a no-strings-attached travel fund from a relative. For startups still validating their product, exhausting those grant options first provides the runway to experiment without early dilution or external interference.

The investor panel, featuring East Ventures' Yinwei Ling and AgFunder's John Friedman, reinforced this return to fundamentals. The discussions made it clear that while deep tech and proprietary research are compelling hooks, investors are ultimately underwriting the founder's judgment and commercial execution. A startup can spend a decade perfecting a product in the lab, but without tangible market validation and a team capable of securing revenue, the enterprise's intrinsic value remains at zero.

The Brutal Reality of Cross-Border Expansion

Expanding beyond a home market frequently exposes a startup's structural fragilities rather than validating its business model. Richard Roocroft, SVP Group Head of Commercial at Amity Group, noted that premature scaling is a far greater existential threat to early-stage companies than sluggish growth. He advised founders against the impulse to internalize every operational function when entering new territories, framing the attempt to build market share entirely from scratch not as a sign of ambition, but as a severe liability. Instead, establishing repeatable internal processes and leveraging existing local ecosystems must precede any aggressive push across borders.

The friction of regional expansion is heavily tied to the deeply fragmented nature of ASEAN business cultures—a reality that Kla Tangsuwan, founder of Thailand-based Wisesight, learned at a steep cost. Tangsuwan detailed a failed expansion into Malaysia that resulted in a $500,000 loss, a misstep he attributed directly to a rigid adherence to his home market's sales methodologies. Where his domestic clients expected a narrative-driven pitch with pricing reserved for the final discussions, the Malaysian market demanded immediate, upfront visibility into cost reductions. By overriding his local team's advice and failing to adapt to these specific regional procurement expectations, the venture collapsed. Wisesight's subsequent expansions have since relied strictly on local partners to navigate these critical nuances.

Yet, when executed correctly, establishing a cross-border footprint yields dividends that extend far beyond immediate new revenue. Louis-Alban Batard-Dupré, founder of Yindii, pointed to the distinct psychological leverage gained from entering a second market. By acquiring a distressed competitor in Hong Kong, Yindii effectively discarded its classification as a domestic startup. Earning the designation of a "regional scale-up" fundamentally shifted how the company was perceived by institutional investors and enterprise clients alike, ultimately unlocking major corporate partnerships back in their home base of Bangkok that had previously been out of reach.

Navigating ASEAN's Fragmented Ecosystem

Building on the experiences of Wisesight and Yindii, the summit dedicated significant focus to demystifying the specific regulatory and cultural hurdles across Southeast Asia. The overarching takeaway was that ASEAN cannot be treated as a monolithic bloc; successful market entry demands highly calibrated, hyper-local strategies.

Regional experts outlined the distinct operational realities dictating expansion into key markets:

• Indonesia: While offering a massive consumer base, the market imposes steep structural barriers. Megha Prawita of Kumpul noted that foreign entities face a minimum $600,000 USD capitalization requirement. Because of this high financial threshold, executing low-risk Proof of Concepts (PoCs) with local SMEs is a vital precursor to formal incorporation.
• Vietnam: Capital alone cannot buy market share here. Cong-Thang Huynh of InnoLab Asia pointed out that 90% of foreign startups fail simply by mistaking language translation for true localization. Consumer behaviors dictate entirely different entry playbooks; for instance, Vietnamese consumers exhibit high conversion rates driven by repetitive digital ad exposure, contrasting sharply with the physical retail preferences of neighboring markets.
• Thailand: Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) is aggressively attracting foreign capital by offering 100% foreign ownership and extensive tax exemptions for S-curve industries like AgTech and BioTech. Yet, Techsauce co-founder Mimee Lerdsuwankij cautioned against direct-to-consumer plays. Exorbitant customer acquisition costs require incoming founders to adopt B2B2C models, leaning on the infrastructure of established retail networks instead of building audiences from scratch.
• Philippines: The market presents a seemingly frictionless entry point due to its high English proficiency and mature $38 billion IT-BPM sector. However, TechShake’s Janessa Carlos stressed that unit economics must be meticulously recalibrated. Pricing models imported from Singapore or Malaysia will fail if they are not strictly aligned with the actual per capita purchasing power of the local market.

For this complex, multi-tiered ecosystem to function effectively for scaling startups, bureaucratic friction must be aggressively reduced. Addressing this macro-level challenge, Rudiantara, Chairman of Nexticorn and Indonesia’s former Minister of Communications and IT, argued that regional governments must fundamentally evolve their mandates. Rather than operating strictly as regulatory gatekeepers focused on compliance and permitting, state apparatuses must transition into active facilitators, consciously smoothing the pathways for cross-border innovation.

The Human Foundation: Chemistry and Play

Yet, beyond technological advantages and capitalization tables, a startup's durability ultimately rests on its human infrastructure. As previously noted by the investor panel, venture capitalists are essentially underwriting founder judgment. The Co-Founder Chemistry session, featuring leaders from Seedling, Meat the Next, and Warwick Food Company, underscored that fractured leadership remains one of the primary catalysts for early-stage failure. The panelists universally advised against co-founding ventures with a spouse, advocating instead for partnerships built on complementary operational skills rather than mirrored personalities or purely personal bonds.

Scaling inevitably places immense psychological strain on this human capital. Addressing executive burnout, Narudee Kristhanin of Eureka Global introduced the concept of "serious play" as a critical cognitive tool for leadership teams. Rather than a frivolous team-building exercise, she framed structured play as a necessary neurological reset. It allows high-stress leaders to lower their defensive barriers, unlock lateral problem-solving, and clearly identify their enterprise's true "unfair advantage" amidst chaotic growth phases.

The Blueprint for a Recalibrated Ecosystem

The summit’s concluding pitch competition provided a live demonstration of these recalibrated industry standards. The top prize was awarded to Brunei-based Wilk Games, whose founder, Wilson, showcased Tiku’s Tales, a globally appealing 3D action platformer. Rather than presenting a bloated customer acquisition budget, Wilk Games demonstrated profound capital efficiency, securing 1,300 organic wishlists on the Steam platform with zero marketing spend. The victory underscored that global visibility is entirely achievable from a smaller domestic market when paired with rigorous product execution.

As the Southeast Asian ecosystem matures past the era of easy capital, the mandate for founders has fundamentally shifted. Success no longer hinges on manufacturing hype to secure vanity valuations. Instead, it requires building defensible tech moats, navigating local market nuances with humility, and forging resilient leadership teams.

The path forward was perhaps best summarized by Amity Group’s Richard Roocroft, who offered a definitive sequence for modern startups: ambition sets the vision, meticulous structure supports it, and only then does true growth follow.

Few could have predicted that in just a few years, this app would become a vital engine of growth, surpassing a staggering 30 million total online orders by 2025, 21 of which came from Lotus’s Smart App. Today, it stands as a true leader in Grocery On-Demand, having perfectly decoded the nuances of Thai consumer behavior.

Reflecting on early 2022, when the app was first announced, many questioned: "In a world where our phones are already cluttered with delivery apps, do we really need another grocery app?" The lessons from the past four years have provided a definitive answer. Lotus’s didn't just build an app to sell products online; they solved a lifestyle equation for Thai people in an era where time is the most expensive commodity.

How did this app become a household staple so quickly? Techsauce identifies four key factors that allowed Lotus’s to dominate the field:

1. Breaking Barriers with ‘Any Amount, We Deliver’

In the past, grocery shopping was a major weekly mission involving preparation, driving, and stockpiling. However, modern Thai behavior has shifted toward "Micro-Moments"—the need for immediate fulfillment the moment a desire arises.

Lotus’s mastered this play by offering Free Delivery with No Minimum Spend. This strategy dismantled the largest psychological barrier for consumers. While other apps often trap users with ‘minimum order’ requirements or ‘add more to save on shipping,’ Lotus’s will deliver a single pack of eggs or one pack of water right to your doorstep for free.

This ensures that forgetting eggs, running out of fish sauce, or realizing you're low on diapers is no longer a crisis that requires a trip to the store.

Last year alone, Lotus’s delivered 70 million eggs and over 100 million bottles of water. These figures aren't just sales stats; they prove that Thais trust Lotus’s as their "backyard refrigerator"—accessible at the push of a button without worrying about hidden costs. This bold move allowed Lotus’s to embed itself into the daily lives of customers.

2. Turning Local Branches into "Micro-Warehouses"

The secret behind the ability to provide 1-hour express delivery nationwide lies in a strength that competitors find nearly impossible to replicate: a network of over 2,500 Lotus’s stores across Thailand.

Lotus’s no longer views these stores as mere physical stores for foot traffic. Instead, they have transformed every location into a micro-fulfillment network located closest to the customer.

When an order is placed, the system immediately routes it to the nearest store. Staff then hand-pick the items from the shelves for a fleet of over 8,000 delivery riders nationwide.

This infrastructure allows Lotus’s to achieve 1-hour express delivery at a national scale—a feat difficult for others who lack such a comprehensive physical footprint and ready-to-go fresh stock.

3. Behavioral Science: Understanding the Thai Daily Rhythm

A critical factor in the Lotus’s Smart App’s exponential success is the use of real-time data to deeply understand consumer behavior. In today’s world, time is the most expensive commodity. This is especially true in urban settings where people live in small family units, many do not own cars, and traffic congestion is a constant hurdle. The physical burden of transporting heavy goods and the logistical limitations of travel have become major pain points for many.

The app was designed to step in and solve this directly. For those living alone or without personal vehicles, the value isn't just in the shopping—it’s in not having to carry heavy packs of water or bulky household supplies back to their residence. Having delivery staff bring these items directly to the doorstep provides a level of convenience that has transformed online ordering from a mere "alternative" into a standard way of life that saves both physical effort and precious time.

Lotus’s didn't stop there; they analyzed usage data to identify specific life rhythms that reflect Thai behavior, such as:

• The Morning Rush (08:00 – 09:00 AM): This is the peak window for orders of fresh milk and drinking water. It reflects how families prepare for the day, ensuring breakfast is ready before school or work and reducing the chaos of a busy morning.
• The Kitchen Enthusiast’s Golden Hour (04:00 – 05:00 PM): Orders for fresh proteins, such as pork or chicken breast, surge during this time. This reflects a shift in urban behavior: instead of weekly stockpiling, people now order fresh ingredients the moment they arrive home to ensure the highest quality for their evening meal.

In addition, the application has been designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of users according to their different lifestyles—whether it be the group that likes to plan and buy household goods in large quantities for the best value, the group of office workers who require urgent speed, or the new generation of health-conscious individuals who focus on ordering fresh items on a day-to-day basis to ensure they get the newest ingredients possible.

4. A Simple, Streamlined User Experience

While many applications today attempt to pack in every possible service until they become overly complex, Lotus’s Smart App has chosen to position itself as a Specialist in Online Grocery Shopping. Every aspect of the interface and user experience (UX) is designed with a single, laser-focused goal: making the process of ordering household essentials as easy and fast as possible.

The standout feature of this app is its use of Intelligent Technology to better understand customer preferences and individual needs. For example, the system recommends products related to the items in your basket right on the Cart page. These items appear instantly, allowing you to "add to cart" in seconds. This eliminates the need to waste time searching through a catalog of over 30,000 items.

This simplicity is the key to winning over both homemakers and the "fast-paced" younger generation. By removing unnecessary steps and filtering down to only what is essential for daily life, every tap and purchase becomes truly convenient and efficient.

The Next Step for the Real Leader in Grocery On-Demand

The success of the Lotus’s Smart App over the past four years is not merely a story of massive growth in order numbers. It is a proof of a clear vision: to be Thailand's leading Grocery On-Demand platform, perfectly blending freshness, speed, and the nation's most comprehensive network.

From breaking the barriers of minimum spend to transforming local stores into "Fulfillment Network" ready to deliver to your door within one hour, Lotus’s has shifted its image. It has evolved from a "large-scale hypermarket" into a Trusted Personal Assistant —one that is ready to support every rhythm of Thai life, whether it’s a hectic morning rush or an evening meal requiring the freshest ingredients.

Today, the Lotus’s Smart App is not just another online shopping app; it is a solution designed to elevate the quality of life for all Thais—making it Fresher, Faster, and Better Value every single day, backed by a strong foundation of over 2,500 stores nationwide.

For anyone who hasn't tried it yet, download the Lotus’s Smart App today.
Experience the easiest and fastest way to order fresh food and household essentials.

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Techsauce recently spoke with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow about the strategy for Thailand at Davos 2026. He revealed that #TeamThailand isn't just there to report for duty. Instead, they are declaring that Thailand is ready to be a trusted global partner while the economic map is rapidly being redrawn.

In a Polarized World, Thailand Isn't Here Just to Talk About Itself

The first question addresses the most critical topic: "What is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' key mission at Davos this time, and why bring such a large 'Team Thailand'?"

Khun Sihasak answered directly that this visit is not about any single individual. It represents a synergy between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Commerce, alongside the private sector, to show the world that Thailand is back on the global stage.

Khun Sihasak views the current world as facing "Fragmentation," a fragile polarization—particularly regarding the role of the U.S. and its America First policy, which destabilizes the familiar world order.

"Our mission this time is to demonstrate how Thailand is driving its development. Importantly, we are not just looking at ourselves; we view ourselves as part of the global community. We are here to exchange views on the challenges the world is facing and to jointly find ways to handle them."

Cyber Warfare and Scammer Crimes

One of the key highlights is Thailand being honored to lead the discussion on Forced Labor (work or service exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily). In this era, this issue is no longer confined to factories or fishing boats but has evolved into Cyber Scams.

Khun Sihasak addressed the issue of Cyber Scams as a new form of forced labor. Currently, hundreds of thousands of people in our region are lured into transnational criminal circuits. These individuals are forced to scam others, causing global losses soaring to $1 trillion USD. This challenges state authority, and Thailand is committed to building international alliances to seriously combat these syndicates.

OECD: The "New Software" to Upgrade National Standards

Khun Oranuch moved to the topic of Thailand’s OECD membership: "What is the current status of joining the OECD, and what is the expected timeline?"

Khun Sihasak decoded the significance of the OECD interestingly: It is not merely an attempt to sit in a club of wealthy nations, as many believe. Instead, it is one of the greatest structural reform strategies we have ever undertaken.

The reason this has become a national agenda that must be pushed hard is that OECD standards will serve as a crucial tool to "reset" chronic problems—whether reforming the tax system, updating regulations to be international and transparent, or fostering competitiveness in the digital economy era.

It involves breaking down bureaucratic walls, such as reducing outdated government procedures, and elevating transparency to create a "clean" business environment—one of the primary factors global investors use to make decisions.

The OECD Secretary-General has recognized Thailand's determination and set a target for full membership by 2031-2032. This will be a turning point that instills unprecedented confidence in foreign investors regarding Thailand.

Unfolding a New Map: When Traditional Markets Are No Longer the Only Safe Haven

While superpowers are competing to divide sides, #TeamThailand has chosen to expand the map to find new opportunities others might overlook. Davos this year is not just about maintaining old strongholds, but daring to step out of the comfort zone into new, unfamiliar waters to diversify risk and create more sustainable opportunities, such as:

• Nigeria – The Key to Africa: We may be so used to traditional markets that we forget Africa is growing exponentially. Khun Sihasak defines Nigeria as the "Big Brother" of the region, leading in both population and economic size. Pushing the Thai-Africa Initiative is not just about exporting goods, but building strategic partners to serve as a Gateway for Thai businesses to access a massive consumer base in the future.
• Bangladesh – The Giant of South Asia: Another exciting milestone is seeking a route to link Bangladesh's ports with Thailand's ports. This is a "strategic shortcut" that will completely transform maritime transport and logistics, allowing Thailand to access the immense purchasing power of India and South Asia much faster and at a fraction of the cost.
• South Korea: For South Korea, the challenge is to make what exists flourish. The reality is that the current value of Korean investment in Thailand is far below its potential. Accelerating the FTA (Free Trade Agreement) is like unlocking the final key to attracting capital and high technology into the country as targeted.

Ultimately, the key lesson from #TeamThailand at Davos 2026 is not just announcing what makes us good. It is proving to the world that, in a time when the world is fragile and divided, Thailand chooses to be a reliable partner and a bridge connecting new opportunities.

The synergy between the government and the private sector under the name #TeamThailand is a signal that we didn't just come to attend the event—we came to return to the global mainstream once again in 2026.

Food safety as innovation infrastructure

Thailand’s FoodTech momentum is often framed as a natural evolution: from “Kitchen of the World” to an innovation launchpad where deep tech meets real industrial scale.

But food safety sits beneath that ambition.

Traceability systems rely on time-stamped events. Shelf-life optimization depends on environmental stability and cold chain performance. Export confidence depends on defensible compliance records. Sustainability reporting increasingly depends on measurable operational data.

If temperature, handling, and critical control data are incomplete or unverifiable, every higher layer of FoodTech innovation becomes structurally weaker.

Food safety, in this sense, is not a regulatory overhead. It is the operating data backbone of modern food systems.

The World Health Organization estimates unsafe food causes 600 million cases of foodborne disease and 420,000 deaths each year. When safety fails, the impact is human first — and then operational, legal, and brand-defining.

Yet in many real kitchens and food operations, the daily safety control loop still runs on manual workflows. Staff take spot checks, write logs, and file paper or spreadsheet evidence for audits. Under labor pressure, this model becomes structurally fragile.

A compliance system that depends on perfect manual execution during peak hours is a system designed to drift — quietly — into unverifiable records.

This is the shift leaders need to recognize: food safety is becoming a data infrastructure problem before it is an AI problem.

AI is powerful, but it cannot compensate for missing or unreliable operational data,” says Daniel McDouall, CEO and tech founder of Squizify. “In food safety, intelligence is only as strong as the measurement beneath it. Before we talk about predictive systems, we need to ensure the underlying data is continuous, time-stamped, and defensible. Otherwise, we are building automation on top of uncertainty.

And the path to better outcomes does not begin with predictive models. It begins with instrumentation, automation, and proof.

Why food safety is now an industry data problem

Food safety management systems such as HACCP are built around discipline: identify hazards, monitor critical control points, apply corrective actions when limits are breached, verify the system works, and maintain records.

These are not administrative rituals. They are the mechanism by which an organization proves its controlled risk.

If records are incomplete, unverifiable, or maintained after the fact, the organization is not only operationally exposed — it may also be unable to demonstrate defensible compliance when incidents occur.

The cold chain adds further complexity. Refrigeration is not simply a cost center; it is a safety boundary condition. It is also increasingly linked to sustainability outcomes.

The FAO has highlighted that food cold chains contribute around 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions when accounting for cold-chain technologies and food loss due to insufficient refrigeration. Performance failures are therefore not only safety risks — they are waste and emissions risks.

In this context, food safety becomes an operational data challenge: continuous measurement, timestamp integrity, and defensible traceability.

The AI conversation is real — but it is downstream of trustworthy data

AI in food safety is advancing rapidly. Applications range from detecting spoilage and fraud to building predictive safeguards by combining sensors, measurement tools, and models. But major reviews also flag practical barriers such as data gaps and trust in model outputs.

The most practical near-term AI opportunities for hospitality and food operations cluster around three areas:

Anomaly detection

Detecting temperature excursions, drift, and unusual patterns early. Cold chain research emphasizes multi-dimensional sensor streams, signal noise, and real-time constraints — reinforcing why monitoring quality matters.

Predictive maintenance

Anticipating refrigeration and compressor degradation before failures cascade. Data-driven approaches rely explicitly on historical, time-series data for early fault detection.

Supply-chain batch risk analytics

Flagging potentially problematic lots earlier by connecting supplier, transaction, and equipment datasets for anomaly detection and prediction.

But these applications share a non-negotiable prerequisite: a clean, time-stamped, trustworthy operational dataset.

Predictive maintenance research show that models are limited when data lacks explicit timestamps, because temporal patterns matter in early fault detection. Many model classes also require large amounts of labeled data — or carefully structured semi-supervised approaches — before becoming reliable in production environments.

The strategic sequence is simple:

First build a data layer reliable enough to audit.Then build analytics reliable enough to act on.

A practical illustration: the compliance–labor conflict at scale

As refrigeration assets and compliance checkpoints increase, the labor required to maintain accurate temperature logs scales quickly. In large hospitality and food operations, manual safety logging can consume significant staff time each day — time that competes directly with service delivery.

More critically, under sustained labor pressure, manual systems become vulnerable to process drift. Logs may be completed after the fact or based on assumption rather than real-time measurement. The result is not necessarily intentional non-compliance, but a fragile system that creates the illusion of control without defensible proof.

Leaders in digital food safety, including Squizify, have consistently emphasized that the issue is not discipline — it is system design. When compliance depends on perfect manual execution during peak operations, integrity risk becomes structural rather than accidental.

At scale, the challenge is not whether teams care about safety. It is whether the system makes accurate documentation sustainable.

A practical framework: Instrument, Automate, Prove, Improve

To modernize food safety as innovation infrastructure — without turning it into a transformation science project — operators and builders can apply a structured sequence:

Instrument

Identify the highest-risk, highest-frequency control points — often refrigeration and cold chain first — and ensure the environment can be measured continuously.

Automate

Reduce reliance on perfect manual logging by automating capture where feasible. This lowers labour burden and reduces record integrity risk.

Prove

Design records to be verifiable. Monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and record-keeping are explicit HACCP expectations.

Improve

Once the dataset is trustworthy, use it for operational learning — reducing recurring excursions, strengthening maintenance strategy, and laying the foundation for future predictive analytics.

Building a bridge between food safety and innovation, the goal is not to digitize paperwork. It is to build a measurable, defensible operating system for trust.

In the race toward AI-driven FoodTech, the most competitive organizations in Thailand, — and the most competitive nations — will not be those that adopt intelligence fastest. They will be those that first build infrastructure strong enough to support 

Techsauce sat down with Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, a key leader of Thailand's economic team, to discuss the background of the mission to place Thailand in the global spotlight and the strategies that will ensure Thai businesses survive in an era of shaky global geopolitics.

Mission "Team Thailand": Placing Thailand in the Global Spotlight

Dr. Ekniti began by explaining the "Team Thailand" concept, which is a rarity on such a level. This visit wasn't merely about attending meetings; it was about clearly positioning the country.

"We held planning meetings beforehand to ensure everyone spoke with 'One Message,' communicating Thailand's image in a unified direction. This carries immense power on a global stage where world leaders and top business figures gather."

The mission focused on three key goals:

• Spotlight on Thailand: Returning Thailand to the radar of global leaders.
• Showcasing Potential: Declaring readiness to host the IMF and World Bank meetings this October, where financial leaders from 190 countries will converge on Thailand.
• ASEAN Vision: Demonstrating vision as a regional leader amidst a turbulent world driven by the return of "America First" policies.

When Neutrality is an Advantage in a Polarized World

One of the most interesting takeaways from the interview was the perspective of foreign investors toward Thailand. Dr. Ekniti revealed that amidst Trade Wars and US-China tensions, Thailand's neutrality has become its most powerful asset.

The best evidence of investor confidence in this neutrality is the number of investment applications to the Board of Investment (BOI), which surged by 93% over the past year.

This phenomenon didn't happen solely because of tax incentives, but because Thailand has proven itself a true "Safe Haven" for strategic industries, particularly in Smart Electronics and Printed Circuit Boards (PCB), which are the heart of modern technology.

Dr. Ekniti revealed that major global corporations are currently planning investments in Thailand, focusing on Bio-based Solutions (upgrading raw materials like sugarcane into high-value products) and the Wellness and Longevity sectors, which are Thailand's traditional strengths.

These interests reflect that investors view Thailand as a distinctively neutral space in a deeply polarized world, using it as a critical Springboard to distribute investment across the ASEAN region. Today, ASEAN's strength lies in the complementary nature of its members, such as Malaysia’s expertise in semiconductors or Vietnam’s strength in IC design. ASEAN unity is, therefore, a key advantage that Thailand must seize.

SkillBridge: Building a Bridge Between Human Skills and the AI World

Amidst foreign investors' questions regarding Thailand's frequent political transitions, Dr. Ekniti built confidence by pointing out that the Thai business sector remains resilient and moves forward regardless of the political context, with agencies like the BOI working uninterrupted.

However, in discussions with global tech companies, Dr. Ekniti did not just discuss politics; he acknowledged and aimed to fix the country's critical weakness: Labor Skills. This led to proactive negotiations asking these investors to participate in elevating the potential of Thai people, ensuring that high-tech investments don't just result in production bases, but in genuine knowledge transfer to the Thai workforce.

The core solution to the human resource issue is the SkillBridge project, inspired by Singapore’s SkillsFuture model. This project acts as a bridge connecting Thai labor skills with the demands of the modern job market.

Dr. Ekniti has engaged entrepreneurs investing through BOI measures to directly specify the skills they need. Thais are then given the opportunity to learn via digital platforms and AI technology, ensuring that learning leads to quality employment.

Furthermore, Dr. Ekniti sees a different kind of opportunity for Thailand as it rapidly becomes an aging society with a low birth rate.

"In other countries, they might fear people losing jobs. But in Thailand, we lack people. AI will come in as a crucial assistant to increase efficiency for a shrinking workforce and help care for the elderly through the Wellness industry, which we specialize in."

Risk Management in the Geopolitical Era: When Geopolitics Affects Our Livelihoods

For modern businesses, entrepreneurs, and SMEs, focusing solely on cash flow or traditional financial management is no longer enough. Geopolitics must be incorporated as part of the core survival strategy. Dr. Ekniti pointed out that the fluctuation of global powers—especially the direction of superpowers like the US—drastically affects global markets and is acting as a catalyst for major change.

Thai entrepreneurs who previously relied on a single main market must urgently diversify risks and look for opportunities in new markets, particularly in a strengthening ASEAN. They must also accelerate the use of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), such as the Thai-EU FTA, to create diverse options and reduce the impact of unpredictable superpower policies.

Amidst this geopolitical crisis, the key for SMEs to overcome obstacles is the urgent adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Dr. Ekniti emphasized that AI is not a distant concept, but a tool to significantly reduce costs and increase production efficiency. Entrepreneurs must shift their mindset from traditional business to "arming" themselves with technology to create agility and speed in adapting to a world that changes every second. Leveraging AI will help SMEs analyze data, find new markets, and create a competitive advantage when old cost structures can no longer compete on the world stage.

In the final wrap-up of the interview, Dr. Ekniti left a vital message for all Thai entrepreneurs:

Skills are the best shield in a world of high uncertainty.

This is especially true regarding opening one's mind to accepting and adapting AI as a tool to boost efficiency.

This technology allows a single person to produce output equivalent to many people in the past, solving labor shortages and helping businesses expand from domestic to international markets more easily. Promoting community products via global platforms using digital skills will be the power that drives the grassroots economy to grow alongside global trends. Rapid adaptation and constantly replenishing one's intellectual arsenal are the paths to survival and success for Thai businesses on the sustainable world stage.

“The most vital currency in the world today isn't the US Dollar, the Yuan, or the Baht. In the realm of global trade, the currency that matters most is Trust.”

Techsauce recently sat down with Suphajee Suthumpun, the Minister of Commerce of Thailand, to discuss the new Thailand Global Trade Strategy following her high-level meetings at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026. Representing "Team Thailand," her mission was clear: Thailand is not just showing up—it is declaring its status as a global strategic hub ready to navigate the new rules of international trade.

Transitioning Thailand From Tourist Destination to Global Strategic Point

Although the world often views Thailand through the lens of tourism and culture, this time the nation is positioning itself as a global strategic hub for trade.

Ms. Suphajee explained that Thailand is ready to partner with everyone, leveraging its strategic location at the heart of Asia, a natural bridge connecting the East and the West.

Beyond geography, Thailand holds a competitive edge through its 14 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). This allows investors who establish a base in Thailand to immediately use the country as a gateway to export goods to these markets with significant tax privileges. This remains one of Thailand’s most critical selling points.

The question we are asking is 'How do we integrate ourselves into their supply chains?'

Ms. Suphajee revealed that Thailand’s negotiation strategy with international partners has evolved. Gone are the days of simple transactional talks about what Thailand can sell to others or what they can sell to us.

Instead, Thailand aims to embed itself directly into its partners' supply chains, collaborating on production to jointly export to third and fourth markets.

Revolutionizing Trade with DIFA

Thailand is accelerating the push for the Digital Framework Agreement (DIFA), an ASEAN initiative designed to harmonize digital standards, regulations, cross-border data flows, and infrastructure connectivity across all 11 member nations.

Ms. Suphajee revealed that negotiations are already over 76% complete, with the agreement expected to be finalized by April in time for an official signing at the ASEAN Summit.

Once implemented, DIFA will serve as a vital trading framework for Thais and the wider region, effectively transforming ASEAN into a single unified market of over 600 million consumers.

Crucially, DIFA will also integrate with the financial sector to facilitate Cross-border Payments (such as regional QR Pay), a move set to drive a massive increase in trade transaction volumes.

Major Deals on the Horizon

Ms. Suphajee highlighted that "Team Thailand’s" mission to Davos 2026 has yielded significant progress on several major deals worth watching:

• Thailand-Canada FTA: The goal is to conclude negotiations within this year.
• Thailand-EFTA FTA (Switzerland): Negotiations with Switzerland are underway, with the agreement expected to be finalized and come into force by January 1, 2027.
• WIPO (Intellectual Property): Discussions focused on empowering the younger generation regarding patents, copyrights, and trademark registration. The aim is to build an ecosystem where creators and new entrepreneurs understand how to protect their work, transforming content into revenue-generating assets (IP)—similar to the successful model established with LINE.

The "Fast Pass" and Investment Surge

Ms. Suphajee sees current investor confidence clearly reflected in last year’s investment promotion figures, which surged to 1.33 trillion baht—a 94% increase from the previous year. Approximately 980 billion baht of this total came from foreign direct investment.

The key challenge for 2026 is to transform these commitments into actual investments by making the approval process more seamless.

To achieve this, the government is driving the "Fast Pass" initiative to remove licensing bottlenecks and enhance transparency. This specifically targets "Industries of the Future"—such as Data Centers, AI, and Semiconductors—which require clean energy. Thailand is already a regional leader in this infrastructure, and the government stands ready to immediately provide whatever support investors require.

Three Mandates for Thai Entrepreneurs

Finally, Ms. Suphajee left a message for Thai entrepreneurs, emphasizing that they must urgently adapt in three key areas:

1. Sustainability is a ‘Must’

Ms. Suphajee explained that sustainability is no longer just a trend—it is the new global rulebook. European markets have already begun enforcing Carbon Footprint and Carbon Credit standards.

If we do not adapt, trading will become increasingly difficult. The government must also step up alongside the private sector with support mechanisms, such as incentives and Direct PPA (Direct Power Purchase Agreements) for clean energy, to facilitate this transition.

2. Harness AI with Awareness

Ms. Suphajee views AI as both an opportunity and a challenge. Given AI’s capability to access, analyze, and process data rapidly, it can significantly boost our Productivity and Predictability.

This allows businesses to discover new business models and markets at a lower cost. However, it is crucial that we use this technology responsibly and with a deep understanding of its implications.

3. Trust is the Most Valuable Currency

The most critical currency in trade is Trust. If we negotiate a deal where we only seek our own gain, or where the other party only seeks theirs, that relationship is not sustainable. But if we can stand firm as a trusted partner, seeking mutual benefits and shared solutions, that is what will ensure our success.

Ms. Suphajee advised Thai entrepreneurs that in trade, negotiation, and business, "We must clearly identify which 'missing jigsaw piece' we are for our partners, and figure out how we can fill that gap to create shared value."

If we can successfully fill that gap, Ms. Suphajee believes that our country, our organizations, and even our people will be able to stand firm and thrive in a world full of volatility and change.

Source: Special interview with Suphajee Suthumpun, Minister of Commerce, from the World Economic Forum 2026.