The anti-corruption campaigns Mr Dusit spearheaded in the past year will be a key focus, they said.

"Routine management and responsibilities are normally no big deal, as we can move ahead under an acting chairman," said Phongsak Assakul, a vice-chairman of the chamber.

"The only big thing is the chamber is committing to move ahead without Mr Dusit to battle against corruption, and we now have several dignitaries who are well qualified to continue Mr Dusit's tasks, including Sompol Kiatpaibool, the chairman of the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the chamber's senior adviser, and Khunying Jada Wattanasiritham, the vice-chairman of the Thai Institute of Directors."

According to Mr Phongsak, the campaigns to counter corruption that were planned for Sept 25 will go ahead as scheduled.

Pornsil Patcharintanakul, the deputy secretary-general of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber's main tasks would probably move ahead uninterrupted, as the working process was now carried out separately in the form of working panels.

For instance, Mr Phongsak, together with Nandor von der Luehe, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT), and Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, the chairwoman of Toshiba Thailand Co, chairs a committee in charge of anti-corruption.

Isara Vongkusolkit and Chatchai Bunyarat, a chamber vice-chairman, oversee the panel on reducing income disparity.

Mr Pornsil himself takes charge of the panel looking at the impact of the Asean Economic Community, set to begin in 2015.

According to Mr Pornsil, selection of the chamber's new chairman is not an urgent issue and may possibly wait until the annual meeting next March.

Somkiat Anuras, a chamber vice-chairman, said general practice would call for the first vice-chairman to act on the chairman's behalf in the event of the chairman's death.

Mr Phongsak is the first vice-chairman of the chamber.

"It's too early to discuss the issue of who would take Mr Dusit's position," he said.

Mr Dusit was in the first year of his second term, due to end in March. His major task as the chairman was to represent the private sector and share comments with government agencies.

Mr Dusit focused on anti-corruption and reducing economic disparity, as well as strategic plans to raise manufacturing competitiveness and preparations of Thai businesses for the upcoming regional economic integration.

He was also chairman of the Anti-Corruption Network recently formed by 23 private organisations.