BUSINESS BRIEFS

Government and business stakeholders meet to discuss the benefits of seaplanes to Thailand

Key stakeholders from the Thai government and business community met at Swissôtel Bangkok Ratchada on 13 June 2022 for a seminar to discuss the benefits of seaplanes to Thailand. The seminar was hosted by Siam Seaplane Co., Ltd., Thailand’s first high-standard seaplane service looking to launch its operations within 2022.

Transportation by seaplanes has proven to be a key transportation option in many markets, most famously in the Maldives for high-end tourism as well as in United States of America, Canada and Australia for transportation and logistics. Several South-East Asian countries are also actively pursuing seaplane operations or new seaplane regulations, such as Indonesia, and the Philippines. Meanwhile, Thailand is perfectly suited for seaplane operations for better connections— from premium tourism to freight, medical evacuations and other purposes.

The seminar was joined by government representatives from the Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), Marine Department, Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Rayong Provincial Authority Organisation, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), airline and aviation executives, prominent Thai hotel owners and developers, as well as various investors and business stakeholders.

The conclusions were unanimous — seaplanes can be operated safely and through a standardised model, and they can be monitored and regulated as per international recommendations. The Thai authorities, in close conjunction with the attending stakeholders and Siam Seaplane, are collaborating to ensure all processes and regulations are to be in place, in order for many benefits to be reaped.

More information: https://www.siamseaplane. com/news/thailand-seaplane-seminar

Vana Belle Koh Samui wins Haute Grandeur Excellence Award 2022

Vana Belle (“a beautiful jungle”), a magnificent Luxury Collection Resort in the top tier class of all Marriott hotels and resorts, is located on Samui Island, at the beautiful Chaweng Noi beach. Discovering the mythical theme of the Himavanta forest, where the surrounding tropical forest blends perfectly with the crystal-clear ocean of the Gulf of Thailand attracts many visitors. The resort’s epicurean activities such as Rum Experience and a variety of Thai food offerings as well as Thai boxing are also major attractions.

Vana Belle has received three awards of excellence from Haute Grandeur – Best All Suite Hotel in Asia, Best Beach Hotel in Asia, and Best Honeymoon Hotel in Thailand. Winning these awards has shown the excellent services in all levels.

“The Vana Belle family feels honoured to have received these awards of excellence from Haute Grandeur, especially at this time given the current the tourist situation as well as the rising competition in the hospitality industry. These awards reflect our principles of hard work, the effectiveness of our ambassadors and continuing success in the tourism sector. We consider ourselves the best resort in Koh Samui in terms of luxurious accommodation, sustainability and romantic atmosphere. Vana Belle is more than ready to welcome guests from all over the world and to share the joyful moments with loved ones” said Mr. Francois Poletti, General Manager of Vana Belle.

Schaeffler Thailand offers new products for high-quality vehicle maintenance

Schaeffler Thailand has introduced a new range of high-quality vehicle maintenance products under the “Schaeffler TruPower” brand. The new products include reliable and durable passenger car batteries, such as Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF) batteries, Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) batteries and Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries, for all passenger car types. Apart from batteries, the high performance Schaeffler TruPower lubricants and grease types complement vehicle maintenance efforts by providing better protection and lifetime extension of the engines, brakes, clutches, gears and boilers.

Through new collaboration with 12 distributors – Auto Business Corporation, CPS Automotive, Autoworld and Yonprakit (1996) for the central region, Global Asia Pacific and Srisiam Kolkarn for the eastern region, Ruamcharoen Wholesale for the north-east region, S.U.M. Group and Lo Heng Mong Trading for the western region, Nong Hoi Petroleum and Lampang N.T.S Part. for the northern region, and Certech Energy for the southern region – Schaeffler Thailand hopes to play a role in shaping the Automotive Aftermarket sector in Thailand as well as expand its business. More information is available at https://www.schaeffler.sg/en/news_media/press_releases/pressa_releases_detail. jsp?id=87839362

TÜV SÜD Thailand’s inauguration of its Battery and Automotive Components Testing Centre and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with TAI

TÜV SÜD Thailand, a leading automotive components certification, testing, auditing, inspection and training company and the wholly-owned subsidiary of TÜV SÜD Group, Germany, officially inaugurated its Battery and Automotive Components Testing Centre in Chonburi, Thailand on 19 July 2022.

This laboratory adds to the existing network of eight battery testing centres spread across North America, Germany and Asia. Spanning more than 3,000 m 2 , this integrated facility at the Amata City Chonburi Industrial Estate provides easy access to global expertise and local knowhow for addressing quality and safety requirements, a prerequisite for faster adoption of e-Mobility. Equipped to handle battery performance and lifecycle as well as environmental and durability testing to a name a few, this is TÜV SÜD’s second location in Thailand, the first one being at Pathum Thani, which has been catering to safety, quality, security and sustainability requirements of Thailand’s industries for more than 10 years.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)was also signed between the Thailand Automotive Institute (TAI) and TÜV SÜD to further strengthen the infrastructure and support for the automotive industry to comply with global standards such as R136 battery homologation testing. Under this MoU, TÜV SÜD will partner with TAI and co-operate with the laboratory at Sanam Chaiyakhet in Chachoengsao.

New managing partner and co-owner of Skywave Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

Skywave Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (SWT) welcomed Mr. Stefan Molnar as managing partner and co-owner, effective from 1 September 2022.

After a highly successful international management career in various countries for the Lufthansa Group, Mr. Molnar has decided to start a new, very different adventure with Skywave Technologies. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise, especially in sales and customer relations; combined with his energy, enthusiasm, and charismatic and hands-on personality, he will continue to maintain SWT’s journey of success. Moreover, the company is confident that he will take the company to a greater level of readiness for the business challenges of the future. The Chamber wishes him greatest success for his new journey.

Seasoned hotelier Mr. Adrian Rudin is appointed as the new general manager of Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok

Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Adrian Rudin as its new general manager, with regional responsibilities as Vice-President, Kempinski Hotels Operations, South-East Asia.

Mr. Rudin joins the Bangkok hotel from Beijing, where he has worked for the past decade, launching the new hotel brand NUO and, in his capacity as Vice-President, Asia, for the Kempinski group, overseeing the opening of Kempinski Bali, Singapore, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Jinan and Guangzhou hotels as well as the Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, the Universal Beijing Resort’s NUO hotel and Universal Grand Hotel. He has held senior positions with some of the world’s leading luxury hospitality brands, such as the Shangri-La Group, Mandarin Oriental and Peninsula Hotels. A Swiss national, he has a strong culinary background, rising through the ranks in food and beverages before moving into general management.

With a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry, and a commitment to providing unique and unparalleled guest experiences, Mr. Rudin is set to make Sindhorn Kempinski a wellness landmark in a place he knows well from his first stay here in 1998. “It is an honour to be part of this Kempinski flagship hotel in Bangkok, regarded as the world's most visited city,” he said. “I am thrilled to be here and I am looking forward to welcoming local and international guests to its only wellness city-resort style property,” he added.

EGS-plan’s new sustainable building project achieves a DGNB Gold award!

EGS-plan was contracted to consult the sustainability concept and supervise the implementation of the new Harn Engineering building in Bangkok. The project has received a DGNB Gold award from the German Sustainable Building Council (Deutsche Gesellschaft für nachhaltiges Bauen).

GTCC Executive Director Dr. Roland Wein delivered congratulatory remarks at the award session prior to a speech by Khun Thammanoon Tripetchr, CEO of Harn Engineering Solutions PCL, about the motivation of the building owner to design and certify the building according to DGNB requirements. Dr. Acharawan Chutarat, architect and lighting designer of Bioarchitek Co., Ltd., gave a talk on the architectural and sustainable design concept of the building.

Afterwards, the certificate was handed over by the Managing Director of EGS-plan Dr. Robert Himmler to Khun Thammanoon Tripetchr. Thanks are due to Dr. Jain Charnnarong, Executive Director of Harn Engineering Solutions PCL, for hosting the event and the invitations.

Following the ceremony, the group toured the building to appreciate the sustainability features such as a great thermal comfort, the daylight atrium, the communication spaces and the biophilic design.

OIA holds ground-breaking ceremony for another Pandora factory

OIA’s subsequent state-of-the-art, nature-bound project, “The Forest Factory,” for the world’s leading jewellery producer, Pandora, has been officially inaugurated.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held in traditional Brahman manner on site in Lamphun, Thailand, on 9 June 2022 at 9.09 a.m. Honorary attendees included OIA’s Managing Director Elmar Kleiner, Pandora’s Vice-President I&PD Lars Renz Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer Mr. Alexander Lasik, and Chief Supply Chain Officer and Managing Director Jeeraset Buranasamrit together with government officials and executives of the Saha Group.