Bangkok Business Brief - Volume 2, Issue 11 - Mid-October/November 2013 by Mango Mango Ltd. Part.

BANGKOK

BUSINESS BRIEF

Vol. No. 2, Issue No. 11

Mid-October/November 2013

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The future is now... part two By Noah Percy

Last month, we examined the effects of technology on current and future careers. This month, we look at how technology is changing the way we prepare for those careers.

Inside General Interest 2 Government/Economy 3 Finance/Investment 4 Production 5 Retail/Services 6 Tourism 7 Real Estate 8 IT/Comms 9 The Chambers 10 The Calendar 14

For many people during the 19th and 20th centuries, preparing for a career involved attending a university for an undergraduate degree and possibly a graduate degree in their chosen profession. The increasingly expensive university experience involved lectures, living in dormitories, and enjoying life as college student. Graduates from top universities then had a distinct advantage in their careers, based on the reputation of the university.

and education is not immune.

Enter the ‘MOOC.’ With the name coined in 2008, MOOCs, or Massive Open Online Courses, were born out of the Open Education Resources Movement and quickly became popular at an assortment of universities that tried them. Today, the three main players are Coursera, Udacity, and edX, with over four million enrolled students between them. The largest single course to date was an Udacity offering with over As technology has developed and 300,000 students. as we entered the digital era, various industries have been trans- There have been a number of formed by innovations like the significant developments in the smartphone and digital media, MOOC industry in the past few

weeks, leading the Washington Post to wonder whether this is the year (after the New York Times dubbed 2012 “The Year of the MOOC”) that MOOCs become truly mainstream. Momentum in the industry has been building over the past five years, but has picked up significant pace as higher education heavyweights such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford have not only joined the growing list of universities with online courses, but are now expanding their offerings. Just last week, Harvard, MIT, and Georgetown University announced that their free online course platform, Story continues on Page 12

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To read the full article of a story brief, enter the short code at the end of the story into your browser: a few days of mangrove reforestation, rural school construction or a one-time charity event. It has to be a long-term commitment. To achieve sustainable... Full story: http://goo.gl/PMN6SF

Challenge of inclusive Activists rally against FTA CSR goes beyond About 5,000 health, consumer and farmphilanthropy The idea of making money and doing good is not new. What remains new is the challenge: How can businesses prosper without leaving the planet and people behind? In other words, how can we achieve inclusive growth, not just economic growth? Now formally known as corporate social responsibility, the concept is going to be discussed in depth again during the CSR Asia Summit 2013 in Bangkok. The name is becoming an integral part of sensible business plans, particularly in major corporations whose image nowadays is strongly linked to their proven track records in social and environmental contributions. A marriage with a non-profit is the most common model sought out by companies. But there is more to CSR than

ing activists rallied to voice their concerns over possible adverse impacts from the free trade agreement being negotiated by Thailand and the European Union. Thai and EU officials are gathering in the northern capital for the second round of negotiations regarding the free trade deal, which covers a wide range of topics on trade and investment. The protesters, many of them health activists, demanded the FTA should not include intellectual property rights that go beyond already stringent World Trade Organisation obligations. Any deal beyond the WTO’s Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights would only reinforce monopolies by multi-national pharmaceutical companies, increase the price of medicines... Full story: http://goo.gl/FMPYaT

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...added that the company had set aside a significant investment budget of Bt200 million to Bt300 million for overseas expansion. Full story: http://goo.gl/bH6PF

Companies have to help themselves, while waiting for national plan Mitr Phol has collaborated with four universities to transfer their knowledge to value-added products, chairman Isara Vongkusolkit has said. Meanwhile at the national level, the Thai Chamber of Commerce has set up a unit to promote research and development among private companies. But as chairman of the chamber, which has more than 20,000 members across the country, Isara sees the necessity of a national agenda that also covers non-R&D areas if Thailand is to enhance its competitiveness on the international stage. “Pushing for awareness [of the need for improved] competitiveness is hard without joint cooperation. Yet while private companies are more flexible, the government is slow in making decisions,” he said at a conference sponsored by the Thailand Management Association. “For now, private companies have to help themselves; for instance, in the education field, as Thailand is investing more over-

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seas, we see that only 10 per cent of the workforce is ready to support this.” The TCC and the TMA are now in talks on hosting training programmes and exploring the possibility of introducing... Full story: http://goo.gl/a1P73m

Employers face talent war Hay Group, a global management consulting firm, expects demographic changes, digital lifestyles and individualisation to have a big impact on the global workforce. Demographic changes will bring great challenges for Thailand as a new era of slow population growth and a rapidly ageing society accompanied by Asean labour mobility mean that companies face a war for talent, its study shows. New recruits to the global workforce could be described as the most educated and tech-savvy workforce in the history of the world. “These employees, commonly referred to as Generation Y, have higher expectations in terms of salary, opportunities for growth, self-development and self-expression in work,” the Hay Group report said. “Non-standard biographies... Full story: http://goo.gl/P3zQgB

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Briefs 3

Mid-October/November 2013

General Inte

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Start-ups jump 19% in 8 months; closures down

In spite of many risk factors, new business start-ups in the first eight months of the year surged 19 per cent to 49,115 from 41,261 in the same period last year, while closures fell 4 per cent to 8,039 from 8,333. “The rising number of new firms and a drop in business closures clearly show that enterprises still have high confidence in the economy’s fundamentals. The government’s policies to promote small and medium-sized enterprises have promoted growth,” Deputy Commerce Minister Natthawut Saikuar said. The Business Development Department forecasts business openings soaring beyond 70,000 this full year. However, many negative factors remain that could stall decisions to launch a business this year, chiefly slowing global economic growth, rising fuel prices and fluctuating exchange rates. The delays in the government’s Bt350billion water-management project and Bt2-trillion infrastructure-development project are also being closely monitored... Full story: http://goo.gl/ebyfDP

Benja opposes luxury duty cuts A proposal to cut import duty on luxury goods has hit a wall after Deputy Finance Minister Benja Louichareon said the move would hurt Thai manufacturers. She said she had confirmed her stance with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong during a meeting. Mrs Benja disagreed with cutting import duty from 30% to 5% or even zero, as there is no guarantee that sellers would cut product prices following the tax reductions. Manufacturers of air-conditioning units did not reduce prices even though the Excise Department cut the tax from 10% to zero, she said. The idea of cutting import duty on luxury items was announced by finance permanent secretary Areepong Bhoocha-oom with the aim of promoting Thailand as a shopping paradise for travellers and even Thais who now shop in places such as Hong Kong. The proposal has received a mixed response from local operators... Full story: http://goo.gl/i1B74I

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...added that the set aside a signi company had budget of Bt20 ficant investment million for over0 million to Bt300 seas expansion Full story at http: . //goo.gl/bH6PF

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Government / Economy

December 20 11

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Weak baht here to stay until year-end

China, Asia’s largest economy, has also been slowing and showing signs of a hard landing. At the same time, the US Federal Reserve will scale down its stimulus measures and the eurozone debt crisis has prolonged. Japan’s stimulus measures are also expected to take longer than expected to come into fruition. “The US shows signs of recovery but the growth rate from now is moderate in... Full story: http://goo.gl/dVhAxA

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Taiwan pushes for Thai trade deal Taiwan, already ranked third among foreign investors here, is mobilising efforts to form a bilateral economic partnership with Thailand, noting that such an agreement would also boost Thai trade and investment with China. Berton Chiu, adviser and director of the economic division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, said his office has already convinced government officials and the private sector of the benefits of a bilateral economic partnership with his country. Singapore is now the only Asean member to enter negotiations for such a partnership with the country. Three years ago, Taiwan and China established the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, covering investment and services. The two partners want to expand Ecfa to include trade, hopefully by year-end or in 2014, said Mr Chiu. He said Thailand could enjoy greater access to China via Ecfa if it has a bilateral... Full story: http://goo.gl/MU3B3X

Banks back megaproject bill The government plans to borrow 60% of the money required for its 2-trillion-baht infrastructure megaprojects from local financial sources and the remaining 40% from issuing US-dollar bonds. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra asked bankers to support the bill. She assured bankers that the investment will begin next year and the 40% ratio of foreign borrowing... Full story: http://goo.gl/kJ0FRJ

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Mid-October/November 2013

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Enter Myanmar with care: Piya

Foreigners doing businesses in Myanmar should not believe everything they hear, especially if it sounds too good to be true, said Piya Sosothikul, executive director of Seacon Group, manufacturer of Nangyang footwear and Thai Churos monosodium glutamate. Some industries do not need to be the first movers, but can just wait and observe, Piya said. Piya, who has been doing business in Myanmar for more than 40 years, said risk management should be one of the top priorities of foreign business players, as they will confront many risks when dealing with business practices in that country. These risks include living standards, the cost of living faced by foreigners, food, social unrest, political instability and religious conflict. There is not even a trademark law yet. “There will always be loopholes such as non-tariff barriers, even

To read the full article of a story brief, enter the short code at the end of the story into your browser: if there are written national agreements. Foreign businesspeople then need to ask themselves what they are bringing to the deal, and to what advantage. Why does the market or partner need them, and why are they better than competitors?”... Full story: http://goo.gl/WRZTp2

Thailand is door to Asean: Jetro Many global investors are eyeing growing markets and economies in Asean countries and Thailand is definitely the hub of the Mekong region, so more Japanese are looking here – and expanding into neighbouring countries, according Setsuo Iuchi, president of the Japan External Trade Organisation Bangkok. He added that Thailand had developed a lot and has many factories for many industries. But at the same time, Thailand was seeing some labour shortage and rising labour costs, while there are growing markets in neighbouring countries. So many investors were looking at opportunities to use Thailand to expand to neighbouring countries. “Many companies are looking for opportunities in the growing markets and Viet-

...added that the company had set aside a significant investment budget of Bt200 million to Bt300 million for overseas expansion. Full story: http://goo.gl/bH6PF

nam has nearly 100 million people. Indonesia has 240 million people and their incomes are increasing. So we see the opportunities. At the same time Thailand has attracted a steady inflow of investment from Japan. Last year we saw a big increase because of the recovery from the floods and expansion. At the same time this year we may see some steady inflow [of investment],” he said. When talking about the expanded economic region, including the AEC, Japanese investors... Full story: http://goo.gl/CF3WOd

As Thailand enters recession, companies should prepare for tax audit

Thailand has entered a recession, and whether it can be considered “technical” or not, it could mean that tax collections fall over the short term as businesses and consumers start to pull back on spending. This is supported by recent statistics issued by the Revenue Department. While January saw revenue collections come in at an unexpectedly high rate of 11.7% over forecast, since then they have increasingly fallen short of annualised forecasts during five of the past six months. The

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recent fall-off has been attributed mainly to reductions in collection of value-added tax. This is leaving some to speculate that a VAT increase may be in the works... Full story: http://goo.gl/IlFoJS

Singapore beckons top Thai gold traders to set up there Singapore has been trying to persuade Thailand’s top five gold traders to establish footholds in the city-state as it aims to become a centre for gold-price referencing in Southeast Asia before the AEC takes shape in 2015. Nuttapong Hirunyasiri, MD of MTS Gold Futures, said the Singaporean government had dispatched a team to Thailand to offer relaxed regulations and tax incentives to traders who open offices in that country. It wants to become a reference centre for gold prices. “Thailand’s gold market has become bigger and better known in the past few years. It’s ranked third in Asia. [Thai] gold traders also want to upgrade themselves to international standards,” Nuttapong said. MTS Gold will wait and see if the Bank of Thailand imposes stringent controls on the gold trade, possibly... Full story: http://goo.gl/9kx2Mz

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Mid-October/November 2013

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Coke launches special Thailand campaign with nicknames

Thailand is the first country in Asia to see Coca-Cola’s new “Be Fizzy, Be Bold, Share a Coke” campaign in which people’s nicknames and their expressions are printed on 250 million cans and bottles of Coca-Cola. The campaign is aimed at encouraging young Thais to express their feelings and connect with one another but, more important as far as the company is concerned, inspire them to connect with the Coca-Cola brand and drink more Coke. “We are fully confident of continuing to grow our sales momentum and marketshare leadership. We are leading every segment in the sparkling-beverage category,” said Konstantinos Delialis, marketing director of Coca-Cola (Thailand), in his first interview with local media. Delialis, a Greek national, has been in Thailand for more than a year. He said more than 80 nicknames and 10 expressions, such as “Kon Naa-rak”, “Kon Jing-jai”, “Kon Pised”, “Kon Suay”, and “Kon Lor”, had been chosen by Coca-Cola to print on its... Full story: http://goo.gl/RTrfQZ

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Bamboo proves a hit with Lampang community

because it serves as a raw material, grows quickly and can help prevent soil erosion. The merchandise ranges from chopsticks to handicrafts. The production waste can be converted into charcoal briquettes for household use and for sale. The community has added 100 rai of land a year to its existing bamboo plantation of 3,500 rai. The plantation earns the enterprise Bt200,000-300,000 a month and creates jobs for the community. The enterprise uses two tonnes of bamboo waste a day to generate 70 kilowatts from the plant, which is on a trial run. A power purchase contract already been signed with the Provincial Electricity Authority, but the plant is still waiting for a permit from the Industrial Works Department to commence commercial... Full story: http://goo.gl/1F5ISS

Condom giant sees glowing AEC future

Applicants queue for solar roof licences

Thai Nippon Rubber Industry, one of the world’s largest condom producers, expects the AEC to help it double its turnover in five years. But TNR is also seeking to expand its sales with new products and is eyeing the trend for glow-in-the-dark contraceptives as well as coffee-flavoured condoms. TNR is also keen to expand its markets with new technology and marketing approaches, he added. Luminous condoms are a key trend, although TNR currently lacks the technology to produce them, he said.

With great expectations that solar rooftops will become the next promising energy sector, more than 1,000 applicants queued for licences in Bangkok. Applicants went to the headquarters of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority on Phloenchit Road and of the Provincial Electricity Authority on Ngam Wong Wan Road. The Energy Ministry is accepting private sector proposals for solar rooftop licences until Oct 11 for nationwide projects with a combined capacity of 200 megawatts. Half the licences will be for the residential sector, with the rest for factories and commercial buildings.

But TNR can already make spiral condoms, popular in Japan, and will launch a spiral One Touch sheaf as early as October. In Latin America, the trend is coffee flavours, he added. In addition, TNR is looking to win younger markets for its own One Touch brand, sold in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, said Mr Pisut. “Our ongoing efforts are aimed at lowering the age demography of customers,” he said. Consumers tend to stick with well-known brands regardless of cost, but One Touch is associated... Full story: http://goo.gl/DL1Kro

...added that the set aside a signi company had budget of Bt20 ficant investment million for over0 million to Bt300 seas expansion Full story at http: . //goo.gl/bH6PF

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Nature and life in JuliusCaesar. 1997-98 wa are cyclical _ INFORMATION the impact of s a blessing, as the mains seasons of the yea 2008 would ha above the Europ the phases of the r, life and death, far worse ve been ean average. for mo the 02 653 1971 http://goo.gl/o on, the tides. region,” Azma Caught up in da zbNM n In Ind ily details, we eas Mokhtar, the managing ily forget that director rough ia, China and Thailand, Asia stands to the business wo - of Khazanah Nasional of Malaysia, tio ly 12 percent of the populahas cycles, too. rld told the CI n contribute to We are all fam MB Asean Confe gain from W a pension, while iliar with the econo rence. the we mi aknesses of Th slowdown est of expansion, con c business cycle His comme ailand’s pensio n system are... nts were... traction and recov ery. However, Full story at htt Full story at htt The shift of eco other cyclical p://goo.gl/dfu2 nomic growth p:/ /go ph o.g en l/rtpH3 u om ena affect... momentum to the Thailand near Preventing up numerous East has opened Full story at http://goo.gl/fJ to p opportunities olr of list of wor that Asian countries Bangkok from out, suggests an should not miss Panel: Asia bett weakest pensld’s sinking bigges economist. io off, not immun er n t systems: stud challenge The robust eco y from global cr e, no Greece, India, Ch Land subsidence China and em mic growth of is es ina and Thailand erging eco caused by groun The Pa Pang Enterprise inA LUMPUR : The As are home to the nomies KUAL water losses top will Community d open a new weake s ian cri- pensi on systems in st national lems that must the list of probAsian economi opportunity for sis in the late 1990s was a wa es toexample be the Lampang sets a good for the kesol inc cal up ved wo l rea for in rld cri se Ba , the region that pp their wealth from tra has turned eig led by a mix of acute sover- kok to mitigate the impact ngde in goods an out to be of the n debt, young climate change ser a blessing in d vices at a tim village by Sta making substantial income retireme disgu e wh on flo tes and Europe en the United nearly 15 years later, as the reg ise high ratios of pensioners nt ages, a study by multinati oding, says are... ion’s ers and onal agencies. to workfinancial sector Full sto poor from turning bamboo trees into many is ry at http://go o.gl/S65D6 able to sustain now strong and study showe pension take-up, a The conclusion is a d. cer tai n de gre contained in of sho e Gro cks from the fal products and using the leftover its w wit a report entitl h th lout in the Th ed e flowto fuel Western Hemi e Allianz Glob and Adaptation “Climate Risks of sphere, accord cy cl al es Inv to a pa power plant. The community switched tonellist at a recen ing sion Sustainability estors Pen- Megacities”, joi in Asian Coastal ntly conducted Index, which t Asean tracks ‘There is a tid conference. by the e in the affair Asian Develop the relati s men, whichmany of planting bamboo years ago from ity of nationa ve sustainabil- Internation ment Bank, the Japan , taken at the l al pe flo Co nsi od, “There wi leads on to for operation Agenc on systems and in 44 ll tun cou y be more crises e”, wr the World Bank ntries around the ote Wil- fut corn and cassava. Virat Srikong, chairin the in 2010. wo ure, and the Asian crisis in showed the number of Greek rld, tir reees to people of man of the com-munity enterprise, said working age re- The report recommended a... Full story at htt p://goo.gl/20yMD the community was attracted to bamboo

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Production

December 20 11

The ministry recently increased its 2020 target for solar power to 3,000 MW from 2,000 MW due to its lower costs and clean energy. Direk Lavansiri, chairman of the Energy Regulatory Commission, said the two electricity authorities will announce qualified applicants for the programme after mid-October. The power tariff for the solar rooftop programme is set at 6.96 baht per kilowatt-hour for household projects with... Full story: http://goo.gl/9IpDkQ

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Mid-October/November 2013

Briefs Retail/Services

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Tough market for used car dealers Used-car dealers are facing a tough situation due to the intense competition within the new-car market, with more potential buyers shifting towards new rather than second-hand vehicles because of the attractive promotions on offer. Somchai Trakulpirom, general manager of Master Certified Used Cars, said used-car dealers needed to adapt their strategies to survive the difficult market situation. “Although total new-car sales in the first seven months of the year showed growth, there is a clear trend that the new-car market is shrinking,” he said. “This would force major auto companies to fight even harder to win customers, and many potential used-car buyers would switch over to purchasing new cars instead because of the highly attractive promotions. So far, we have sold 883 used vehicles this

To read the full article of a story brief, enter the short code at the end of the story into your browser: year, and by year-end the best we could do would be about 1,180 units,” he said... Full story: http://goo.gl/F78AO7

Major getting ready for screen test Veteran Jim Patterson has worked in the cinema industry in seven countries and has seen all the problems facing the business. Indonesia, for example, has a monopoly on all 21 cinemas. In Malaysia, one big player keeps prices down, making it difficult for others to compete. Rents in Myanmar have skyrocketed in the last two years and it is hard to find a good location with a reasonable rent. In Thailand, cinema operators do not have to worry about bureaucracy such as government permits. More importantly, Thais like to see movies. For Mr Patterson, director of business development at Major Cineplex Group, a big challenge is that some Hollywood films do not work well with Thai moviegoers. The process prior to screening movies includes signing contracts with distributors on how many screens the movie will be aired on. Trailers are shown, but... Full story: http://goo.gl/qEnRMC

...added that the company had set aside a significant investment budget of Bt200 million to Bt300 million for overseas expansion. Full story: http://goo.gl/bH6PF

Nok Air has Vietnam in sights

Vietnam is looming large on Nok Air’s radar screen under its international revival now that it has established a foothold Myanmar. Executives of the budget carrier said it is keen to embark on daily flights from its Bangkok base to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City next year. “Vietnam is our next descent, likely around mid-2014,” Chief Financial Officer Vitai Ratanakorn told the Bangkok Post. The SET-listed airline resumed international service on Sept 1 after a five-year hiatus, offering short hops between Mae Sot in Tak province and Myanmar’s Mawlamyine. Two other routes to the neighbouring country _ Mae Sot-Yangon and Bangkok-Yangon _ will be introduced Oct 1 and Nov 1, respectively. Nok Air has focused on expanding its domestic service since 2008, when it... Full story: http://goo.gl/P7Z8ch

Pan Am launches Thailand flight school Pan Am International Flight Academy, which was recently acquired by Japan’s ANA, has agreed to set up a pilot training facility in Thailand. A deal penned with Bangkok’s Assumption University will see the launch of the Thailand Opening Simulator Training Center at Assumption’s Suvarnabhumi Campus, close to Bangkok’s main international airport. “Pan Am is excited to work with the leading University in Thailand on this visionary project,” the company said in a statement. “The university’s commitment to develop a centre for aviation education in Thailand to serve the youth and airlines of the region corresponds with Pan Am’s vision for Thailand and Asia.” In addition to Assumption University’s existing Airbus 320 simulator, Pan Am... Full story: http://goo.gl/XMGyK9

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TAA extends China routes by launching Kunming service Thai AirAsia is resuming its expansion into China after a one-year break to consolidate its position over the ThailandChina skies. Thailand’s largest low-cost carrier announced the launch of its eighth Chinese destination, Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in southwest China. The launch of the daily flight, slated for Nov 15, will make TAA the first no-frills carrier to operate on the Bangkok-Kunming route, which is already served by full-service airlines Thai Airways International and China Eastern Airlines. The last Chinese city to which TAA inaugurated services was Xian on Nov 16 last year. The airline may link 3-4 more Chinese cities with Thailand over the next year, TAA chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld told the Bangkok Post. He declined to name the cities but said they would be within flying range of the airline’s A320 jets. The absence of new Chinese destinations over the last year did not mean... Full story: http://goo.gl/SFRk7k

Jag F-Type roars into Thailand The Jaguar F-Type, which was first unveiled in Paris almost a year ago, has now arrived in Thailand, with prices ranging from Bt8.5 million to Bt10.75 million. “Jaguar is a founder member of the sports car segment with a rich sporting bloodline stretching over 75 years, and in the F-Type we’ve reignited that flame,” said Global Brand director Adrian Hallmark. “The F-Type isn’t designed to be like anyone else’s sports car. It’s a Jaguar sports car – ultra-precise, powerful, sensual and, most of all, it feels alive.” The engineering concept of the F-Type is centered on Jaguar’s industry-leading expertise in the use of aluminium. A large amount of... Full story: http://goo.gl/eEn18t

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Most visitors are from nearby Malaysia, while many others are from Singapore and China. Mr Panu said the number of foreign visitors should increase as more... Full story: http://goo.gl/3aDTcu

Duty cuts to make Thailand a shopping paradise Thailand is on its way to becoming a shopping mecca like Hong Kong and Singapore, as the Cabinet is expected to cut import duties on designer goods in a couple months. “The government has a policy for Thailand to be a shopping paradise so it will reduce the tax on luxury imports to a competitive level with other countries like Singapore and Hong Kong, which have zero tariff on luxury goods like perfumes and cosmetics,” Areepong Bhoocha-oom, permanent secretary at the Finance Ministry, said. Lower customs taxes on luxury goods, which local shopping-mall operators have been waiting for years, could draw more foreign visitors and spur domestic spending. The ministry’s move comes as the economy braces for low exports and declining domestic spending. With delayed government projects, the tourism industry, expecting 26.2 million foreign arrivals this year, is now the only promising economic engine. “But Thailand still subjects such goods to 30-per-cent duties. If tourists come to Thailand and can purchase all they want here, it would boost spending per tourist... Full story: http://goo.gl/64xJLP

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Singapore adapts to intensifying regional competition for tourists

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Full-moon-party mecca looks for sustainable growth model

Haad Rin Beach on Koh Pha-ngan was packed with foreign revellers for a fullmoon party. Even amid rains and storm, the white-sand beach remains a party paradise for tourists around the world. The wild party with more than 20,000 people started early. Many of the revellers showed up with painted faces and bodies. As they turned up the volume of the music, more tourists flocked in with drinks in their hands. Some jumped up on the stage to move their hips to the music. C

This was the 32nd year of the full-moon party. This southern island off the Gulf of Thailand has carved a niche for itself on the tourism map, bringing economic vitality to the local community with tourism revenue of more than Bt10 billion in 2012 through job creation and tourismrelated business growth. During the peak season, the number of night party-goers is estimated to double and reach 100,000 for New Year celebrations. However, its rapid growth in the past 18 years has created a headache, too. Thanyah Phoolsawad, president of Koh Pha-ngan Hotels Association, said that it was clear the island was growing without any direction. It’s plagued by problems of spoiled... Full story: http://goo.gl/eZMG6u MY

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“We are really an open country. We do not see any huge impact from the AEC, but higher competition in the region, especially in tourism sector, from major cities in the region,” Loo said. She added that international tourists these days were looking for attractions they could not find at home. “We want to make sure we can cater to that market.” Loo said the Singapore Tourism Board over the past two years had adopted a “visitor-centric Dream GYM A5_c.pdf marketing approach”, meaning different markets would be approached differently. “Under this approach, we have focused on doing market studies in different... Full story: http://goo.gl/14cjH0

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Violence in some parts of Thailand’s southern provinces may have disrupted many businesses, but Hat Yai, the biggest city in the region, has escaped relatively unscathed. Indeed, there is even an attempt to turn the city in Songkhla province into a meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions destination in order to raise tourism-related revenue. The city now has proper facilities to support the growth of the Mice sector, especially the 400-million-baht Hat Yai International Convention Center, say local experts. “Hat Yai last year welcomed more than 2 million tourists including Mice visitors. They generated some 25 billion baht in tourism income,” said Panu Woramit, director of the Songkhla office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

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Nature and life in JuliusCaesar. 1997-98 wa are cyclical _ the impact of s a blessing, as the mains seasons of the yea 2008 would ha above the Europ the phases of the r, life and death, far worse ve been ean average. for the region, mo http://goo.gl/o on, the tides. ” Azman In Caught up in da zbNM India, China ily details, we eas Mokhtar, the managing and Thailand, ily forget that dir ect of or Kh Asia stands to rou aza ghly 12 percent nah the business wo of has cycles, too. rld told the CI Nasional of Malaysia, tion contribute to a the populaWe are all fam MB Asean Confe gain from W pension, while iliar with the econo rence. the we es t mi ak c ne bu sse sin s ess of cycle His com slowdown of expansion, con sion system are Thailand’s penments were... ... covery. Howe traction and re- Full story Full story at htt The shift of eco ver, other cyc at http://goo.gl/d nomic growth p:/ /goo.gl/rtpH3 lic ph al fu2 en u om ena affect... momentum to the Thailand near Preventing up numerous East has opened Full story at http://goo.gl/fJ to p opportunities olr of list of wor that Asian countries Bangkok from out, suggests an should not miss Panel: Asia bett weakest pensld’s sinking bigges economist. io off, not immun er n t systems: stud challenge The robust eco y from global cr e, no Greece, India, Ch Land subsidence China and em mic growth of is es ina and Thailand erging economi caused by gro are home to the will open a ne es KUALA LUMPUR : The As weakest nationa water losses tops the list of und w ian criTHE - pensiIDEAL FOR CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING l pro on systemsVENUE Asian economi opportunity for sis in the late 1990WE s was aARE in the world lems that must be solved in Ba bwa es to increase Singapore has been shifting its tourism kecal up l for cri , kok to mitig the region that ppled by a mix their ngwealth from tra ate OTHER ha of acutePARTIES s turned eign EMPLOYEE the impact ofFUNCTIONS de in goods an out to be EVENTS, AND sov erthe de cli ser a d bt, young retire mate change on vices at blessing in dis a time wh strategy to Stadeal effectively with intense me gu flo tes and Europe en the United nearly 15 years later, as the reg ise high ratios of pensioners nt ages, a study by multinati oding, says are... ion’s ers and onal agencies. to workfinancial sector ll sto po competitionFuin the especially from is no or ry atregion, pe w nsi str http://goo.g your employeesonfor We’ll provide you with ong an takall e-up, a The d l/S65D6 able to sustain a Reward conclusion is certain degree study showed. containe shocks fromtheir GrowKong, Thailand, Hong South Koreaof and with th work and achievements a report enSIGNIFICANT the falhard titled “Climate d in DISCOUNTS lout in the e fl ow We ste Th rn e Allianz Glob Risks Hemisphere, acc and Adaptation of cy cl al es Inv in Asian ording anfun team building estors Pen- Me to a panellist by putting on our normal Japan. Ashlynn Loo, Singapore Tourism Coastal drinks menu Sustaina gac at a recent As onsio ‘There is a tid ean tracks the bility Index, which Asian ities”, jointly conducted by the conference. e in the affair De rel vel ative sustaina event at THE your event. s of men,director nt Bank, thefor Board area and which, tak for Thailand bil- Internation opmeprices ity ofSPORTSMAN. Japan national al leads on to for en at the flood, “There wi in 44 countries pension systems and the Wo Cooperation Agency ll be more crises e”, wroteof aro rld Myanmar, said the tun launch un Wil-low-cost Ba d nk in the in the future, and the 201 wo Asian crisis in showed the number of Greek rld, We are also 0.able to organise and run tir to people re- The report carriers in the region allowed people to of wo recommended All food can ees be chosen from our rking age re- Full story a... POOL AND at http://goo.gl/2DARTS competitions, 0yMD travel easily. extensive menu of delicious

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three years after the rise in demand for property, including office, retail, hotel and residential, when the ASEAN Economic Community becomes effective in 2015,” Sunthorn Arunanondchai, president and chief executive officer, told a press conference yesterday.

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Ratchada-Rama IXAsoke triangle sees condo boom

From Ratchadaphisek Road to Rama IX junction, through to Asoke, is a popular location for middle- to upper-segment condominiums in the Bt2 million-Bt10 million price range, following the construction of new office buildings in the area, a survey by The Nation found. Rama IX junction alone has four condominium projects under development, worth more than Bt10 billion combined: the Grand Rama 9 by G Land Group; the Condolette Midst Rama 9 by Pruksa Real Estate; Ananda Development’s Ideo Mobi Rama 9; and AP’s Rhythm Asoke. The same location already has the Lumpini Place Rama 9 by LPN Development, and Areeya Property’s A Space Rama 9. This makes a total of more than 1,000 units in that area. Meanwhile, Ratchadaphisek to Rama IX junction up to Asoke is also witnessing a number of condominium launches and new office-building investment worth more than Bt200 billion combined. For example, the head offices of American International Assurance, the Stock Exchange of Thailand and Central – plus a department store – are under... Full story: http://goo.gl/HrvMGX

CP Land earmarks Bt20bn for development up to 2017

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Mid-October/November 2013

CP Land, a property arm of Charoen Pokphand Group, plans to invest more than Bt20 billion until 2017 to develop both residential and commercial properties in Thailand and Asean. “We plan aggressive investment this year and the next

Besides condominiums, it sets its sights on hotels, office buildings and retail centres to generate rental income. Up to Bt10 billion will be used to develop or take over up to 10 hotels in Bangkok and upcountry during the five-year period. Negotiations are under way and two deals worth Bt3 billion should be revealed this year in major provinces including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Phitsanulok and Hat Yai. At least three office buildings will be developed worth a total of Bt1.2 billion from 201314. Two will be in the Northeast – Khon... Full story: http://goo.gl/sFOA9f

Deflection concerns delay transfer of condo units Amid recent concerns about the quality of construction, more condominium buyers are opting to delay the transfer of their units during the second half of the year, property developers say. The trend follows the case of a Sansiri customer at the Base Sukhumvit 77 condominium, who complained about the quality of a unit in which there was a deflection problem as a result of the construction process. Deflection is the degree to which a structural element is displaced under a load. With the listed developer having stated its readiness to solve the problem, a number of other condo buyers in projects operated by a host of property developers are now concerned about the quality of the their own units in terms of excessive deflection – with most them willing to pay for a professional investigation of their property before accepting its transfer. “Our number of customers has risen by

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...added that the company had set aside a significant investment budget of Bt200 million to Bt300 million for overseas expansion. Full story: http://goo.gl/bH6PF

15 per cent since the Sansiri case,” said... Full story: http://goo.gl/c8VunU

Building for the ages In the wake of reports that some housing projects used substandard construction materials, several consumers are pinning their hopes on the Consumer Protection Board. But in fact the CPB, the last resort for unhappy homebuyers, may not be needed if developers pay more heed to quality from the start of construction to unit delivery, industry veterans say. Earlier this month, concerns about construction quality were stirred by the case of Kristopher George Houston, who was shocked to find pieces of foam and rubbish inside the wall of his unit at The Base Sukhumvit 77, a newly completed condo project by Sansiri Plc. The case highlighted two major issues developers are tackling in the midst of a property boom and mounting labour shortages: quality control and after-sales service. Pumipat Sinacharoen, chief people officer and deputy chief financial officer of the SET-listed developer AP (Thailand), says a house involves more than 1,000 pieces in one supply chain and construction is... Full story: http://goo.gl/U7hh45

Myanmar: Pros and cons of investing in the region’s last frontier market

My visit to Myanmar about a year ago, including inspection of raw land, office buildings, serviced apartments and hotels, reminded me of when I first started working with CBRE Thailand 25 years ago. The key difference is that I now have a thorough knowledge of the property market, whereas in 1988 I was still new to the industry. It was interesting to explore the market, trying to understand the key locations in Yangon and with the information available, predict where the prime development locations would be and how Thai and other foreign developers might influence the market. Being the region’s last true frontier market, Myanmar has seen an exorbitant rise in property prices and rents due to the lack of quality developments. Offices, hotels and serviced apartments are the first three sectors that enjoy high demand in any emerging market as it serves inbound investors and corporations that are starting up. It’s a shock to see all three sectors currently achieving rents way above prime Bangkok offices. In the past 20... Full story: http://goo.gl/IMmbFF

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Six property firms join GPF in home sale promotion Six leading property firms have joined with the Government Pension Fund to launch a promotion campaign for GPF members to boost sales of homes during the rest of the year. They are Pruksa Real Estate, Sansiri, Supalai, AP (Thailand), Quality Houses and Sena Development. “This is the next step to open up opportunities for GPF members to buy homes after the fund joined with the commercial banks to offer special interest rates for GPF members,” the fund’s secretarygeneral Sopawadee Lertmanaschai said. Since the GPF joined that campaign with the commercial banks 10 years ago, 220,000 members have bought homes. “We believe that this [new] campaign will help our members to become homeowners. They also can combine this ‘Best Home Best Buy’ campaign with the commercial banks’ campaign to buy a home from now until the end of this year,” she said. Pruksa Real Estate president and chief executive Thongma Vijitphongpun said GPF members would get 1.5 per cent off the price of a home in any... Full story: http://goo.gl/ifNpWE

Rich Thais snap up London real estate The British developer Land Securities expects six of its London condominium units to be sold to Thai buyers during a second visit this year after seeing 200 units worth over 10 billion baht snapped up by Thais buying UK property in the last 24 months. High-net-worth Thais have shown a strong interest in buying a London property as an investment, vacation home or residence for their children studying in one of the world’s premier education destinations. Residential director Tom Eshelby said Thailand has emerged as the centre of Southeast Asia for London property projects seeking to tap the region’s wealthy buyers over the past few years. “Thais visiting London are the highest spenders in the world,” he said yesterday during a four-day event that runs until Sunday showcasing the company’s Kings Gate project in Southwest London. The project, located in Victoria, comprises 100 units across 14 floors worth a total of 10.5 billion baht. Unit sizes range from 43.61 to 320.65 square metres priced 1 million baht per sq m on... Full story: http://goo.gl/eo9J0e

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A possible shortcut to 4.5G

The telecom regulator is considering bypassing fourth-generation mobile technology and jumping straight to 4.5G in a drive to lead the region in wireless technology. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission wants to auction 25 megahertz of the 1800MHz spectrum previously used by True Move and Digital Phone Co along with 17.5 MHz of the 900-MHz spectrum in use by Advanced Info Service. Both frequencies would be reserved for auction under the package bidding concept next September to provide 4.5G service using Long-Term Evolution Advanced technology. Package bidding, a common practice internationally, allows bidders to make a single bid for a group of frequencies or licences. AIS’s concession with TOT Plc is due to expire in 2015. Total Access Communication has its own... Full story: http://goo.gl/dXjeUc

CTH sues Apple over sports app CTH, the broadcast rights holder of the English Premier League in Thailand, sued Apple Inc for selling an application through its App Store that enables people to view the football matches on mobiles. The company has filed lawsuits with the Intellectual Property and International Trade Court and the Criminal Court against Apple Inc, Apple South Asia (Thailand) and executive Gene Levoff, demanding compensation of 100 million baht. CTH is also suing the developer of the app, known as Sport Channel, in the Criminal Court. Lawyer Yindee Limpivet, who is handling the case, said the company had earlier sent a letter to Apple South Asia (Thailand) demanding it remove the app from its store. Apple did not reply, he said. The Criminal Court will consider the case on Nov 18. The Sport Channel app costs US$29.99 for iPads and $19.99 for... Full story: http://goo.gl/nZHlsc

Envirosell: Keep the message simple to succeed in Myanmar Ad messages should be kept simple and used repeatedly to communicate effectively with TV viewers in Myanmar, says a survey by Envirosell Thailand conducted recently among 847 respondents

rest

To read the fu ll article of a story brief, enter the shor t code at the end the story into your browser: of liam Shakespe are

...added that the set aside a signi company had budget of Bt20 ficant investment million for over0 million to Bt300 seas expansion Full story at http: . //goo.gl/bH6PF

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Nature and life in JuliusCaesar. 1997-98 wa are cyclical _ the impact of s a blessing, as the mains seasons of the yea 2008 would ha above the Europ the phases of the r, life and death, far worse ve been ean average. for the region, mo http://goo.gl/o on, the tides. ” Azman In Caught up in da zbNM India, China ily details, we eas Mokhtar, the managing and Thailand, ily forget that dir ect of or Kh Asia stands to rou aza ghly 12 percent nah the business wo of has cycles, too. rld told the CI Nasional of Malaysia, tion contribute to a the populaWe are all fam MB Asean Confe gain from W pension, while iliar with the econo rence. the we es t mi ak c ne bu sse sin s ess of cycle His com slowdown of expansion, con sion system are Thailand’s penments were... ... covery. Howe traction and re- Full story Full story at htt The shift of eco ver, other cyc at http://goo.gl/d no p:/ mi in the three major cities of Yangon, Man/goo.gl/rtpH3 lic c ph al fu2 gro en u wt om h moena affect mentum to the East has open Thailand near Full story at htt ... Preventing up nu edcities p://goo.gl/fJolr merou to dalay and Nay Pyi Taw. The three s oppo p rtu nities that of list of wor Asian countries Bangkok from should not mi out, sugges ss Panel: Asia bett have a combined population of 1 million weakest pensld’s ts an economist. sinking bigges io off, not immun er n t systems: stud challenge e, and accountThfor consumption in gl e rob70% ust ecoof y from no obal crises Greece, India, Ch Land subsidence China and em mic growth of ina and Thailand caused by groun Myanmar. will open a ne erging economies KUALA LUMPUR : The As are home to the water losses top d weake w s ian cri- pensi on systems in st national lems that must the list of probAsian economi opportunity for sis in the late 1990s was a wa es to increase the be the kesol cal up ved wo l for in rld cri Ba , the region that pp wealth from tra ir has turned eig led by a mix of acute sover- kok to mitigate the impact ngde in goods an out to be of the n debt, young climate change ser a blessing in d vices at a timSarinporn Managing Sta director Jivanun retireme disgu e wh on flo tes and Europe en the United nearly 15 years later, as the reg ise high ratios of pensioners nt ages, a study by multinati oding, says are... ion’s ers and onal agencies. to workfinancial sector ll story at http:/ media poor said TV stillFudominates is now strong an /goo.gl/S65consumpd study showe pension take-up, a The con D6 able to sustain a certai d. clu sio n n de is gre contained in e shocks from the row with the country,ofwith tion in theGneighbouring a report entitl fallout in ed flow Western He and Adaptation “Climate Risks misphere, acc the The Allianz Global Inv of cy cl es in Asian Coast ording estors Pen- Me viewers averaging two hours a day.toThey a panellist at al gacitie a recent Asean sion Sustainability Index, ‘There is a tid conference. which Asian De s”, jointly conducted by the tracks the rel e in the aff velopment Bank ative sustaina s of men,inwhtemples, also gather and , ich, taken at teaairshops the bil ity Japan of national pe the flood, “Th nsion system International Cooperation leads on to for ere will be mo tun wrote Wil- fut re crises in the in 44 countries around the wo s and the World Bank in 201 Agency community centres toe”, socialise. Howure, and the 0. Asian crisis in showed the number of Greek rld, tirees to people re- The report ever, more young adults nowadays meet of working age recommended re- Full story a... at http://goo.gl/2 0yMD and hang out in shopping malls, which

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Fujitsu reaches out to cloud revolution Fujitsu, the world’s fourth-largest information and communications technology firm, is jumping on the bandwagon to provide cloud-based data centre services in Thailand. Thai companies are projected to spend US$6.47 billion this year and $8.2 billion in 2016 on such services, according to the US research firm Gartner Inc. Masayuki Kunimaru, the president of Fujitsu Systems Business (Thailand), said his company is focusing on cloud computing and mobile device management services to serve growing demand. Fujitsu plans to open a cloud-based data centre in Thailand next month, he said. The facility will enable users to expand their IT infrastructure with no upfront capital investment. Target customers are companies in the manufacturing, retail and financial service sectors. Fujitsu is offering information technology management services... Full story: http://goo.gl/ooYfMY

Computerlogy aims to become Asian leader within 5 years Computerlogy, the developer of a socialmedia management platform called SocialEnable, aims to become a leader in social-marketing software in Asia in the next three to five years. The company was founded in 2009 by a group of software developers led by Vachara Aemavat, now 33. Computerlogy specialises in software development for big enterprises and offers integration with social-media platforms. Vachara said he helped set up Computerlogy because his dream was to create a stable, top-standard product that provided services for enterprises. After spending several years in marketing and business development, he realised that there was room in the market for his... Full story: http://goo.gl/jkeKNi

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liam Shakespe are Nature and life ar seasons of the yea the phases of the r http://goo.gl/o Caught up in da m zbNM ily ily forget that Asia stands to the b has cycles, too. We gain from W with the econo mi slowdown est of expansion, con c tra cov ery. However, The shift of eco o no mentum to the mic growth mo- phenomena affect... up numerous East has opened Full story at http://go op Asian countries portunities that out, suggests an should not miss Panel: Asia b economist. off, not immu The robust eco fr om global c nomic growth China and em of erging economi will open a ne es KUALA LUMPUR : Th w opportunity sis in the late 1990 for Asian economi s wa es wealth from tra to increase their call for the region that de in goods an out to be services at a tim a blessing i d e States and Europ when the United nearly 15 years later, as t e financial sec Full story at htt are... p://goo.gl/S65D6 able to sus tor is now tain a cer of shocks from the ta Grow with th fallo e fl ow We ste rn Hemisphere, of cycles to a panellist at a rece ‘There is a tid con ference. e men, which, tak in the affairs of leads on to for en at the flood, “There wi ll be more cris tune”, wrote Wi l- future, an d the Asian Sponsored by

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The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AMCHAM) 7th Floor, GPF Witthayu Tower A, 93/1 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Tel: +66 (0)2 254 1041 Fax: +66 (0)2 251 1605 Website: www.amchamthailand.com Email: service@amchamthailand.com

AMCHAM ACTIVITIES IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER AMCHAM is extremely active, hosting over 250 professional and social events each year. In September the Chamber hosted over 30 events, including the events listed below. Ambassador’s Coffee Briefing The “Coffee Briefing” is a regular event that provides AMCHAM members and Embassy officials the opportunity to network and share information and opinions. On September 11, U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney hosted the Coffee Briefing at her historic residence. Chamber members and U.S. diplomats discussed a variety of topics, including Thailand’s Infrastructure Improvement Plan, the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations, and President Obama’s planned visit to Southeast Asia in October. AMCHAM thanks Ambassador Kenney for her hospitality.

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AMCHAM Santa Fe Charibowl Tournament The AMCHAM Santa Fe Charibowl Tournament was again a huge success. On September 26, at Blue O at Siam Paragon, 30 teams and 150 bowlers raised more than Baht 240,000 for the AMCHAM Charitable Foundation. AMCHAM thanks all the bowlers and prize donors, and a special thanks to Santa Fe for once again sponsoring the event. The next Charibowl is scheduled for Spring 2014!

Wat Ban Chang School ribbon cutting dedication ceremony.

Carl Rubin (Director, Fingi), Dave Carden (Managing Director, Fed Ex Express) and Patrick Murphy (U.S. Embassy Bangkok Deputy Chief of Mission) at “Ambassador’s Coffee Briefing.”

Trans Pacific Partnership Briefing On September 12, AMCHAM members were briefed by Kimberley Claman, Citibank’s Senior Vice-President, International Government Affairs, on the status of the TransPacific Partnership negotiations. Ms. Claman discussed potential benefits from the TPP agreement for companies in the Asia-Pacific region, challenges for negotiators and political leaders, and the dynamics in Washington that will influence passage of the agreement after negotiations are concluded. Cannes Festival Each year, AMCHAM’s Marketing Committee hosts the “Cannes Lions Review,” an examination of the annual Cannes Advertising Festival. On September 24, event attendees enjoyed a showing of the Festival’s most notable commercials and discussed the notion that some of the most impactful marketing moves are focusing on small, swift ideas across all advertising media as opposed to large events or television spots. The event gave insight into the workings of the festival and new ideas for Thai marketers. AMCHAM thanks Lowe for helping organize and sponsor the event.

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Adopt-A-School Dedications The AMCHAM Charitable Foundation’s Adopt-A-School program held two project dedications in September. On September 4, Wat Ban Chang School in Rayong thanked Dow Chemicals for a donation of Baht 200,000, and came with a Baht 200,000 AMCHAM matching grant, which was used to improve the school’s science facility. On September 27, Klong Nueng School in Pathumthani thanked RMA Automotive for a donation of Baht 160,690, and received a Baht 160,690 AMCHAM matching grant, which was used to improve the school’s water filter and drainage system.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN OCTOBER You don’t have to be a member to attend many of AMCHAM’s events. Visit AMCHAM Thailand’s Event Calendar webpage to see a listing of all Chamber events. Highlights for October include: Energy Committee, October 22: “Development and Challenges of Hydropower Projects in the Mekong Region.” Annual General Meeting & Monthly Luncheon, October, 30: 2013 Annual General Meeting, Board Elections and Monthly Luncheon. Guest speaker will be Dr. Bandid Nijathaworn, President & CEO, Thai Institute of Directors Association.

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The Chambers

BANGKOK BU SINESS BRIEF

December 20 11

Briefs 11

BANGKOK BUSINESS BRIEF General Inte

rest

Use your smartphone’s QR Code scanner or enter the short code to go directly to AustCham’s website.

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The Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (AustChamThailand) 20th Floor, Thai CC Tower, 889 South Sathorn Road, Yannawa, Bangkok 10120 Tel: +66 (0)2 210 0216-8 Fax: +66 (0)2 675 6696 Website: www.austchamthailand.com Email: admin@austchamthailand.com

http://goo.gl/N47Gg

ABF Busts Myths about Business in Thailand! AustCham’s first Australian Business Forum (ABF) turned ‘myth-busters’ as Simon Shale, General Manager of Visy Packaging (Thailand) Ltd., and HE James Wise, the Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, took aim at two popular misconceptions about business in Thailand. Recalling the recent success of Visy’s operations in Thailand, Shale debunked the view held in some quarters that commercial success here is founded on cheap labour. He also backed strongly the view of Ambassador Wise that political instability in Thailand had not hampered business growth in any large-scale way, pointing to his own business as an example. Thai politics was played tough, but all sides were pro-business at the end of the day. The ABF is a new Chamber initiative, supported by the Australian Government through its Asian Century Business Engagement Plan. Shale spoke first at the inaugural ABF luncheon in Bangkok, rounding up as myth-buster number one. His opening salvo was to challenge perceptions that Thailand is simply a base for international business to outsource sweatshop-style labour intensive production processes. The extraordinary success of Visy’s Thailand operations is due to technology and expertise, not labour price. In fact, Visy has nearly doubled the size of its factory in Rayong, investing some 180

AustCham held its annual AFL Grand Final Family Day extravaganza on Saturday, 28th of September at The Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel. It was an unforgettable day, filled with excitement for both adults and kids. Six massive screens recreated the MCG game-day atmosphere for the 550 guests. Children were warmly welcomed to a dedicated play-room filled with balloons and jumping castles. An all-day brunch buffet was enjoyed by all, and fine Aussie wine as well as beer was served freely throughout the day. The event was an overwhelming success. None of it would have been possible without the support of our sponsors. We would therefore like to send out a massive thanks to them all.

To re enter the sto

million Baht (A$ 6 million) in an extrusion blow moulding machine. This leading-edge technology is only the third of its type globally. It will allow Visy to produce up to a staggering 120 million plastic food jars. They are three-quarters the weight of existing products. Such is the level of automation in Visy’s state of the art Thai facility that it employs just 70 staff locally. The Ambassador busted myth number two in his overview of the political situation in Thailand. His main conclusion was that for the next few years Thailand’s politics is likely to look a lot like the last two years. The government is well established and an early election is unlikely before amnesty legislation and some constitutional amendments are passed by the Parliament. The Ambassador also reminded the largely business audience that all political parties in Thailand are pro-business and that Thailand’s political conflicts rarely manifest themselves in the workplace. The numbers provided the proof. Significant economic downturns in Thailand coincided with economic crises such as those that occurred in 1997-98 and 2008 – or natural disasters such as the 2010 floods – not political instability. AustCham will regularly hold ABF gatherings in Bangkok, the Eastern Seaboard and Phuket. For more information please visit www.austchamthailand.com/abf.

BANGKOK BUSINESS BRIEF

Mid-October/November 2013

21st century education Story continued from Page 1.

edx.org, would be taking on a new technology partner to develop the platform further. It just happens to be Google, so the prospects for even more growth are quite good.

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While there are some universities that offer 100% online degree programs (the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for instance), the tuition is still on par with the regular on-campus degree program. But as more and more universities get on board or expand their online course offerings, student consumers will naturally push for universities to take the next step: offer online courses towards a degree at reasonable (read: ‘cheap’) prices. Within the past two weeks, the Georgia Institute of Technology has done just that, with an online version of their master’s degree in computer science at a fraction of the cost of their regular degree. Even in Thailand, according to The Nation, there are 50 distance-education programs at nine institutions that have been approved by the Office of Higher Education Commission, with 17 more under review. But MOOCs are just one of the disruptive innovations that threaten the current business model of higher education. Certainly, the changing global economy is affecting the education industry and how the next generation of workers is being prepared for their careers. And it is that globalization that drives potential university students to go beyond national boundaries in their search for higher education. Researchers are finding that for many prospective students, location is no longer an issue, but quality courses and programs are. And in a study called, An Avalanche is Coming: Higher Education and the Revolution Ahead, by the U.K.-based Institute for Public Policy Research, the authors attempt to “describe the threat posed to traditional 20th century universities if key institutions don’t change radically, as well as the huge opportunities open to them if they do.” They also explain their choice of the avalanche metaphor by writing that “it’s appropriate because the one certainty for anyone in the path of an avalanche is that standing still is not an option. Indeed, it is a classic error of strategy to calculate the risks of action but fail to calculate the (often greater) risks of doing nothing.” Economist Lawrence Summers, former President of Harvard and advisor to the Obama administration, also wrote in the foreword to the study that institutions of higher education are essentially in crisis, even if they may not yet realize it. “The fundamental question in An Avalanche is Coming is whether a university education is a good preparation for working life and citizenship in the twenty-first century or, more precisely, whether it will continue to be seen as good value, given the remorseless rise in the cost of a university education over recent decades.” And certainly, from a consumer point of view, cost is extremely important. In the U.S. alone, in a ten-year period ending in 2011, tuition fees rose 42% at public institutions. Faced with these exorbitant costs of tuition, housing, food, and travel, is it any wonder that many student consumers are looking for alternative ways to get the education or training that they need for their business careers? All of these new ideas and concepts of how to deliver education are certainly rattling the foundations of traditional institutions and calling into question higher education’s entire nineteenth- and twentiethcentury business models. Of course, technology is not going away, and it’s likely that online learning will gain more and more momentum and become even more popular as the technology tools evolve. The choice for many institutions may come down to the avalanche metaphor: either act and try to take advantage of the opportunities that online education offers or get swallowed up by the onslaught of MOOCs and distance learning.

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BANGKOK BUSINESS BRIEF

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Mid-October/November 2013

The Calendar Sunday

Mango Metro Networking Party http://goo.gl/6ngBg

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Tuesday

Monday

Oct.

For event details, enter the short code below the event into your browser:

AMCHAM: Tax Cmte – Update on Various Tax Issues http://goo.gl/Rqm2Iz AMCHAM: Lao Chapter – Asean Economic Community Seminar http://goo.gl/Cks4py

AMCHAM: Myanmar Task Force: Laws Every Investor Should Know http://goo.gl/P1tBnR AMCHAM: Professional Women / CSR Cmte – Screening of Girl Rising http://goo.gl/xP0Mwb

AMCHAM: ICT Cmte http://goo.gl/PjTxMd

Nov.

AMCHAM: FedEx Career Camp http://goo.gl/iaGGJK

AMCHAM: FedEx Career Camp http://goo.gl/iaGGJK AMCHAM: Legal Cmte – Foreign Business Act http://goo.gl/a69kmB

AMCHAM: FedEx Career Camp http://goo.gl/iaGGJK AMCHAM: Business Economics Cmte – Thai Economy & Monetary Policy http://goo.gl/mVIKjN

AMCHAM: Board of Governors Meeting http://goo.gl/54MT6N AMCHAM: Auto Council Cmte http://goo.gl/4Ov5Ef Bangkok Trader / Mango Metro Networking http://goo.gl/EnNbR

AMCHAM: HR Cmte http://goo.gl/fhMuAt AMCHAM: BOT Dir. Mtg http://goo.gl/Lwlpii AMCHAM: Mktg Cmte http://goo.gl/EUhMYN PPI Professional Hour http://goo.gl/EbSqX

AMCHAM: 180 Years Thai-U.S. Charity Fun Run http://goo.gl/H7m2XL

AMCHAM: Adopta-School Dedication http://goo.gl/UzzqVU AMCHAM: Food & Agri-Business Cmte http://goo.gl/3avamy AMCHAM: Professional Women Cmte http://goo.gl/tu4NcZ

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Mid-October/November 2013

BANGKOK BUSINESS BRIEF

Send us your event details for the Mid-November/December issue by November 7th to reid@bbbrief.com Wednesday

Thursday

AMCHAM: Community Engagement Cmte http://goo.gl/bIP3kA AMCHAM: Security/OSAC – Bangkok Council Executive Council Mtg http://goo.gl/PsktD1

Friday

AMCHAM: Customs & Excise Cmte http://goo.gl/o5bM5v AMCHAM: Food & Agri-Business Cmte: Food Recalls http://goo.gl/3cfGwM

24 AMCHAM: CSR Cmte – Best Practice by Chevron http://goo.gl/cSQJjB

AMCHAM: FedEx Career Camp http://goo.gl/iaGGJK AMCHAM: Annual General Meeting & Monthly Luncheon http://goo.gl/pEslzY

6 AustCham: Sundowners http://goo.gl/MYu5l7

AMCHAM: Security / OSAC http://goo.gl/3i7b3O AMCHAM: Energy Cmte – Hydropower Projects in Mekong Region http://goo.gl/b3LkEh

AMCHAM: Community Engagement Cmte http://goo.gl/NMCUXG AMCHAM: Social Networking & Gadget Night http://goo.gl/YYCnKM

Saturday

18 AustCham: 5th Women with a Mission Annual Charity Golf Tournament http://goo.gl/XkT7bm

Movers & Shakers http://goo.gl/xOfWr

The Last Night of the Proms 2013 http://goo.gl/UPJmBu AMCHAM: Myanmar Chapter Launch http://goo.gl/vUa7N6 AustCham: How to Achieve a Work/Life Balance? http://goo.gl/7zCjH3

1 GTCC: Oktoberfest Night 2013 http://goo.gl/nv5Sph

2 GTCC: Oktoberfest Night 2013 http://goo.gl/nv5Sph http://goo.gl/e6ODZx

AMCHAM: SME Cmte http://goo.gl/qhH5y6

21 AMCHAM: Customs & Excise Cmte http://goo.gl/meDN2f

AMCHAM: Tax Cmte – Annual US Tax Update Discussion http://goo.gl/a3EjA0 Joint: Eastern Seaboard Networking Evening http://goo.gl/SHBRyL

22 AMCHAM: Joint SME and Food & Agri Cmtes – Coffee Works Tour http://goo.gl/Ig8ROQ

AustCham: Voluntary English Teaching http://goo.gl/WVIVDi

Last Night of the

The best of British! Celebrating 120 years of proms history and 10 years of exceptional music making at Shrewsbury in one unique event

THURSDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2013 SHREWSBURY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Dinner and drinks from 6pm. Concert begins 7.15pm Email: tickets@shrewsbury.ac.th. Phone: 02 675 1888

www.shrewsbury.ac.th

LNOP 2013 A4 Ad on Expat Lady.indd 1

9/13/13 10:58 AM