A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN-THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTRALIA THAILAND BUSINESS COUNCIL www.austchamthailand.com September 2014
Social Media & Communication Business brief Ten Surprising Social Media Statistics
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Business brief How Important is Internal Communication in My Business?
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embassy news chamber events Australia Shares Investigation All Chambers Bangkok Sundowners System Software with Thai Customs at the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn
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specialist mortgage
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Contents PATRON His Excellency James Wise Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand
business briefs 6 Ten Surprising Social Media Statistics That Will Make You Rethink Your Social Strategy 8 In Social Media Marketing, Who Owns Your Brand’s Voice? 14 How Important is Internal Communication in My Business?
PRESIDENT Leigh Scott-Kemmis Lee Hecht Harrison / DBM (Thailand) Ltd VICE PRESIDENTS M.L. Laksasubha Kridakon Baan Laksasubha Resort Hua Hin
embassy news 16 Australia Shares Investigation System Software with Thai Customs
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Sam McMahon NS BlueScope Steel (Thailand) Limited TREASURER Warwick Kneale Baker Tilly Corporate Advisory Services (Thailand) Limited DIRECTORS Shane Burt CEVA Logistics (Thailand) Ltd Josh Hyland AEC South East Asia Angus Kent Macquarie Securities Thailand Limited | Macquarie Group Limited Alan Polivnick Watson, Farley & Williams
18 community services 18 Voluntary English Teaching, Baan Huay Mahad School, Rayong
chamber events 20 AustralianAlumni Business Networking, VIE Hotel Rachathewi 22 All Chambers Bangkok Sundowners, the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn AUSTCHAM MEMBERS 24 AustCham Welcomes New Members
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From the Chamber Office 26 Message from the Executive Director
Rananda Rich Blackmores Ltd Simon Shale Visy Packaging (Thailand) Ltd & Visy Industries Wayne Williams Minor International Charles Wrightman Natural Ville EX-OFFICIO Greg Wallis Australian Trade Commission HONORARY ADVISOR TO THE BOARD David Armstrong ADVISORS TO THE BOARD Raine Grady Capital TV Chris Larkin CLC Asia
From the Board
COORDINATORS Paul Wilkinson Cooper International Engineering & Services Co., Ltd ESB Coordinator Email: paul.wi@cies-group.com Trevor Dick Indochine Asset Managmenet ESB Coordinator Email: trevor@indochine-asset.com Harry Usher Lady Pie Phuket Coordinator Email: Phuket@austchamthailand.com
President’s Message
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few months back I mentioned the dramatic changes in technology that have happened in my working life and the impact these changes have had on the way we do business. We went from pre-electronic simple calculators to having the wholeworld in our hand in the form of a smart phone. A lot of the focus in this Advance issue is on the impact and use of digital technology, particularly around communication. AustCham itself has important developments in this area; you can read more about that in Renee’s message.
Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce 20th Floor, Thai CC Tower 889 South Sathorn Road Bangkok 10120 Tel.: +66 2 210 0216 Fax: +66 2 675 6696 office@austchamthailand.com www.austchamthailand.com
Another exciting aspect of technology is the future of automation and robotics. There are those who think that automation and robotics are going to be a massive destroyer of jobs, and others who think that in general humans respond to shifts in employment opportunities by creating new opportunities.
For more information on individual Board Member focus please visit www.austchamthailand.com/ boardmembers
Robotics and artificial intelligence will permeate wide segments of daily life, with huge implications for a range of industries such as health care, transport and logistics, customer service, and home maintenance – all significant activities in Thailand.
Editorial Committee Rananda Rich, Janna De Vos, Gary Woollacott Marketing & Production Scand-Media Corp. Ltd 4/41-42 Moo 3, Thanyakarn Village Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok Tel.: +66 2 943-7166/8 Fax: +66 2 943-7169 scandmedia@scandmedia.com Advertising Finn Balslev Email: finn@scandmedia.com Contributions to Advance magazine are welcome. Please submit content to communications@austchamthailand.com. Opinions expressed in Advance do not necessarily reflect the views of the Chamber.
AustChamThailand Advance
In the past, the question has always been “Where will the jobs come from?” and the answer was “I don’t know, but they will.” This was more a faith-based statement than a fact-based one, but whole new categories of jobs did in fact get created in the ’80s and ’90s. Still, a new Wall Street Journal poll finds that three out of four Americans think the next generation will be worse off than this generation, a very concerning trend. Why am I talking about this in the context of AustCham? Automation and robotics will have real world implications for how we all do business and, more importantly, how Government policy responds to these changes and challenges. It will have a significant impact on the social and operating fabric of this country (and of the entire world for that matter) which is more fragile than we
would like it to be, hence heightened risks. The countries that will be winners in the coming technological revolution will be those that help their citizens organize themselves to take advantage of new technologies. Countries that try to “protect” jobs or certain groups will find themselves falling behind. Hopfully the new BOI policy model is more suited to supporting this challenge, but we will need other supporting laws, regulations and mind set to follow in lock step – a big ask indeed. Changes in education will be especially necessary to help cope with a technological revolution. We currently still use an 18th-century education model developed to produce factory workers for the British industrialists, putting students into rows and columns and expecting them to learn facts. Let’s hope our leaders understand that a top down approach to managing this challenge will result in missing the boat. We need to free up our people and companies to be winners (and or losers) in working in the complexity of a rapidly changing operating environment. At AustCham, we will try to keep a focus on the developing policy framework unfolding in Thailand. A period of great policy opportunity and of great policy risk lies ahead. On a final note we are all very encouraged to witness the enforcement of the rule of law as this has a significant impact on investment confidence, cost of doing business and economic activity. (You can find an interesting study on this at http://www.pewinternet. org/2014/08/06/future-of-jobs/.)
Leigh Scott-Kemmis President, AustCham Thailand www.austchamthailand.com
September 2014
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business brief
Ten Surprising Social Media Statistics That Will Make You Rethink Your Social Strategy By Belle Beth Cooper
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f you’re managing social media for your business, it might be useful to know about some of the most surprising social media statistics this year. Here are 10 that might make you rethink the way you’re approaching social media.
1. THE FASTEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC ON TWITTER IS THE 55-64 YEAR AGE BRACKET • This demographic has grown 79 per cent since 2012. • The 45–54 year age bracket is the fastest growing demographic on both Facebook and Google+. • For Facebook, this group has jumped 46 per cent. • For Google+, 56 per cent. Those are impressive numbers against the prevailing idea that social media is “just for teenagers.” It certainly points to the importance of having a solid social media strategy if these age brackets fit into your target demographic. Rethink it: Keep older users in mind when using social media, particularly on these three platforms. Our age makes a difference to our taste and interests, so if you’re focusing on younger users with the content you post, you could be missing an important demographic.
2. 189 MILLION OF FACEBOOK’S USERS ARE “MOBILE ONLY”
lizing a platform with such a wide user base makes a lot of sense. Rethink it: If you’ve been putting off adding video to your strategy, now’s the time to give it a go. You could start small with simple five-minute videos explaining what your company does or introducing your team.
4. EVERY SECOND TWO NEW MEMBERS JOIN LINKEDIN
Not only does Facebook have millions of users who don’t access it from a desktop or laptop, but mobile use generates 30 per cent of Facebook’s ad revenue as well. This is a 7 per cent increase from the end of 2012 already.
LinkedIn, the social network for professionals, continues to grow every second. From groups to blogs to job listings, this platform is a rich source of information and conversation for professionals who want to connect to others in their industry.
Rethink it: There are probably more users accessing Facebook from mobile devices than you thought. It’s worth considering how your content displays on mobile devices and smaller screens before posting it, particularly if your target market is full of mobile users. Of course, make sure to make sharing to social media from mobile more straightforward.
Rethink it: LinkedIn is definitely worth paying attention to. In particular, this is a place where you may want to focus more on new users. Making your group or community a great source of information and a newbie-friendly space can help you to make the most out of the growing userbase.
3. YOUTUBE REACHES MORE U.S. ADULTS AGED 18-34 THAN ANY CABLE NETWORK Did you think TV was the best way to reach the masses? Well if you’re after 18–34 year olds in the U.S., you’ll have more luck reaching them through YouTube. Of course, one video won’t necessarily reach more viewers than a cable network could, but uti6
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Make sure you share consistently to your LinkedIn company page and profile by, for example, scheduling your posts.
5. SOCIAL MEDIA HAS OVERTAKEN PORN AS THE NO. 1 ACTIVITY ON THE WEB We all knew social media was popular, but this popular? Apparently it’s the most common thing we do online. So next time you AustChamThailand Advance
business brief
find yourself watching Kitten vs. Watermelon videos on Facebook, you can at least console yourself with the fact that the majority of people online right now are doing something similar.
means you can interrupt pretty much any part of their lives. Don’t forget that having a phone in your pocket all the time isn’t the same as being available all the time.
Social media carries more weight than ever. It’s clearly not a fad, or a phase. It continues to grow as a habit, and new platforms continue to appear and develop.
9. EVEN THOUGH 62 per cent OF MARKETERS BLOG OR PLAN TO BLOG IN 2013, ONLY 9 per cent OF US MARKETING COMPANIES EMPLOY A FULL-TIME BLOGGER
Rethink it: Putting time and effort into your social media strategy clearly makes sense in light of these stats. If you weren’t already serious about social media, you might want to give it a bit more of your time now.
6. LINKEDIN HAS A LOWER PERCENTAGE OF ACTIVE USERS THAN PINTEREST, GOOGLE+, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK Although LinkedIn is gathering new users at a fast rate, the number of active users is lower than most of the biggest social networks around. So more people are signing up, but they’re not participating. This means you’re probably not going to have as good a response with participatory content on LinkedIn, like contests or polls, as you might on Facebook or Twitter. Rethink it: If you’re hoping to get people involved, think about which platforms are best for that. Looking at the latest Twitter statistics and Facebook statistics, these platforms might be a better place for your contest or survey, while passive content like blog posts or slide decks might be just right for your LinkedIn audience.
7. 93 per cent OF MARKETERS USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS Only 7 per cent of marketers say they don’t use social media for their business. That means there are lots of people out there getting involved and managing a social media strategy. It’s becoming more common to include social media as part of an overall marketing budget or strategy, as opposed to when it was the outlier that no one wanted to spend time or money on. Rethink it: If you’re struggling to make your strategy work, or you just want some advice, you don’t have to go it alone. If 93 per cent of marketers are using social media for business, you can probably find someone to give you a hand. Plus, there are lots of blogs, videos and slide decks around to help you out. Be sure to find the right social media management tool for you to stay on top of everything.
8. 25 per cent OF SMARTPHONE OWNERS AGES 18-44 SAY THEY CAN’T RECALL THE LAST TIME THEIR SMARTPHONE WASN’T NEXT TO THEM It’s pretty clear that mobile is a growing space that we need to pay attention to. And we’ve all heard the cliché of smartphone owners who don’t want to let go of their phones, even for five minutes. Well, apparently that’s not too far from the truth. If 25 per cent of people aged 18–44 can’t remember not having their phone with them, there are probably very few times when they’re not connected to the web in some way. Rethink it: While you can reach people almost anytime, since they have their smartphones with them almost always, this also AustChamThailand Advance
Blogging is clearly a big focus for marketers who want to take advantage of social media and content marketing. This is great, because blogging for your business has lots of advantages: you can control your company blog, you can set the tone and use it to market your product, share company news or provide interesting information for your customers. With only 9 per cent of marketing companies hiring bloggers full-time, however, the pressure to produce high-quality content consistently will be a lot higher. What a lot of people struggle here is how to write the best headlines for your articles, when the best time is to publish posts and lots of other blogging questions that arise when people are starting out. (Of course, not all marketers work at marketing companies, but the stats are still interesting--how many companies in any industry can afford to hire--or already have--a full-time blogger?) Rethink it: If you don’t have (or can’t afford) a full-time blogger for your business, be aware that having a content strategy that requires consistently posting on your blog will mean a lot of work for your marketing team and/or other team members in your company to keep up that volume. This can work, it’s just important to realize how big a task it is to run with a full-time content strategy without a full-time content creator.
10. 25 per cent OF FACEBOOK USERS DON’T BOTHER WITH PRIVACY SETTINGS We’ve seen a lot of news about social media companies and privacy. Facebook itself has been in the news several times over privacy issues, Instagram users recently got in a kerfuffle over changing their terms of service, and the recent NSA news has seen people become more conscious of their privacy online. But despite these high-profile cases of security-conscious users pushing back against social networks and web services, Velocity Digital reports that 25 per cent of Facebook users don’t even look at their privacy settings. Rethink it: Assuming that all of your customers are thinking along the same lines could be a big mistake. Especially if you’re basing that on what you’ve heard or read in the tech news. Remember that your customers might have very different priorities than what you expect. Your social media strategy really comes down to what your goals are, and who your target customers are, but it doesn’t hurt to pay attention to the trends happening across the web. Hopefully these stats will help you to identify trends that will affect your strategy and adjust accordingly. Belle Beth Cooper is a Content Crafter at Buffer (https:// bufferapp.com) and Co-Founder of Hello Code (hellocode.co). You can follow Beth on Twitter at @BelleBethCooper. This article originally appeared on https://bufferapp.com. September 2014
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In Social Media Marketing, Who Owns Your Brand’s Voice? By Lisa Roolant
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one are the days when companies contemplated the benefits of engaging in real time, two-way conversations on social media. Even in 2012, 73 per cent of Fortune 500 companies were already active on Twitter. The journey toward building a brand that consumers trust is pursued through one steadfast principle: the ultimate humanization of the brand. Today, this journey takes place almost 100 per cent on social media. We often forget that behind every tweet, post, pin or hashtag are individuals: professionals crafting a brand’s identity across multiple platforms around the clock. In our increasingly digital lives, we expect to interact with companies and organizations as if we would with another human being — even if we don’t know with whom we’re talking. Social media and digital marketing pros are the purveyors of modern branding, and many are responsible for lifting the corporate veil and communicating directly with customers. From Nike’s persistently punchy tone to Tesla’s mastery of leveraging individuals within the company, we’ve seen countless successful approaches to brands building integrity online. But where does the voice of the person instigating the conversation end, and that of the brand itself begin? The role of the community manager is, just like the medium, relatively young and in flux. In fact, experts predicted that 2014 would mark the year the ‘social media manager’ silo would come crashing down and be resurrected as the ‘social media evangelist.’ Posting to the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn is swiftly becoming everyone’s responsibility at work. As brands, institutions and individuals continue to casually interact online, is it in a brand’s interest to be more or less transparent about the force behind their online presence? Speaking to social media managers at startups, agencies, cultural organizations and a global news company, we found out what it takes to drive the human voice behind a brand.
Building a brand’s anonymous voice “Social media is ultimately about a connection between people, and how well brands are willing to work with that philosophy is directly correlated to the effectiveness of their social media strategy,” says Kaye Toal, community manager at toy company
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Goldieblox, who aim to inspire the next generation of female innovators. “Whether the identity or personality of those behind a brand’s social media shine through depends on the brand itself.” In Toal’s work, that means instigating conversations about female empowerment on behalf of the brand in order to personify them as a thought leader. For an established company like Newsweek, efforts to craft a brand voice far precede the existence of social media— by about eight decades. And given that their product is delivering hard news, there’s a fine line between colloquialism and interfering with journalistic integrity when promoting on social media. Lainna Fader, who has guided Newsweek’s social strategy since the magazine’s February relaunch, realizes this means limiting her own personality. “We save humor for our @wisdomwatch account, and re-tweet it from @newsweek’s account to differentiate between editors’ jokes about the news, and straight news stories. But even though I don’t sign my tweets with my name or handle, I’m still accountable for everything that goes out.”
we expect to interact with companies and organizations as if we would with another human being— even if we don’t know with whom we’re talking. AustChamThailand Advance
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Meanwhile, many brands choose to be ultra-transparent about who is posting on their behalf. Virgin America social media managers, for example, insert their initials into a tweet, much like a byline. At designer fashion label Oscar de la Renta, Oscar PR Girl represents the brand like a sponsored evangelist, engaging on a personal level with her many followers on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. It’s often clear when companies pass their social media responsibilities to the newly hired intern. Companies that delegate their communications for the sake generating buzz run the risk of tarnishing their image, or ending up in a BuzzFeed list post for the wrong reasons. When Royal Dutch Airlines recently sent out a culturally insensitive tweet moments after the Netherlands’ defeat of Mexico in the World Cup, it became a prime example of how a brand’s image can turn sour in seconds. In the race for grabbing the audience’s attention, efforts to stay relevant and personable in real time can go catastrophically wrong.
Ianthe De Boeck, a social media manager working for Brussels’ leading fine art institution BOZAR, believes social branding should stay anonymous. “Though I live and breathe the brand identity of BOZAR, I find it difficult to see how I could let my own identity intertwine with the one I’m crafting for the Centre of Fine Arts,” she says. As the first ever social media manager to join the team, De Boeck’s greatest challenge was finding a way to balance high culture with commercialism so that it fits in with the colloquial tone of Twitter chat and Instagram contests. “A social media manager’s identity or personal voice shouldn’t really shine through unless they are famous or have a specific area of expertise,” says De Boeck. “But there is a difference between branding and customer service — when actively dealing with customers, it’s important to step away from anonymity. People want to know who they are complaining to and who is helping them.” As customers turn to social media to address brands, whether for complaints or praise, brand marketing and support teams must learn to share social platforms. And with more than a few cooks in the kitchen, the way in which brands position their social strategies is likely to change.
That’s not to say the responsibilities of a social media manager are meant to be too guarded either. Casual conversations by branded accounts are just as easily celebrated in the media, creating viral and ultimately humanizing moments for big brands.
So where does the line between anonymity and personality lie? “Unless you personally share the same goals and audience as your organization, it’s better to approach your content from an anonymous angle. Eventually, it might end up being a combination with your own voice as well, depending on the channels,” says Joanna Brenner, social media manager at Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. Working for an organization that reports data, numbers, and objective information, her everyday challenge is to craft content that’s engaging and shareable without straying from the company’s unbiased mission.
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Letting everyone have a play Just as once siloed departments converge on social media, the line between our professional and personal online lives is quickly blurring. While brands have traditionally feared opening up the floor to their employees, not doing so might mean missing out on a massive opportunity. More than ever, individuals are converging professional and personal conversations in their efforts to build and share their personal brands. Rather than shy away from this approach for fear of liabilities, employers should recognise the immense potential in activating their employees as their most direct brand ambassadors. Still, a staggering 48 per cent of organizations have done nothing to engage their employees on social, and 75 per cent of haven’t received any training on how to use it.
AustChamThailand Advance
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There’s a stigma associated with the social media manager (“Your job is to tweet and troll Facebook?”) that hasn’t entirely dissipated. But as the role evolves, the skillset of a social media marketer only continues to grow. In 2013, Indeed.com reported the growth of ‘social media manager’ roles dramatically declined to 50 per cent on their job site (compared to over 100 per cent in the previous year), though the number of jobs involving the use of social media increased by 89 per cent. As the big content machine churns 24/7 and brands master their new roles as digital publishers, social business infiltrates marketing, PR, and customer service departments. At the content-smart startup BarkBox, social media responsibilities are shared collectively across the organization. “We only hire people who are inherently into social media. This way it isn’t seen as a job, but just another way for us to interact with each other and our community,” says communications director Chris O’Brien.“We’re constantly pushing ourselves to be edgy, funny and interesting so we can instill the voice of the brand in new team members.”
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“My responsibilities continue to evolve in-step with the newsroom and the news climate,” Fader of Newsweek told us. “The job isn’t about just tweeting stories, or training reporters on social media basics. We’re working to cultivate healthy communities online around the stories we produce.” The social media professional’s role then becomes less about bringing the brand’s voice to each instant post, and more about cultivating an organization’s social media ecosystem. The job of the social media professional is becoming more integrated with every other company department. It’s becoming increasingly strategic. Increasingly managerial. And increasingly transparent. As employers and employees, we must all learn how to foster and encourage on-brand conversations that begin in the office. After all, a brand is only as powerful as the people in it, and its the collective efforts of individuals that will humanize its social identity. Lisa Roolant is the London-based Lead Strategist for audience.io, a New York and London based audience development company. To learn more about Lisa and audience.io, please visit www. audience.io. This post originally appeared on the Percolate blog.
AustChamThailand Advance
The Coffee Club 2014 AFL Grand Final Family Day Saturday 27 September, Grand Ballroom, Royal Orchid Sheraton
Bookings are now available EVENT PARTNER
EVENT SUPPORTERS
For more info please contact +66 2 210 0216 or visit us at www.austchamthailand.com
business brief
How Important is Internal Communication in My Business? By Kevin Bassett
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id you know that internal communication is reported as a key success factor for nearly 79 per cent of organisations? In other words, if you aren’t communicating well with your employees, chances are you’re missing an important strategic component in your business’s growth. And yet so many companies fall into this trap – even those who realise how important internal communication is. For many, a company’s communication falls into the fuzzy realms of marketing, advertising or PR, which are generally addressed to an external audience. Over the last ten years or so however, it has become commonly accepted that internal communication is as important as external communication. After all, if your own employees don’t believe what is written or said about your organisation, why should your customers? FEIEA’s (the Federation of Business Communicator Associations in Europe) recently announced headline results of its latest survey among nearly 5,000 practicing workplace communicators highlights the above findings of internal communications being a key success factor for 79 per cent of organisations. When Deloitte and Touche Human Capital conducted a survey among American CEOs who were asked which HR issues are very important to the success of the organisation, 95 per cent of them said “effective internal communication.” Simultaneously, only 22 per cent agreed that they thought it was being delivered effectively.
The lifeblood of your business Internal communication isn’t just a warm and fuzzy optional nicety. It’s the lifeblood of any organisation. Think of it like this: If blood of the right quality doesn’t circulate at just the right pressure and speed to all parts of the human body, those parts slow down and could stop working altogether. The body could then become sick and die. An organisation where communication doesn’t flow freely is no different. Internal communication isn’t limited to vision and mission statements from the top; it’s not just news releases publishing financial results or new product announcements; it’s not just internal or client newsletters, annual reports or video streamed messages to the troops. These are all important, but they form just a fraction of the communication and miscommunication that takes place every day in the workplace. Internal communication is written, spoken and non-verbal interaction among people in the organisation that get things done, for instance;
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• It takes co-operation to create a product or a new service • It takes collaboration to open up a new market • It takes teamwork to implement a strategy Effective internal communication helps the organisation to meet its objectives. It is the vital link that encourages everyone to deliver on their responsibilities. Communication is not just the language; it involves trust, relationships, control and delegation. It can be used to create transparency within the organisation and through this help in raising the morale and motivation of employees which tends to increase productivity. Internal communication also helps stimulate much-needed feedback from employees to top management. Some benefits could be listed as; • It provides information and encourages sharing by driving and supporting the organisation’s short-term and long-term goals and objectives. • It ensures that these initiatives are implemented and followed at a local level. • It ensures that knowledge sharing and communication processes are part of the daily workflow across all functions of the business. • It helps drive ownership and shared engagement. You probably know where you are in your organization when it comes to internal communications – would you say that your organization’s internal communications are effective? Kevin Bassett is a mobile communications specialist and the found and CEO of Floodgate Communications. For more information about Floodgate, please visit www.floodgate.co.za. This article was originally published on www.entrepreneurmag.co.za.
AustChamThailand Advance
Eric Kenso Ward, ISB Class of 1979
International School Bangkok Bringing out the superhero in each of us since 1951. www.isb.ac.th
Embassy news
Australia Shares Investigation System Software with Thai Customs
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he Australian Ambassador to Thailand Mr James Wise recently hosted a ceremony at his residence in Bangkok to recognise the provision of the Case Management Investigation System (CMIS) licences and five computers from the Australian Customs and Border Protection to the Thai Customs Department, represented by Mr Paisal Chuenjit, Deputy Director General and Mr Vichak Apiraknanthachai, Director of Investigation and Suppression Bureau. Australia has seen from past experience that access to a case management system like CMIS can enhance an agency’s information and intelligence reporting, as well as providing state of the art analytical and investigative support to operations. The CMIS is currently used by other Thai law enforcement agencies, including the Transnational Crime Coordination Centre (TCCC) at the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Headquarters, which is supported by the Australian 210x148.pdf 1 5/11/14 Federal 9:56 AM Police. Access will allow Thai Customs to collect and share information with partners,
enhancing the capability of Thai agencies to manage investigations and access intelligence relating to transnational crime. For more news from the Australian Embassy Bangkok, please visit www.thailand.embassy.gov.au
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community services
Voluntary English Teaching Saturday 16 August 2014, Baan Huay Mahad School, Rayong As part of the Community Services Programme, AustCham sponsors a number of schools in the provinces of Chonburi and Rayong, This month, AustCham staff and volunteers went to the Baan Huay Mahad School to teach and encourage the students to use English language. This exposes them to the English Language and also opens new doors for them to experience multi-cultural environments. No prior teaching experience is necessary. If this volunteering opportunity is of interest to you, please contact K. Sasipa at Sasipa@austchamthailand.com.
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Chamber Events
AustralianAlumni Business Networking The Secrets of Beauty and Wellness Wednesday 30 July 2014, VIE Hotel Rachathewi AustralianAlumni in conjunction with Blackmores hosted a special networking event with a focus on beauty and wellness. The event featured a talk by Dr Natthinee Sudhinaraset, skin specialist from Dr Natt Clinic, who advised the audience on how to keep skin looking young and beautiful. A delicious selection of foods and drinks were served as guests mingled with each other in a relaxed environment. We’d like to thank our Venue Sponsors, VIE Hotel Rachathewi, for their incredible support in holding this event. We’d also like to thank our AustralianAlumni Partner, Blackmores, for their continued to the AustralianAlumni network.
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AustChamThailand Advance
Chamber Events
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Chamber Events
All Chambers Bangkok Sundowners Wednesday 6 August 2014, the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn This August, AustCham held its annual All Chambers Sundowners at the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn. Members and friends were welcomed to the beautiful venue and enjoyed a selection of delicious drinks and canapĂŠs while mingling with each other. We would like to thank our Corporate Sponsors, NS BlueScope Thailand, for their support. We would also like to thank our Venue Sponsors, the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn, for their generous hospitality.
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Chamber Events
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1) Jörg Buck, GTCC Executive Director; Chris Thatcher, BCCT Vice Chairman; Alex Morrow, TCCC Executive Director; Judy Benn, AMCHAM Executive Director; Darren Buckley, AMCHAM President; Suwanich Kanjanakunya, Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn Bangkok; Sam McMahon, NS BlueScope, AustCham Vice President; Leigh Scott-Kemmis, Lee Hecht Harrison, AustCham President; Phongsakdi Chakshuvej, GTCC President; Dr Sutharm Valaisathien, BeluThai Chamber of Commerce President; Renee Bowman, AustCham Executive Director. 2) John Westoby, Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn Bangkok; Jonathon Glonek; Bangkok Fine Wine. 3) Kris Snidvongs, Thai International Moving & Storage; Kian O’Cleiry, Toll Logistics; Lynda Calver, Infinity Financial Solutions. 4) Thitiporn Kanchanavasutha, Kenya Airways; Somlert Maythapak, Aus Property Valuation. 5) Chris Michaelides; Ellen Boonstra, Thailand Digital Media; Jacqui Cuthbertson, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Bangkok; Simon Mahon, Lancaster Bangkok; Sally Hoare, Spice Roads Bike Tours. 6) Linda Belonje, KIS International School; Mhairi Beaton, Andovar; Katherine Aphaivongs, Marsh PB; Kathy Rougier, Marsh PB. 7) Ryan Brown, Eaton Vehicle Group; Asi Ooraikul, AECOM (Thailand); Gerard Jiravanichsakul, Sansiri PLC. 8) Sirisopa Tanbunpherum, KU DE TA (Thailand); Matthew Slater, ASALON Co.,Ltd; Ornpimol Peukam, AES Group; Andrew Adler, PPWM. 9) Achara Phattana-anunsuk, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok; Renee Bowman, AustCham Executive Director; Douglas Harrison, Bourbon Street Co.,Ltd; Ju Harrison, Bourbon Street Co.,Ltd.
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AUSTCHAM MEMBERS
AustCham Welcomes New Members Bangkok Golf Centre 571 RSU Building, 5th Fl Sukhumvit Soi 31, Klongton Nua Bangkok 10110 Phone: +662 259 6086 Fax: +662 259 6083 Email: sales@bkkgolfcentre.com Website: www.bkkgolfcentre.com
Go Holiday Tour Co.,Ltd 446/9 Soi 20 Mithuna Pracharatbampen Huaykwang, Bangkok 10310 Phone: +662 277 6000 Fax: +662 277 3399 Email: info@goholidaytour.com Website: www.goholidaytour.com
Representatives: Mr Shane Wilding Mr Matthew Wiltshire - General Manager/ Head Instructor
Representative Mr Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn - Managing Director
Company Profile: The best indoor golf centre in Asia. “World class indoor driving range fitted with the latest technology in swing and ball flight analysis. Complete with sand bunker, short game area and a proven 10 point swing system for total game improvement.” Products and Services: 1. Swing Analysis High tech simulators equipped with GC2 coupled with the Foresight Swing Catalyst software. 2. Club Fix The Premium club fitting experience. Build your clubs to suit your playing style and ability. Complete customized club fitting with over 35 renowned brands. 3. Putting Studio and SAM Putt Lab Putting studio equipped with the state of the art wireless technology, SAM Putt Lab, to give you a complete analysis of your putting play. 4. Short Game and Bunker A total golf experience encompassing a full size indoor chipping,pitching green and bunker. 5. Corporate Zone and VIP Room Four fully equipped corporate bays all installed with true to life golf course simulation featuring 14 if the worlds best championship courses.
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September 2014
Company Profile: Established in 1999, our company was built by experts of travelling and services. We have got IATA no.11/2024, and have started inbound business with Chinese, Taiwanese, Malasian, Hong Kong etc. After focusing on inbound business, our managements expanded our business outbound. We now have experts team and services around the world, in countries such as Thailand, China, Taiwan, Myanmar,Japan,Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Korea, Europe,Australia, Russia etc., We do Incentive groups, Technical visit, Relaxation, Honeymooners or Cruises.We are also a representative offices(BSP) of many airlines such as Vietjet, Spice Jet. Products and Services: Travelling all around the world
Herbert Smith Freehills (Thailand) Limited 1403 Abdulrahim Place 990 Rama IV Road, Bangkok 10500 Phone: +66 2 657 3888 Fax: +66 2 636 0657 Email: nawarat.tippawang@hsf.com Website: www.herbertsmithfreehills.com
Representatives: Mr Gavin Margetson - Partner Ms Janaki Tampi - Partner Company Profile: Herbert Smith Freehills is a leading international law firm with offices throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe. In Bangkok since 1998, we provide high quality, commercially aware legal advice on Thai and other laws, based on in-depth experience of Thai and international legal and business practice. Our clients include well-known agencies, multinational and local corporations, and financial institutions. We are widely known as one of Thailand’s leading disputes resolution specialists. Our expertise covers local and international arbitration, commercial, civil and criminal litigation, regulatory actions and prosecutions, tax and customs cases, and all others forms of dispute. Among a very broad range of business, we have sector expertise in construction and engineering, oil and gas, banking, insurance, and private and public international law. Herbert Smith Freehills has its head office in London with its Asian headquarters in Hong Kong. Other Asian offices are located in Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul and Jakarta (associated office). We also have offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Belfast, Madrid, Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, and New York. Products and Services: Legal services
AustChamThailand Advance
AUSTCHAM MEMBERS
Change of Company Name Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok 489 Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey Nua Wattana, Bangkok10110 Phone: +662 302 3333 Fax: +662 302 3344 Email: info.bangkok.blu@radisson.com Website: http://www.radissonblu.com/ plazahotel-bangkok
Mr Karl Martin, Strabag 558 Ratchadaphisek Road Bangkok 10310 Phone: +6683 586 1647 Email: karl.koch@strabag.com
Change of Representatives
Representatives: Mr Steven Ang Executive Assistant Manager - Sales & Marketing Ms Amita Wongwai - Assistant Director of Sales
Ms Jane Arghabhadra, Director of Marketing is a new representative of Shrewsbury International School.
TopTalentAsia change company name to en world Thailand Athenee Tower, 12th Floor 63 Wireless Road, Lumpini Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Phone: +662 106 8600 Fax: +662 654 0901 Change of Company Address AES Group Ltd 11th Floor Sorachai Building 23/7 Sukhumvit 63, Klongton-Nua Watthan, Bangkok 10110 Phone: +662 714 2000, 714 4310-12 Fax: +662 714 0440
AustCham Bronze Corporate Sponsor: ASIAN TIGERS MOBILITY
Company Profile: With an enviable location on central Sukhumvit Road, Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok is surrounded on all sides by the city’s major business headquarters. And at the nexus of Bangkok’s public transport systems, with the BTS sky train and MRT subway stations just 200m down the road and the airport rail link just one stop away, the quickest way of getting around the city is right at your door. Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok showcases 290 guest rooms and suites in an array of luxury, fashion-forward designs, with Business Class guests benefitting from the privileges of the executive lounge. The hotel’s seven restaurants and bars include Tuscany-inspired restaurant Attico and the intimate Wine Bar, both set against a backdrop of the city’s glittering skyline, as well the novel-concept B/Sharp lobby bar and B/Sweet dessert lounge. A whole floor is dedicated to fitness and wellbeing, with an outdoor pool and gym with city views, and the tranquil Spa Esc. Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok’s meeting facilities include a 420sqm contemporary, pillarless ballroom accommodating up to 400 guests, while The Suite caters for up to 150 with its own show kitchen, and 180sqm The Gallery is the perfect venue for more intimate cocktail receptions.
AustChamThailand Advance
September 2014
25
From the Chamber Office
Message from the Executive Director
S
ince its inception in 2004, Advance magazine has been a credible and newsworthy publication. With almost a hundred editions on our shelves, the magazine has become part of AustCham’s identity and a key channel through which we communicate with members. However as the flow and demand for information increases rapidly, AustCham has put a great deal of thought into how we can communicate with members faster and more efficiently in this digital age. In response, I am delighted to announce that from 1 November 2014, Advance will become a fortnightly electronic newsletter, replacing the monthly publication of Advance. Many of you will appreciate the reasons for moving from paper to online, however I acknowledge that others may not share the same enthusiasm for change. Advance online opens up a new world of advantages for AustCham members and sponsors. We will bring you the latest updates from the Board of Trade, the Board of Investment, the Australian Embassy Bangkok and other organisations from around the region. Advance online allows us to share more news and articles with you as well as relevant YouTube videos and TED talks. We’ll bring you full coverage from AustCham events including many more images instead of a select few. Members can also share their own news and updates with members via articles and videos. Sponsors and advertisers will benefit from viewers being able to click on advertisements directly linked to their website. Through the use of data analytics we can track the interests of members, enabling us to deliver more of what you want. Our system is also being upgraded to accommodate mobile users. This is a positive step towards efficient communication and greater knowledge and information sharing and I hope you will embrace the change with us. Later this month we bid farewell to a valuable member of the AustCham team; Janna
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September 2014
Calendar of Events Wednesday 3 September Bangkok Sundowners
18.00 – 21.00 Venue: Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel Community Service Sponsor: The Beaumont Partnership Foundation Tuesday 16 September ABF Express
07.45 – 09.00 Venue: Servcorp Park Venture Ecoplex Saturday 27 September The Coffee Club 2014 AFL Grand Final Family Day
De Vos. Over the past year Janna has drawn on her political economics background to provide valuable input for business events and produce high quality editorials for Advance. Janna leaves us to complete her studies and will no doubt relish the opportunity to talk further with members who are seeking an ambitious person with a diverse skill set. On other news, September kicks off two new fundraising campaigns for the Beaumont Partnership Foundation. AustCham aims to raise 1.5 million baht which will assist with student sponsorship and enable final completion of the ‘AustCham Community Hall’ at the Beaumont Ruam Pattana School. Members can donate via the AustCham website at their convenience or via two of AustCham’s biggest events; The Coffee Club AFL Grand Final Day on Saturday 27 September, or the 2014 AustCham Ball on Saturday 18 October. Please join AustCham in supporting education for the underprivileged.
09.00 – 15.00 Venue: Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel
Thank you to our August Sponsors
Warm Regards,
Renee Bowman Executive Director, AustCham Thailand www.austchamthailand.com
AustChamThailand Advance
A Centre of Excellence
The same is true of a child’s education.