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https://www.nationthailand.com/perspective/40017526

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MSD is on a mission to provide affordable quality health solutions for Thai people with the latest innovations in drugs and vaccines, says its country chief.

Mary Srethapakdi, managing director of MSD (Thailand), said a major challenge in being a biopharma leader is not only innovating to create new drugs but also making them accessible and affordable to the majority of society.

Innovation is MSD’s standard, but it would be pointless if the resulting drugs did not help people, Srethapakdi explained.

“We have been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our purpose to save and improve lives.”

MSD, also known as Merck & Co in the United States, is a global biopharmaceutical company founded more than a century ago. Its primary mission is to discover and develop new therapies, vaccines and medicines that address unmet medical needs in order to save and improve lives.

Focusing on cancer
MSD Thailand’s main focus is combating cancer, which is the Kingdom’s leading cause of death after traffic accidents.

MSD’s breakthrough cancer treatment is known as immunotherapy. It uses the body’s immune system to kill cancer cells without damaging normal healthy cells.

In addition to new cancer treatments and medicines, MSD has developed vaccines against the human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer ­­– and research is ongoing to determine their potential in preventing other types of cancer. Other MSD vaccine innovations protect against the viruses, fungi, and bacteria responsible for a wide range of diseases, including pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.

Meanwhile, the company has produced Molnupiravir, the world’s first pill to treat symptomatic Covid-19, which is now being rolled out across the world.
 

Making drugs accessible and affordable
As the leading pharmaceutical company in Thailand and the region, MSD has invested heavily in bringing global clinical trials for new drugs and vaccines to Thailand, said Srethapakdi.

“Every baht of our investment in conducting a clinical research study generates around three times the ROI [return on investment] for the Thai economy, according to Deloitte’s clinical research impact study in Thailand,” she said.

Beyond the heavy investment in research and development (R&D), the company is also looking at innovative ways of securing additional public funding to tackle the challenge of access to drugs.

Although Thailand is an upper-middle-income country, not every citizen can afford to pay for medicines. Therefore, many patients are unable to obtain drugs and vaccines if public funding and other solutions are not provided, she said.

In her view, a strong and sustainable healthcare system can only be created by involving its multiple stakeholders.

The pandemic, she said, has reinforced this by showing the importance of partnership between the government, medical experts, and the private sector in solving healthcare challenges of Covid-19. For example, MSD collaborated with Thailand’s Public Health Ministry as well as medical experts to deliver antiviral Molnupiravir pills for Thai Covid-19 patients in March this year.

Meanwhile, MSD Thailand was also able to supply the first full-cohort HPV vaccine for 400,000 Thai girls in 5th grade, as part of the government National Immunisation Programme (NIP). Vaccination will protect the girls against developing cervical cancer in later life.

Supporting Thailand’s medical tourism hub
Apart from helping Thai patients to access and afford the latest drugs and vaccines, MSD is backing Thailand’s mission to become a regional hub for medical research and development.

“We believe this will also strengthen the country’s position as a medical tourism hub in the region as well,” Srethapakdi said.

To boost that mission, MSD is running several clinical research studies that provide Thai physicians with early experience of new technologies and therapies, allowing them to strengthen their expertise and reputation as leading experts in the region.

Another advantage of clinical research studies is that Thai patients get early access to newly invented drugs.

MSD believes that Thailand is now in a good position to bolster its status as an Asian medical hub. Thailand already provides high-quality, internationally recognised, and cost-effective medical services.

“We believe it is critical for Thailand to continue to ensure the availability of innovative or cutting-edge medicines in order to strengthen its position,” Srethapakdi said.

Meanwhile, with Covid-19 set to become an endemic disease, the company is committed to pushing scientific breakthroughs that address unmet medical needs in order to save and improve lives.

“As a leading research biopharmaceutical company, we will continue to develop new medicines/drugs and vaccines to combat new and emerging diseases as well as other existing health challenges,” she added.

Infectious diseases continue to be a significant health burden in Thailand, and MSD has a robust portfolio that includes antivirals, antibacterial, and antifungals to address patient needs in Thailand.

“We are optimistic about the trend for the biopharmaceutical industry in Thailand and globally. And I think that the pandemic has increased awareness as to the importance of healthcare.”

She added, however, that the main challenge is to develop the drugs and ensure they reach patients and consumers worldwide who desperately need them.

Listening is the key to success
To meet that challenge, MSD encourages employees to be innovative. And the key to creating a culture of innovation was to listen, explained Srethapakdi, the first woman to become MSD managing director in Thailand. An environment of trust and respect comes first from listening, she added.

Besides creating an open and transparent environment and co-working relationship, her role as leader is to help employees succeed with their goals – not to tell them what to do.

“That means coaching them, supporting them and very importantly removing the challenges or things that block them from becoming successful.”

She also expressed her passion for the “speak-up culture” at work, in which people feel safe to share different ways of thinking and are not afraid to say if they disagree or think differently.

To that end, the company actively promotes diversity and inclusion, breaking down hierarchies so that people at all levels of the organisation feel safe to speak up.

Meanwhile, since MSD’s ultimate goal, said Srethapakdi, is to improve the lives of patients and consumers, the company must first and foremost be a trusted partner of the healthcare ecosystem. Only then can it make a real difference in three areas that MSD believes will ultimately drive access.

The first is Awareness. This entails working with the MSD medical community to provide more information about diseases and treatment options.

The second is Availability: Making sure that Thai patients and consumers have the latest drugs and vaccines available to them.

And the third, which is possibly the most difficult, is Affordability. This requires collaboration with government players to find a solution for self-pay patients, she said.

“We at MSD Thailand are very committed to working with all partners within the healthcare ecosystem to improve the well-being of patients and consumers in this country.”

She concluded by pledging to expand access for Thai patients and consumers as well as engaging the entire organisation to drive for greater collaboration, increase the speed of action, and enhance creativity to achieve MSD’s aspiration of improving patients and consumers’ lives in Thailand.

Published : July 09, 2022

By : Nongluck Ajanapanya

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/perspective/40016764

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Government officials joined industry leaders to gauge progress in Thailand’s bid to become the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing hub of ASEAN on Friday.

Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow told the “EV Forum 2022: Move Forward to New Opportunity” that Thailand is well-equipped to keep its status as the Detroit of Asia, by gearing its large auto industry to mass manufacturing electric vehicles.

“We are the 10th biggest car producer in the world and the largest in ASEAN. This means that not only are we now playing an important role in this industry but that we can generate huge future revenues from the automobile sector,” said Supattanapong, who is also deputy prime minister.

As green economics and sustainable growth become major global trends, traditional factories producing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles find themselves on the wrong side of history. Thailand and its automotive industry must now transform quickly to build a 21st-century engine of sustainable growth for the country.

Supattanapong noted the government has already launched various measures to boost domestic demand for electric cars and also lure investors and manufacturers to the EV industry in Thailand. The government’s goal is for 30 per cent of total auto production to be EVs by 2030.

He added that supporting the EV industry would also help Thailand switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

“For Thailand, the EV industry is the beginning of new and endless business opportunities, such as biofuel production, power storage technology, charger devices and smart electronics and connectivity software,” said Suppatanapong.
 

• Raft of govt incentives

The forum also heard from Excise Department spokesman Nattakorn Utensut, who said various tax cuts have been rolled out to boost EV demand. The latest one is the cut in excise tax from 8 per cent to 2 per cent to make EV imports cheaper. The government is also offering a 150,000-baht subsidy on the purchase of an EV costing up to 200,000 baht. Both measures will last until 2025.

Accepting that these measures were only temporary, Nattakorn said the Excise department is now considering other measures to support EV demand, for example, tax incentives for EV charging stations and related businesses.

“Once we have enough required infrastructure like nationwide charging stations and EV maintenance services, I believe the EV industry will grow sustainably without needing tax measures,” he said.

The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) pointed out that collaboration across industries was vital to the success of the country’s EV blueprint. Hence, the BOI has partnered with various organisations and companies to build the new sector.

Since 2017, BOI has launched supporting measures to develop four key EV ecosystems: production, parts, charging network, and software and applications.

BOI deputy secretary-general Narit Therdsteerasukdi explained the main focus was to attract international key players to establish research and development centres that would turn Thailand into the region’s EV hub. The BOI is also rolling out various incentives to speed up development of a nationwide EV charging network. Meanwhile, it is supporting start-ups and tech firms developing integrated software and apps for EV use.

Thailand was the first country in ASEAN to deploy an ecosystem to support the EV industry, Narit boasted.

“We will continue to issue more policies to support both demand and supply in EVs as well as training our own skilled workforce,” he added.

Meanwhile, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat)’s Warit Rattanachuen explained that as Thailand’s main power provider, Egat is working on a power network to support EV charging stations across the country.

The agency has also partnered with major automakers to provide charging tools for EV drivers to use at home. Moreover, the agency is also behind pilot charging stations in government offices such as the Finance Ministry.

• Massive untapped potential

The special talk section of the forum saw five big firms present their business strategies in the EV market.

Roland Folger, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Thailand, said that all Mercedes-Benz vehicles will be fully electric from 2025 onwards.

Folger noted that only Tesla and Mercedes-Benz have pledged to fulfil the Paris Agreement on carbon neutrality, with Mercedes targeting 2039 – ahead of Thailand’s goal of 2050.

Folger added that the EQS will be the first locally produced Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) in Thailand, with domestic production launching at the end of 2022. Meanwhile, the first overseas-made EQS units have been delivered to Thai customers.

Pongsak Lertrudeewattanavong, vice president of MG Sales Thailand, said the company was focusing on the entire EV ecosystem, not just vehicles.

The MG ZS and MG EP are already on sale in Thailand, but the company plans to add other EV models that are now available in China.

The Bangkok International Motor Show in April saw EV bookings top 6,000. However, delivery of some models might be delayed due to the Covid-19 situation in China, said Pongsak.

MG has also launched the “One Station Every 150km” project to install more charging stations and boost confidence and demand for EVs.

The company has already installed around 140 stations in Thailand but does not expect to reach its initial goal of 500 as more providers have joined the market.

Meanwhile, PTT told forum participants that the energy giant aims to become a major EV ecosystem player.

PTT has invested in EV sectors including batteries, vehicles, mobility as a service, chargers, swapping stations, and service and maintenance, explained Noppadol Pinsupa, PTT’s chief New Business and Infrastructure. The aim was to strengthen the ecosystem that will support Thailand’s bid to become an international EV hub.

Amorn Sapthaweekul, Deputy CEO of Energy Absolute (EA), said the company was focused on domestic manufacture of EV buses for commercial or public use.
He explained that EV buses made in Thailand did not face the 40 per cent tax on imported EV buses and trucks.

He also boasted that EA has the fastest charging platform, able to charge any battery to 80 per cent within 15 minutes. To power its EV business, the company aims to increase capacity at its battery manufacturing plants to 4 gigawatts per hour by next year and 50GWh eventually.

Amorn said EA is also targeting production of 8,000 buses per year. It delivered 120 buses last year and set a target of up to 1,500 buses this year. He expects almost all buses in Bangkok to be EVs by the end of 2023.

Narong Sritalayon, managing director of Great Wall Motor (Thailand), said the company has been around for about a year and wants to expand its market presence. It is also happy to support Thailand’s development as the EV manufacturing hub of Asean, he added. 

GWM will start assembling batteries in Thailand by the fourth quarter of 2023 and producing EVs in 2024.

The company will open 55 charging stations in 2022 in three formats – partner charging stations, G-charge supercharging stations, and destination charging stations.

He added that nine more GWM electric models will launch in the next three years, adding to the three models on sale from 2021. 

Among those is the ORA Good Cat, 4,296 units of which were booked on launch day with 1,748 units already delivered.

“EV Forum 2022: Move Forward to New Opportunity” was co-sponsored by The Nation-Thailand.

Published : June 18, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/perspective/40014295

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Huawei Thailand CEO Abel Deng said the company is supporting and promoting several digital companies to become carbon neutral faster than others.

Several experts shared their perspectives on the green economy during a seminar “Go Green 2022” organised by Krungthep Turakij and Nation TV on March 17 at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district.
Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said green business, which focuses on greenhouse gas reduction, will be a solution and opportunity for Thailand’s economy.
He pointed out the government had already announced clearly that Thailand will become carbon neutral by 2050 and net-zero gas emission by 2065.
 

Supattanapong Punmeechaow, Energy Minister”Greenhouse gas reduction is an important guideline to reduce reliance on energy from abroad and save domestic energy,” he said.
He added that the government is putting its efforts to launch measures to mitigate rising fossil fuel prices.
Supattanapong also thanked Huawei Thailand for being a good partner and having faith in the country’s potential.
“Huawei is supporting and promoting several digital companies to become carbon neutral faster than others,” he added.
Huawei Thailand CEO Abel Deng said the development of a green world will help boost economic growth and create sustainability of natural resources.

Abel Deng CEO of Huawei Thailand

He pointed out that the global society will pay attention to two issues in the future: digitisation and low carbon, which will lead to eco-friendly development.
“More than 66 countries and regions had set up goals and road maps related to national carbon emissions, while more than 170 countries and regions had announced national strategic plans related to digital,” he said.
He added that the Covid-19 pandemic had caused an impact on living, business and society.
“Amid uncertainties, we must admit that digital transformation is a key to support Thailand and global economic growth,” he added.

Kiatchai Maitriwong, Executive Director of Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation

Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation executive director Kiatchai Maitriwong said the organisation is creating awareness of greenhouse gas reduction among sectors.
He pointed out that carbon is one of seven types of greenhouse gases that came from the public, transportation, energy, agriculture and industrial sectors.

Thanyaporn Krichtitayawuth, Director Global Compact Network Thailand (GCNT)”Every sector, including the government, private, community and public must set goals and mechanisms on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and how to evaluate carbon credits,” he said.
Global Compact Network Thailand (GCNT) director Thanyaporn Krichtitayawuth said the network members worldwide had made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gases to ensure that the global temperature will not increase further.
She said GCNT aimed to encourage leading Thai companies to apply technologies to gain control of greenhouse gas emissions within 2050.
“More than half of 1,000 CEOs worldwide believe that climate change will affect them,” she said.
She added that climate change is also an investment opportunity for the business sector if entrepreneurs change their businesses to be in line with greenhouse gas reduction and sustainable goals, as well as seeking business with foreign entrepreneurs.

Aphinya Siranart, Accelerator Lab Head of Exploration United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Accelerator Lab Head of Exploration Aphinya Siranart said every sector, especially the business sector, must solve various issues to tackle global warming, such as people and financial mechanisms.
She added that all entrepreneurs must improve their business plans and join with other sectors on greenhouse gas reduction, not only grow plants.

Prasit Boondoungprasert, CEO of Charoen Pokphand Foods
Charoen Pokphand Foods CEO Prasit Boondoungprasert said the company had reduced more than 500,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions last year.
With a plan to drive the business towards sustainability, he expected that the company would be able to reduce greenhouse gases further.

Prakob Phiencharoen, Executive Vice President of Bank of Ayudhya
Bank of Ayudhya executive vice president Prakob Phiencharoen said the bank has launched more financial services related to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) to support customers.
He said the bank aims to grant up to THB100 billion in loans related to ESG, adding that sustainable finance will play an important role in future funding.

Pakkapol Leopairut, Executive Vice President of TPI Polene Power
TPI Polene Power executive vice president Pakkapol Leopairut said the company will modify its power plants to produce electricity from waste within 2025.
“This move will enable the company to become net-zero carbon emission and be able to sell 12.45 million tonnes of carbon credits annually from 2026 onwards,” he said.
Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand honorary chairman Yossapong Laoonual said the electric vehicle (EV) industry is growing in line with trends of net-zero carbon emission.
He added that batteries and motors inside EVs are keys to obtain clean and renewable energy.

Published : April 07, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/perspective/40014258

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Would you like to shop online but also contribute towards a good cause? SocialGiver, a non-profit shopping platform, is making a bold attempt at a marriage of business and charity. 

SocialGiver, launched in 2015, offers a new way to donate for helping society even as you shop like on any other e-commerce website. 
It has been developed to meet the needs of contemporary Thai people, to make it easier for them to make purchases online. 
SocialGiver differentiates itself from other e-commerce services through its emphasis on social conscience, by partnering many social enterprises and local businesses.

Their mission is to connect and use the public’s spending power to create a positive change in the world. Buying through SocialGiver would mean choosing to support local business and social enterprises in giving back to society.
 

On April 5, socialgiver.com hosted the Socialgiver Awards at Chatrium Hotel in Bangkok. The event was organised to reward people, influencers, media, brand quality and social enterprises and to give out the inaugural Ecosystem Creator Award.

Speaking at the event, Aliza Napartivaumnuay, the founder of SocialGiver Thailand, shared the goal of this platform. “It is such a great idea if every time when we are shopping, we can satisfy our need for buy a good product at a good price and good service from a very convenient platform, and also do some good. With every purchase you make, you can support local businesses and social enterprises which continue to contribute their profit to help society.” It means that every time you shop through them, shoppers can also join in donating to charities to make society better.

“Social enterprise is a business model that aims to solve social or environmental problems, while also being able to generate profits to operate the business sustainably and create tangible social outcomes. This would pave the way for the sustainable survival of Thai society in the Covid-19 era. The SocialGiver Award 2022 event is organised  to reward the person and brand quality that contributes to a better future for society,” she said.

Speaking at the forum on “Tourism Authority of Thailand x Socialgiver = Meaningful  Travel”, TAT’s deputy governor for domestic marketing, Thapanee Kiatphaibool, said the authority officially supports the SocialGiver platform for promoting Thai brands in tourism sector businesses.

She said it is a very good option for the shoppers who will have more choices in the market and in the process can also support local businesses while contributing to charities at the same time.

Things are gradually turning around for Thailand’s tourism industry, Thapanee said. “Since the beginning of April, TAT has seen a good number of domestic and international travellers, giving a boost to tourism. In particular, there is an improvement in arrivals in the international sector,” she said. 
Under revised “Test & Go” rules effective from April 1, international travellers will be allowed to enter Thailand without the need to show proof of a negative RT-PCR test before boarding the flight, she added.

TAT expects 50,000 visitors in April. The tourism agency has activated its 29 offices around the world to promote travels to Thailand by reviving many tourist programmes, rebuilding the skills of travel agents and prioritising concerns about travel safety.

In addition to the social dimension, the Meaningful Travel campaign is a collaboration with SocialGiver. Every time, shoppers make bookings through SocialGiver, they will help support nature conservation and protect green spaces throughout Thailand due to many collaborations and other projects, without paying more. 
SocialGiver aims to make shoppers’ holidays even more special by donating half of whatever they spend to fundraise for the charities to create a lasting impact throughout Thailand. They plan to take this project to the region in the future.

By Varunsuda Karunayadhaj

Published : April 07, 2022

By : THE NATION