Page 68 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 3 | February - March 2024

Why do you think that the textile industry
in Thailand is now past its golden age, • Most of the technicians in the factory
and what do you think the industry has are used to fix supplies to avoid risks in
to do to survive? production. Open the door for other
Previously, the market was ruled by our suppliers to present their chemicals, and
Indian ancestors, but after the Chinese you can find the same colours at a cheaper
produced fabrics and entered the industry, cost. However, you do have to test their
most of the Indian textile merchants have quality in the lab. What message would you like to convey
shut down their shops as they know the • Increase efficiency in production, thereby to today’s Thai Indian community still
margin is very small, and they cannot reducing the cost automatically. in the industry?

compete. What’s happening now is survival Factories are still viable. It is not necessary
of the fittest. The factories which are still • A lot of energy is lost or thrown away in the that the factory you are running will
running are the big factories, and they have textile industry, like condensate and heat shut down, but you have to fight for your
good financial strength, so they’re able to from the boiler chimney. These can be survival. You have to adapt yourself as per
keep up. collected and used to save a lot of energy
costs, which is one of the high costs in the the conditions. Sure, the government has
However, in this industry, if you want to industry. lifted tax barriers, we don’t have subsidies
survive and be competitive against China anymore, and labour is expensive. But there
and India, you have to adapt, and implement • Install solar panels and use solar energy, are ways to survive, you just have to open
these measures: which the government is subsidising, and those doors. It’s time for the owners or their
which you can pay in instalments. It will successors to get involved in the day-to-day
pay for itself several times over.
• Use limited workers. Advances in business, and bring in changes. Don’t just
automation have made it easier to reduce • The production should have a fast turn over. rely on technicians –
the number of workers and machines, and These days, we can’t deliver in 2-3 months call suppliers and get VIEW VIDEO:
give the remaining workers extra benefits. like before. It’s possible to make deliveries cheaper (but still high-
In my 52 years in the industry, I learned in 7-10 days after seeing the orders, and quality) chemicals,
that worker handling is one of the most this will promote more orders coming in, reduce costs, and
important factors to success – if the workers and this way you can keep up with fabric increase efficiency. If
aren’t happy and you don’t do them justice, trends. you do this you will
you won’t achieve your potential. not only survive, but
also thrive.