FTI members expected to give chair Kriengkrai a second term
Kriengkrai Thiennukul, who currently chairs the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), is expected to win the office for a second term in an April election, after reportedly receiving more votes than his opponent Somphote Ahunai during a committee vote on Monday.
Some 2,700 members of FTI showed to cast their votes for FTI committee members for the 2024-2026 term, held on Monday at Bangkok's Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. The voter turnout set a record for FTI, a private sector organisation that brings together industrial leaders to promote Thailand’s economic development.
The federation has 366 committee members, 244 of whom were elected and 122 appointed.
Although the vote count on Monday was not publicly announced, a news source said Kriengkrai secured more votes to get on a committee than his sole opponent for the chairmanship, Somphote Ahunai, who is FTI’s deputy chairperson and the chief executive officer of Energy Absolute Plc.
After the Monday election, the committee will meet in 30-45 days for a chair vote, as the two-year term will expire. The voting day is expected on April 23.
A news source said FTI members tend to follow a tradition of electing the same chairperson for two consecutive terms. Allowing them four years in the office is deemed by business leaders as suitable for driving forward policy.
Kriengkrai’s main policies focus on the promotion of S-curve industries and a bio, circular, green (BCG) economy, maximising Thailand’s capacity as a manufacturing hub, and integrating with the global supply chain, especially in key industries such as electric vehicles.
In 2023 Kriengkrai launched the Innovation One project to provide funds to startups and small and medium enterprises in target industries. The FTI has contributed 1 billion baht to the project while the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation matched it.
