Channel 0132 Business Advertising

BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’ Reiterates its Number 1 Top Market Share And Launch Romantic Campaign,

2010-02-07T03:23:00.000-08:00

BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’ Reiterates its Number 1 Top Market Share And Launch Romantic Campaign, ‘Take Care of Your Special One Everyday with BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’ for the coming Valentine day

‘BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’ -- the leader in the genuine bird’s nest market with top 61% market share according to the Nielsen (Thailand) Company’s report-- announced to invest more marketing activities this year to emphasize the image of premium quality product for love and care. Released in the previous quarter, the latest New Formula of BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest, special with a larger amount of high quality bird’s nest only collected from natural cave, gained a huge success from the exclusive couple, Aom (Phiyada) & Art (Sara), introduced as the BRAND’s Love Ambassador. To celebrate the coming Valentine’s month, the brand new romantic campaign, ‘Take Care of Your Special One Everyday with BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’, will be launched to represent the priceless love and care product given to the one you love.

Tul Wongsuphasawat, General Manager (Marketing & Business Management) of Cerebos (Thailand) Ltd., revealed the 2010 marketing policies for BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest that, the apparent success in strengthening the image of BRAND’S Bird’s Nest, has been proving that we are truly considered the love and care representative for your special person. Our image was well represented by such lovely BRAND’S Love Ambassador like ‘Pat (Suthasinee Puthinan) and Mark Gary Rodriques’. Meanwhile the latest couple for October 2009, ‘Aom (Piyada) & Art (Sara Jutharattanakun), also perfectly built the image of ‘BRAND’S Genuine Bird Nest, the Fulfillment of Love’. Introduced to the market recently, the newly invented ‘New Revised Formula of BRAND’S Genuine Bird Nest’ is made merely from 100% pure bird's nest from natural cave by which the advanced ‘Genuine Bird’s Nest Test Machine’ guaranteed their finest grade. The nutritious beverage contains a larger amount of bird’s nest meat comparing to other’s products and is produced along 149 effective manufacturing and quality control procedures to ensure the premium product.

According this outstanding strength, ‘BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’ has been widely accepted leading to achieve a majority market share in the bird’s nest beverage since 1988. As usual, the Nielsen (Thailand) Company Ltd., conducted the distribution channel research on bird’s nest beverage market in September 2009 and reported that ‘BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’ remained the market leader of the bird’s nest beverage. The market share hit 61% of Bt 2,500,000,000 market value and is increasing by every distribution channel. Being successful as the market leader, ‘BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’, keeps endeavoring to do the research and development to fulfill the customer’s lifestyle and need.

The emotional marketing is yet employed in the first quarter of 2010 by which the new campaign, ‘Take Care of Your Special One Everyday with BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’, launched to emphasize ‘BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’ as a precious present not only offered for special occasion but in regular life. The new selling point targets more specifically at young working couple to buy ‘BRAND’S Bird’s Nest for the Valentine’s present and provides another occasion for our loyal customers to show their love and care.

To build a wide recognition of the campaign, the marketing activities are budgeted for Bt 40,000,000 during the Valentine’s Festival including launching the fresh TV ad, ‘Take Care of Your Special One Everyday with BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’, starred by BRAND’S Love Ambassador--Aom (Piyada) & Art (Sara Jutharattanakun). The story features their marriage life after the sweet wedding describing that their love does not become less and less. Instead, they share more and more love and care by fulfilling their love life everyday with the ‘New Revised Formula of BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’. The TV ad will be broadcast nationwide on this 4th February.

“For the festival of love this year, we organize 360?advertising and public relations strategies in both above the line and below the line media, especially the television, radio, publications and out of home media, in order to stimulate the marketplace and emphasize the image of ‘BRAND’S Genuine Bird’s Nest’ as the precious present to fulfill and express more love and care to your special person” said Tul.

DEP eyes BIFF & BIL 2010 as springboard for Thai fashion industry to be more competitive and visible in global marketplace

2010-01-30T00:04:00.001-08:00

The effectiveness of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) is believed to help drive the overall trade volume between the ASEAN countries and their partners.

The Bangkok International Fashion Fair & Bangkok International Leather Fair 2010 (BIFF & BIL 2010) organized by the Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce of Thailand during 1 - 4 April is expected to encourage the rise of Thai and ASEAN fashion products in the global marketplace, especially in one of the world’s most vibrant fashion markets like Japan.

Riding on the theme, Look East, the BIFF & BIL 2010 will be a vivid showcase of great potential of the ASEAN fashion industry, from upstream to downstream. The mega event will bring together the best fashions and accessories of the ASEAN region, capitalizing on hot new trends, signature styles, textiles and leather products supported by the synergy of local expertise and regional cooperation.

By highlighting the fashions of all 10 ASEAN member countries, BIFF & BIL continues its campaign to bring ASEAN Fashion to, and stay more competitive in the global stage.

“With the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) become effective from January this year, the overall trade volume between the ASEAN countries and their partners is growing at rapid pace,” said Srirat Rastapana, Director General, the Department of Export Promotion (DEP). “The BIFF & BIL 2010 therefore will provide the region’s exhibitors and buyers from Japan, India, China, Korea and Taiwan with a promising platform for trade and cooperation. It is the only fair that offers a complete range of products and services related to the fashion industry supply chain, with greater trade negotiation and sourcing opportunities ever for everyone involved.”

More than 1,000 selected domestic and overseas exhibitors in diverse fields from clothing, textile, leather and fashion accessories to textile equipment & machinery, software & services related to the fashion industry will participate. Potential visitors include importers, manufacturers, traders, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, boutiques, department stores, buying agents, designers, international press and related others.

“The extensive profile of visitors will make the Thai fashion industry more visible, and get broadened access to international fashion markets,” commented Mrs. Srirat.

Speaking at a recent press conference during the BIFF & BIL road show in Tokyo, the DEP Director General also invited manufacturers, buyers and relevant institutes and organizations in the Japanese fashion industry to join BIFF & BIL 2010. The road show was organized in conjunction with JFW International Fashion Fair 2010 (JFW-IFF) in Tokyo, in which 12 Thai textile, apparel and leather products manufacturers, exporters and brand owners participated,

With exports to Japan continuing to increase, Thailand’s textile and apparel industry is expected to see steady growth and development. Relevant organisations led by the Association of Thai Textile Bleaching Dyeing Printing and Finishing Industries (ATDP) has recently cooperated with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to develop and manufacture fabrics that meet Japanese standards and market requirements. These textile innovations will be presented to Japanese importers at this year’s BIF & BIL in Thailand.

“The textiles, apparel, and leather exports to Japan are now worth nearly 500 Million US Dollars. Within this, textiles and apparel exports account for more than 420 Million US Dollars and leather goods account for 50 Million US Dollars. Thanks to the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) and the expanding opportunity for Thai exporters in the Japanese medium market as local Japanese manufacturers focus on high-end segment,” said Mrs Srirat.

She added, “Our success at JFW-IFF reflects the high interest of Japanese importers and buyers in Thai fashion products. Japan has expressed its support for Thailand to become ASEAN’s textile and apparel manufacturing base due to its unmatched capacity for integrated production. We are looking forward to see more an increase in number of Japanese visitors to the upcoming event.”

Among highlights at BIFF & BIL 2010 include seminars and conferences, 48 fashion shows, ASEAN Design Congress, Thailand Designer Contest as well as ASEAN Pavilion and Japan Pavilion.

Kunka Corporation will launch 2 new motorbikes for the 1st time in Asia at Bangkok Motorbike Festival 2010

2010-01-29T23:45:00.001-08:00

Kunka Corporation will launch 2 new motorbikes for the 1st time in Asia at Bangkok Motorbike Festival 2010 to be held during January 28-31, 2010 at the Central World.

For the 1st time in Asia, Kunka Corporation will launch 2 new motorbikes, i.e. premium KTM from Austria, after being granted a sole distributorship in Thailand, and two new CAN-AM SPYDERs (RS 2010 and the latest RT models) from Canada, at Bangkok Motorbike Festival 2010 to be held during January 28-31, 2010 at the Central World. With an investment budget of 50 million Baht, the move is made in response to the growing big bike market of 10-15% and its annual sale target of 80 million Baht. Besides the event, the company will also open a luxury downtown showroom on New Petchburi Road for test rides and after sales services as part of its plan to strengthen brand loyalty and foster its customer base.

Mr. Pisit Kunanantakula, CEO of Kunka Corporation Co., Ltd., reveals today that after the company has rocked the market by importing sport CAN-AM SPYDER motorbikes for sales in Thailand last year, it will press on to create a new phenomenon in the market in early 2010 by launching premium KTM bikes from Austria and two new CAN-AM SPYDERs to serve the needs of niche customers who fancy European-make sport motorbikes at Bangkok Motorbike Festival 2010 to be held during January 28-31, 2010 at the Central World.

“Last year 1.5 million motorcycles were registered. Out of that figure, big bike market was at 13,138, while sport bike was at 10,498. These implied about the same market share of 1%, while it is expected that the two segments will enjoy a growth of 10-15% in 2010 in tandem with improving economy and stability in the local political scene. In addition, the high growth would be due to the fact that the two segments still have a low base and this will be the first year that Thailand starts to implement its AFTA agreement, which will literally bring down import duty to 0% and make the prices of these two bikes more affordable for those who want to own them. As a result, this will stimulate more first-hand bikes into the market to replace those second-hand ones and make us feel confident to set aggressive sale target at 80 million Baht this year.” said Mr. Pisit.

KTM is among the World’s top motorbikes. With long standing records and history, it ranks top in the World’s most extensive product varieties offering approximately 30-40 models in every section, whether street bike or race bike, while the fact that KTM chooses Kunka Corporation as its sole importer and grant its sole distributorship in Thailand to Kunka Corporation from a long list of bidders is a proof that KTM is confident in Kunka’s solid business foundation and sound business management profile.

“We are proud that we are granted a sole distributorship in Thailand. This is a major milestone towards our goal of being the leader in auto innovation. With this initial launch of KTM at Bangkok Motorbike Festival 2010, we will also market TRAVEL ENDURO, NAKED BIKE and SUPER BIKE, which are 690 cc or more street bikes, for the 1st time in Asia and we want all the Thai fans for premium sport motorbikes with exceptionally powerful performance to be the first to witness.” Mr. Pisit further added.

In this event, Kunka Corporation will also launch two new CAN-AM SPYDERs, i.e. RS 2010 and RT models, which are the latest BRP (Bombardier Recreational Product) models from Canada. Besides Thailand, this would also be the 1st official launch in Asia, with special highlight spotted on the RT sport model, which offers a new innovation in auto technology. With its 100 horse power engine, it is strictly produced to ensure luxury quality. It should be interestingly noted that Kunka Corporation also has the exclusive distributorship for CAN-AM SPYDER in Thailand.

As part of its marketing plan to service the two world class brands, Kunka Corporation has invested a budget of 50 million Baht to build up a downtown showroom on New Petchburi Road in addition to its original showroom on Srinakarin Road. The new showroom, which is expected to complete in 2Q10, will include auto exhibits and hi-tech service section in order to provide the best after-sale services to all customers. All of its technicians will be thoroughly trained and equipped with all kinds of service techniques from the two principles to ensure that it is the best and most complete in Thailand.

Talking about distribution channel and after sale service centers for KTM, besides the two showrooms in Bangkok, Kunka Corporation also has a plan to expand its showrooms to the north and northeast within this year. It will focus its activity on event marketing in order to continuously communicate with its targets. In order to cement brand loyalty, it will offer supplementary services and decorative product items; provide a modern design lounge as a social meeting place as well as set up the Rider Club for KTM fans in the near future. On top of those that have been mentioned, it will also implement Customer Experiential Marketing (CEM) strategy to differentiate itself from the rest of the market through aggressive test rides so that those interested could actually experience the performance and feel the power of its engine.

BIFF & BIL 2010 Scheduled for 1 – 4 April 2010

2010-01-21T05:43:00.000-08:00

The Department of Export Promotion (DEP), Ministry of Commerce of the Royal Thai Government has announced that BIFF & BIL 2010 – Bangkok International Fashion Fair and Bangkok International Leather Fair will be organized during 1 to 4 April this year at Challenger Hall 1 – 3, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Nontaburi, Thailand.

Riding on the theme, Look East, the BIFF & BIL 2010 will be a vivid showcase of great potential of the ASEAN fashion industry, from upstream to downstream. The mega event will bring together the best fashions and accessories of the ASEAN region, capitalizing on hot new trends, signature styles, textiles and leather products supported by the synergy of local expertise and regional cooperation.

More than 1,000 selected domestic and overseas exhibitors in diverse fields from clothing, textile, leather and fashion accessories to textile equipment & machinery, software & services related to the fashion industry will participate. Potential visitors include importers, manufacturers, traders, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, boutiques, department stores, buying agents, designers, press and others in fashion business.

Among highlights at BIFF & BIL 2010 include seminars and conferences, 48 fashion shows, ASEAN Design Congress, Thailand Designer Contest as well as ASEAN Pavilion and Japan Pavilion.
For more information please visit www.biffandbil.com or contact:-
BrandComm Consultants Co., Ltd. : Official PR Agency for BIFF & BIL 2010
Email : info@brandcomm-pr.com
BIFF & BIL 2010 Profile

Event name : Bangkok International Fashion Fair & Bangkok International Leather Fair 2010
Duration : 1 - 4 April 2010
Trade day : 1 – 2 April 2010 (10.00 – 18.00 hrs.)
Public day : 3 – 4 April 2010 (10.00 – 21.00 hrs.)
Venue : Challenger Hall 1 - 3, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Nontaburi, Thailand
(40,000-60,000 sq.m)

Published in "Bone" Journal, Scientific Researches Confirm Peptan(TM) Hydrolyzed Collagen Benefits on Bone Health

2009-12-16T19:18:00.001-08:00

Studies Conducted at INRA-AgroParisTech Laboratory Under Pr. Daniel Tomé Supervision and Published* in November 2009, in the Official Journal of the International Bone and Mineral Society "Bone", Reveal new Benefits for Peptan(TM) in Osteoporosis Prevention In response to customer concerns regarding long-term bone health, Rousselot has carried out, for several years now, many studies to demonstrate that an oral intake of Peptan(TM) may have a positive impact on osteoporosis.

Bone is a living dynamic metabolic system that relies on a maintained balance between bone formation and bone resorption. Cells called osteoblasts make bone while cells called osteoclasts resorb it. An imbalance

may lead to osteoporosis, a condition where the density and quality of bone is reduced.

Researchers conducted in vitro studies, and highlighted that Peptan(TM) in bone cell culture induced a better differentiation of osteoblasts. Those positive results have then been confirmed in vivo on ovariectomized mice, used to simulate a postmenopausal osteoporosis, which leads to a lower bone mineral density (BMD).

Animals were divided into three groups: a control group (non ovariectomized), a group of ovariectomized mice, both fed with a normal diet and a group of ovariectomized mice that received a diet containing Peptan(TM). After 12 weeks, the BMD of the group fed with Peptan(TM) is not significantly different from the BMD of control group. On the contrary the BMD of ovariectomized mice not fed with Peptan(TM) is lower.

Confirmation of Peptan(TM) benefits on bone health has been obtained by the measures of Carboxy Terminal Telopeptide (CTX), a usual marker of bone resorption. CTX is significantly lower in mice fed with
PeptanTM indicating that bone resorption is reduced.

Researchers conclude that Peptan(TM) may restore bone density in simulated post-menopausal osteoporosis by stimulating osteoblast growth and differentiation. This demonstrates the interest of Peptan(TM) as a bioactive ingredient to help preventing bone loss during aging.

*Hydrolyzed collagen improves bone metabolism and biomechanical parameters in ovariectomized mice: an in vitro and in vivo study. Guillerminet et al. Bone 2009.
Rousselot, http://www.rousselot.com

Part of VION N.V. (N.L.), Rousselot(R) is the worldwide leader in gelatine and hydrolyzed collagen. VION N.V. is an internationally operating food group that produces high-quality foods and ingredients for
humans and animals (Turnover: EUR 9.6 billion - 31,000 employees worldwide)

‘Roses of the North’ Charity Exhibition

2009-12-16T18:32:00.001-08:00

Flowers can make everyone feel happy…. H.E.Privy Councillor Palakorn Suwanrath and Thanpuying Dhasaniya Suwanrath recently presided over at ‘Roses of the North’ charity oil painting exhibition inspired by Bhubing Palace organized by L’Occitane and Baan Saen Doi Resort in Chiang Mai. The art of mercy rose oil painting exhibition was held at Peninsula Plaza and part of sales went to support schools and hospitals where are needed in Chiang Mai. Many kind hearted celebrities attended the event including Khunying Dhipavadee Meksawan, Mr.Harald Link, Arunee Bhirombhakdi, Atchara Tejapaibul, M.L.Sirichalerm Svasti, M.L.Thongmakut and Jarujit Thongyai, Yuwadee and Nidsinee Chirathivat, Dararatana and Toey Mahadumrongkul, Chadapah Snidvongs, Captain Deuntemduang Na Chiengmai, Pimpawan Limpichart, Joy Sopitpongstorn, Panitnuj Bunnag, Piranuj T.Suwan, Sodsoi Chomthavat, Mayura Savetsila, Wanchana Sawasdee and more.

The exhibition showcased of over 70 oil painting of roses flowers by artist and art lecturer Narin Phothisombat. Narin Phothisombat is a talented artist with an art degree from Chiang Mai Technology Rajchamonkol. His painting was inspired by roses from Phra Tamnak Bhubing Rajanives (Bhubing Palace). His painting reflected his pride and passions towards the beauty of nature for roses including Queen Sirikit, Eliza, Rouge Meilland, Queen Elizabeth and Royal Air Force.

In addition there was the charity auction on 2 oil painting pieces. The first one was the painting of Queen Elizabeth which won by Harald Link, CEO of B.Grimm for 120,000 Baht and the other piece on Queen Sirikit won by Arunee Bhirombhakdi for 75,000 Baht.

MyComBar - Asia’s first launch, unveiled by BEC-Tero ComCom

2009-12-15T04:59:00.000-08:00

An innovative new content application on mobile phone – MyComBar - has just been launched in Thailand, the first place in Asia to have access to this whole new pathway to information and premium lifestyle.

BEC-Tero Entertainment, Thailand’s leading entertainment media provider, has expanded into the mobile media industry with the establishment of BEC-Tero ComCom. The company is a 51:49 joint venture between BEC-Tero and Com Com Co. Ltd., the leading communications technology company for mobile phone providers from Norway.

MyComBar is a new content application for mobile phones offering premium lifestyle to its users. Thailand is the first country in Asia to launch the application along with a variety of special privileges for its users and benefits for advertisers and content providers.

Mr. Prasan Maleenont, Vice Executive Chairman of BEC-Tero said the company was striving to find new media technology to assure unique entertainment experiences. “MyComBar was created by Com Com Co. Ltd. and it’s a unique application that fits on with our company’s profile,” he said.

MyComBar is an application that will change the way content and news are presented on mobile phones. With a full screen mode, phone users can choose from several different interactions such as click to see banner, click to call, click to SMS, click to access WAP site for more information. By installing the MyComBar application, users can access news, read horoscopes or enjoy special discounts, promotions and privileges from various products and services.

By utilizing MyComBar, business owners will gain full benefits from mobile advertising which can reach more targeted audiences compared with the Internet and other media channels. Their advertisements, promotions and all kinds of communications will be more noticeable because of its non intrusive nature. However MyComBar‘s idle screen banner advertising adds even more value to their business since it can drive sales using interactive functions.

Mr. Svein Johnsen, Chairman of Com Com Company Limited said the company chose Thailand to debut MyComBar application in Asia because the country’s mobile phone user market is growing every year. There are now over 61 million numbers and it is likely to increase to 80 million in the next 3 years. Moreover Thai people enjoyed a modern premium lifestyle that suits the application. “We are aiming for 100,000 users within the next 6 months and the figures are expected to grow rapidly,” he said. “I believe that the MyComBar application will completely transform the lifestyle of Thais.”

The MyComBar application is compatible with AIS, DTAC and True Move networks. All 3 mobile network service providers are ready to accommodate users through “MyComBar ... My Premium Lifestyle.”

Mr. Pakorn Pannachet, Senior Vice President, Value Added Service Division of Total Access Communication Public Company Limited (DTAC) disclosed “MyComBar will create new phenomenon for the country’s mobile advertising industry. This smart passive application lets users respond to promotions, activities as they preferred. Its advertising banner in different styles efficiently communicates brands for products and services. Both DTAC customers and advertisers will get pleasure from the convenience and benefits offered by MyComBar.“

Mr. Pratthana Leelapanang, Assistant Vice President, Value Added Service of Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS) said MyComBar was the new choice for transforming regular mobile screens into something “funkier”.“This new service will also benefit AIS clients, and this is one of the company’s leading policies,” he said.

Mr. Piroon Paireepairitt, Multimedia Services Director of True Corporation Public Company Limited added “As the leader in convergence lifestyle, our ongoing commitment to our TrueMove customers is to provide innovations that fit and enhance their various and vibrant lifestyles. MyComBar is the latest unique mobile service with many cool interactive functions that allow our customers to enjoy life even more.”

Experience a new level of excellence with your mobile phone through MyComBar… My Premium Lifestyle, the newest application on your mobile phone that promises the latest updated news and highlights, special privileges such as discounts and prizes available at your fingertips at all times. Simply download MyComBar application on WAP site: dl.mycombar.com or call *583# (AIS), *483831100 (DTAC, TRUE) For more information check out www.mycombar.com or call customer service at 02 262 3975.
Special privileges until the end of the year

After installing MyComBar onto your mobile phone, you will be automatically updated with news and information so you won’t miss out on your premium lifestyle.
1. No GPRS fees charged for the installation and no charge for application.
2. When installing MyComBar today, get 30 Baht worth of free calls.
3. No GPRS fees when using MyComBar to update banners.

4. Get the latest updated news from Post Today, hot entertainment news Siam Dara provided by Samart, and daily horoscopes by Mor Yong, Mor Luk and Mor Krit and Mor Pu Lok Biew provided by Samart.

5. Get the latest promotions, for example, airfare promotions from AirAsia, job vacancies from Jobbkk, discounts at ManU Bar, free English tips and free trials by Andrew Biggs Academy (just click to call/send SMS/WAP for the interested content, fees are according to the operator shown on the banner.)

6. Monthly draws and prizes available for users including prizes from Thaiticketmajor, ManU Bar, and the Arsenal Shop. Prizes vary each month.

* Enjoy free calls seven days after MyComBar has been installed on your mobile phone for a period of 15 days.

**Special privileges available the day after the application installation has been completed.

BuzzCity Launches Mobile Advertising Campaign Planner

2009-11-20T22:13:00.001-08:00

BuzzCity Launches Mobile Advertising Campaign Planner New tool helps marketers plan mobile ad campaigns on BuzzCity ad network

BuzzCity (www.buzzcity.com), a provider of global wireless communities and consumer services, today released a first-of-its-kind mobile advertising campaign planner for users of its BuzzCity Global Mobile Advertising Network. The tool allows marketers and brands to better plan their mobile advertising campaigns with traffic and demographic data from each of the 200 countries included in BuzzCity’s network.

The BuzzCity Campaign Planner helps mobile media planners, researchers and strategists to overcome the challenges they face when planning the strategy and tactics behind successful mobile advertising and marketing campaigns. With an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, the Campaign Planner provides key data that will help companies get maximum results from their advertising spend.

The BuzzCity Global Mobile Advertising Network is one of the world’s largest mobile internet advertising networks. It includes more than 2,000 mobile internet publisher sites in 200 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, along with the company’s myGamma mobile social networking community.

The BuzzCity Campaign Planner includes a map display coloured to denote the mobile internet advertising page views available in markets around the world. Darker coloured countries have more inventory relative to the lighter coloured ones, allowing advertisers to quickly identify where they would like to advertise. When users roll over each country with their cursor, a pop-up window displays the number of ad impressions available per month and the average cost-per-click recorded for that market. Other information accessible through the tool include carrier and network information, handset information—including brand, model, operating system and features, and user information—including gender, age and location.

“Each of the millions of ad impressions served across our network daily tell us a little more about the mobile internet landscape,” said KF Lai, BuzzCity CEO. “The data accrued is a trove of valuable insight for advertisers and media planners, and also paints a coherent picture of mobile internet trends—what markets are expanding, who is engaging and the types of handsets they are using to surf.”

The result is a tool that instantly puts an unprecedented amount of data in the hands of advertisers that want to run campaigns on the BuzzCity Global Advertising Network. Generally, mobile carriers and networks tend to release very little data on their users, leaving mobile advertising and marketing professionals with no real insight into the markets that they are dealing with. The Campaign Planner provides information that can take much of the assumption and guesswork out of the task.

“BuzzCity’s advertisers are now able to do away with much of the trial-and-error of planning, and can establish effective campaign metrics upfront,” said Lai. “There is no other advertising network that provides this amount of data, enabling marketers to better set goals based on their target markets, optimize their campaigns, continue to adjust performance to achieve the best click through rates, and ultimately achieve the best conversion and customer acquisition rates.”

The BuzzCity Campaign Planner is available at http://www.buzzcity.com/f/campaignplanner in an easy-to-understand graphic format, free of charge for all.
About BuzzCity

BuzzCity is a developer of global wireless communities and consumer services. Established in 1999 in Singapore, BuzzCity today operates the world’s largest wireless community - mygamma.com - for two distinct audiences: the newly connected emerging middle class in developing markets and the blue collar sector in developed regions. These "unwired" consumers are accessing the mobile internet on their phones due to widespread and affordable wireless access.

BuzzCity provides marketers with unprecedented opportunities to reach this audience via its far- reaching advertising, merchant and publisher programs. Additional information can be found at www.buzzcity.com.

INDEX CREATIVE IN WORLD EXPO TOUR VENTURE

2009-11-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

       Event-organiser Index Creative Village has joined hands with Total Reservation and travel agency Starbridge to be the ticket sales agent and organiser of World Expo Tour, aiming at generating revenue of more than Bt100 million next year.
       This is part of the company's Spider Web Strategy, targeted at extending its event-organiser business to other areas.
       Index co-chief executive officer Kreingkrai Kanjanapokin yesterday said it had set up joint ventures with Total Reservation, the ticket-sales firm under Impact Exhibition Management, and with Starbridge. The investment proportion of each JV is 50:50.
       Index won the bidding to create the Thai Pavilion at the World Expositin Shanghai China 2010, or World Expo, the world's biggest exhibition featuring the latest architecture, arts and technology of each participating country.
       The expo will be held from May 1 to October 31 next year. The Thai Pavilion is being constructed onsite in shanghai at a cost of Bt600 million.
       "This World Expo is the biggest one in term of investment size and countries taking part, as well as the closest venue to date for Thai people wishing to experience the world phenomenon. I, as one of the World Expo gurus who have a passion for the event, think this is a good time to organise a tour and sell tickets for Thai people and open the opportunity for them to experience the expo," Kreingkrai said.
       The Chinese government and attending countries are investing a combined Bt1 trillion to build facilities for the expo and create pavilions, he added.
       He said Total Reservation had been authorised as the sales agent for the World Expo in Thailand. It plans to start selling tickets next month. Index and Total Reservation expect to sell Bt25 million worth of tickets for the event.
       Meanwhile, Starbridge - the other partner in the venture - will organise the Fast Track World Expo Shanghai Tour during the exhibition. Index and Starbridge hope to generate revenue of Bt80 million from this activity.
       Kreingkrai said Index aimed firstly to target corporate clients and others interested in experiencing the latest architecture from several countries.
       "This is not the first time Index has entered the tour business. We used to organise small group tours with people to the World Expo many times in the past. But this is the first time that we have joined hands with tour-agency and ticket-agency experts. This is a project in our Spider Web Strategy, aiming at extending our operations to other businesses. We expect to have more projects under this strategy next year," he said.
       The World Expo 2010 covers 3,300 rai in Shanghai, equivalent to 489 football fields. Exhibitors from 166 countries will be taking part, creating 230 pavilions.
       The Chinese government expects 70 million people to attend, generating Bt70 billion from ticket sales.

BUSINESSES TOLD TO BE CAUTIOUS

2009-11-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

       Businesses have been warned to adopt marketing strategies to cope with a variety of economic scenarios next year, because conditions remain unpredictable. The warning came from executives at a seminar hosted yesterday by the Marketing Association of Thailand.
       Bank of Thailand Deputy Governor Bandid Nijathaworn said the economy had been picking up continuously since September, thanks to the rebound of the global economy and the government's spending and stimulus package.
       However, he said good business players should be cautious in such an uncontrollable economic environment. Different marketing plans and strategies should be adopted to cope with changes in the market and economic environments.
       Marketing Association president Somboon Prasitjutrakul said marketers had to create marketing plans and strategies to cope with different business circumstances, which might range from a stagnant to a growing market environment.
       Political unrest and oil prices will be two key factors affecting the local economy.
       In the event of a growing economic environment, local players should adopt more proactive marketing plans to accelerate their business growth and gain market share, said Somboon, who is also president of leading trading firm Diethelm.
       "We've seen better signs of economic recovery, especially in the tourism sector, since the end of September. We've seen many tourism-related products, as well as luxury goods, starting to show higher sales," he said.
       Singha Corp marketing director Chatchai Wiratyosin said present economic difficulties would not turn around quickly and that business players should expect uncontrollable conditions for the next three or four years.
       "Business people should do their jobs as best they can. They need to be flexible all the time, to deal with any changes. They should know and evaluate their own company internally based on a factual and realistic market environment," he said.
       Chatchai said political instability was the only worrying factor apart from an undesirable economic environment.

BUILD YOUR BRAND WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK

2009-10-28T21:56:00.000-07:00

       Why do many businesses fail when times are tough? It's the same reason that any business can fail when times are good: faulty marketing.
       Faulty marketing - or no marketing at all - means no customers. And that means no sales, no profits and no business.
       Marketing to build a powerful brand is all about identifying the needs of a target market and taking action to satisfy those needs better than the competition. So, embracing a customer-led mindset throughout the company is critical to success. Every decision on all aspects of your business - from product design and pricing to supply chain and distribution channels - must revolve around customers and their needs.

       Empty pockets, full marketing plan
       I often hear business owners say: "That sounds good, but I don't have enough money, people, or resources to market effectively." The key to success is to change your mindset from what you don't have to what you do have.
       In fact, I guarantee you already have five powerful resources in your company that can help you market effectively. For business owners who are prepared to build and maintain a solid marketing foundation, these five resources can be used to bring greater success.
       1. Positioning: The way you want customers to perceive, think, and feel about your business versus your competition.
       2. Customers: We'll talk about how to effectively market to keep your current clients coming back for more.
       3. Your products and services: Learn to review your portfolio through the eyes of your customers to attract more business.
       4. Your team: There are powerful ways that your team can help you market, day in and day out.
       5. Your competition: How can your competition help your business to grow? We'll explore this in the final article of this three-part series.
       We'll cover all five resources in upcoming articles, but today, we'll focus on the first:
       Positioning
       Without positioning to differentiate your brand or business from all the others in a meaningful way, your products or services become commodities, and you end up competing on price alone, and this is a precarious market position at best.
       Businesses without well-defined positioning statements are not in the driver's seat. After all, if you aren't exactly sure what your company stands for, how can your customers be sure? Indeed, if you don't take charge of your positioning yourself, there's a good chance your competition will step in and define your positioning for you.
       I often hear business owners say: "Positioning is only for big companies or companies who sell direct to consumers," or: "We've never written it down, so we don't even have positioning."
       The truth is, you already have positioning whether you know it or not. Large or small, your company's positioning is how customers perceive, think, and feel about your brand or business versus the competition. Since your clients are already out there perceiving, thinking, and feeling about you right now, your positioning already exists in their minds.
       The question is, do you have the positioning you want?
       Another popular myth is that small companies don't need positioning. In reality, it's just the opposite: smart positioning helps level the playing field for businesses with fewer resources. While large companies often have deeper pockets to help communicate what they want their business to stand for, companies with fewer resources must be smarter, to identify and solidify that one particular "sweet spot" that they, and they alone, can and want to own.
       Taking charge of your existing positioning is one of the most powerful activities you can do to stand out from the competition and win in the marketplace. And, it doesn't have to cost you a lot.
       The key is to spend quality time with your management team, defining and aligning your business to the six core elements that make up your positioning: target market, need, competitive framework, benefits, reasons why and character. These six fit together like a jigsaw puzzle to form your Positioning Statement.
       Once defined, your positioning should become a mantra of sorts for your team, guiding everyone on a daily basis and helping to make important decisions. That's how you build a powerful position in the market without spending a lot in doing so.

       BRENDA BENCE is managing director of Brand Development Associates International. Earlier, she spent 20 years with Procter & Gamble and Bristol-Myers Squibb, managing dozens of brands on four continents and in 50 countries. She may be contacted at brenda@brendabence.com. Watch for the second of this three-part series to learn about the next two marketing resources that can be used to create a powerful, but inexpensive, marketing plan.

Kingdon's best crafts

2009-10-28T21:54:00.000-07:00

       Great stuff handmade in rural corners all over the country are on sale at the October 10 Thai Craft Fair in the Jasmine City Building on Sukhumvit Soi 23.
       Shop for baskets, hand-woven silk, ceramics, hilltribe stichwork and recycled items and view the exhibition "Khon Lek Lek", featuring the amazing baskets of Montri Yimyean and his fellow weavers in Rayong, who've found a less harmful altfernative to factories and fishing.
       The fair is running from 10 to 5. Call (02)676 0636-8, extension 231,or visit www.ThaiCraft. org.

Magnificent seven

2009-10-28T21:33:00.000-07:00

       In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
       Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
       Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
       Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
       Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
       The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
       The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
       Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
       The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
       The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.

Book Expo Thailand 2009

2009-10-20T21:48:00.001-07:00

Realising that true knowledge comes from reading, the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (Pubat) proudly presents Book Expo Thailand 2009 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok, from Oct 15 to 25, 10am to 9pm.
This comprehensive book fair aims to promote the paramount significance of reading among youngsters in line with fostering Thailand's ambitions to become a lifelong learning society and an education hub.

Spending rise predicted in Q4

2009-10-14T23:50:00.000-07:00

       Advertising spending is expected to increase in the last quarter of this year after falling for more than six months due to the downturn, says the Advertising Association of Thailand.
       "We have seen some good signs since the third quarter and total ad spending this year will be on par with 89 billion baht last year," said AAT chairman Parames Rachjaibun.
       When the economy is bad, ad budgets are the first to be cut as firms reduce expenses. But the current crisis is less severe than the slump in 1997 and the Thai economy is now improving, he said.
       Many product and brand owners have realised ads are necessary to communicate with consumers during tough times so the industry has not been affected that much, he said.
       The Nielsen Company, a media research firm, said first-half ad spending fell by 5.11% from a year earlier to 41.9 billion baht. However, monthly media expenditures in August rose for the first time this year, climbing 2.8% year-on-year to 7.74 billion baht.
       Ad agencies, however, must adjust to changing demands from clients with limited budgets who expect higher returns on their spending, he said.
       The trend for ad spending in 2010 will depend in part on the government's creative economy project, he said.
       "It is difficult to predict the ad spending trend next year. I think a key driver for the sector is government policies,especially the creative economy project,"said Mr Parames.
       TrueVisions' approval from MCOT Plc to run commercials on its pay-TV channels will not be a key factor to spur the industry next year because ad agencies want to see True's airtime rates first, said Mr Parames.
       But he forecast that TrueVisions' freedom to air commercials would force free-TV stations to improve their content because agencies will have more choice.
       On Tuesday night, the AAT held the 2009 Adman Awards, which attracted 752 entries from TV commercials, print ads and integrated marketing communications, down 25% from last year.
       Ogilvy & Mather Advertising took the top prize as agency of the year. Phenomena won production house of the year and Verasu Retail Co was named advertiser of the year.
       The best TV award went to Brand Connections Co for its "Khon Thai-Phra Maha Wudhijaya Vajiramedhi " and "Khon Thai-Phai Soysraklang " for the Yuvabadhana Foundation.
       Leo Burnett & Arc Worldwide Thailand took the best print award for "Stadium of Dreams" for Heineken.
       This year, the association added the category of Interactive and Digital Media in response to the growing role of online media and internet marketing. The category has four sub-categories: advertising (banners and pop-ups), website design,viral advertising and integrated interactive campaigns.
       Only two entries won gold medals this year: Far East DDB for "Phoenix 29 Chuan Ploi Kong" for Mama Shrimp Creamy Tom Yam Flavour in the single viral ad category, and JWT Bangkok for "Avatar" for Oriental Princess in a viral ad campaign.

International education "beneficial"

2009-10-11T23:39:00.000-07:00

       The trend towards international education is growing in Thailand.
       More Thai students are eager to become fluent in English, because it is the global language and will help them to find better job opportunities.
       Students who acted as exhibitors and visitors at yesterday's Thailand International Education Exhibition 2009 gave their opinions on international education in Thailand to The Nation.
       Thanaboon 'Na' Wanlopsirinun, 20, an exhibitor, video jockey of OIC television programme and a third-year communication arts student at Assumption University (ABAC):
       "I studied for my secondary-school levels at a state school. I understood very little English. My English has improved since studying here. Every lecturer always speaks English. It's really useful for me when I interview foreigners, like Korean singers. I understand them, so it makes my job easier. ABAC sets out to change students to be like business people, so I've learned to be punctual, methodical and responsible.
       "Future work [prospects for those who study in Thailand] are not inferior to those of people who study abroad. We have connections in Thailand; it's good for us to work here. Students studying abroad have connections there. They will benefit if they work abroad, too. However, if I decide to work abroad and they [want to] work in Thailand, both of us [will] need to adjust ourselves."
       Arisa Klinkhachornsak, 18, an exhibition visitor and a freshman studying journalism at Thammasat University (TU):
       "I decided to study in the international programme because I want to be skilled at English, but I don't want to spend the high costs of living abroad. Studying here makes me more confident in expressing my opinions, as lecturers listen to me.
       "I have opted for other international programmes in Thailand, for instance business. I'll probably use the knowledge to run my family's business.
       "However, when I graduate with my bachelor's degree from TU and I can take care of myself, I aim to further my higher education abroad. My cousins told me of their experience abroad, and how being fluent in English helped them to get well-paid jobs when they studied there, especially in the US.
       "People graduating from foreign lands are better off than those from the international education system in Thai land, particularly those who graduate from prestigious or world-class academic institutions. This also happens in Thailand. Graduates from the country's top universities are considered before others."
       Ratchawut Cherdchuvanit, 20, an exhibitor and a junior studying communication art at Chulalongkorn University (CU):
       "CU focuses on giving students basic knowledge and encourages them to apply the acquired knowledge themselves. I chose the international programme here partly because of cheaper costs. Parents should invest in their children's education as much as they can. It's worth the investment.
       "Graduating from an international programme is better than graduating from a Thai programme in my opinion. We learn specialised knowledge together with practising English. It's easier to work in an international company.
       "I wish to work in Japan and maybe China, so I study Japanese as my third language and probably Chinese will be my fourth language."
       Kusuma Suksri, 17, a visitor and a Matthayom 5 (11th grade) student from Suansri Witthaya School in Chumphon:
       "I'm studying in the science-mathematics fields. Not only science and mathematics are important for me, but also English language. I'll try to gain more and more information until I finish my secondary-school levels before I make a decision on whether I will study in an international programme or study abroad. I will look for information about both education formats to compare their strong and weak points."

A QUIETER MOTOR EXPO THROUGH NOISE MANAGEMENT

2009-10-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

       Organisers of the Thailand International Motor Expo, one of two major auto shows staged annually in Thailand, plan to offer visitors to this year's event a more pleasurable experience by improving noise management.
       The show will be held in Muang Thong Thani's Challenger Hall in December.
       Organising chairman Kwanchai Paphatphong said his team was working to raise the standards of the show in several ways.
       "We want visitors to be able to walk around the Expo in comfort. We have come up with a new system to keep noise at any location in Challenger within appropriate levels by continuously monitoring noise levels in a central control room," he said.
       Excessive noise at any location in the hall will be detected by a special instrument that will alert the control room, allowing staff to deal with the noise at its source.
       Kwanchai claimed it was the most sophisticated noise-management system ever employed at a trade show in Thailand.
       "We will set up a Motor Expo Information Centre, like at previous expost, to provide all sorts of useful information, such as specifications of cars displayed in the show, various promotional offers, or booth locations, Visitors will be able to find what they want from a compilation of hard copies that we provide or they will be able to ask our service staff at three locations in front of the entrances," Kwanchai said.
       "This year we will also work with Impact Muang Thong Thani to install the latest and most effective temperature detectors at the entrances of Challenger Hall to scan visitors and ensure that the Expo in a virus-free zone," he said.

BUILD YOUR BRAND WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK

2009-10-06T20:45:00.001-07:00

"THAILAND MAXIMISE" TO REVIVE MICE

2009-10-06T20:43:00.000-07:00

       The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau will explore international markets this quarter with its "Thailand Maximise" campaign to revive the MICE industry.
       The TCEB will debut the campaign at the 17th IT&CMA and 12th CTW Asia-Pacific, together with its newest privilege package called "Max Value", created to boost the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions business.
       "We are officially introducing the campaign to over 2,000 operators and buyers visiting the event. Thailand has been the choice for IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific for eight straight years now," Malinee Kitaphanich, the TCEB director of meetings and incentives, said yesterday.
       The background of Thailand Maximise that the organisation had conducted a survey and research on the MICE industry from 2008-2009 and found that Thailand undoubtedly offers efficiencies and value for money for organising MICE activities of all sorts.
       "Be it the facilities, transportation, professional Mice management, reputation as a world-class travel destination, world-renowned hospitality or unique Thai culture, it truly contributes to and encourages the overall growth of Thai MICE industry," she said.
       The Thailand Maximise campaign stems from the integration of the country's core strengths and strategic marketing plan, basing on an international outlook. From these impeccable advantages, Thailand is eventually represented as the ideal destination for the MICE industry in Asia.
       With value for money in meeting in Thailand, a variety of meeting sites set among fabulous attractions and the country's unique heart-warming hospitality, the TCEB believes it would inspire and reflect a new perspective to MICE travellers.
       The organisation is now ready to appeal to international markets, both short and long haul, in order to encourage the recovery of the MICE industry and guarantee constant growth.
       "We believe that Max Value will boost meeting and incentive visitors by 15 per cent next year, from the current estimate of 250,000 visitors this year" she added.
       Last year, Thailand attracted 727,723 MICE travellers, with 51 per cent or 371,681 of them for meetings and incentives, generating earnings of more than Bt21 million.
       This year, the TCEB forecasts that MICE will bring over Bt41 billion in revenue into the country, with MICE travellers estimated at 500,000.

Brainstorms for the future

2009-10-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

       Fancy footwear, a modern-art gallery fashioned out of old containers and a coffee table made from abandoned wood are just some of the highlights of the Bangkok Design Festival '09 that runs at various venues throughout the city from Thursday to October 21.
       Part of an ambition to turn the Kingdom into Asia's design hub, the third edition of the festival is bigger and better than before, with more than 1,000 Thai designers showcasing their talents alongside 40 foreigns projects.
       "The city will be enhanced by a range of projects that are being exclusively initiated for this event under the concept 'Balancing the Future'," says festival director Prathan Theerathada. "They all convey a sense of innovation, creativity and sustainability."
       Prathan, who's also the editor of art4d magazine, launched the festival three years ago as private initiative. This year the government is providing support.
       "The Bangkok Design Festival will lead Thailand into the new econolmic era throught its creative ideas and innovation, in accordance with government policy," says Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Pollabutr.
       "We need the inventive minds of Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand' project.
       "Our aim is to make Thailand the hub of creative industry in Asean and to enhance the economic value of creative industry from 12 to 20 per cent of Gross National Product by 2012," he adds.
       the festival features everything from outdoor interactive installation art to a poster exhibition, film screenings to DIY workshops, and designers' talks to shopping.
       It kicks off at the Victory Monument, Bangkok's so-called "Kilometre Zero". Passers-by are invited to participate in "Creative City Km.0", created by Briton Maria Stukoff and Thai graphic designers Apostrophy.
       The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is hosting various exhibitions, among them "Abundant Australia", a display of 160 innovatuve structural models fresh fro the Venice Architecture Bienniale.
       Meanwhile B Muse, a group of young Thai curators and artists, shows how much fun you can have visiting a museum in the exhibition "What is your Dream Museum?"
       "Do It Together by Knotting Else" sees 10 leading interior-design companies use recycle materials in environmentally friendly designs.
       Award-winning designer Anon Pairot blurs the boundaries between his furniture and sculpture in "A Part."
       Last but not least, is Designer's Saturday. Mark Holmes, a founding partner in one of the UK's greatest manufacturing successes of the decade, Established & Sons and Douglas Young, the founder and chief executive of Hong Kong's innovative retailer GOD/Goods of Desire will talk on October 10.
       Over at Siam Paragon'a Pare Paragon, Thai talen is on show in an ultra-modern art gallery made of five containers decorated with a dozen balloon trees.
       Supported by M150, Japanese architect Onishi Takaya - who teaches at King Mongkut University of Technology - designed the gallery to host "Degree Show'09", featuring fashion, jewellery, animation and graphic and interior design by the year's top design students.
       At the Hall of Mirrors, the "DEmark" exhibition shows a selection of design works by Thai entre-preneurs and designers taking part in DEmark (Design Excellence Award) 2009, or ganised by the government's Department of Export Promotion.
       Decor Mart converts its showroom into an art gallery featuring high-end German brand Hangsgrohe, with designs by Philippe Stark, Jaen-Mari Massuad, Antonio Citterio and Patricia Urguiola.
       Thai brand Furniture House by Plato displays its futuristic home decor inspired by origami, and designer Krit Sangvivhien has the "Thainess" exhibition, focusing on traditional local craftsmanship, recycled materias and modern designs.
       Architect firm G49 celebrates its 20th anniversay with "Twenty-Twenty", a showcase of 20 innovative project by both Thai and foreign architects inside 20 boxes.
       Meantime Tiga invites 100 designers to take part in its exhibition, "Kiew-koy 100 Designs."
       At Siam Centre you can see Thai proverbs interpreted as shoes at "Shoes'cream by Gold City", an exhibition by design students from Silpakorn, king Mongkut and Srinakarinwirote universities.
       Siam Discovery hosts "Illustration Poster" by Takashi Akiyama, the econo-peoject "Rebuild/Refresh by SCG featuring DesignLab, and the photo exhibition "I Am a Thai Graphic Designer."
       The shopping centre is also playing host to workshops, the "Young Creative Entrepreneur" exhibition and to a minimart that's selling products priced between Bt9 and Bt999.
       The Thaoland Creative and Design Centre at the Emporium is hosting a series of talks, among them "The Dimension of the Plan - Communication Design Germnay," focusing on corporate design, digital media, typography and signage systems.
       Following the successful screening of Gary Hustwit's "Helvetica" at the first festival, this year Pratha is bringing his new documentary, "Objectitied", which portrays the stories behind the work od elite product designers from around the world. The film screens at SF CentralWorld on October 15.
       Shoppers should not miss the "BIG+BIH" fairs at Challenger Hall in Muang Thong Thani from October 13 to 18, hosted by the Office of Product Value Development.

SUCCESS OF FOOD INGREDIENTS ASIA 2009 SETS THE STAGE FOR 2010 EXPANSION

2009-10-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

       Bangkok was once again the center of attention for the food ingredients industry as Food ingredients (Fi) Asia 2009 got underway at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center on the 9th of September.
       This exciting event ran for three days and attracted over 7000 attendees from around the world. They were drawn to Fi Asia by the outstanding opportunity to network with the industry's key players and learn about the latest developments in this dynamic market.
       Many attendees were particularly interested in opportunities in the rapidly growing functional food market. Dr. Damri Sukhothanang, Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Industry, underlined this trend in his opening address. He stated the industry' s current health-oriented focus has developed in response to consumers increasing affluence and health consciousness, and many companies in the region are now offering healthier food choices with high nutritional value.
       The 2009 show featured a highly informative program of conderences and seminars. The first in the series was "What's New in the World of Functiional Food ingredients?" which was co-organized by the Food Science & Technology Association of Thailand (FoSTAT).
       International speakers covered 18 other relevant topics and all the high level conderence events were well attended and covered by the many media companies in attendance.
       In order to offer Fi Asia exibitors and visitors increased access to the ASEAN region, the Fi team will be branching out into new markets in 2010.
       Fi Asia be held in Indonesia in 2010 and return to Thailand in 2011. a new event, the Fi Asia Summit, will make its debut in Vietnam in 2010 and then bring the industry to the Philippines in 2011.

BALANCING THE FUTURE

2009-10-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

       Bangkok will once again play host to a unique art and design showcase when the "Bangkok Design Festival 2009" raises its curtains next week.The third edition to be held, this year's festival involves innovation, creativity and sustainability under the idea of "Balancing the Future."
       The 14-day event, from October 8-21,will take place at various hot spot venues around the city - Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC), Bangkok Art and Culture Centre,Siam Paragon, Siam Centre, Siam Discovery,The Emporium and Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani. There are also exhibitions in public spaces such as Victory Monument.
       On show are stunning works by professional and young designers, both Thai and foreign,special themed projects, interesting activities, top thesis by design students from various universities, a Thainess show, a creative party, an art fair and a mini mart.
       "Bangkok Design Festival 2009 will lead Thailand to the era of a new economy via the tactics of creative work," said Alongkorn Pollabutr,deputy minister of commerce.
       "The event also goes in line with the government's Creative Thailand in-
       tiative, aimed at turning Thailand
       into the hub of creative industry
       in Asean and to enhance the
       economic value of creative
       industry."
       "In the art and design industry, Thai designers
       are second to none in
       terms of their knowledge
       and talent and the Bangkok Design Festival is an excellent platform to unwaveringly drive Thailand's design industry to the international level,"said Mayuree Chaipromprasith, marketing promotion senior director of Siam Paragon Development Co."This year, we have highlights at every spot. Among them, the Degree Show, which presents the year's top thesis by students in interior, product, graphic,fashion and jewellery design as well as animation," said Prathan Theerathada,director of the Bangkok Design Festival.
       "Another fascinating exhibition is the showcase of more than 70 pieces of work from seven different fields creatively displayed in five Design Containers among balloons," he said."Despite a limited area, larger-than-life quality is guaranteed
       and you can see these ou-
       standing pieces for yourselves at Parc Par-
       gon, Siam Paragon."
       The programme also includes "Creative City km.0." This year, Change Bangkok Project continues what it began earlier. From last year, the selected photographs of places in Bangkok that need change the most is the Victory Monument (km 0).
       The designers responsible for the change are Maria Stukoff, an artist from the United Kingdom, and Apostrophy's from Thailand.
       In the heart of the city at Siam Paragon is "DEmark", a selection of good design works by Thai entrepreneurs and designers in a contest of DEmark 2009 Award (Design Excellence Award) organised by the Office of Product Value Development, Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce. This is a golden opportunity for art enthusiasts to admire these creations at the Hall of Mirror, M floor.
       At Siam Centre's Atrium 2 on the first floor is the "Shoes' Cream by Gold City",an exhibition of shoes designed by students from Silpakorn University, King Mongkut Institute of Technology Lad Krabang and Srinakarinviroj University.
       Causing quite a stir and fun among Thai graphic designers is the project,"I am a Thai Graphic Designer" by Practical Studio. The project, set to take place in the Grand Hall of SiamDiscovery, showcases more than 1,000 works by graphic designers from across the country.
       Each work is presented using photographs of each designer holding a plate with his/her own design of the phrase "I am a Thai Graphic Designer." Related activities in this area include a graphic design workshop for high school stu-dents, and seminar on the topic "Put the strong faith in Thailand by Thai graphic designers."
       Also on show in the Grand Hall is the "Illustration Poster by Takashi Akiyama"exhibition. Akiyama is a world-renowned Japanese visual communicator and graphic design professor at Tama Art University. Through some 40 posters,Akiyama communicates stories with illustrations that convey profound meanings that are beyond the ability of words or any international languages to communicate.
       On show at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is "Do It Together by Knotting Else" featuring works of 10 leading interior design companies presented in the Tetris puzzles pattern. The exhibition gathers recycled materials under Green Design or environmentally-friendly design concepts from each company.
       BIG+BIH at Challenger Hall, Impact Muang Thong Thani, will probably be the most familiar event as it's been held for many years. This year, the event is held under the theme,"Unique Lifestyle",with a trade fair and exhibitions showcasing updated movements in both local and international product design scenes.
       "Bangkok Design Festival 2009", October 8-21, at various venues around the city. For full activities and exhibition programme,venues and map, please visit www.bangkokdesignfestival.com.
       Work from the "Designers Saturday"showcase (above);and two art pieces from the "Abundant Australia" exhibition (below and right).
       This year's festival features stunning works of art and design by professional and young designers.

Makers show off new gadgets at Mobile Expo

2009-10-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

       Samsung is gunning for pole position in mobilephone sales by the end of this year by showering the market with appealing new products.
       Yesterday the Korean handset-maker launched Samsung Candy, its newest touch-screen phone aimed at teens and new users at a price of Bt5,990.
       The gadget made its debut at Thailand Mobile Expo 2009, which started yesterday and runs to Sunday at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
       Manatase Annawat, head to telecommunications marketing at Thai Samsung Electronics, said sales of Samsung Candy are targeted at 30,000-40,000 units per month.
       Manatase believes that sales of touchscreen phones will continue to gain momentum on the demand of geeks to use the devices to wirelessly connect to online social networks.
       The public's perception of touch-screen phones has also changed.
       Earlier they thought that the models were difficult to use and very expensive, he said.
       Samsung Thailand will introduce about 10 models during the rest of this year.
       It sold about 1.5 million cell phones of all types in the first eight months of the year, closing in on its year-end target of over 2 million units.
       The company is confident of passing current market leader Nokia Thailand by building up a share of 35 per cent by the end of the year.
       Nokia has recently said it is confident of maintaining its superiority with a wide-ranging product portfolio and attractive mobile solutions.
       Besides great devices, if offers an array of services such as mobile e-mail, music and games and navigation solutions.

MARKETING TRANSFORMED BY SOCIAL NETWORKING

2009-09-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

       Social-network marketing, using both Facebook and Twitter, has become the talk of the town among marketers in all industries.
       The rapid rise in the number of users at both sites in Thailand has demanded the attention of Thai marketers, many of whom are currently calculating what share of their annual budget they should divert to the new online medium.
       An adviser to the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration, Ian Fenwick, has given some pointers to online-marketing success.
       He said marketing was moving towards a new digital era, for which new marketing models would be designed and developed to deliver messages digitally through a variety of end-devices and platforms including Internet web 2.0, mobile phones, Internet television, personal Internet devices, social-networking platforms, and electronic devices yet to be developed.
       Referring to the "Four Ps" of traditional marketing strategy - product, price, place and promotion, he said digital marketing came with its own Four Ps: permission, participation, profile and personalisation.
       "Marketers need to understand the fundamental elements of the new era of marketing first. Then they have to understand how to use their marketing budget to gain the most benefit," Fenwick said.
       This year, Internet penetration around the world amounts to 1.6 billion users. Of these, 42 per cent are in Asia. These people are also spending more of their time on the Internet, from only 15 per cent of their daily life in 2003 to 30 per cent in 2008. Their main activities on the Internet are participating in social networks and reading blogs.
       The best-known social-network site is Facebook. It now has 330 million users - up from 250 million in July. The trends are similar in Thailand, where there are 16 million Internet users and more than 1 million of them are Facebook users.
       Twitter, the most popular microblog site, had more than 7 million users in February, up from fewer than 5 million one year earlier.
       Marketing expert Thunyawat Chaitrakulchai, who is managing editor of MKT magazine, said social-network marketing, especially that using Facebook and Twitter, was the next big thing. Marketers should not ignore it, but should pay more attention to learning about it and understanding it in order to use it as a marketing weapon to reach the right target customers at a lower cost in terms of time and money.
       He said it was better to use both Facebook and Twitter in parallel, with "balanced portions" devoted to each. The size of the portions directed at each channel depended on the requirements of different businesses.
       "There is no one success model for all. This is a time for marketers to pay attention. They have to realise that they cannot ignore this. Both large corporations and small- and medium-sized enterprises should jump in," Thunyawat said.
       A similar message came from Worawisut Pinyoyang, marketing expert and owner of Newmedia.com and MKTtwit.com. He said Facebook and Twitter had a big impact on product and brand awareness.
       The beauty of social networking for marketing is that it provides a huge number of target customers with the correct demographic profile, he said. Personalisation enables marketers to get very quick feedback and their marketing message can reach a mass market in a short time by "going viral".

BETTER WAY HIKES 2009 SALES TARGET TO BT8.6BN

2009-09-28T23:17:00.000-07:00

       Better Way (Thailand), a leading direct-sales operator and owner of the Mistine brand, has revised its sales target for this year to Bt8.6 billion, up significantly form Bt8.1 billion set at the beginning of the year.
       Managing director Danai Deerojanawong said the new sales target had followed dramatic year-on-year growth in the third quarter, with figures 15-percent higher than those in last year's third quarter. Company sales grew 13 per cent last year from 2007.
       He said the company had also been encouraged to set the new target by growth in its exports, which would double this year to a value of about Bt300 million.
       "We've been able to open new markets for Mistine products, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, including Iran, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We plan to enter Mauritius by the end of this year and will turn to Ivory Coast and the UAE next year," Danai said.
       The company expects its export sales to grow at least 25 per cent next year.
       "We've achieved sales of Bt6 billion in the first nine months of this year, including exports. We expect sales for the whole year to show growth of 11-12 per cent," he said.
       Danai said the company had increased its number of sales representatives from 700,000 last year to 860,000 now.
       "We've also found the value of purchases per bill from our sales representatives has increased significantly in the third quarter, by more than 5 per cent."
       Danai said Better Way (Thailand) had set a conservative sales target for next year, with year-on-year growth of 10 per cent expected. Sales performance should be similar to this year, depending on "crucial factors", such as local political stability and oil prices.
       "We invested more than Bt100 million last year to upgrade our information-technology(IT) system, so that now we're able to analyse our costs more effectively.
       "The new system supports our Marketing, Sales and Logistics departments, helping them work more efficiently," Danai said.
       With its new IT investment, Better Way expects to shape itself to meet a new trend of "products and marketing on demand," The company will segment its customers geographically and according to their preferred types of merchandise.
       "We plan to open two new distribution centres next year in Chon Buri, which will be responsible for the Eastern Seaboard provinces and one province in the middle of the southern region," Danai said.
       Better Way will launch a new television commercial this week called "Beauty Mind", for its Mistine No 1 Diamond lipstick. Starring movie queen Petchara Chaowarat, the 45-second commercial will be screened for the first time tomorrow, on all channels.
       Part of the sales revenue will be donated to the Foundation for the Blind on Thailand.

       With its new IT investment, Better Way expects to shape itself to meet a new trend of "products and marketing on demand".

BIDDING TO START FOR NEW PHUKET CONVENTION CENTRE

2009-09-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

       Bidding will be held by December this year for the construction of an international convention centre in the southern island resort of Phuket.
       Deputy Finance Minister Pruttichai Damrongrat said the project would cost Bt3.74 billion, using budgets from fiscal 2010-12 under the Thai Khemkhaeng stimulas programme.
       Construction of the facilities for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions are expected to provede new economic opportunities in the southern island province.
       The project will be located on a 150-rai plot owned by the Treasury Department, close to Phuket Airport.
       Construction will take about two years. Pruttichai said the project needed an environmental-impact assessment before work could begin.
       Sources said the site might face a shortage of fresh water during the dry season. In addition, the location is not close to most hotels, and it takes about an hour to drive to popular Patong Beach.
       Overall, the Phuket convention centre will be designed to serve 2 million visitors a year.
       Besides the four exhibition buildings, there well be a four-star hotel with 350 rooms.
       Its carpark will accommodate 1,000 cars and buses.
       Pruttichai said Phuket had already been allocated a Bt779-million budget for fiscal 2010 under the Bt1.43-trillion economic stimulus package, which runs through fiscal 2012.

A model kit mecca

2009-09-28T23:15:00.001-07:00

"From the Beginning Beyond the Future" is the theme of "Gundam Expo Thailand 2009", which will be held from October 21-25 in the Fashion Hall of Siam Paragon to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the animated series this year.One of the event's highlights will be the six-metre fibreglass representation of the upper body of Gundam RX-78-2.The expo will be divided into many different zones, featuring the history of the Gundam franchise in Thailand as well as in Japan dating back to its beginning in 1979; a visual zone featuring images from the Gundam animated series; a music zone featuring the signature and signing-off Gundam songs over the past 30 years;a lifestyle zone highlighting a wide range of Gundam products under the concept of a dream "Gundam bedroom"; and a not-to-be-missed shopping zone where Gundam model kits, DVDs and limited-edition goods will be available.At the event Kunio Okawara, Gundam's mechanical designer and one of the three creators of Gundam, will be giving a talk on his work, and Mark Bakuc, an expert in model assembly and modification, will be conducting a tutorial workshop. Other activities include a Gundam cosplay (a term of Japanese origin and short for "costume role play") competition and a Gundam karaoke singing contest.
Call 02-310-1904/5, or 02-310-1005/6, or visit www.dexclub.com. Admission is free.

Giants in animation

2009-09-28T23:12:00.000-07:00

       There is more to Gundam than just Japanese robots. To its fans around the globe, Gundam is a passion for life. "Gundam, to me, is like a drug," said Rittikrai Kraikrengsri, 30, a model maker at an animated series production company. "Assembling Gundam figurines has become an activity that I am addicted to whenever I have time."
       FULL HOUSE: Tokyo’s Shiokaze Park is packed with Gundam diehard fans towered over by the 18-metre-tall statue of Gundam RX-78-2 specially created to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
       "I like Gundam's characters. They're real," said Marisa Zennun, 28, an animator. "I have been following the Gundam TV series and reading Gundam comics since I was a child."
       RARE FINDS: Gundam followers buy heaps of Gundam model kits, right, in a shop in Japan despite their exorbitant prices.
       Like Marisa and the majority of Gundam disciples, Rittikrai's zest for the robots started off as a childhood fascination. It was the time, he recalled, when animated series featuring super robots proliferated. In contrast with the concept of super robots featured in stories of transformable, damage-resistant giant robots with an arsenal of superpowers yet unrealistic weapons, Gundam seemed to offer the only "real" robots - common robot machines used by the military forces such as tanks or aircraft - in that era. And that was the main reason why young Rittikrai suddenly fell in love with all of them.
       Gundam maintains a very strong fan base not only in Thailand and Japan, but also in many other countries. Diehard Gundam fans are usually referred to as "Gundam Otaku", a term borrowed from Japanese to describe people who have an obsessive interest in Gundam.
       To celebrate its 30th anniversary this year, Bandai Japan recently held "Gundam Big Expo", an exhibition featuring the long history of Gundam figurines, the Gundam animated series, Gundam video games and every spin-off from the Japanese heroes. In the late morning, hundreds of people lined up patiently to enter the exhibition venue.
       Gundam Big Expo was held in Odaiba, Tokyo, and its star attraction was an 18-metre statue of Gundam RX-78-2, standing firmly and elegantly in Shiokaze Park. It was considered the highlight of the anniversary event.
       IN PRINT: Apart from the animated TV series, Gundam is also available in other media genres, below right, one of which is comics.
       Gundam first came into existence in 1979 as an animated science fiction television series called Mobile Suit Gundam. The story of Gundam is simply about the giant piloted robots or the mobile suits and their pilots fighting in a war some time in the future where total destruction and dehumanisation are inherent.
       The television series found its way to Thailand in 1981. It was first aired on Channel 7 under the name Apiniharn Gundam, which literally means "Gundam, the Super Power".
       The storyline in the original Gundam series later gave birth to a number of sequels, prequels and side stories. The popularity of Mobile Suit Gundam finally expanded to other media genres, including mangas, video games and, of course, figurines.
       According to the Hong Kong-based assistant manager of Bandai Asia, Tsutomu Suzuki, there are several reasons why Gundam has such a strong following, even though it has been 30 years since it was first released.
       "The designs are so cool. The narrative is not complicated, so it is not difficult for people to understand it. More importantly, the stories are closely related to our everyday lives," said Mr Suzuki, who is also Bandai's chief Gundam overseas officer.
       And for those who think that Gundam robots are only playthings created particularly for children, they are absolutely wrong. In Japan, Mr Suzuki said, half of all Gundam diehard fans are, in fact, more than 30 years old, while 30% of all fans are teenagers. Family and children fill up the rest of the pie chart. In Thailand, children account for only 10% of all Gundam devotees, while 50% of all fans are adults and 40% are teenagers.
       Bandai's factory in Shizuoka, a few hours by bus from Tokyo, produces about 15 million Gundam model kits annually. The plant boasts that its model-production technique is one of the most advanced dye-injection technologies in the world, and that it is the only place where 17 patented four-colour injection-moulding machines are located. In 2006, the Bandai Hobby Centre was founded within the factory's compound to function as a mini museum showcasing the proud history of the company's product creation and development.
       The Bandai Hobby Centre and the factory have implemented a number of important environmentally-friendly measures. For example, the solar panels on the building's exterior generate the energy used within the centre as well as the factory. In addition, a system is used to recycle rain and groundwater.
       The model kits manufactured at this factory are sold both in the Land of the Rising Sun as well as in 10 other countries, most of which are in Asia. The annual global sales revenue from Gundam figurines is about 200,000 million (72 billion baht). Despite such a commendable sales achievement, the chief Gundam overseas officers disclosed that the company's plan is to increase its sales performance by 10% every year.
       "Our company's sales strategies are consistently implemented, especially in the area of product development. We conduct a lot of research to see which mobile suit is suitable for people in which period of time.
       "In line with product development is the development of production technology to support our future growth," explained Mr Suzuki.
       Rittikrai now has more than 50 Gundam figurines in his plastic model collection. Even though the prices of Gundam model kits remains high - starting from a few hundred baht for beginner model sets to more than 20,000 baht for perfect-grade figurine assemblies - as a Gundam otaku, his love for the robots will never die, he said.
       "I think one of the major difficulties facing Gundam aficionados is that the model kits are so expensive and are, in many cases, unaffordable, especially as far as children are concerned.
       "And this is the reason why non-fans think that we are crazy when we spend such huge sums of money on Gundam models. I think our case is similar to that of Blythe lovers.
       "Blythe dolls are extremely expensive, but people still buy them simply because they like them. And it is the same with Gundam.
       "Others might think that we are crazy, but to me, passion and craziness are two different things," he said.
       ------------A MODEL KIT MECCA
       'From the Beginning Beyond the Future' is the theme of 'Gundam Expo Thailand 2009', which will be held from October 21-25 in the Fashion Hall of Siam Paragon to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the animated series this year.
       One of the event's highlights will be the six-metre fibreglass representation of the upper body of Gundam RX-78-2.
       The expo will be divided into many different zones, featuring the history of the Gundam franchise in Thailand as well as in Japan dating back to its beginning in 1979; a visual zone featuring images from the Gundam animated series; a music zone featuring the signature and signing-off Gundam songs over the past 30 years; a lifestyle zone highlighting a wide range of Gundam products under the concept of a dream ''Gundam bedroom''; and a not-to-be-missed shopping zone where Gundam model kits, DVDs and limited-edition goods will be available.
       At the event Kunio Okawara, Gundam's mechanical designer and one of the three creators of Gundam, will be giving a talk on his work, and Mark Bakuc, an expert in model assembly and modification, will be conducting a tutorial workshop. Other activities include a Gundam cosplay (a term of Japanese origin and short for ''costume role play'') competition and a Gundam karaoke singing contest.
       Call 02-310-1904/5, or 02-310-1005/6, or visit www.dexclub.com. Admission is free.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

2009-09-24T23:28:00.000-07:00

       Images and art are typically opaque with pigment, dense depictions of objects or impressions of the un-representable, paradoxically becoming more mesmerising when the medium used is as translucent and profane as glass, a material possessing ghostly qualities beyond its commonplace applications.
       While exhibitions of glass art are not unusual in many countries, they are unheard of in Thailand, so the first two glass exhibitions by Thai artists are almost historic events or at least milestones in the making of Thai art history.
       The second of the two shows is now open at PSG Art Gallery, Silpakorn University. Titled "Our Best Recent Work and Glass Art Project: the 26th Art Exhibition by Members of the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts",it contains many of the works created during a recent project by the faculty to establish the skills, techniques and technologies required for glass art production in Thailand.
       Held from March to May at Silpakorn's Sanam Chand campus in Nakhon Pathom, the workshop focused on training teachers from around the country in both warm glass and cold forming techniques. The initial showing of the workshop's output was simply titled "Glass Exhibition" and was held from August 17 to September 4 at Sanam Chand campus.
       A course designed to "train the trainer", it produced extremely innovative work, perhaps because none of the some 60 art teachers were familiar with the millennium-old traditions or schools in the glass art movement established elsewhere. Nevertheless, the work was of international quality.
       If the response of the students, who flooded to attend the Sanam Chand opening, is anything to judge by, the future of glass art in Thailand is transparently bright. Substantial financial backing by sponsors including Loctite,Glass Dec and Ferro also indicates the medium has great potential to develop and benefit a new generation of artists.
       The current show at Na Phralan cam-pus allows some of Thailand's most accomplished practitioners to express themselves using a material none had previously tried until participating in the workshop. Artists of the calibre of National Artist Nonthivathn Chandhanaphalin and Panya Vijinthanasarn have put down their spatulas and paintbrushes and have begun fusing, foiling and staining glass, exploring the almost unlimited possibilities glass possesses.
       While not all the work in the exhibition is glass, the installation in the centre of the gallery is made up of a series of 30cm x 30cm glass panels contributed by each of the artists. Framed by a circle of stainless steel, the installation, which has been purchased by Kasikornbank PLC, demonstrates the versatility and natural beauty of the material.
       Another example of the glasswork on show is Krisana Honguten's Golden Lotus on Starry Night which fuses materials with different properties including glass,wood, gold leaf and carborundum to portray the sky at night. Krisana's piece,painterly in its execution, warmly expresses the artist's vision with textural vitality.
       In A Little Bit of Passion Can Refine Our Mind , Panya Vijinthanasarn recreates his signature representation of the Buddha gazing down from the top right corner of the work which he has famously replicated many times in gold leaf and paint, only here he has sandblasted his impression across six framed
       panels of clear glass.
       On the other hand,Surapon Saenkham has been inspired by the architecture of Italy, famous for its long history of glass art as evinced by the innumerable stained glass windows to be found in the country's cathedrals and churches. His Fi-renze Italy successfully captures the glory and splendour of those medieval and Renaissance monuments.
       Glass maintains a fascination with the human mind because it accompanied humanity as numinous ornaments throughout the Palaeolithic period and thus has a symbolic power. Glass is simply sand transformed through fire into a substance so sublime as to become a metaphor or mirror for our own evolution from the archaic to the civilised, or unconscious into conscious.
       The alchemical character of glass art will continue to captivate Thailand, and the glass seed now planted here in the hearts of so many art educators will crystallise at Silpakorn University and grow at art schools across the country,burgeoning in the years to come as a new branch of contemporary Thai art.
       "Our Best Recent Work and Glass Art Project:26th Art Exhibition by Members of the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts" is on show until October 9 at PSG Art Gallery,Silpakorn University, Na Phra Lan campus.Open Monday to Saturday,10am to 6pm.Call 02-221-0820.

PACIFIC MOTOR SHOW READY TO ROLL

2009-09-24T23:27:00.000-07:00

       The Pacific Motor Show will be staged in Chon Buri's Sri Racha district again next month, with the 12th annual event expected to attract 400,000 visitors to look over the products and displays of 15 auto manufacturers.
       Organisers expect the show, to be held at Pacific Park Sri Racha from October 3-11, to lead to purchases worth Bt450 million.
       Thirteen exhibitors will be carmakers and two motorcycle manufacturers. They are BMW, Volvo, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Isuzu, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, Ford, Suzuki, Tata, Chery. AP Honda and Yamaha.
       At last year's show, 433 cars and 155 motorcycles were sold.
       "The show will be held under the concept 'Energy and Automobiles', aiming to exhibit various alternative vehicles, such as hybrid cars and E85-capable vehicles," said Pacific Park Group managing director Somboon Vorapanyasakul.
       "During the first half of 2009, the economic slowdown and political turmoil affected consumer confidence. However, thanks to the government's stimulus measures and positive signs in the global and local economies, consumers are now regaining confidence. Moreover, the automobile industry is also picking up, as seen from the upward employment trend. Many of the employees who were laid off have returned to their jobs back."
       The Pacific Motor Show has been hailed as one of the most successful shows along the Eastern Seaboard, because of its location.
       Somboon expects auto companies to have strong marketing campaigns at the show, to help boost sales.
       "New products from auto companies will also be a main driving force. We'll be accepting orders for the Mazda2 subcompact car even though it has not yet been officially launched in Thailand," Somboon said.
       "Other highlights will include the BMW 520d, the Volvo V50, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, Toyota Vigo 2.5VN Turbo and the new Mitsubishi Lander EX."

Yahoo! to spend $100m in bid for more brand buzz

2009-09-24T23:26:00.001-07:00

       Yahoo! believes a lot of its good work has been overlooked by investors and the media so it's spending more than US$100 million (Bt3.3 billion) to get the word out to consumers directly.
       The money is going toward the Internet company's most expensive marketing campaign since Standford University graduate students Jerry Yang and David Filo started Yahoo's website 15 years ago. Yahoo! provided a peek at the 15-month blitz on Tuesday in New York.
       The ads will run on television, online and other media in the United States and nine other countries where Yahoo! hopes to expand on a worldwide audience that is alrady approaching 600 million.
       Despite its extensive reach, Yahoo's brand has been bruised in recent years as its profits sagged and many people turned to Internet search leader Goodgle and relative newcomers like Facebook and Twtiter - none of which have spent much money on self-promotion.
       Yahoo's financial struggles were magnified last year when Yang and the rest of the Sunnyvale-based company's board spurned a $47.5-billion takeover offer from Microsoft.
       The rebuff alienated many Yahoo! shareholders, and the missed Microsoft opportunity has remained a recurring theme in the business press because the company's market value now is about 50 per cent below Microsoft's last takeover offer in May 2008, before the rivals ultimately agreed on a search partnership nearly two months ago.
       Yahoo! chief executive Carol Bartz, hired eight months ago to steer a turnaround, believes the company has been getting a bum rap - something she hopes to reverse with the new advertising push.
       "When you get outside of New York City and Silicon Valley, everybody loves Yahoo!," Bartz said on Tuesday during a press conference that was webcast. "Why are you [the media] so cynical about us? Be cynical about frigging Google. If you don't love us, leave us alone."
       Wall Street's affinity for Google is driven by money.
       Google's revenue has been rising in recent years, even during the US recession, largely because it dominates the Internet search market and can thus sell more text-based ads that appear on the side of search results. Yahoo's share of the search market has shrunk in the past few years and, more recently, the recession has made it more difficult to sell the visual ads that have long been its specialty.

Slump alters consumer behaviour

2009-09-24T23:24:00.000-07:00

       The recession has transformed consumers' behaviour, says a study by the advertising agency BBDO Bangkok.
       But although economic problems have weakened people's purchasing power,some product categories still have growth potential, said CEO Songkran Sethesompobe.BBDO Bangkok's survey of 15,000 respondents in 15 countries worldwide - including 1,300 Thais - in the first half of 2009 found that most respondents have become more economical and spend more time choosing products.
       Most have cut their out-of-home entertainment and fashion spending, preferring to stay home and spend more time with family.
       "As a result, the market for indoor entertainment products like DVDs and DVD players, online games, internet packages and mobile phone packages is likely to grow," said Mr Songkran.
       About 51% of respondents also buy more house-brand products.
       The survey found consumers could be divided into four groups: strugglers,who lack financial stability and look for cheap goods; middle-class consumers,who are optimistic; secessionists, who are unaffected by the crisis; and spectators, who are young and free from worries but lack financial planning.
       Thai respondents were most upset by the global recession, followed by those in the US, Singapore, Taiwan and France.About 49% were more concerned by the current downturn than the 1997 crisis because they felt a direct impact on tourism and exports, but 51% disagreed.
       About 54% said they were unable to save because of high costs of living. They also used credit cards less.
       "Local economic and political uncertainties have also forced middle- to low-income groups to hold down more than one job or to work harder to ensure their survival amid the economic hardship," said Mr Songkran.
       But rising product prices had increased consumers' interest in environmental issues. Higher living costs had also had a positive impact on family relationships.
       Although consumers are uncertain about the economy, they take time to visit temples and give more to charity.

AD AGENCIES "NEED TO ADOPT HOLISTIC APPROACH"

2009-09-22T00:26:00.001-07:00

       Local advertising agencies need to adopt a holistic approach to cope with the challenges in this new era of integrated marketing communications, experts said last week.
       "It's downhill for mainstream media advertising as vendors have shifted part of their budget to other communications activities, such as public relations, event marketing, seminars and the use of IT, such as Twitter, blogging, message boards and Web communities," said Seri Wongmontha, a marketing communications professional.
       Nowadays, the image of advertising is that of manipulative, intrusive and misleading, he told a seminar on "Advertising and Social Responsibility in the Business Sector" held by the Thai Soap, Detergent and Personal Care Manufacturers' Association.
       Advertising is also low in taste, vulgar and a victim of zapping. Many works are unethical and interested only in getting sales. They have no responsibility to society, he said.
       "The popularity of mainstream media advertising among business vendors will decline gradually and be shared by other channels of marketing communications," he said.
       Public relations firms for instance would play a larger role in brand and marketing communications, as they can provide messages at less cost, but with greater complexity and credibility.
       "Business vendors need to find PR agencies that are creative, and doing communications things beyond just giving press releases or hosting press conferences," he said.
       To deal with the new challenges, ad agencies need to adjust to provide, not only advertising work, but fully integrated marketing communications to their clients, he added.
       Niwat Wongprompreeda, secretary-general of the Advertising Association of Thailand, said most local ad agencies had adjusted their business portfolio by moving up to brand agencies.
       No ad agency provides a purely advertising service in the marketplace anymore, he said.
       "The way of marketing communications has been changed substantially. Ad agencies now have become companies that can provide full marketing communications services. All communication tools have been used by them to build brands," he said.
       Niwat, who is the managing director of The Searcher, a local marketing research house, said that all ad agencies would no longer do advertising spots and spend money. They have created holistic approaches to make those products successful in the market.
       "I myself however believe that mainstream media advertising will not totally disappear and business vendors still allocate a certain level of budget to mainstream advertising," he said.
       To promote ethics among business organisations, including in advertising, all vendors should group together to monitor all of the ethical issues and such self-regulating activities, he added.

CHINESE PRODUCTS "UP TO STANDARDS"

2009-09-22T00:25:00.000-07:00

       China's manufacturers of medical products claim to have upgraded their goods in order to overcome a negative image of offering low-quality products, and to enable them to compete with rival manufacturers around the world.
       Many of them joined last week's Fourth Medical Fair Thailand 2009. Among about 250 exhibitors at the fair, about 55 were from China, the highest number from any participating country.
       Danny Gao, sales manager of Shenzhen Creative Industry, which makes a wide range of patient-monitoring equipment and home-care products, said that some medical products manufactured by Chinese firms in the past might have had lower quality than those of their foreign rivals.
       However, they have now improved their product quality in a bid to export to the world's markets.
       His company, for example, has developed its medical equipment over the past nine years and its products are now distributed both within China and overseas, to markets such as the United States, European countries, South Africa and South America.
       Over recent years his company has been earning 70 per cent of its income from within China and the rest from exports. However, this year, revenue from the domestic market has fallen to 60 per cent of the total and 40 per cent has come from exports.
       "We would like to expand our world markets, which are much bigger than our domestic market. Exporting to world markets such the US and Europe would guarantee that Chinese medical products, like those of our company, have high quality," he said.
       Shenzhen Creative Industry's products have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, Gao said.
       Hollye Chen, marketing director of Reach Surgical, a manufacturer of medical staplers, said she believed that medical products made by Chinese manufacturers were these days of the same quality as those produced in other countries. However, Chinese firms could manufacture at lower prices because some of their costs, such as overhead expenses, were much lower than those of overseas companies.
       "Medical technology is something that every country can learn. I can say that Chinese people have the same talent as the Americans, for example. But our production costs are much lower, depending on the competitive situation and regions. So, I can't say for how much less Chinese companies can produce medical equipment," Chen said.
       Reach Surgical has been operating for four years. Its exhibit at the Medical Fair Thailand was its first foray into international markets.
       "I've heard that the healthcare business in Thailand is growing and the government supports the industry to become a medical hub for the region. So, there is a big opportunity for us to expand our business to this kingdom," she said.
       The company is also looking for other export destinations in Asia, as well as in the US, Europe and South America.
       Kris Su, international sales manager for Guoteng Science and Technology Development, one of China's leading manufacturers of patient monitors, said the medical products of some Chinese companies had low quality because fierce competition forced them to cut costs in order to set the lowest prices.
       However, some manufacturers maintain a focus on manufacturing high quality products in a bid to compete with overseas firms. So, customers - both end users and hospitals - have to study the products on the market very carefully before deciding to purchase or place orders.
       China has many manufacturers of patient monitors. However, his company exports its products to 60 countries and 75 per cent of its revenue last year came from export sales, he said.

CINEMA OPERATORS HAVE MIXED EXPECTATIONS

2009-09-22T00:24:00.000-07:00

       The film-exhibition industry as a whole is expected to see solid growth this year, but individual firms are predicting mixed results, executives said.
       Cinema multiplex operator Major Cineplex Group expects consolidated income from ticket sales and cinema advertising will be flat this year, said Anavach Ongvasith, chief cinema and bowling officer.
       "We expect to sell about 30 million movie tickets this year, which is similar to last year. The local political unrest, economic difficulties and the outbreak of H1N1 influenza have affected our performance this year," he said.
       Anavach said that digital cinema was the future of the industry, as operators look to reduce costs.
       Digital cinema has some big economic advantages over film, Anavach said, explaining that the final movie can be distributed electronically and projected using a digital projector, instead of a conventional film projector. Digital cinema also has lower shooting and editing costs.
       "We [Major Cineplex] operate 372 cinema screens in 46 different locations throughout the country. We have about 18 digital screens and our plan is to increase the number of digital cinemas significantly," Anavach said.
       James R Dhiraputra, managing director of film distributor Columbia Tristar Buena Vista Films (Thailand), said the local film industry is expected to grow by 5 per cent this year from 2008 to see more than Bt3.4 billion in sales.
       "It is the first time in the past four to five years that the local industry has experienced [this] level of growth," said Dhiraputra.
       He said the growth had been encouraged by a strong line-up of both imported blockbusters and Thai films.
       "We have seen growth in Thai films, which have increased their share of the local film market from between 10 per cent and 20 per cent six to seven years ago to about 45 per cent today," said Dhiraputra.
       He added that between 40 and 50 Thai films were released to local theatres annually, and were earning higher ticket sales on average than were imported films. There are between 140 and 150 imported films screened in Thailand every year.
       Suvit Thongrompo, managing director of SF Cinema City, was upbeat on the industry's performance.
       "We are quite optimistic that the cinema business will record strong growth this year, thanks mainly to the blockbusters that hit local screens from the second quarter," he said.
       SF Cinema City expected to achieve its sales-growth target of between 15 and 20 percent this year, he said.
       "We do not expect issues such as the political turmoil or the influenza outbreak to have any significant impact on our performance," Suvit said.

OTOP PRODUCERS, SMES PENETRATE LAOS

2009-09-16T20:07:00.000-07:00

       The Industrial Promotion Department and the Otop Thailand Association will lead 100 One Tambon One Product and SME operators to Laos in a bid to promote their products.
       The move is aimed at offsetting shrinking domestic sales.
       Association chairman Sakda Siridechakul yesterday said the operators would promote their products at a Thai-Lao handicraft festival that will run between next Tuesday and September 27.
       "This event will serve as a channel for Thai SMEs and Otop producters to sell their wares internationally. We expect no less than US$600,000 [Bt20.25 million] worth of orders from the event," he said.
       He listed dried seafood, herbal and spa products, souvenirs and garments as potential products for the Lao market.
       "We want to penetrate Laos because its gross domestic product is expected to grow 3.4 per cent this year, thanks to the country's resilience in the face of the global economic crisis.
       Laos will also host the 25th Southeast Asian Games this year, whcih should attract more visitors and give its tourism industry a boost," Sakda said.
       He said Vietnam and Malaysia were already beginning to enter the Lao market, and so Thai operators must act quickly.

GLOBAL TOURISM OPERATORS TO FLOCK TO CHINA FAIR

2009-09-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

       Tourism operators from around the world are set to join the annual PATA Travel Mart in Hangzhou from September 22-25, with Thailand intending to win back Chinese visitors.
       Altogether 591 sellers from 38 countries and 305 buyers from 51 countries including Thailand have confirmed their attendance at the tourism mart to be organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
       Chairwoman Phornsiri Manoharn yesterday said China was ranked as the fifth-strongest source market globally by the World Tourism Organisation, as measured by tourism-related expenditures. That means there is no doubt operators will be in the right country at the right time this year.
       More than 4.2 million Chinese travelled to Southeast Asian countries last year. Singapore gained the most, with nearly 1 million visitors. However, the figure was down due to the global economic crisis and type-A (H1N1) influenza.
       CEO Greg Duffell said Chinese arrivals to the Kingdom during the first half dropped 38 per cent year on year, due to political issues.
       However, tourism here and in other countries would recover soon and operators hoped to reclaim customers from China and also other markets, he said.
       Some of the new participants this year include tourism ministers from Tonga and Vanuatu.
       Suparerk Thongsuk, deputy managing director of Fair House Villa and Spa Samui, said it would be first time for the hotel to join the event and that he expected to draw interest from China and other short-haul markets.
       Luzi Matzig, CEO of Bangkok-based Asia Trails, said it was an opportunity to discover a new and most interesting destination, which most operators do not know about yet, and also to network with existing clients and secure new ones.
       "I expect our company to meet with many first-time participants at the Pata Mart for further deals," he said.
       Alison Partridge, president of Canada's Proof Positive Solutions, said attendees were decision-makers from every corner of the world and that they were there to do business.
       Akbar Shareef, CEO of Pakistan's Rakaposhi Tours, said the company had prescheduled appointments that some of the other travel exhibitions do not have even though they are bigger in size and in number, so it was a chance for local sellers to exhibit in greater numbers.
       Bob Malcolm, managing director of Australia's Travel Masters, said he wanted new relationships with product providers to be established that would hopefully be mutually beneficial over time.

SPENDING IN AUGUST SEES AN UPTURN FOR 1ST TIME THIS YEAR

2009-09-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

       Thailand's ad spending rose for the first time this year, by 2.84 per cent in August,the Nielsen Media Research report said.
       The increase in ad spending was seen in four major media-TV,cinema, transit and Internet.
       AC Nielsen reported overall increase in media spending in August, from Bt7.5 billion to Bt7.7 billion.
       Television advertising, which accounts for about 60 per cent of overall media expenditure, rose 5.3 per cent to Bt4.47 billion in August,following by cinema ads which rose 61 per cent to Bt475 million. Advertising on transit media also jumped by 34.5 percent to Bt148 million in August. Internet ads rose by 22.2 per cent to Bt22 million.
       The survey said many of the mainstream media, such as radio, newspaper, magazine, outdoor and instore media, still show a significant drop in ad expenditure. Ad spending in radio dropped significantly by 8.4 per cent to Bt566 million in August, whild newspaper advertising droppd 9.7 per cent to Bt1.25 billion. Magazine advertising dropped 21.1 per cent to Bt4.3 million in August, followed by out door and in-store media, which dropped by 4.3 per cent and 12.6 per cent respectively to Bt328 million and Bt69 million.
       Overfall ad spending in the first eight months of this year dropped 3.3 per cent year on year to Bt57.2 billion. The decline was seen in various media: TV (minus 0.16 per cent), radio(minus 12.67 per cent), radio(minus 12.67 per cent), newspaper(minus 12.51 per cent),magazine (minus 12.27 per cent), outdoor (minus 5.37 per cent), and in-store media (minus 1.10 per cent).
       Only cinema, transit, and Interned ads showed an improvement in the first eight months of this year. Cinema advertising grew by 9.14 per cent during the period, followed by transit media and Internet, which posted a year-on-year growth of 29.3 per cent and 15.9 per cent respectively in the first eight months of this year.
       A local unit of Unilever boosted its advertising spending by 42 per cent last month, while Toyota motor Thailand increased expenditure by 16 per cent,Nielsen said.Procter and Gamble's Thai unit cut its spending by 6 per cent.

UP TO BT1 BN IN SALES EXPECTED AT HOME EXPO

2009-09-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

       Home-buyers will be treated to a collection of residential projects worth more than Bt10 billion at the Thailand Exclusive Property Show 2009, starting today at Siam Paragon.
       Developers of 13 residential projects, offering homes ranging from condominium units to luxury detached houses, are also offering a wide range of inducements to drive sales.
       The event, organised by the Thailand Real Estate Association, will run until September 20.
       Association president Kittipol Pramoj na Ayudhya said the show would offer residences for buyers from every segment of the property market. The range will include condominium units priced from Bt1.9 million to more than Bt10 million and single detached houses, double houses and townhouses in Bangkok and resort destinations such as Rayong and Hua Hin priced from Bt3 million to more than Bt100 million.
       The residential projects taking part include Issara @ Sukhumvit 42, the Ratchaprasong project, Link Advance by Tararom Group, Fine Home @ River Charoen Nakorn, The Fine by Fine Home at Aree Soi 4, My Resort at Phetchaburi, Diamond at Sukhumvit, Charn Talay at Hua Hin, Phuphatara at Rayong, Golden Heritage @ Ratchapreuk, Golden Monaco at Bang Na and the Thanyathani project by NC Housing.
       People who buy a residence at the event will get a gift voucher for two nights at Anantara Hotel in Hua Hin or Trang, Kittipol said.
       Now is a good time to buy or invest in residential property because of low mortgage interest rates, he said. Investors will get the best prices on properties that will generate returns averaging 6 or 7 per cent per year - far better than interest on bank deposits.
       "Customers who buy at this time will get tax incentives from the government's stimulus package for the property sector - which expires in March next year - as well as the best conditions from property developers," he said.
       The organisers are hoping to generate sales of between Bt600 million and Bt1 billion from the 10-day show.
       Fine Home Housing Development managing director Sukit Triwanapong said his company was expecting sales of at least Bt50 million from the event. It is offering to fully furnish a home up to a cost of Bt200,000 as a special promotion for customers buying from The Fine by Fine Home at Aree Soi 4 during the show.
       Because of the signs of economic recovery, he believes now is a good time to buy a home.
       "Our customers began to increase in the third quarter of this year. The number of visitors to our projects increased by 10 to 20 per cent over the number in the first half of the year. As a result we believe this is a good time for home-buyers to buy a residence," he said.
       Vilailux Development general manager Teeravat Pipatdhitakul said demand for new homes in Rayong had continued - especially from foreign buyers coming from Scandinavian countries.
       "We believe that this event will be a good time for buyers and investors because they will get the best conditions from property developers," he said, adding that his company would also offer special promotions.
       NC Housing managing director Somchao Tanterdtham said his company would launch what it called its E-Quick Plus promotion for buyers from its residential projects at the show.
       E-Quick Plus will offer price discounts of up to Bt1 million per unit, depending on the type of residence. Customers will also get gift vouchers for furniture or home appliances if they speed up the transfer of residential properties. The customer who achieves the fastest transfer will receive a free package tour for two to Maldives.
       "We expect sales worth between Bt20 million and Bt30 million from this event," Somchao said.

BT2 BILLION EARMARKED FOR PHUKET CONFERENCE CENTRE

2009-09-10T06:34:00.000-07:00

       Phuket will receive a Bt2-billion central government budget in fiscal 2010 to build the long-awaited international convention and exhibition centre at the island's northern tip, the Prime Minister's Office has announced.
       Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr, who currently serves as deputy secretary of the political affairs section at the PM's Office, made through the Phuket provincial office.
       A Democrat Party insider, Anchalee is also a former president of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO) and wife of sitting Phuket MP Tossaporn.
       According to the press release, Phuket will get Bt2 billion in funding for the project as part of phase two of the government's Bt100-billion "Strong Thailand Action Plan 2012" stimulus package.
       Administered by the Finance Ministry, the huge spending bill will pump money into the economy, boosting it over the last three months of this year, Anchalee wrote.
       Terms of the spending plan are still under review by Parliament, but final approval is expected prior to the start of fiscal 2010 on October 1.
       When completed, the centre will allow Phuket to host international exhibitions on the same scale as the International Tourism Bourse held annually in Berlin, Germany, she wrote.
       Events hosted at the centre will boost tourist arrivals and lead to increased revenue over the entire resort island, she said.
       Better economic infrastructure and human resources will need to be developed to cope with the expected surge in arrival figures above the present rate of about five million per year, she wrote.
       The site of the project will be a 150-rai plot of seaside land on the northern tip of the island.
       The land is currently held under the Treasury Department's State Property Management and Services Office, or Ratchapassadu.
       The site is near the Bt50-million Phuket Welcome Gate, a facility conceived by Anchalee and built during her tenure as PPAO president.
       Plans to build an international convention and exhibition centre to help support the island's hotel industry have been around for decades, but political instability and infighting over where the project should be located have prevented the dream from ever becoming reality.
       Detractors, especially those with business interests in the more development southern part of the island, feel the location is too remote from the island's main population centre.
       Proponents say the international convention and exhibition centre will help further develop nearby Phang Nga as well as mai Khao, which is already home to the Phuket International Airport and is slated to be the new home of Provincial Police Region 8 headpuarters in a few years' time.

Chinese visitor at motor expo

2009-09-08T21:25:00.001-07:00

       More than 100 investors and operators in the automotive industry from six Chinese provinces plan to attend the Thailand International Motor Expo 2009 in December while looking for investment opportunities in Thailand.
       The motor expo will be held at Muang Thong Thani from December 2-13.
       The Chinese, who have booked a package tour to thailand with TCL International, an import-export agency and foreign tour operator, will also meet Board of Investment officials to discuss possible coperation and privileges they would receive for investing in the Kingdom.
       "It is good news that investors from China are showing an interest in visiting the motor expo, because this will make the event more widely known internationally, especially in China, with its large population," said Prapong Maicharoen, deputy organising chairman of the moteor expo.
       "The outcome could be an investment stimulus for no only in the auto industry, but also ancillary industriesand tourism."

Design project

2009-09-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

       ThaiGA, together with Siam Discovery, Asahi and Practical Studio, is organising the "I Am A Thai Graphic Designer" project.All you have to do is send in a photograph of yourself holding a sign that reads:"I Am A Thai Graphic Designer".
       And remember, all of the letters in your sign must be creatively designed.
       Every piece of work will be displayed at the "I Am A Thai Graphic Designer" exhibition, beginning October 3 to 11, in the Grand Hall,Siam Discovery.
       Designs should be submitted in jpeg format with 300dpi resolution by Thursday to practicalstudio@gmail.com. The project is open to everyone. Call 02-938-2300-4 ext 1003, or visit iamathaigraphicdesigner.com.

TCEB SIGNS MOU WITH CITY OF CHIANG MAI

2009-09-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

       Sports and Tourism Ministry plans to build new convention centre by 2012
       The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with Chiang Mai municipality.
       The move is aimed at turning the cityy into a hub for the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions industry.
       It comes after the TCEB agreed to a similar collaboration with Pattaya in late May.
       The TCEB also plans to sign a similar MoU with Phuket.
       Chairman MR Disnadda Diskul said the priority was to develop human resources in preparation for the growth of Chian Mai's MICE industry.
       Besides this agreement with the municipality, the TCEB has teamed up with nine northern univesities to launch the MICE 4 Youth project, aimed at fostering a better unerstanding among young adults of the role and importance of the MICE industry.
       The next step will be to send university lecturers for training at Vienna and Barcelona's international convention and exhibition bureaus, which are allied with the TCEB.
       Yesterday's MoU stipulates the TCEB and Chiang Mai municipality will cooperate iin promiting MICE activities in the city.
       Both sides will share MICE knowledge and information with each other and other relevant organisations.
       As well, both parties will work towards development of infrastructure, communications and facilities that will enhance Chiang Mai's competitiveness in the international MICE market.
       Amornphan Nimanan, governor of Chiang Mai province, said the agreement would allow the municipality to bid on more international events, with an emphasis on emerging markets like China, India and the Middle East.
       Meanwhile, the Tourism and Sports Ministry will in the next few months sign a construction contract to build an international conention and exhibition centre in Chiang Mai that can accommodate 5,000 participants. If all goes to plan, construction will start early next year and be finished in 2011.
       Amornphan said to sustain the industry's developality would form a "MICE cluster" that would formulate both short-and longterm strategies. The clusters will consist of relevant public - and well as academics.

"ACTIVE" NEW PARTNERS LEAD RESTRUCTURING OF PR AGENCY 124 COMMUNICATIONS

2009-08-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

       Leading public-relations agency 124 Communications yesterday announced a business restructuring after the entry of new partners led by Kunakorn Sethi, who now own a combined 17 per cent of the company.
       Kunakorn is managing director of film-production house Prommitr Production. His group gradually bought up 124 Communications shares in the market until possessing the present 7.65 million shares.
       "After acquiring a significant number of shares in 124 Communications, Kunakorn and his group approached us and said they wanted to be an active partner. They said their expertise in media production and marketing communications would help our business in the future, including its restructuring," said 124 CEO Nimitz Modrakee.
       He said the restructuring would include establishing two subsidiaries - one to be in charge of public relations, and the other of media buying.
       To be called 124 Communications Consulting and Work Heart, the two subsidiaries, each with registered capital of Bt5 million, will allow 124 Communications to provide its customers with a greater variety of services. Their establishment will foster transparency in operations, flexibility in the provision of services and elimination of possible conflicts, as well as address limitations to providing services.
       Both 124 Communications Consulting and Work Heart will complete the registration process by next week.
       The company has also approved a change in the par value of shares, from Bt1 apiece to 10 satang, while the total value of the registered capital remains unchanged at Bt45 million.
       Reducing the par value in this way will increase the number of ordinary shares from 45 million to 450 million.
       The company has also issued 22.5 million units of new warrants, to be offered to its existing shareholders, which will increase registered capital from Bt45 million to Bt67.5 million.
       Nimitz said the restructuring would strengthen 124 Communications' business. 124 Communications will become the parent and fully own both subsidiaries.
       "We expect setting up the two subsidiaries to have a positive effect on 124 Communications' performance this year," said Nimitz.
       He will be the chairman of 124 Communications and CEO of 124 Communications Consulting, while Kunakorn will be chief operating officer of Work Heart.

Top housing fair invites all buyers

2009-08-31T06:30:00.000-07:00

       Fair at Siam Paragon will offer special promotions from September 11-20

       To kick off the third quarter with a bang, the Thai Real Estate Association has organised a spectacular 10-day exhibition of quality homes at Siam Paragon.
       Running from September 11 to 20 on the mezzanine floor of the mall, the event called "Thailand Exclusive Property Show" will assemble housing products, ranging from city condominiums to vacation homes.
       More than 15 branded projects worth at least Bt10 million will take part in what is expected to be a mong the most awaited marketing events this year.
       Visitors will be offered special prices as well as unbeatable promotional packages.
       Booths will be set up at Siam Paragon's spacious Hall of Fame and Fashion Hall as large crowds are expected to turn up.
       Kittipol Pramoj na Ayudhya, president of the Thai Real Estate Association, says this was a golden opportunity for homebuyers to check out what is available in the middle and upper segments of the market.
       Participating companies will offer special discounts, free furnishings and home appliances as well as low mortgage rates.
       Despite a prolonged uncertainty hanging over the past year, consumer confidence has gradually returned, says Kittipol.
       Members of the association are largely optimistic that demand remains strong.
       With a fair dose of incentives, they believe buyers should be tempted to invest in a dream home, says Vilailux general manager Teeravat Pipatdhitakul.
       Teeravat will promote Phupatara, a luxury condominium in Rayong.
       Another participant Dr Somchao Tanterdtham who heads NC Housing says recent bookings show a recovery may be underway.
       "Sales during the last quarter have been surprisingly strong for us," he says.
       "We shall take the opportunity and use the show to further enhance our share in the detached housing front.
       Likewise, Sukit Triwanapong, managing director of Fine Home, also feels a gradual increase in enquiries signals buyers are coming back to shop for homes.
       He says his company remains cautious about starting new projects but all that could change if sales pick up at the show.
       Sukit will be launching a city condominium called The Fine on Soi Aree 4.
       The 8-storey project that is being built on a 432-square-wah compound offers 79 units. Its smallest 48-square-metres unit will command a Bt3.7-million price tag.
       Because the site is located near a BTS station, residents have an excellent option for commuting in a chaotic city, he says.
       Lertmongkol Waravenuch, the association's vice president and secretary says more exhibitions are being considered as some members were unable to join the show because of time constraints.
       They are still keen to take part in a similar event in coming months.
       The organisers are expecting to book about Bt1 billion in sales. The Nation Group will be one of the key media backers for the show.
       Lertmongkol says the venue is perfect as it is linked to the Skytrain's central station at Siam Square.
       "To avoid traffic congestion, we recommend visitors take the BTS as it would save time and avoid being stuck in traffic," he says.
       "We urge everyone to come. This is not an event you would want to miss."

       "With a fair dose of incentives, members of the association believe buyers could be tempted to invest in a dream home.

DISCOUNTS, NEW DEALS ON OFFER

2009-08-27T20:37:00.000-07:00

       Thailand's firstever insurance fair, Insurance Week, will offer discounts of up to 30 per cent on premiums, General Insurance Association president Jiraphant Asvatanakul said yesterday. At the fair - to be held from this coming Wednesday to Sunday at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani - the association will promote products by designing them simply with convenient sales channels in an attempt to convince people to be more concerned about life protection.
       It would like to see people hold only one card, recording all kinds of policies taken out by the insured. If this were legally possible, both consumers and insurance companies would share the benefits, he said.
       Sara Lamsam, president of the Thai Life Assurance Association and Muang Thai Life Assurance's president, said lifeassurers would offer many specially priced products covering every category of customer.
       Micro protection, an insurance policy for low-income earners is one of the products available at the fair.
       Also on show will be a savings lifeassurance product with a premium of Bt300 a month, and a singlepremium product with protectionperiod options of three, five and 10 years with a return of 2 to 4 per cent, excluding tax benefits.
       Products linked with investment - universal life or unitlinked - will be on offer at special rates, while there will also be a personal accident policy offered at a premium of Bt0.70 per day for an insured sum of Bt100,000.
       Regarding Muang Thai Life Assurance's products, Sara said the company would launch a new healthrider product at the fair, providing insurance cover for four serious diseases.
       If a policyholder falls ill from one of the specified diseases, they will receive Bt1 million. Moreover, they will be protected for another 10 years without paying any further premiums. If they later fall ill from another of the four listed diseases, the company will pay an additional Bt1 million.
       However, disease and premium details are not yet available, as the product will be officially launched at the fair.
       Chantra Purnariksha, secretarygeneral of the Office of Insurance Commission, said that besides cheap insurance products, visitors to Insurance Week would be able to gain extensive knowledge, as well as benefiting from activities involving the awarding of items such as free rice and sugar packs, plus a lucky draw for gold.
       Job opportunities within the sector will be another feature, she said.
       For example, the UKlang garage insurance association is hoping to recruit 5,000 technicians at the fair.

Grammy projects H2 flat growth

2009-08-27T20:36:00.002-07:00

       GMM Grammy Plc, the country's largest entertainment company, says its secondhalf revenue and profit will remain on par with the same period last year due to the weak economy and strong competition.
       Strong performance was difficult to achieve this year due to many negative factors. Renewed political unrest could result in Grammy's 2009 figures dipping below last year's, said director Sumeth Damrongchaitham.
       Grammy reported a net profit of 470 million baht on revenue of 4.1 billion baht in the second half of 2008. Its 2009 first-half net profit was 323 million baht with revenue of 3.97 billion, compared to a net profit of 357 million baht and revenue of 3.6 billion in the same period last year.
       "We see an increase in revenue in the second half but profit should remain on par with last year. We just want to keep building even if there is no profit. This results from high competition in the market," he said.
       In the second quarter Grammy generated profit of 208 million baht on revenue of 2 billion, compared with profit of 257 million on revenue of 2 billion in the same period a year earlier.
       Only its media business posted growth,increasing by 12% to 897 million baht.Movies declined furthest, dropping by 52% to 36 million baht, while music fell by 5% to 841 million baht.
       "Event and digital businesses will be key drivers pushing Grammy to achieve its target this year," he said.
       Events had the media segment's highest growth, rising by 65% to 380 million baht in the second quarter, while TV increased by 6% to 443 million baht,radio dropped by 25% to 139 million baht, and publishing declined by 11%to 55 million baht.
       Grammy organised major events for both the private and public sectors.
       The firm says its digital business exhibits strong growth potential from subscriptions for call melodies and ringtones for True, AIS and DTAC customers.
       Grammy also plans to launch seven albums and at least 10 show-business products in the rest of the year. It expects second-half movie revenues to be higher than in the first six months as it will introduce three new films. The firm also expects revenue of about 100 million baht from satellite TV by year-end.
       Grammy shares closed yesterday on the SET unchanged at 14 baht, in trade worth 1.03 million baht.

Choosing the right tools for health messages

2009-08-27T20:36:00.001-07:00

       Most consumers know what is good for their health but not many are ready to sacrifice taste for nutritious value, revealed a recent study conducted by leading marketing and media research house Mindshare.
       Mindshare's business planning director Varidda Voraakom said yesterday that the study on "Health and Wellness Trends" showed that Thai consumers, much like global consumers, were proactive in terms of health and wellbeing. In other words, people no longer wait to fall ill before taking action.
       The survey was conducted on 2,000 respondents, aged between 15 and 65, living in Bangkok and its suburbs.
       However, the study found that the respondents, divided into three groups, had different ideas when it came to health and wellness. The first group, aged between 15 and 24, know about the importance of being healthy but are not too serious about it. In other words, they prefer taste over nutrition and are much more interested in following the latest fashion trends.
       The second group, between 25 and 34 years old, believe that mental and spiritual well-being is just as important as physical health, while the third group, comprised of parents with children aged between five and nine, want to be healthy and hang on to their youth.
       Mindshare released the results of this study to producers and marketers in the health and wellness industry, and expects new products in line with Thai lifestyles to be launched next year.
       Varidda said it was a challenge for companies interested in entering the health and wellness sector to come up with products and services that are in line with current lifestyle trends.
       She advised that firms choose the right media tool to market their products. For instance, she said, products targeted at young people should be advertised via television, magazines and the Internet, while young parents prefer to consume information through online blogs, community sites, webboards and door-to-door advertising leaflets.
       "Manufacturers should make their products appear more fashionable to tap youngsters, and launch more health products for young adults and modern parents," Varidda said.
       Warin Tinprapa, another business planning director of Mindshare, added that young people were major consumers so producers should concentrate on developing health products to meet the needs of this group.
       She noted that the current economic slowdown had only slightly affected health trends in Thailand, and that top-earners still spent a lot of attention to their health.
       Besides, the global trend of exercise has persuaded Thai consumers to understand that that an active lifestyle does not just result in good physical health but also helps balance the state of mind.

MCOT pressing Bangkok Entertainment

2009-08-27T20:35:00.001-07:00

       MCOT and Bangkok Entertainment will meet next week to negotiate the concession renewal fee for TV Channel 3.
       Bangkok Entertainment has offered Bt2 billion for the 10-year extension from 2010-2020, but MCOT considered the figure too low, MCOT chairman Surapon Nitikraipoj told the shareholders'meeting yesterday.
       The concession will not be renewed until the fee is agreed upon, he said.
       Bangkok Entertainment is a subsidiary of BEC World, the operator of Channel 3.
       Surapon also told shareholders that MCOT recently amended True Visions' concession to allow the cable operator to air commercials for six minutes per hour. That is in line with the Broadcasting Act of 2008, which allows all cable TV stations to earn income from running commercials.
       True Visions will pay MCOT 6.5 per cent of its commercial revenue.
       MCOT also asked True Visions to pau compensation for showing commercials prior to the concession amendment as well as for delisting from the Stock Echange of Thailand.
       True offered Bt79 million, but as MCOT was not satisfied, next week they will discuss the figure.
       MCOT shareholders approved the appointment of Thanawat Wansom as the company's president. He will take office on September 1 and serve for four years. Thanawat's mission is mainly restructuring, as MCOT is earmarked to be a modern media company but the organisation remains a state enterprise.

Ads target boat commuters

2009-08-26T20:56:00.001-07:00

       Autsawaarcha Co has obtained a concession from Chao Phraya Express Boat Co to manage advertising space on its commuter boats and piers along the Chao Phraya River, expecting revenues around 250-300 million baht a year.
       Managing director Sean Goh said the company would manage ad space on four piers and 45 express and commuter boats for three years. It will pay fees of about 10 million baht a year to Chao Phraya Express Boat Co.
       "Ads on express and commuter boats are new for Thai society and will add colour to the Chao Phraya River, which has at least 500,000 boat commuters a day," he said.
       The ad banners and billboards on boats are classified as transit media.Amid the weak economy and high oil prices, more and more people have turned to use public transport to reduce their travel expenses.
       According to The Nielsen Company,transit media have high potential and spending grew by 28.1% in the first seven months of this year while overall media spending fell 4.36%.
       Autsawaarcha Co will invest 2 million baht to improve four boat piers and install ad banners and billboards, especially on boat roofs. An additional 10 million baht will be used to add TV screens on the boats and piers.
       The five commuting boat routes to have ads are Tha Chang-Wat Rakhang,Tha Chang-Wang Lang, Tha Phra ChanWang Lang, Tha Phra Chan-Rod Fai and Thai Phra Chan-Pin Klao. The four piers are Tha Chang, Wang Lang, Tha Phra Chan and Tha Phra Arthit.
       The company will offer four advertising packages costing between 70,000 and 90,000 baht per month to attract advertisers.
       "If we can sell 50% of the ad space to customers, we can break even within six months of operation. We hope we can earn 250-300 million baht per year.We now have one customer and three potential ones are in talks," said Mr Goh.
       Apart from the boat ad business, Autsawaarcha is interested in developing retail plazas near 10 boat piers owned by Chao Phraya Express Boat. The boat operator is now discussing with the Harbour Department a proposal to develop land near its piers, especially at Pak Kred, which is close to the new government centre on Chaeng Watthana Road and also draws heavy visitor traffic to the tourist island of Koh Kred.

Ad recovery boosts Nation Group's revenue

2009-08-26T20:55:00.001-07:00

       The Nation Multimedia Group expects its revenue to increase 10-15 per cent in the second half, over the Bt1.2 billion recorded in the first six months, thanks to recovering advertising revenue.
       Chief executive Thanachai Santichaikul yesterday said the company was seeing signs of recovery in advertising revenue. Many large corporations had begun placing more ads in all of NMG's media channels.
       "Our ad revenue showed its highest drop in January, when most firms stopped spending on advertising because they lacked confidence in the country's economy and political situation," he said.
       NMG expects to generate more than Bt2 billion in revenue this year. However, jt is still lower than last year, when the group took in Bt3 billion. NMG's first-half advertising revenue fell 26.58 per cent to Bt652 million, from Bt888 million in the same period last year. Revenue from the group's publishing business showed the highest drop, 36 per cent, while income from broadcasting and new media business increased 11 per cent.
       Despite the fall, advertising revenue from the company's publishing business contributed 69 per cent of its first-half revenue. Ad revenue is expected to improve in the second half, to a level that is 15-20 per cent below last year's second half. An improvement of that magnitude would leave full year ad revenue 20-25-per-cent down from last year, Thanachai said.
       Revenue from the group's broadcasting business, consisting of radio and television, rose 16 per cent year on year in the first half. This will likely increase continuously in the second half, because of two new television programmes the Nation Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has produced for Channel 11.
       Television revenue is targeted to increase 25 per cent from last year.
       Thanachai said the group's second-half operating costs were also expected to decline slightly, mainly because of lower paper costs.
       Meanwhile, the company is planning to list its two subsidiaries - Nation International Edutainment and NBC - on the Market for Alternative Investment in the fourth quarter. It will consider market sentiment a major factor influencing the listing.
       If the two subsidiaries list as planned, NMG will book special revenue from selling part of its existing shareholdings in initial public offerings.
       "We're trying to turn the company to profit in the second half after booking a net loss of Bt110 million in the first six months," Thanachai said.

RS invests in bus ads

2009-08-25T23:23:00.002-07:00

       RS In-Store Media, a subsidiary of RS, has invested Bt15 million in its "One Stop Shop" marketing strategy to penetrate the bus-ad market, with targeted annual revenue of Bt15 million.
       Vinualuck Sorat, managing director of RS In-Store, said the company saw a new marketing opportunity from the heavy traffic in Bangkok and decided to invest Bt15 million to enter the bus media business with ads that include both sound and vision.
       The company has two types of promotional media. The first is a full sticker that wraps all around the bus, and a smaller one that is attached to the back. The second is called in-bus media, which are 4x19-inch LCD TV screens over window panels.
       The company is confident that its foray into bus advertising will be successful, especially with the advent of installing LCD screens.
       The bus-ad project has been running since mid-July and the company expects to have completed installing the system in 49 buses by next month, Vinualuck said.
       Bus advertising will directly reach between 5 million to 6 million passengers per day.
       "The company expects the bus-ad strategy to generate revenue of between Bt15 million and Bt18 million this year," he said.
       For the first half of 2009, RS In-Store reached 40 per cent of its target revenue of Bt145 million and generated 6 per cent of the revenue of all companies under the RS banner.
       "Despite the economic slowdown this year the company is confident people will continue to spend. Modern-trade media and bus advertising are still the marketing tools chosen by most brands because they directly attract attention and promote sales," Vinualuck said.

Govt spending brightens Index outlook

2009-08-25T23:23:00.001-07:00

       Event organiser Index Creative Village said government spending on several projects and the private sector's plan to hold marketing events during the fourth quarter will help boost the events industry growth to 10 per cent this year.
       Index co-chief executive officer Kreingkrai Kanjanapokin said yesterday that the industry would only have grown 5 per cent without such spending.
       The company's recorded revenue in the first seven months was Bt909 million, up by 54 per cent year on year. He said part of this growth was due to state agencies' spending on events. For instance, this year Index secured deals from the Prime Minister's Office to promote the "I Love Thailand" and "Strong Thailand" campaigns.
       It also secured a deal from the Commerce Ministry to promote the Thailand pavilion at the World Expo 2010 in China.
       "All state agencies are rushing to spend on events in order to publicise their performance. Moreover, the type-A (H1N1) flu has prompted several state agencies to hold flu-prevention campaigns," he said.
       Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday announced that the government was moving ahead with its investment budget under the "Strong Thailand" economic stimulus package to boost the country's economy. Abhisit said he believes the country's gross domestic product growth will start becoming positive in the fourth quarter.
       Kreingkrai said the company projected this year's revenue at Bt1.56 billion, a 22 per cent increase from last year. The rate of growth might even climb to 30 per cent, if there are no new serious political problems.
       The proportion of government projects won by Index has risen to 60 per cent this year from the 30 per cent in previous years, while projects won from the private sector have dropped to 40 per cent from 70 per cent.
       However, Kreingkrai said private businesses such as automobile, consumer products and beverage firms were planning to spend on marketing campaigns for the fourth quarter.
       Index has also recently decided to use the Internet as a marketing tool, by developing a community homepage where its corporate customers can interact and share their experiences.

Organiser upbeat over 4th Medical Fair Thailand

2009-08-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

       Messe Dusseldorf Asia expects the 4th Medical Fair Thailand, a biennial event, will generate more business than the US$50 million (Bt1.7 billion) in the previous edition, due mainly to rising global demand for health care despite the world economic crisis.
       "I can't estimate the exact figure of trading value during the fair this year, but I hope the number will be higher than last time," said Gernot Ringling, managing director of Messe Dusseldorf Asia.
       Messe Dusseldorf Asia is a regional branch of Messe Dusselorf, one of the world's leading trade fair organisers.
       "I've talked with many people in the medical industry in Southeast Asia, including in medical hubs like Thailand, and know that there is demand to develop and upgrade the facilities and medical technology of hospitals. This is because the medical sector is still a sunshine industry, which has had less of an impact from the global crisis," he said.
       The 4th Medical Fair Thailand, an international exhibition covering hospitals, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, medical and rehabilitation equipment and supplies, will be held on September 16-18 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
       Ringling said Messe Dusseldorf was confident about organising the fair in Thailand because it believes in the country's potential as a regional medical hub. "Thailand's medical industry has grown very fast in the last 10 years not only in the region, but also in the world market.
       Thailand in 2004 generated revenue of $2 billion from foreign patients. I expect the value to increase to $4.4 billion by 2012," he said.
       He added that it was very interesting that Singapore - Thailand's competitor in becoming the main medical regional hub - had started to promote itself as a world medical destination before the Kingdom, but that Thailand had gained more recognition as a hub and attracted more foreign patients.

       Singapore can attract patients from neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, while Thailand is the medical destination for Middle Eastern countries.
       Messe Dusseldorf Asia has a regional office in Singapore and also organises medical fairs in the country.
       "I believe that the advantages of Thailand's medical industry are pricing, which is more reasonable, and good service in medical treatment," said Ringling.
       Some 250 exhibitors will be participating in the 4th Medical Fair Thailand, slightly higher than in 2007. However, the number of visitors is expected to be 5,000 per day, a sharp rise from 4,000 daily two years ago.
       Among the many highlights of the latest medical technology on show will be a wireless wheelchair controller using Bluetooth, as well as advanced respiratory equipment.

GROUPS AGAINST MAJOR TOBACCO EVENT

2009-08-24T22:31:00.001-07:00

       Anti-smoking groups hit out yesterday at news that the tobacco industry plans to stage a major conference in Bangkok, saying the move would have an adverse impact on efforts to limit smoking.
       Action Smoking and Health Foundation and its allies said they opposed Tabinfo Asia 2009 being held in Thailand.
       "We should not be silent over this event as they [the tobacco industry] will be doing something bad for our country," secretary general of the Association, Dr Prakit Watheesathokkij said. "We need to disclose what they will doing here."
       He spoke at a seminar titled "Warning about new threats from the tobacco industry", held by the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Centre yesterday (and today) in Bangkok.
       Tabinfo Asia 2009 is the tobacco industry's biggest event. It will be held at Impact Arena Exhibition Centre in Nonthaburi from November 11 to 13. Over 2,000 people from 100 tobacco companies are due to attend.
       Asia and Australia have 57 per cent of the international tobacco market. This year's event will highlight how to do business in countries where ads for tobacco products are banned. Attendees will also discuss new tactics and new innovations to develop a nicotine delivery system, artificial flavouring and strategies to create a "society" of smokers and people doing business online via Twitter.
       Prakit said: "Even though they do not target general people to attend the event, these are the methods they are trying to use to inform the public that cigarettes are general products which can be shown at the exhibition. Indeed, this product kills over five million people around the world per year."
       He said tobacco companies would also display their new cigarette packs and allow those who go to smoke inside the exhibition hall, despite the fact Thai law banned the display of cigarettes in all kind of places and only allowed people to smoke in specific areas.
       The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, signed by 168 countries and legally binding in 165 countries, also prohibits governments and officials around the world which sign the convention from being involved in activities organised by tobacco companies, as it could cause conflicts of interest and signal an acceptance to tobacco industries.
       Prakit also warned Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, which will have staff at the event, to stop the organiser holding the exhibition as multinational tobacco companies could attend and it could boost smoking.
       The event was held in Brazil last year and met with protests by local people, which caused the organiser to scale down plans from a big exhibition to a small-scale function instead.
       About 30,000 Malaysians protested at the event when it was held there in 2005.
       "We will not stop them from organising such an event but we can tell the public about the new tactics they will use to try to lure people to smoke cigarettes," Prakit said.
       Anti-smoking groups had set up a special committee to watch and monitor moves by the tobacco industry.
       Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said he would ask the Department of Disease Control to team up with the Department of Excise to study the event to see if it will violate Thai laws.

Panasonic rides 'Avatar' 3-D craze

2009-08-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

       Panasonic Corp has signed onTitanic director James Cameron and his upcoming film in an advertising blitz for its TVs equipped with 3-D technology,both sides said yesterday.
       The deal between the major Japanese electronics maker and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp's Avatar - the first major Hollywood 3-D release that's not animation - comes as competition heats up in flat-panel TVs that show threedimensional images, or stereoscopic vision.
       To watch 3-D TVs, viewers must wear special glasses that block vision in one eye and then the other as the TVs switch rapidly between images for each eye to create an illusion of depth.
       Panasonic is planning to start selling 3-D TVs next year. Rivals, including Sony Corp, which has its own movie division,and Samsung Electronics Co of South Korea have shown prototypes and may offer similar products.
       The problem is the scarcity of content to view in 3-D. Sceptics say a number of Blu-ray discs of appealing 3-D movies must come out for 3-D TVs to catch on.
       Several animation films are already being shown in theatres in 3-D, but Avatar , set for release on Dec 18, will be the first major non-animation film debuting worldwide in both 2-D and 3-D.
       "I believe 3-D is how we will experience movies, gaming and computing in the near future.3-D is not something you watch. It's a reality you feel you could step into," Cameron said on video.
       "Panasonic is hoping its collaboration with Cameron will give it an edge in brand image as a 3-D leader as well as in obtaining suggestions for technological improvements for home TVs," said general manager Masayuki Kozuka.
       "We want to get global interest rolling,"he told the Associated Press."For people to want to watch 3-D at home, the movie has to be a blockbuster."
       Panasonic plans to have several trailervans driving around in the US and Europe next month with large-screen 3-D TVs inside showing Avatar . In Japan, footage from "Avatar"-a science-fiction Pocahontas -like romance set in a futuristic jungle inhabited by creatures evoca-tive of Cameron's Aliens - will appear in ads for 3-D TVs.
       Details on the 3-D Blu-ray release of Avatar for TVs have not been set.

Potter-style ads to get run in US magazine

2009-08-21T00:03:00.000-07:00

       The moving-picture newspapers out of the Harry Potter movies are being conjured up for real in the United States.
       Thousands of readers in New York and Los Angeles are to be able to see a video ad in mid-September when they leaf through the magazine Entertainment Weekly .The US television network CBS Corp is paying to insert wafer-thin videoscreens into the entertainment publication to promote its new season of TV series launching in the autumn, its marketing chief George Schweitzer announced on Wednesday, reports said.
       The 2.7-mm-thick screens have a diagonal width of 5cm and mini-speakers and were developed by Los-Angelesbased Americhip Inc.
       They play when their page in the magazine is turned, much like greeting cards that play music when someone opens them.
       They are to play clips of new and returning TV series and an advertisement for PepsiCo Inc, which is helping fund the promotion.
       CBS refused to say how much the campaign would cost.

Mutual fund sector swells

2009-08-21T00:02:00.000-07:00

       The size of the mutual fund industry could grow to 20% of gross domestic product by the year-end, as public understanding of funds and personal investment has continued to grow.
       Voravan Tarapoom, the president of the Association of Investment Management Companies, said total assets under management stood at 1.756 trillion baht, or 16.9% of GDP, in July.
       "The industry has continued to grow steadily over the past several years. In 1993, when the industry started, assets under management were 205.99 billion baht, or 6.7% of GDP. As of the end of last year, assets were 1.533 trillion baht,or 19% of GDP," she said at the opening of a fund exhibition yesterday.
       Mutual fund assets as a percentage of bank deposits has also increased, to 21.8% at the end of 2008 compared with a low of 2.4% in 1997 at the height of the Asian economic crisis.
       Low interest rates, market deregulation and greater public understanding of fund investment has helped increase the fund industry, as have tax incentives for contributions to long-term equity and retirement mutual funds.
       Mrs Voravan, also the managing dir-ector of BBL Asset Management, said 65.2% of total fund assets were held in fixed-income funds, with equity funds accounting for another 17.3%.
       Foreign investment funds have become a popular asset class, as investors diversify risk by investing in overseas stocks, bonds and commodities.
       The fund industry continues to have strong growth potential, Ms Voravan said. The AIMC expects net assets as a percent of GDP to reach 20% by the end of the year, with assets equal to 24% to 26% of bank deposits.
       Mrs Voravan cautioned investors in local stocks to be wary of shortterm corrections, as the main index has already risen by 40% since the beginning of the year. The SET index yesterday closed at 640.98 points, up 9.7, in trade worth 19.77 billion baht.
       "Since the potential to benefit from further upside gains is quite narrow,cost averaging is one good way to help reduce the risk from market volatility,"she said.
       Cost averaging involves investing a set sum at regular intervals, regardless of the market price. Over time, the strategy helps average out the overall cost of investments, smoothing the impact of short-term gains and losses.
       Mrs Voravan said investors concerned about risk should consider property funds as a long-term investment option. Yields can reach 8% per year,with values backed by collateral assets.

Hidden ads on TV up for talks

2009-08-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

       Media authorities are meeting on Monday to impose a code of conduct on "hidden" advertising in television, a move that is believed will have a minimal impact on the advertising industry.
       Witthawat Chaipranee, chairman of the Advertising Association of Thailand, said most TV producers do not really benefit from these hidden ads.
       "Though some benefit, particularly those involved in prime-time programming, the gain is less than 1 per cent of the total advertising revenue of Bt90 billion per annum. Even if the government put these hidden ads under control, it would not affect the industry," Witthawat said at the association's annual meeting yesterday.
       He told the association that on Monday the Consumer Production Board, chaired by PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey, will meet with all related agencies, including the association, to take care of hidden ads after academics filed a complaint that hidden ads were taking unfair advantage of consumers.
       Witthawat admitted that the number of hidden ads were increasing, especially in programmes like talk shows, news talks, game shows and sitcoms, where actors are often shown using or eating particular products.
       However, he said things like a photo of a product or a logo that appear without any mention of the product's quality or brand are acceptable. Product placement is popular among some programmes that fail to win high ratings.
       "The hidden ads give a lifeline to these programmes, particularly children's programmes that have few sponsors. Meanwhile, hidden ads are uncommon in prime-time programmes, but are increasing as producers see this as a way to make additional profit. All parties need to brainstorm on this issue and see how they can control these ads," Witthawat said.
       On Monday, the association will propose that the placement of products that are not mentioned or commented upon in the show cannot be considered hidden ads. Moreover, it will propose that an extra time slot be allotted for the advertisement of tie-in products over and above the 12.5 minutes per hour generally allowed.
       The new rules on product placement will be imposed on product manufacturers, programme producers, TV stations and ad agencies.

AQUA SEEKS STAKES IN VN, LAO MEDIA PROVIDERS

2009-08-20T01:07:00.000-07:00

       Aqua Corp, an integrated-media provider, is in talks with several media providers in Vietnam and Laos about acquiring stakes in their companies this year as part of a plan to expand within Asean.
       Managing director Jariya Nuksorn yesterday said Aqua wanted to enter the media business in Vietnam and Laos because of the high growth potential in those countries, where there are few providers at present.
       Besides, it would like to diversify risk from operating its business solely in the home market.
       Aqua is talking with up to four Vietnamese media firms and two in Laos about stake acquisitions. It might invest in more than one company in each country, she added.
       Aqua estimates an investment value of US$1 million-$2 million (Bt34 million-Bt68 million) per company. Jariya said the best scenario would be to acquire stakes in existing businesses, as the regulations for establishing new media companies in the two countries are quite complex.
       "We will choose companies that let us reach break even within three years. And it is better if those companies are partly acquired by the government, or even private firms that have good connections with state agencies, as we will then have more chance to win projects," she said.
       Aqua expects overseas business to contribute 20 per cent of its revenue next year.
       Jariya said the company planned to raise funds from the Thai stock market so that it could expand into other Asean countries.
       It will launch an initial public offering of about 85 million shares in the Stock Exchange of Thailand, for which it will submit a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission as soon as possible.
       "We need about Bt300 million to Bt400 million for business expansion both domestically and overseas," she said.
       Aqua Corp was previously known as JR Deal, a leading billboard media provider. It was recently rebranded after Thai company Sunshine Corp, which has invested in many businesses, acquired a 40-per-cent stake in the company and increased its registered capital to Bt339 million.
       It has also established three subsidiaries to turn it into an integrated media provider: Aqua Point, which is a provider of rooftop and tri-vision advertising; Aqua Television, which is a producer of TV programmes; and Aqua Communication, which is a public relations, marketing consultancy and event-organising unit.
       Aqua Corp holds nearly 100 per cent of Aqua Point and Aqua Communication, and 40 per cent of Aqua Television.
       Jariya expects the company's revenue this year to grow by 50 per cent from Bt278 million last year, thanks to the income from its subsidiaries. It generated revenue of Bt170 million in the first half.

TCEB sees B12bn in 2010 revenue

2009-08-20T01:06:00.000-07:00

       The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) expects the exhibition industry will generate revenue of at least 12 billion baht next year due to the improving economy and consumer confidence.
       This year, the industry is projected to attract 100,000 visitors to 200 events and generate revenue between 7.5 billion to 10 billion baht if the economy picks up later this year.
       Supawan Teerarat, the TCEB exhibition director and acting president, said it has further adjusted its marketing strategy for a higher level of integration and marketing coverage. The new plan provides stronger support for business professionals in the exhibition industry.
       It also plans to expand in the Asian market, particularly China, India, Japan and Korea,because it sees room to grow in these short-haul markets under current economic conditions.
       The TCEB will continue extensive roadshow activities that emphasise business matching to open up new markets for Thai entrepreneurs to meet potential trade partners. Online networking and digital database will be incorporated into the overall strategic plan, said Ms Supawan.
       She added that a recent survey among exhibition figures found that 60% relied on online for information, direct marketing, event promotion and business operation. Only 30% relied exclusively on conventional sources of information.
       The TCEB is therefore confident its online strategy is a cost-effective means to reach its global targets. It also plans to co-operate with the private sector and other government agencies in order to drive long-term sustainable growth in the exhibition industry.
       The bureau has formed alliances with three strategic partners, including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Department of Export Promotion and the Thai Exhibition Association to drive industry growth and co-
       petitiveness.
       According to BMA Deputy Governor Taya Teepsuwan,the collaboration between the TCEB and the BMA on the Bangkok Exhibition City of Asean campaign will help to spur the exhibition business.In fact, the BMA has ambitious plans to develop Bangkok into a Green MegaCity that can meet this demand, combining convenience and aesthetic considerations in an urban setting.
       Ms Taya said the BMA also planned to promote the tourism industry under the Bangkok Smiles campaigns consisting of dining, healthiness, tourism and hospitality.
       The BMA set a budget of around 200 million baht for these activities next year,up from 150 million this year. Because of negative factors, it revised its prediction for international tourist arrivals from 11 million to eight million this year while 26 million Thai tourists are expected this year. The BMA projects tourism will generate at least 260 billion baht of country revenue this year.

MICE sector bounces back

2009-08-20T01:03:00.000-07:00

       After the disastrous fallout from the brief closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport late last year, the MICE industry is rebounding with 378 international events held here this year generating more than Bt7.1 billion in revenue.
       And 76 events are committed from 2010-2014 worth Bt5.6 billion, according to a Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) report.
       Supawan Teerarat, TCEB's exhibition director and acting president, said yesterday the MICE (meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition) industry has contributed Bt278 billion to the country in the six years since the TCEB's inception.
       Highlighted international events for the next five years are the UNICITY Global Convention in 2010, the 38th annual meeting of the TunNelling and Underground Space Association, the World Pilot Association meeting in 2011, the Rotary annual meeting in 2012, the 25th Asian International Stamp Exhibition in 2010 and the World Stamp Exhibition in 2013.
       For the domestic market, the bureau this year is continuing with the "Meet in Thailand, Prosperous Thailand" project to help revive the economy.
       The campaign is aimed at promoting and supporting both the public and private sectors to organise meetings and seminars in the country, spreading income within the economic system.
       TCEB expects more than 8 million participants and Bt24 billion in revenue.
       TCEB is also developing some cities such as Phuket and Chiang Mai into MICE cities after succeeding in teaming up with Pattaya City to jointly develop marketing, infrastructure and human resources in preparation for the growing MICE market in the future.