Eastern Seaboard Report May 2014 – Prepared by Mark Bowling, Chairman ESB •
According to the latest survey by the Eastern Institute of Vocational Education (EIVE), several factories in the area are in dire need of skilled labour. It is claimed there is a massive shortfall of skilled labour in the Eastern Seaboard, the hub of export-oriented industries, despite a climb in the country’s overall unemployment rate. EIVE Chairman Prempracha Supasamut said the institute, which covers nine vocational colleges, turns out about 1,000 graduates a year, but demand from factories in the region is four times higher. EIVE has deals with various companies to supply them with human resources. Despite the economic slowdown, and some plants cutting production, most factories still call for workers supplied by the institute.
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Dow Chemical Thailand, together with the Chemical Society of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of Professor Dr HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, has conducted chemistry training for science teachers in lower-secondary schools in Rayong as part of its "Dow Chemistry Class" project. The objective of the training - initially carried out on a pilot basis - is to hone the teachers' teaching skills and boost their creativity in chemistry experiments, so that they can create a new learning experience in the classroom, said Jirasak Singmaneechai, president of Dow Chemical Thailand. "We have started a pilot project in Rayong province, where we have our key production base, and believe we can help boost the quality of science learning and stimulate Thai youth for their readiness in joining the Asian Economic Community in the year to come," he added.
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The beach at Pattaya is to be widened to about 35 metres to prevent erosion and boost income from tourists visiting the seaside resort town. Pattaya City's sand-fill project is expected to begin in October and will take around two years, said Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome. To extend the three-km beachfront to the eventual 35-metre width, will take 36,000 cubic metres of sand at a cost of Bt430 million. The first 15 metres of the new beach would involve a sandbag wall to serve as an embankment, while the remaining 20 metres would be of sand. The new beachfront will stretch for 2.7-km and cover around 60 rai, stretching from North, Central to South Pattaya beaches, Itthiphol said.
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A new residential condominium project in Sri Racha by Wealth Developer is to be launched in May, the Zea Sriracha, worth Bt2.5 billion. The project, designed following modern aesthetics, offers 585 units at the starting price of Bt1.98 million per unit (85,000 / Sq.m). The project is located close to the sea in Chon Buri's Sri Racha district and is only 20km from Pattaya City. Targeting the massive Japanese population in the area, the project will feature a Japanese Onsen facility including a sauna, fitness room and 30-metre swimming pool.
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Solving Pattaya’s chronic flooding problems would take nine years and more than 10 billion baht, according to university consultants hired to draft a water-management master plan. Theerawut Banyasopon, director-general of King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, outlined the three-phase project to city officials and presidents of Pattaya’s 42 community groups April 30. th
British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, 7 Floor 208 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: 038 427 771 Fax: 038 427 772 Email: mark.bowling@colliers.com www.bccthai.com
Consultants said the three main factors behind the flooding problem are the under-capacity of the existing drainage system, surface runoff from higher areas in East Pattaya, and that efficiency of the drainage system itself has been hobbled by commercial development. The first project is a 7.79 billion baht water-drainage system anchored by pumping stations in nine areas of the city. The second project is a railroad tracks-area drainage system connecting the Suaphew and Huay Yai canals for 400.6 million baht. Finally, plans call for construction of a dam behind Ekamongkol Village at Soi Khao Talo 7 and 7/1 at a total cost of 1.97 billion baht. •
Jobs for the Buoys - Pattaya City Hall plans to spend 31 million baht to install 30 buoys to regulate the speed and course of speedboats and designate specific areas for water sports other than swimming. Thongchai Pongvichai, the marine department’s director of ship standards, said four speed-limit buoys and six navigational buoys are planned, as well as 21 buoys to demark zones for jet skis, banana boats, parasailing, scuba diving and sea walking. The funds will then be requested from the city council, which already has been authorized to spend up to 30.9 million baht on the project by the Budget Bureau.
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One of Pattaya’s most long awaited tourism attractions, the Cartoon Network Amazone water-park, is on schedule for a summer opening on 31st July of this year. Located in Bang Saray, approximately 14km from Pattaya, the project is the first internationally branded water park in Thailand and is touted to put the country on the global theme park map. Liakat Dhanji, Chairman and CEO of Amazon Falls Co. Ltd, the developer of the water-park, said, “We’re proud to be bringing the vibrantly animated world of Cartoon Network to the people of Thailand and visitors from around the world. The 1 billion baht development covers 14 acres of cartoon themed attractions and water slides and is expected to attract more than 800,000 visitors in its first year of operation.
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Mega Home, one of the country’s upcoming leaders in the home centre shopping trade, opened its latest store in Bowin last month. The company says it’s confident that the expanding economy of the Eastern region will see a rise in demand for home improvement products, appliances and construction materials and has stocked the 20,000 square meter sales area of its brand new outlet with over 100,000 consumer items. The store also includes a complete home and garden centre on 30 rai of land (48,000 square meters), and a 4,500 square meter warehouse.
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Locally based Kingdom Property has become the first real estate developer in the country to achieve Green Site Platinum status for its twin tower condominium project Southpoint Pattaya. The recognition came after its construction partner Bouygues Thai entered the site at Southpoint Pattaya into an internal global site standards assessment procedure only for it to come through the tests with flying colours. Kingdom Property Chief Executive Officer Nigel Cornick said: “We would like to think Southpoint Pattaya goes the extra yard in all aspects of its onsite operations and we are delighted the project has been awarded this honour. To be the first condominium in Thailand to be recognized in this way means a great deal to us.”
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After enjoying tremendous success in the Pattaya real-estate industry, the Blue Sky Group has moved into the hotel sector with its four-star Citrus Parc Hotel Pattaya. Virasak Sutanthavibul, senior executive th
British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, 7 Floor 208 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: 038 427 771 Fax: 038 427 772 Email: mark.bowling@colliers.com www.bccthai.com
vice president for commercial banking at Bangkok Bank, joined executives from Blue Sky and Compass Hospitality in cutting the ribbon of the 119-room hotel on Pratamnak Soi 12. •
Nirvana Development Company Limited has appointed Colliers International Thailand as a strategic business partner with the aim of achieving 100% sales of existing stock at 7 live project sites in 2014, and to act as sole agent on Nirvana’s first project in Pattaya. Nirvana CEO Sornsak Somwattana commented, “We have appointed Colliers International Thailand as a strategic partner in order to benefit from their experience as a leading professional international property consultant and help us achieve our sales targets and promote and enhance our existing sales network management system.”
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Solvay, a Belgium-based producer of soda ash and bicarbonates, recently hosted a stone-laying ceremony for the construction of Southeast Asia's largest sodium-bicarbonate plant at Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong. At a cost of 20 million euros (Bt900 million), the plant is due for start-up in the first half of next year to supply its Bicar product range throughout the region. Bicar products are used in a variety of industries, including food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and in industrial applications. The new facility will have a total capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year. The plant will use Solvay's new-generation Bicar production technology, which it says minimises waste generation, optimises energy recovery and maximises yield. This new project will be managed by Solvay Peroxythai, the company's first new entity in Thailand in 26 years.
Reproduced Courtesy of SATCC •
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Suzuki has introduced its second eco-car in Thailand with the launch of the Celerio. Priced from Bt359,000 to Bt488,000, the Celerio is powered by a 12-valve 998cc 3-cylinder engine developing 68 horsepower and 90Nm of torque. Transmission is a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) offering "seamless acceleration and good fuel economy". Suzuki Motor (Thailand) general manager Wallop Treererk-ngarm says the Celerio, which is made alongside the Swift in Rayong, will be exported to European markets, turning Thailand into a new export hub for Suzuki. Production of the Swift, meanwhile, remains only for the domestic market. CPN is aggressively opening new shopping malls. With 5-year expension strategy, CPN still expects its income to grow by 15%p.a in 2015-2019. Rental rate of existing shopping malls is expected to rise by 5%p.a. CPN plans to open averagely three or four shopping centers a year, aiming to increase the number of shopping centers under CPN’s management from 24 in end-1Q14 to 33 within 2016. Currently, there are six shopping malls under construction: Salaya (opening in August 2014; 90% occupancy rate), three new shopping malls (Rayong, Bang Yai and Liab Tang Duan Ramindra) in 2015. The military has lifted the curfew in tourist destinations such as Phuket and Pattaya. This will carry on indefinitely - provided there are no signs of unrest in those areas. Siam Motors Group, owned by the Phornprapha family, yesterday officially opened its new 18-hole golf course worth 1.315 billion baht in Pattaya. The new golf course, Siam Country Club Pattaya Waterside, was designed by IMG Golf Course Design and constructed by Golf East, with its clubhouse designed by The Office of Bangkok Architect Co. Income from Designated Areas of Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta) projects at six major destinations is expected to grow by 50% in fiscal 2014 thanks to a better understanding among locals about th
British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, 7 Floor 208 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: 038 427 771 Fax: 038 427 772 Email: mark.bowling@colliers.com www.bccthai.com
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managing their areas and promoting tourism. Dasta revealed tourism-related income in 26 communities of the six designated areas rose by 104% year-on-year during the October-March period. The SukhothaiKamphaeng Phet Historical Park project recorded the highest income increase at 250%, followed by U-Thong Ancient City (180%), Nan's Old City (69.2%), Loei province (68.6%), Pattaya town and related areas (35%) and Koh Chang and related areas (18.2%). Srithai Superware Plc, the world's leading manufacturer of melamine tableware, expects its sales revenue to rise to more than 10.5 billion baht this year from 9.4 billion last year, thanks to rising exports making up for weak domestic consumption. At the Pinthong Industrial Estate, near Laem Chabang, a 5-billion-baht expansion covering 352 hectares this year will bring the total area of the complex to 960 hectares. Low season is here and the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Pattaya office is working overtime to bring people to the city. Director Auttaphol Wannakij said the Pattaya office will attend travel shows in Salua and Yogyakarta, Indonesia this month and, in June, will visit Japan for shows in Sendai, Kobe and Kumamoto.
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British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, 7 Floor 208 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: 038 427 771 Fax: 038 427 772 Email: mark.bowling@colliers.com www.bccthai.com