4.1 Gender issues for entrepreneurs

The survey found that most of supported and independent microenterprises in both the Bangkok and Phetchaburi surveys are owned and managed by females, while males dominate the small enterprises, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

As a small enterprise is usually considered a more “formal” or more “serious” business, this may suggest that these “formal” opportunities are more accessible to male entrepreneurs than to female entrepreneurs. In the other words, as microenterprises are typically considered “informal” or “not serious” businesses, the male population might have more opportunities and try to avoid them altogether, preferring instead to engage in other non-enterprises activities. Hence it can be seen that the female entrepreneurs are dominant in the microenterprises. [This can also be as a result of women’s unequal access to important skills, information and resources, such as vocational training, information on markets and technologies, and access to sources of business finance, respectively - Editor’s note.]