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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40021201

Two Fujifilm entities join hands with goal to become No. 1 total printing solutions provider

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Fujifilm Business Innovation is teaming up with Fujifilm to modernise the traditional printing format by digitising the analog system to keep up with the evolving digital world.

This first-time collaboration also implies that the companies can provide the best solutions and meet the needs of a wide range of customers in terms of usage and budget.

Ratchakrit Temboonsakdi, Fujifilm (Thailand) Unit Head of Graphic Communication Business Division and Industrial, stated at a press conference on Wednesday that the overall outlook for global printing is still positive.

He estimated that the printing industry would grow at a rate of 5-10 per cent a year.

However, as businesses go digital, many entrepreneurs, particularly those in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are looking for printing machines that can cut costs, save time, and boost productivity, said Ratchakrit

“Demand for digital printing services is increasing, particularly among SMEs and businesses in the e-commerce sector. As a result, the company is proud to present our advanced printing technologies and innovations in order to demonstrate our leadership and expertise in printing technology,” Ratchakrit noted.

Kitti Pornpipatwong, general manager of Graphic Communication Service at Fujifilm Business Innovation (Thailand), stated that the two forward-thinking companies will collaborate to optimise remarkable business performance and foster sustainable business development, with the goal of becoming the No. 1 total printing solutions provider in the future.

The announcement of the collaboration took place as Fujifilm Business Innovations, and Fujifilm participated as exhibitors at Pack Print International 2022, being held from October 19-22 at Bitec, Bangna.
 

Kitti pointed out that the goal of participating in the event was to demonstrate the company’s printing potential and the advancements in printing technology from Fujifilm so that business operators and industry stakeholders can stay up to date on the latest printing innovations in the printing industry.

“The company will be showcasing a variety of advanced printing technologies and solutions, as well as software that supports automation, such as software developed for automatic calibration of colour presses and programmes that enhance illustration and graphic development before going into production print,” he explained.

“There are also a variety of highly efficient functions for greater convenience in digital printing that exquisitely help to increase the value of each digital print work.”

Fujifilm Thailand has specialised in developing technologies and innovations to meet the needs of customers all over the world for over 30 years.

Meanwhile, Fujifilm Business Innovation is a manufacturer and distributor of well-known products, such as multi-functional printers, office printers, and advanced printers for publishing companies, as well as a provider of IT solutions and outsourcing services, including research and development to improve production efficiency.

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40021144

Amazon plans $5-billion investment to boost cloud ecosystem in Thailand

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the world’s largest cloud services provider, has announced an ambitious plan to invest more than $5 billion (roughly 190 billion baht) in Thailand over the next 15 years.

Conor McNamara, AWS managing director for ASEAN, stated at a press conference on Tuesday that the investment would cover all aspects of the cloud ecosystem, from local infrastructure to reskilling and upskilling people.

AWS is currently building a data centre in Thailand called Region, according to McNamara. The new AWS Asia Pacific (Bangkok) Region will have three availability zones, joining the existing 87 availability zones spread across 27 geographic regions.

Globally, AWS has announced plans for 24 additional availability zones across eight additional AWS Regions in Australia, Canada, India, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand.

“The upcoming AWS Region in Thailand will allow developers, startups, and enterprises, as well as government, education, and nonprofit organisations, to run their applications and serve end users from AWS data centres in Thailand, ensuring that customers who want to keep their data in Thailand can do so,” McNamara pointed out.

AWS Asia Pacific (Bangkok) Region will enable organisations to build with AWS technologies such as AI and machine learning, data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT), he said.

“With these new tools, AWS is empowering governments to better engage citizens, enterprises to innovate for their next stage of growth, and entrepreneurs to build businesses and compete on a global scale,” McNamara noted.

Eric Conrad, AWS’ regional managing director for the public sector in ASEAN, explained that now is the time to invest in Thailand’s cloud industry. It is due to the government’s supportive policy and businesses’ strong desire to transition to digital after witnessing cloud’s effectiveness during the pandemic.

“We want to be the first comprehensive cloud service provider in this country and a reliable long-term partner for Thai agencies and entrepreneurs as well as multinational companies interested in conducting business in Thailand and the Asean region,” Conrad said.

 “Thailand’s demand is growing exponentially, and AWS saw this potential.”

AWS intends to introduce AWS Local Zone in Bangkok in addition to Region. This type of AWS infrastructure deployment enables customers to deliver applications that need single-digit millisecond latency to end-users by moving compute, storage, databases, and other select services closer to major population centres, industries, and IT hubs.

Meanwhile, AWS continues to invest in Thailand’s developers, students, and the next generation of IT leaders through programmes such as AWS re/Start, AWS Academy, and AWS Educate. These AWS education programmes prepare students from a variety of backgrounds and experiences for careers in the cloud.

McNamara stated that the training course is part of AWA’s goal of creating 30 million skilled workers worldwide. AWS has already trained 700,000 people in the Asean region.

He also promised to expand its AWS Partner Network, which already includes over 100,000 independent software vendors and systems integrators worldwide. This collaboration will assist AWS clients in serving their customers or finding the best solution for small and medium-sized businesses.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechow lauded the AWS investment plan.

He described it as a significant milestone that would bring advanced cloud computing services to more organisations and assist the government in achieving the Thailand 4.0 ambition of creating a digitised, value-based economy.

Narit Therdsteerasukdi, secretary-general of Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI), said that the BOI is one of AWS’ partners to facilitate the company’s investment in Thailand. He is confident that this latest initiative will help boost Thailand’s global competitiveness while also driving innovation and economic productivity across all industries.

AWS now has more than 200 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, IoT, mobile, security, hybrid, virtual and augmented reality, media, and application development, deployment, and management from 87 availability zones within 27 geographic regions.

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40021124

Nation Group to purchase Nation News for THB293 million

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

Nation Group Thailand Plc (NATION) on Monday notified the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) that its October 17 board meeting approved a move to purchase 189,997 ordinary shares of Nation News Co Ltd (NN), or 99.99 per cent of the company’s shares, from its parent company, Nation Broadcasting Corporation Plc (NBC).

The total purchase price for the shares is 293.77 million baht.

Nation TV Co Ltd (NTV), a subsidiary of NN, is included in the acquisition.

NBC is in the process of changing its name to King Gen Public Co Ltd.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40021102

Lawyer targets TCC chief, ex-NBTC member over ‘leaks’ on Thailand’s True-Dtac merger

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022

The secretary-general of the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) and a former member of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) have recently been accused of allegedly leaking confidential information.

Lawyer Trairong Tanthasuk said on Monday that he had filed police complaints against TCC secretary-general Saree Ongsomwang and ex-NBTC member Prawit Leesathapornwongsa early this month.

His allegation is that the two had leaked confidential NBTC information by exposing the “14 conditions” set for the merger between True Corporation and Total Access Communication (Dtac).

In his complaint with Huai Khwang Police Station, Trairong also named some news agencies that had published interviews with Saree and Prawit over the 14 conditions.

He said the NBTC had not announced the conditions it will set to mitigate the impact the merger would have on consumers, but the duo had managed to obtain the information and leaked it to the public. He also accused them of distorting confidential information.

TCC and Prawit have openly expressed opposition to the merger, saying it would hurt consumers as it will leave only two key players in the market – the merged company and Advanced Info Service (AIS).

Trairong is also threatening to file another complaint against Saree for publishing a report from a foreign NBTC adviser on the negative impact the merger would have on consumers.

The lawyer said NBTC had last week deferred its decision on the merger to October 20, pending a report from the foreign adviser, SCF Associates Ltd.

However, he claimed, Saree had got her hands on the classified report and published it on her Facebook page.

He said the NBTC chief later told reporters he did not know how Saree had obtained the document.

Trairong also mentioned that Dr Pirongrong Ramasoota was part of the NBTC public relations team, but stopped short of making allegations.

“Both the 14 conditions and SCF Associates’ study are confidential and still pending deliberation by the NBTC,” he said.

Trairong advised NBTC to guard all secret documents and prevent them from being leaked ahead of official announcements. He added that leaking confidential government information violates the Criminal Code’s Articles 83, 86 and 164, while distorting information violates Article 14 of the Computer Crimes Act.

“I don’t know how the two got the confidential information, but they have done it repeatedly,” he said.

Early last month, Trairong also filed a complaint of malfeasance and nonfeasance with the National Anti-Corruption Commission against Napat Winitchaikul, a member of the panel monitoring NBTC.

He alleged that Napat’s behaviour had caused damage to the state because he acted beyond his authority as a member and former chair of the NBTC monitoring panel.

The complaint cited an incident in which Napat wore a shirt with the panel’s logo while submitting a letter to the NBTC to oppose the merger.

Trairong said this action caused the public to believe that the monitoring panel was opposed to the merger when the panel had made no decisions on the issue.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/business/corporate/40020913

Illumina launches faster and cheaper genomic sequencing platform in Thailand

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022

Tippawan Limsamarnphun

Illumina, a US-based manufacturer of equipment used to analyse genetic variations and biological functions, has unveiled a new genome sequencing platform – the NovaSeqX series.

Illumina, a US-based manufacturer of equipment used to analyse genetic variations and biological functions, has unveiled a new genome sequencing platform – the NovaSeqX series.

The new platform is a significant improvement on the previous models in terms of speed, cost and protection of the environment, Illumina’s top executive for Thai and Asia-Pacific markets said.

Robert McBride, senior director of sales for Asia Pacific and Japan, said in an interview that the new platform will better serve cancer patients, reproductive healthcare patients and screening of premature babies. This is because the new platform reduces the turnaround time of DNA sequencing from 48 hours to just 24 hours, making diagnostics faster.

The NovaSeqX series will also reduce the cost of genome sequencing to just US$200-$300 per person, down from $600. This does not include processing, interpretation and counselling costs.

The new platform delivers more than 20,000 whole genomes of high-resolution optics and ultra-high density flow cells per year, which is 2.5 times greater throughput than the previous model.

According to McBride, innovations over the several decades have driven down the cost of sequencing exponentially, from $3 billion in the original Human Genome Project in 1990 to $100 million in 2001.

With technology becoming even cheaper, healthcare services are becoming more widely accessible, he said. Besides, he said, the new platform is more environmentally friendly as it cuts down packaging waste by 90 per cent, plastic usage by 50 per cent, and a 500-tonne saving in dry ice per year.

McBride said Illumina’s mission is to improve human health by unlocking the power of genomic technology in identifying genetic diseases and disorders, drug development, personalised medicines, precision therapy and pandemic preparedness.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Illumina partnered with more than 120 labs worldwide to sequence 75 to 80 per cent of coronavirus genomes in 2020.

Illumina established a presence in Thailand more than 18 years ago, especially in the reproductive health industry for DNA and next-generation sequencing. Next Generation Genomic Co Ltd (NGG Thailand) is one of the companies that rely on Illumina for invitro fertilisation testing, pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) and testing the foetus for genetic diseases. McBride said testing for genetic diseases among babies is critical because they can be treated in time. Genomics has also proved to be effective in the diagnostics and treatment of cancer.

He said genomic technology can also help find diseases in agriculture and livestock to help improve yields.

McBride said the key challenge now is finding genome sequencing data analysts and scientists, as well as safeguarding public health information. He said in the Asia-Pacific region, Australia has 400,000 scientists and genetic councillors, while Japan only has 160,000. Figures of scientists in Thailand are still unavailable.

He added that there are just three or four large companies that specialise in DNA sequencing, with Illumina holding an 80-per-cent share of the global market.

According to Brandessence Market Research, the global genome sequencing market was valued at $13.58 billion last year and is expected to hit $46.43 billion marking a 19.2 per cent growth by 2028.

Illumina’s annual revenue last year came in at $4.5 billion. Its newest NovaSeq X series provides extraordinary sequencing power through a single platform to fuel data-intensive applications like whole-genome sequencing, single-cell sequencing and multi-omics. With numerous technical innovations, it enables maximum throughput and accuracy for genomics scientists.

The technology also accelerates genomic discovery and clinical insights to understand disease, its impacts on human lives and ultimately provide effective treatment.

The highlights of the NovaSeq X series include:

• A fundamentally new sequencing by synthesis (SBS) chemistry, engineered for 2x higher speed and accuracy.

• Highest resolution optics and ultra-high density flow cells, delivering 2.5x greater throughput while driving down sequencing costs.

• Integration of onboard Bio-IT with ORA compression, enabling highly accurate and fully automated secondary analysis with 5x loss-less data compression.

• 15 new thermostable reagents, supporting ambient-temperature shipping, eliminating the need for dry ice and reducing waste.

To achieve peak performance and minimise interruptions, Illumina also has a support team on standby comprising scientists and experts. Technical support is available via phone five days a week or online support 24/7.

Tippawan Limsamarnphun

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40021039

True-DTAC merger would undermine telecom market, Thai economy, says study by NBTC advisers

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2022

A merger between True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC) would likely degrade market competition, raise prices and lower service levels due to a lack of competition, a study conducted by telecoms watchdog NBTC’s foreign advisers has found.

The study also said that it would be difficult to rectify the resulting lack of market competition by introducing new competitors after the merger.

The study on the impact of the proposed True-DTAC merger was done by UK-based SCF Associates Ltd for the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

The telecoms regulator has dithered on whether to approve the proposed merger by Thailand’s second- and third-largest mobile network operators.

Last week, the Thailand Consumers Council urged the NBTC to make its decision on the planned merger strictly according to the law, without allowing capitalists to take advantage of the public and the market.

The adviser report, dated September 14, is the first of three prepared for the NBTC. A copy of the report was obtained by The Nation.

The study said that the merger would adversely affect competition in the Thai mobile market for data, voice and messaging, as well as the market for bundled services integrated with mobile connectivity, which characterises the country’s current and future mobile market.

Also, the study found that the resulting uncompetitive market condition due to the merger would be difficult to rectify by attempting to restore competition through the introduction of new operators.

“All potential remedies have difficulties, be they attempting to encourage a third new mobile network operator to enter, and/or introduction of a resilient and highly aggressive mobile virtual network operator wholesale market, or by forcefully managing pricing and service competition levels, via detailed regulatory reviews over many years,” the report said.

Repercussions on the Thai economy could be serious as “mobile is an essential ingredient of Thailand’s economic success”, the report said.

It pointed out that without vibrant competition, which attracts investments to a sector that drives many others, new mobile market development could be impaired with wider consequences.

“The Thai mobile market and associated communications offerings may become less attractive — thus, for instance, reducing FDI [foreign direct investment] generally,” the report said.

It cited cases from foreign mobile markets, such as the Philippines and Mexico, where a lack of competition led to higher prices and a shortage of new technologies and advanced services.

However, the report also stated that a decision on the merger of True and DTAC was a question requiring further analysis and ultimate conclusions could be drawn from the next phase of research.

“Such a direction would require the regulator to have suitable countervailing powers to halt industry concentration,” the report said.

The study examined the background to the proposed merger, expected impacts after the merger on barriers to entry and access to infrastructure, and conditions and measures that correspond to effects arising from the merger.

It was found that after a merger between two mobile network operators, access to the infrastructure needed to build a new business is “likely to be most difficult”. The study estimated that a new third network would need five to eight years to construct its infrastructure and become capable of gaining market share.

After the merger, it would “likely be most difficult” to restore competition, as remedies are not readily apparent, be they at the level of markets, infrastructure or regulatory oversight, the report concluded.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40021037

Indorama Ventures opens largest PET recycling plant in the Philippines

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2022

Indorama Ventures Pcl (IVL), a global sustainable chemical company, announced the official opening of its PETValue bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in the Philippines, in partnership with Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines—the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the country.

The plant is IVL’s latest recycled PET facility. The venture builds on the global integrated petrochemicals company’s position as the world’s largest producer of recycled resin used in plastic beverage bottles.

PETValue Philippines, located in General Trias in Cavite Province south of Manila, is the country’s first food-grade, bottle-to-bottle recycling facility, and the largest in the Philippines.

It was built by IVL in partnership with Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. in accord with The Coca-Cola Company’s ‘World Without Waste’ program to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle it sells by 2030.

As a result of the joint venture with Coca-Cola, IVL will recycle about 2 billion additional used PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles in the Philippines every year and create about 200 new local jobs. The plant will wash and shred post-consumer bottles into flakes to produce recycled PET resin that is suitable for use in food-contact applications.
 

Managed under IVL’s regional business lead for Recycling Vertical Anivesh Tewari, PETValue brings together an experienced leadership team led by Site Manager Joel Potian, who has nearly three decades of manufacturing and chemical engineering expertise in the Philippines and Korea. He is supported by Aris Castillo as Chief Financial Officer, formerly from Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines with more than 10 years in supply chain finance and manufacturing.

 
Sanjay Ahuja, Executive President of Combined PET, Indorama Ventures, said, “PETValue is an important development for IVL, for our partner Coca-Cola, and for the Philippines community. IVL, as the largest producer of recycled PET resin, is bringing our global experience and know-how to grow capacity and recycle more bottles. This, together with our partner Coca-Cola’s powerful consumer footprint, represents significant potential for us, as purposeful companies, to close the loop on plastic bottle recycling and help resolve waste in the Philippines.”
 
IVL has already surpassed the half-way milestone towards meeting its 2025 target of increasing its recycling capacity to 750,000 tons per year.

The company is investing US$1.5 billion globally to expand recycling facilities and sustainable production, including a new ambition to reach post-consumer PET bale input of 1,500,000 tons per year by 2030.

PETValue will introduce the most advanced technology and infrastructure in the Philippines, helping to improve collection and recycling rates and prevent leakage into waterways. The new plant will encourage a more robust waste value chain to help address the growing post-consumer waste management problem in the Philippines.

The unique PET plastic used in soft drinks and water bottles is 100% recyclable and the most collected plastic packaging in the world. Global brands including Coca-Cola are using more recycled plastic in their bottles to close the loop and deliver a circular economy.

 
Yash Lohia, Chairman of ESG Council at Indorama Ventures, said, “By the end of this year we will have increased our recycling capacity to more than 375,000 tons. In 2021, we acquired a PET recycling plant in Texas and announced plans to build a new facility in Indonesia. In 2020, we signed a joint venture agreement with Coca-Cola to build a state-of-the-art recycling plant in the Philippines, which culminated in today’s announcement. In the same year, we also acquired recycling plants in Brazil and two in Poland. This is to be celebrated given the challenging pandemic environment. These seven plants will join a family of existing recycling sites in Alabama, Ireland, two in France and the Netherlands.”  

 
Gareth McGeown, President and CEO of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc., said, “Sustainability is at the heart of who we are as a company, as evidenced by more than a century of Coca-Cola treating the Philippines as its home. We are extremely proud of PETValue Philippines and our partnership with Indorama Ventures, whose global expertise in recycling technologies will prove to be an asset to the Philippines’ collective goals for more sustainable practices and a truly circular economy for recyclable plastic packaging. It is through innovations like PETValue Philippines and the strong partnerships we’ve formed with like-minded entities like Indorama Ventures that Coca-Cola can continue serving Filipino communities for another hundred years.”

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020973

Pioneering Thai medical cannabis, hemp company nurtures global ambitions

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

88 Cannatek Co, one of Thailand’s first firms to enter the medical cannabis and hemp business for holistic health and wellness from upstream to downstream, has launched its first product and service with the goal of elevating the country’s cannabis and hemp industry to the level of a global player.

Pornprasit Sibunruang, the managing director of 88 Cannatek, told a press conference on Wednesday that Thailand’s decriminalisation of cannabis, as well as the removal of marijuana and hemp from the narcotics list, has created long-term investment opportunities in the use of cannabis and hemp for health and wellness.

“Thailand is the first and only Asian country that allows the cultivation, extraction, production, and the use of CBD derived from hemp. ther countries, such as Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea, only permit use of the plant but not to grow it,” Pornpasit stated.

This regulation provides significant opportunities and competitiveness to the country. After three years of importing hemp seeds and growing them, the company has reached the final stage of its comprehensive business model, “Planting — Extracting — and Processing”, with the introduction of the CannBE Cosmetique product line and the CannaHealth Clinic, which cater to consumer needs for alternative herbs, he said.

This facial care product will contain cannabidiol, or CBD, a hemp extract that is non-psychoactive and has medicinal properties that are beneficial to the body such as relieving anxiety, increasing appetite, inducing sleep, fighting inflammation, reducing wrinkles, and many others.

Meanwhile, the company has entered the wellness industry with the launch of “CannaHealth”, the first comprehensive medical and holistic healthcare clinic that incorporates cannabis and hemp into Thai traditional medicinal treatments for health and beauty.

Pornprasit said that the clinic can prescribe cannabis and hemp-based medicines by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization and the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, catering to consumer needs for alternative herbs.

The product will be available at the end of October, and the clinic will officially open in mid-November.

He said that the company plans to sell facial care products under the brand “CannBE”, both through the brand’s online platforms, such as Facebook, IG, Line, or TikTok, and through distributors.

He added that 88 Cannatek’s marketing strategy is to gain a 40 per cent domestic market share and a 60 per cent export market share in raw material, hemp flower-derived CBD oil, and products such as cosmetics, herbs, and dietary supplements.

Customers from 7-8 countries, including New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, the United States, and Turkey, have contacted the company to purchase all of these products.

“We may begin to see the revenue from selling hemp flowers and seeds to the contract farming companies, but we aim higher. We have started soliciting funds for phase 2 expansion through Sinwattana Crowdfunding, a platform that has been licensed by the Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand,” said Pornpaist.

He estimated that by 2023 the company would have a revenue of one billion of baht from more than 1.2 million units of products that would gradually be launched onto the market in the fourth quarter of this year.

Aside from the product launch, 88 Cannatek will continue to plant 300,000 hemp seeds in 2023, up from 100,000 hemp seeds in 2022. Around 20 per cent of the hemp seeds will be planted in the company farm’s indoor green house, while the remainder will be distributed to its contact farming, which is already certified by global standards.

He noted that according to a Krungsri Bank report, cannabis and hemp have long been used for medicinal and commercial purposes around the world. It is estimated that the market size is currently 800 billion baht and would grow to 1.3 trillion baht by 2025. The Thai market for hemp alone is expected to increase from 600 million baht today to 50 billion baht in 2025.

He said that hemp and cannabis would be widely used throughout the world, so it is time for the company to develop their technology for growing and extracting these new economic crops, as well as educate the public about the true benefits of hemp and cannabis.
 

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020965

NBTC adjourns meeting, delays its decision on True-DTAC merger to Oct 20

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2022

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has deferred its decision on the controversial merger of two telecom giants to next week.

Acting NBTC secretary-general Trairat Viriyasirikul said the telecom watchdog resolved during its meeting on Wednesday to postpone deliberations on the merger of True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC) to October 20.

The NBTC meeting began at 9.30am on Wednesday and was adjourned at 12.30pm.

During the meeting next week, the NBTC would deliberate only the merger deal, Trairat said.

He added that the NBTC had also instructed the NBTC Office to summarise opinions of foreign advisers of the telecom watchdog for the NBTC to consider during the meeting next Thursday.

On September 23, the NBTC had announced it would issue its decision on the True-DTAC merger on October 12 after the Council of State advised on September 20 that the NBTC has no authority to approve or reject the merger, but it could only issue regulations to mitigate its impact on the public.

The NBTC has come under much criticism from both opponents of the merger and shareholders of True and DTAC for delaying its decision.

True and DTAC formally announced their merger plans in November last year to pursue a new tech business and raise venture capital for startups, reportedly after Norway’s Telenor decided to pull out of the telecom business from Asean.

The NBTC has repeatedly delayed its decision on the merger, saying it needed time to study the pros and cons and the impact on society, as well as for the Council of State to define its authority on the issue.

Academics and the Thailand Consumer Council have called on the NBTC to reject the merger outright for fear of severe impact on consumers, while True, DTAC and their shareholders called on the NBTC to proceed with the merger so that their business plan would not be affected.

The two telcos argue that the NBTC has no authority to approve or reject the merger and at least nine mergers have take place under the 2018 NBTC Notification, which required the watchdog to only issue measures to mitigate the impact.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020934

Bett Asia expo in Bangkok showcases role of technology in the future of education

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Over 50 exhibitors worldwide displayed their latest innovations and services at the “Bett Asia Leadership Summit & Expo 2022”, emphasising the importance of advanced technology in finding new possible solutions for education in today’s digital era.

Bett’s portfolio director, Louisa Hunter, told a press conference on Tuesday that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the global education landscape. It has demonstrated that technology plays an essential role in increasing people’s access to knowledge and education.

She noted that more and more teachers and students around the world, including in the Asia Pacific region, have adopted and applied various technologies in the classroom. She strongly believes that hybrid learning will be more accepted in the next normal of education.

“Students tend to use technology to further their education. Education will become more customised and personalised, while technology will make access to knowledge much easier,” said Hunter.

The 6th annual Bett Asia Leadership Summit & Expo is being organised at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, co-hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.

The two-day event (October 11-12 ) is showcasing the latest technologies in education at the expo and key opportunities for the future of education at the Leadership Summit as well as honouring acknowledged top leaders in education with the Bett Asia Awards.The expo, held for the first time in three years, highlights the most pressing challenges and priorities of education stakeholders and recognises the importance of new solutions through technological advancement in today’s world under the theme “Education as a Catalyst for Change”.

Hunter said that attendees will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with EdTech solutions from top global technology companies such as Microsoft, Lenovo, HP, Zoom and many more.

Meanwhile, the invitation-only Leadership Summit provides attendees with the opportunity to network with other senior leaders and educators from across Asia-Pacific. The summit addresses key topics such as how EdTech can improve the education system, improve outcomes, and enrich learning experiences for all learners.

Tom Poole, director of Bett Asia, said in the statement that the event is filled with the most innovative technology solutions that can be implemented to enhance today’s learning experiences. It is also offering opportunities for the educationists to stay connected, hone their educational skills, expand their network, and exchange ideas about EdTech with fellow attendees.

“I hope that Bett Asia 2022 has helped create a positive impact on education and foster great changes for future generations,” said Poole.

He expects Bett Asia 2022 to bring over 2,400 unique attendees from Asia Pacific, over 700 leaders, and over 65 government organisations represented from over 40 countries.

He also revealed that the next Bett Asia event will be held at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok on October 18-19, 2023.

Bett is the global community for education technology, offering world-class content, networking opportunities, and the discovery of cutting-edge innovations. The Community Hub hosts webinars, CPD sessions, and publishes articles from education industry leaders all year.
 

Nongluck Ajanapanya