Asian Disaster Preparedness Center’s iPrepare Business facility has launched the SME Champions of Resilience Program to build small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) capability to prepare for natural hazards in disaster-prone areas of Thailand.

The program provides direct technical support for selected SMEs in various sectors, including agriculture, automotive, tourism, services, and technology. The iPrepare Business facility with program partners will develop these enterprises’ skills and knowledge in disaster risk management, risk assessment, and business continuity planning.

Upon successful development of business continuity plans, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation of Thailand, and the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion will award the participating enterprises as SME Champions of Resilience.


The program kick-off in Bangkok was participated by entrepreneurs, government officials and development partners.

“As Thailand starts to adopt the global Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, one of the goals is to increase private sector engagement in disaster risk reduction and promote private investments in resilience. Thai SMEs should be encouraged to implement business continuity plans in order to safeguard their businesses and to build their capacity to bounce back from disasters,” said Dr. Peeranan Towashiraporn, Director of ADPC, at the program’s kick-off event in October.

“Building resilience is now key in reducing disaster risks and securing the livelihoods of Thai communities during and following disasters,” added Mr. Chainarong Vasanasomsithi, Director of Research at the International Cooperation Bureau of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Forging relationships between public and private sectors

Earlier this year, the iPrepare Business facility provided training for Thai government officials and representatives of Isuzu Thailand, who are now qualified to deliver business continuity planning training for SMEs.

“The program provides us a great opportunity to forge partnerships between the public and private sectors in strengthening business continuity planning in Thai SMEs,” said Ms. Sutthikan Masamran, Director of SME Networks Promotion and Coordination Group at the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion.

Mr. Thanakrit Kosonsittiwit, CEO of the agriculture company Koson Co. Ltd., reminisces the damages that the 2011 flooding in Thailand caused to his company, and reiterates the importance of preparedness.

“My office in Ayutthaya was inundated for three months during the 2011 floods. I am planning to open a new branch now, and would like to learn about business continuity planning so that I can incorporate business continuity considerations into both my new and existing businesses,“ Mr. Kosonsittiwit said.

The seven-month SME Champions of Resilience Program was initiated as part of ADPC’s regional project on strengthening SMEs’ disaster resilience funded by the German Government through GIZ.