#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Get lucky with dtac’s popular ‘personalised lucky mobile phone number’

Aug 27. 2020Dtac chief marketing officer How Lih Ren, left, and Thai numerologist Tossaporn Sritula, widely known as Ajarn Chang 

By The Nation

Total Access Communication (Dtac) has seen impressive sales growth of its popular “personalised lucky mobile phone number”, a campaign for which was launched a month ago.

Dtac has been working with popular Thai numerologist Tossaporn Sritula, widely known as Ajarn Chang, since 2005 to predict its customers’ fortunes via their telephone numbers. The practice is no less popular in 2020.

A recent dtac survey found that 74 per cent of Thais attribute lucky numbers to their fortunes in love, finance, friendship and more.

“This year, we have offered our most personalised lucky numbers service yet,” Dtac chief marketing officer How Lih Ren said on August 26. “Our number health check platform provides an all-inclusive computation assessment that covers all aspects of Ajarn Chang’s numerology theory. Our continued partnership with Ajarn Chang has also been strengthened by a comprehensive media plan that offers content tailored for television and new media channels, including a Facebook Live-streamed fortune-telling event.”

Further success was driven by dtac’s recent partnerships with CSC and IT City, two of the largest smartphone and IT retailing chains in Thailand. With more than 300 outlets nationwide, CSC and IT City have dramatically expanded dtac sales channels while increasing the visibility of its lucky numbers project.

A personalised partnership

A worldwide belief dating back thousands of years, numerology reaches different conclusions throughout the region. For example, in China the number 8 is considered lucky because it is homophonous to the word for wealth, while in Japan the same is true for 7, or “nana”. In Hong Kong, 6 is homophonous to the Cantonese word for luck, and in Thailand 9 is homophonous to the word for progress.

“However, to find a lucky number specific to each person, we need to delve into astrology and its relation to the stars,” said Ajarn Chang. “The numbers represent the stars. For example, the sun is number 1 and Jupiter is number 5.”

Ajarn Chang’s 3 theories of lucky numbers

Dtac this year worked with Ajarn Chang on an algorithm that considered each of his three lucky number theories.

The first theory takes its prediction from the sum of all numbers in a 10-digit phone number, which usually falls between 40-60. The second theory determines a person’s luck by the presence of pairs, with the last seven digits being particularly ominous for one’s good or bad luck. The third theory looks to astrology, and a person’s birth date and zodiac sign in connection to the first two theories.

According to Ajarn Chang, there are two types of lucky numbers: those considered generally lucky, and those which are only lucky for particular individuals, or personalised lucky numbers. Dtac’s number health check platform lets users get to know their personalised lucky – and not so lucky – numbers on a rating scale from D to A+. If their current score is low, the user can purchase an available lucky number from monthly packages starting as low as Bt499.

“The personalised lucky number programme helps you access a genuinely lucky number according to my methodology,” Ajarn Chang said. “Compared to a human sales consultant, who might want to sell a number that’s long been available, this platform is impartial. This is an evolution of fortune telling that allows greater accessibility and accuracy. Many of these numbers would certainly fetch five-digit prices on the open market.”

The system narrows down each customer’s personalised lucky number from more than 100,000 that are available to only 10-100.

Whatever network you are subscribed to, dtac has created two websites that lets you check for your own lucky numbers. Dtac subscribers can visit www.dtac.co.th/checknumber and key in all the fields to discover whether their number is compatible with fortune in love, work and money.

Both dtac and non-dtac subscribers can also search for a new mobile phone number manually at http://www.dtac.co.th/searchnumber, or at any dtac service centre nationwide.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Thai industry recovering – but slower than expected

Aug 27. 2020

By The Nation

Thailand’s industrial sector is showing signs of recovery after the manufacturing production index (MPI) rose for three consecutive months, the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE) said.

Thongchai Chawalitpichaet, OIE director-general, revealed that July’s manufacturing production index rose by 3.12 per cent on June. Capacity utilisation was 56.01 per cent, up from 55.07 per cent in the previous month.

However, the MPI also fell by a bigger-than-expected 14.69 per cent in July from a year earlier. Reuters had forecast a fall of just 13.9 per cent in July.

Meanwhile capacity utilisation remains lower than its highpoint in March this year of 67.78 per cent.

“Capacity utilisation hit its lowest point at 51.27 per cent in April this year,” said Thongchai.

The factory output figures showed the industrial sector has bottomed out and begun to recover – provided a second wave of Covid-19 wave does not hit Thailand, he said.

However, Covid-19 and other crises also presented an opportunity for Thailand, he added.

The pandemic in partner countries, the US-China trade war and floods in China had disrupted the global supply chain, resulting in the relocation of production bases to diversify risk.

“This is an opportunity for Thailand to encourage foreign investors to relocate their production bases here for the skilled labour and effective containment of Covid-19,” said Thongchai, pointing to the Eastern Economic Corridor.

He said Thai industry is recovering steadily, with segments such as food and chemicals meeting growing demand and expanding by 2.7 per cent and 0.7 per cent year on year, respectively.

“We expect the industrial sector to return to normal in 2021,” he said.

Industries which expanded well in July this year were as follows:

Beer industry expanded by 24.96 per cent year on year as firms accelerated production to compensate for temporary closure during the lockdown period, and received orders from retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues allowed to reopen.

Chemical fertiliser industry expanded by 48.23 per cent year on year as the demand from farmers increased during the rainy season.

Animal food industry expanded by 9.68 per cent as demand for pet and fish foods grew steadily.

Household appliance industry expanded by 19 per cent as people stayed home during the Covid-19 crisis, while the export of household appliances increased after the countries eased lockdown measures.

Palm oil industry expanded by 14.53 per cent as production increased during the rainy season, and demand for biodiesel and palm oil remained robust.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

B Grimm Power added to FTSE Asia Pacific large-cap index

Aug 25. 2020

By THE NATION

Energy generator B Grimm Power (BGRIM) will on September 18 be added to the list of companies on the FTSE Global Equity Index Series Asia Pacific Ex Japan and Ex China in the category of Large Cap Index.

The selection and decision to upgrade BGRIM from the Mid Cap to the Large Cap category reflected investors’ confidence in the company’s performance and business strategy, said B Grimm Power president Preeyanart Soontornwata. It could also enhance the firm’s liquidity and market cap while being selected in the new category was a positive sign for both retail and institutional investors, she added.

BGRIM has also been chosen to join the FTSE4Good Index Series designed to measure sustainability standards, the MSCI ESG index (with a BBB rating), the Thailand Sustainability Investment list (THSI) and the ESG 100 group. The company says the selections reflect B Grimm Power’s strong focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles to create long-term value for all stakeholders.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Covid-19 crisis eats into corporate pay rise budgets: report

Aug 24. 2020

By THE NATION

One-third of Asia Pacific employers have cut their pay rise budgets due to the Covid-19 crisis while others have frozen or postponed salary increases this year, according to Willis Towers Watson, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company.

Its latest “Salary Budget Planning Report”, covering 3,800 employers across 22 markets in Asia Pacific, shows that one-third of companies (34 per cent) have made changes to their employees’ salaries in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Another 29 per cent of employers are planning or considering actions to manage labour costs or incentivise those who are required to work.

Among those companies that have reviewed salaries, the proportion of those planning a salary freeze this year is six times higher than before the pandemic (23.5 per cent in 2020 vs 5.1 per cent in 2019), while the proportion of companies postponing a salary increase is almost five times higher (13.4 per cent in 2020 vs 2.4 per cent in 2019), the report said.

Compared to last year, 62 per cent of companies plan to continue with their regular review of salary increases for their employees this year (vs 91.4 per cent in 2019).

Pay rise projections for 2021 are more optimistic as employers in Asia Pacific anticipate that salary budgets will bounce back closer to pre-Covid-19 levels at an average of 5.8 per cent next year, the report predicted.

Emerging markets such as Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are projecting a stronger rebound of salary increases, indicating strong confidence in the recovery of their economies.

In recent years, the fintech industry has been leading the transformation of traditional financial services companies. From enabling financial transactions to be carried out remotely to facilitating contactless payment and the distribution of government aid during the pandemic, fintech companies have been crucial in supporting the battle to curb

Covid-19 infections in many countries. This has kept the sector’s salary increases ahead in most markets, the report said.

On the other hand, the report shows a decreasing salary budget in the energy and natural tesources industry. The Covid-19 outbreak coupled with the oil price crash and the economic recession present an enormous challenge for the sector, which leads to a lower projected salary budget for next year (3.7 per cent in 2021 vs 4.4 per cent in 2020),

“In the next 12 months, organisations are likely to create more jobs in functions such as sales, engineering and information technology. Compared to last year, job opportunities in IT functions have exceeded technical skilled trades, a reflection of the increased digital transformation of businesses,” Edward Hsu, business leader, rewards data and software, Asia Pacific, Willis Towers Watson, said.

“In addition, we are seeing more companies putting a greater emphasis on their IT resources and departments. This could be due to the increased focus on their IT infrastructure caused by the prevalence of remote working adopted by companies as a result of the pandemic, leading to a rise in demand for more jobs in this function,” Edward added.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

CPALL to launch four series of debentures

Aug 24. 2020

By The Nation

CPALL, operator of 7-Eleven and ALL Online as well as a major shareholder of Siam Makro, plans to issue four series of debentures in the Thai currency.

The first four-year-nine-month-one-day series will be offered to the general public as well as CPALL’s existing debenture holders, while the other three series will be offered to institutional or high-net-worth investors.

The series are expected to be released on September 21-22, 24-25 and 28.

This proposed issuance has been given an AA- credit rating by TRIS Rating.

Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank and Kiatnakin Phatra Securities have been appointed as joint lead arrangers.

Kriengchai Boonpoapichart, CP All Public Co Ltd’s chief financial officer, said the debentures on offer are unsubordinated and unsecured.

The first series will be offered at a fixed interest rate of 3 per cent per annum, while the second nine-year-seven-month-14-day series will come at a fixed interest rate of 3.4 per cent per annum. The coupon rate of the two-year-five-month-17-day and 15-year series will be announced later.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Migrant workers handed complaints-and-training lifeline during virus crisis

Aug 21. 2020Sompong Srakaew, the director of LPN

By The Nation

The Labour Protection Network Foundation (LPN) and Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) say they are adapting their complaints and online training platform for migrant workers, to promote human rights under the “new normal”.

For the past three years, LPN’s Labour Hotline has served as a complaints channel which also provides human rights training to both Thai and migrant workers. It equips CPF’s workers with knowledge of labour laws, safety and occupational rules and the company’s best practices.

In line with CPF’s strict safety and epidemic-prevention measures on production lines, LPN this year is carrying out online training and dormitory visits. Off-hour Focus Group conversations outside the workplace encourage workers to express their opinions and raise questions on life adjustments and cultural differences, said CPF.

LPN also hosts training for migrant workers at the countries of origin in Cambodia and Myanmar.

“At pre-employment training prior to the start of their service, workers are given basic information on workplace and living conditions in Thailand, their rights and welfare, said LPN director Sompong Srakaew.

All migrant workers are also introduced to LPN’s complaints hotline, he added.

The services are a prototype collaboration between the private sector and civil society. The aim is to ensure workers’ welfare and assure global consumers that their products come from the supply chain that honours international labour standards, say LPN and CPF.

CPF had taken a good care of all workers’ health, resulting on zero infections during the Covid-19 outbreak, said Sompong. Meanwhile, CPF supplied LPN with fresh eggs and drinking water for distribution to needy migrant workers who lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts during the outbreak, he added.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

 Loxley launches CareChek platform to manage Covid-19 risk at work

Aug 20. 2020Loxley director Vasant Chatikavanij,right

By The Nation

Loxley subsidiary K2 Venture Capital (K2VC) has joined hands with start-up IfYouCan to create the “CareChek” platform, which helps workplaces proactively manage Covid-19 risk among their workers by getting and analysing results quickly and accurately.

Loxley Group established a working team to monitor and prevent the epidemic from spreading through implementing various measures, said Loxley director Vasant Chatikavanij.

CareChek uses predictive analytics and big data analysis through data inputs such as self-reported symptoms, geo-location, demographic and medical research data to target employees who might be at a high risk of transmitting infection.

This differs from pure contact tracing methodology, which is more deterministic and highly manpower intensive, said Loxley.

“For the past three months, we have been testing CareChek with our own employees and we’re now ready to start offering it to other interested organisations. For non-profit organisations where workers are at high risk of Covid-19 infection, Loxley is happy to offer the solution for free as part of our effort to help society get through this difficult period together. We also plan to add new capabilities for the CareChek platform to track other serious diseases,” said Vasant.

The platform works via IfYouCan’s mobile application NotifyMe, which users can install. After registering, users are asked to answer a daily health survey used to calculate their individual risk score.

The app also allows employees to receive official announcements about Covid19 measures, with translations and a text-to-speech function for the visually impaired.

The system will also report the result of individual risk assessments and alert users when they approach any potential high-risk areas.

Through the platform dashboard, organisation admin officials receive near real-time information of the risk assessed by the platform’s algorithm, allowing them to manage personnel more effectively to prevent the virus from spreading.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Dtac offers 5G experience at seven outlets

Aug 20. 2020

By The Nation

Total Access Communication (Dtac) customers will be able to experience amazing 5G speeds on the 26GHz frequency by trying out a new 26GHz-5G smartphone at any of the seven Dtac shops nationwide.

The high-band spectrum, also known as millimetre waves, which will be primarily for industry use, allows the highest speeds, lowest latencies and ultra-high capacity for a wide range of 5G service applications, making them critical for a future of massive internet of things applications.

Dtac chief executive officer Sharad Mehrotra, said, “We want customers to experience the ultra-high-speed 5G that is possible on our high-band spectrum. This year, we will continue exploring use cases for millimetre wave [mmWave] 5G. And we’re also tripling our capacity on mid-band spectrum, which all our customers can enjoy.”

Dtac’s 26GHz frequency band is compatible with a wide range of devices designed for high-brand spectrum. In a report in March, the GSMA said that some 70 5G devices have been announced with mmWave compatibility.

The 5G high-band experience can now be tested on HUAWEI Mate Xs, a foldable smartphone which can support 5G mmWave or 26GHz frequency band exclusively at the following Dtac shops:

Central World, Bangkok

Central Plaza Westgate, Nonthaburi

Future Park Rangsit, Pathum Thani

Central Chonburi

Central Khon Kaen

Central Chiang Mai

Central Festival, Hat Yai.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

CPFTH says 3-day bond issuance a success

Aug 20. 2020

By The Nation

CPF (Thailand) Public Company Limited (CPFTH), a subsidiary of Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited, termed its bond issuance of 2.5 times oversubscription with final issuance of Bt20 billion a success.

In a press release, the company said it was “delighted” by the feedback from the offering of five series of debentures to institutional and/or high net worth investors during the period of August 17-19.

CP chief financial officer Paisan Chirakitcharern said the subscription “was over the company’s target”, which resulted in CPFTH’s decision to exercise the greenshoe option to support demand from investors.

The seven joint lead arrangers were Krungthai Bank, KasikornBank, Siam Commercial Bank, Government Savings Bank, CIMB Thai Bank, TMB Bank and Phatra Securities, the statement added.

#ศาสตร์เกษตรดินปุ๋ย : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Youpik expands network by partnering up with auto dealer

Aug 18. 2020

By The Nation

Youpik, an e-commerce platform, is expanding its network by partnering with V Group Cars to help Thai consumers with social-media savvy to cash in by promoting and sharing information about the cars they like.

This is the first time for Youpik to collaborate with a partner in the automotive industry, but is in line with new trends as more brands and products shift their focus to online channels.

Pitchanun Wittayanont, a co-founder of Youpik, said: “Youpik is committed to building a fun and unique platform in the Thai market. We believe in the power of sharing on social media. Since our launch, Youpik has been expanding its partnership with a variety of businesses, so we can offer a variety of products to our customers.”

Buyers on Youpik application get a chance to receive cashback on every item purchased, plus commission when friends purchase items using links shared by “Youpikkers”.