Hope Sparkles For Thailand’s Top Luxury Jewellery Brand In 2022
BY LINE : VARUNSUDA KARUNAYADHAJ
WED, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
Pranda Glistens As Thailand’s Premier Manufacturer, Distributor, And Retailer Of Luxury Bling. Its PrimaGold Brand Is The Leading Exporter Of Thai Jewellery With A Customer Base That Spans North America, Europe And Asia.
Chanat Sorakraikitikul, who chairs the Finance & Risk Management Committee at Pranda, is optimistic that the market for luxury jewellery will grow this year despite global economic turmoil.
“Initially we only focused on manufacturing and selling our own designs, but now we are ODM [original design manufacturer], in that we produce pre-designed products for other brands,” Chanat said.
In line with the current trends, Pranda has continued to expand its market by using omni distribution channels to provide consumers with a seamless shopping experience. Its most successful brand has proved to be PrimaGold.
“Skilled craftsmanship is one of Thailand’s biggest strengths. Expert artisans cut and polish gemstones with accurate precision to create some of the most beautiful jewels. Thailand can easily be considered a regional and global gems and jewellery trading hub,” he said.
Watch the interview on the Business Story Programme on September 17, 10am, at www.nationthailand.com.
Centara Korat Opens To Guests With Eye On Invigorating Local Economy, Tourism
BY LINE : THE NATION
WED, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
Central Pattana And Centara Hotels & Resorts Are Spreading Their Wings, Opening Centara Korat In Their Latest Venture In A Bid To Strengthen The Local Economy And Boost Tourism In Nakhon Ratchasima Under The Attractive Concept Of “Business + Leisure”.
Centara Korat features “complete facilities” to push the potential of the destination as a “MICE City”, promoting the capability to host MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) events to stimulate Korat’s economy and tourism, the company said.
Centara Korat comprises:
217 hotel rooms that include a daybed for relaxation and a dining table – unique from other hotels. Standard rooms are available and all rooms include cutlery.
Dining destination: A “superior dining experience” at the House of Kin, an all-day dining restaurant that serves three-meal buffets and a rooftop bar with 360-degree views
Comprehensive meeting facilities: meeting rooms have a total combined area of 1,000 square metres and can seat up to 1,000 people. The ballroom can accommodate up to 650 guests for cocktail parties. Additionally, there are four smaller meeting rooms.
According to the company, Central Pattana is moving into “a new future with the purpose to create and develop quality sites with care for the community and environment while driving the economy”.
“Central Pattana has pioneered our first mixed-use development in Nakhon Ratchasim, a complete lifestyle centre comprising Central Korat shopping centre, Escent Korat condominiums, and Centara Korat hotel,” said Surang Jirattigalachote, head of Hotel Development.
“We are committed to strengthening the local economy and tourism and have equipped our hotel with facilities to meet the needs of every traveller with the goal of becoming the best international-standard hotel in Korat,” he said.
“Centara Korat will play an important role in attracting visitors to the destination, which is a key gateway to Isaan and the region’s main provinces,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat.
“We see the potential and charm of the province and we have been committed to delivering Centara Korat so that everyone near and far can experience a locally inspired hotel of international standard,” said Phoom Chirathivat, head of Hotels and Alternative Investment at Central Pattana.
“We hope our project will help strengthen the Northeastern region as an economic centre of the country,” he said.
“We believe our hotel business can have a significant impact by creating jobs, bringing more opportunities and elevating the lives of people in Korat. Our hotel is ready to serve everyone and deliver an exceptional experience for every traveller,” he added.
Centara Korat is the latest offering from Centara, which continues to introduce its unique brand of Thai-style hospitality to new destinations across Thailand and the Middle East.
Further expansion is planned, with the company intending to open new hotels and resorts in Japan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, the Maldives, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Bangchak Gets Major Earnings Boost From Norway Venture As Fuel Prices Soar
BY LINE : THE NATION
WED, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
Thailand’s Petroleum And Oil Conglomerate Bangchak Corporation (BCP) Is Reaping The Dividends Of Investing In Natural Resources In Norway, The Company’s Results Show.
In the first half of this year, 30 per cent of BCP’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation was attributed to investment in oil and gas exploration and production in the leading mid-to-late-life operator OKEA ASA on the Norwegian continental shelf.
BCP president and CEO Chaiwat Kovavisarach said OKEA is an important flagship for BCP to achieve its long-term strategy on energy security.
He added that OKEA has witnessed constant growth in the first half of this year, boosted by rising global fuel prices amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and increasing global demand.
“In the first half of this year, OKEA recorded 10.23 billion baht revenue from the sale of crude oil and natural gas, up 148 per cent from 4.13 billion baht in the previous year,” he explained.
Chaiwat, who is also OKEA chairman, said BCP is paying attention to maintaining the balance of fossil fuels and renewable energy as natural gas and oil will continue to be the world’s crucial source of energy for many decades.
He said the role that renewable energy will play in people’s lives will depend on the development of renewable energy storage systems.
“BCP is placing high emphasis on balancing the energy trilemma — energy security, energy affordability, and environmental sustainability,” he said.
He added that BCP will draw experience and skills from its investment in Norway as a model to expand investments in the exploration and production business to strengthen organisational stability throughout the supply chain.
Meanwhile, OKEA CEO Svein J Liknes said BCP shared the same objectives as the company on maintaining the balance of fossil fuels and renewable energy.
He added that the transition from fossil fuels and renewable energy must be made step by step based on technologies and investment budgets.
“The demand for gas and nuclear energy will soon replace coal,” he said, adding that trends in renewable energy will come around 2030 and 2035.
He also vowed to make full use of the company’s assets along with applying new technologies for long-term sustainability in energy.
Presently, OKEA has four oil fields in Norway, namely, Draugen (44.56 per cent stake), Gjoa (12 per cent), Yme (15 per cent), and Ivar Aasen (2.77 per cent).
OKEA is continually developing new oil fields, which will increase the company’s petroleum production to about 25,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day compared to the current of about 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by the end of this year.
In the first half of this year, OKEA’s production consisted of 61 per cent crude oil and 39 per cent natural gas, the latter being a critical component of the energy transition.
Council Of State Meets To Consider Telecom Watchdog’s Power Over True-Dtac Merger
BY LINE : THE NATION
TUE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2022
The Government’s Council Of State Legal Advisers Met On Tuesday To Decide Whether The Telecom Watchdog Has Authority To Halt A Planned Merger Between True Corporation And Total Access Communication (Dtac).
The meeting heard testimony from a National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission representative.
The NBTC has deferred its decision on the planned True-Dtac merger pending legal advice from the Council of State.
The meeting came after a second request by the NBTC for the council to interpret its power to regulate the merger deal.
The first request was rejected by the Council of State on grounds that the NBTC did have the power according to law but also that the watchdog was being sued in the Central Administrative Court. The lawsuit, which was filed by Napat Winitchaikul, a member of a committee overseeing the telecoms watchdog, asked the court to order the NBTC to nullify its regulations on telecom mergers.
The Central Administrative Court rejected the lawsuit on grounds that the NBTC had power to halt any merger it deemed as a threat to fair competition.
The Council of State called Tuesday’s meeting in response to an order from acting Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, who was petitioned by the NBTC after the first request was refused, according to sources.
The NBTC sent two deputy secretary generals, Trairat Wiriyasirikul and Sutthisak Tantayothin, to testify at the meeting.
The meeting was chaired by Meechai Ruchuphan and attended by government legal experts Aree Wongaraya and Asa Meksawan.
Civil society groups including the Civil Group for Liberal Communications have urged the NBTC to uphold its duty to protect the public from monopolies and reject the merger.
However, True and Dtac have insisted that the NBTC has no power to reject the deal. They argue that the telecom watchdog can only issue measures to mitigate its impact on consumers.
Delicate Authentic Flavours Are Not Enough To Ensure Success In The Thai Fine-Dining Business Today. Adding Consciousness About Sustainability Is A Key To Level Up, According To Blue Elephant, A Well-Known Global Thai Fine Restaurant Chain.
Thai cuisine is popular around the world because it is marketed as the healthiest meal which the rich of herbs. Many non-Thai customers visit Thai restaurants around the world. In 2017, seven Thai dishes were named in CNN Travel’s “World’s 50 Best Foods” list, which was based on an online poll of 35,000 people.
According to statista.com, revenue in Thai food market amounts to US$65.31 billion in 2022. The market is expected to grow annually by 5.83 per cent.
Blue Elephant Group and Blue Spices Vice Managing Director Kevin Somany discusses his goals and challenges after half-inheriting this 42-year-old Thai fine-dining restaurant in an exclusive interview with The Nation in order to stay at the forefront of this competitive market.
Blue Elephant, which opened in Brussels, Belgium in 1980, was one of the first well-known Thai fine dining restaurants among foreigners.
After years of tremendous success, the Blue Elephant Restaurant and Cooking School returned to its homeland, opening in Bangkok in 2002, followed by a Phuket branch in 2010. The Blue Spice factory, the Blue Elephant group’s manufacturing arm, was then opened in 2006.
Kevin concedes that the authentic taste of genuine traditional Thai cuisine at Blue Elephant restaurants, and their other spice products, such as curry pastes, sauces and seasonings, have given them global recognition. These key elements, however, cannot be their sole unique selling points to sustain the business in the long run.
Adding more items to the menu, creating more products and more services will help, but they will not be enough to make Blue Elephant and Blue Spices any different from other Thai restaurants, he points out.
“When you come out with any new products, it has to have something unique beyond normal standards,” Kevin says, and that’s when he discovered the critical part of the sustainability factor.
Kevin says that Blue Elephant has been concerned about people, the community, and the environment since its inception. It is the guiding principle of chef Nooror Somany Steppe and her husband, restaurant founder Karl Steppe.
Hence, all he needs to do now is make those principles visible and concrete.
That’s when he and his management team decided to go for a makeover in the packaging of all Blue Spices products, including their pastes, sauces, spices, and cooking sets in 2020.
“The change is in the very small details, you have to observe closely to see it,” says Kevin, as he demonstrates their products.
All the cardboard used for packaging is 100 per cent from trees certified by Forest Stewardship Council, meaning the trees are harvested from forests that are responsibly managed, socially beneficial, environmentally conscious and economically viable.
Besides, the packaging has been redesigned to eliminate the use of plastic film coating, no more see-through windows to prevent a plastic, non-toxic water-based matted coating, and a smart lock pack to eliminate the use of glue or Polyvinyl chloride sticker.
Furthermore, the package is labelled with a new logo to certify that the improvement is in the nature of more eco-friendly packaging, Kevin points out.
“As Blue Elephant, no one doubts our quality and the authentic Thai traditional taste. However, in every change, we have to add a bit more level of delicacy that will please our customers,” Kevin noted.
He says that the market has reacted favourably to the products. Blue Elephant sold 3.5 million units of products just before Covid. With people staying at home during the pandemic and a growing interest in Thai cuisine, it peaked at 4.6 million units, with curry pastes accounting for 70 per cent of sales.
However, he believes that a part of the reason people from other countries choose Blue Elephant is not only the savoury flavours, but also the innovative eco-friendly packaging.
According to a study on “Thai Cuisine to Global Market” by Napavarn Noparatnaraporn, an expert in biodiversity, one of the most important things that draws customers’ attention is creative and distinct packaging. Furthermore, food producers must be concerned about society, the environment, and the global food market in the near future.
“Our biggest market is the USA, followed by Switzerland, Austria, Israel and Hong Kong. The Netherlands, despite a year-long disruption, could be added to this list as it has always been in the top 3 and is about to be back in the top 5,” says Kevin.
Kevin is currently moving forward with his plan to expand its Pathum Thani factory, where work was temporarily suspended due to the pandemic. The new factory will be twice the size of the old one and will begin production in 2024.
“The demand is growing stronger and stronger. With the factory expansion, we can increase production, manpower, and use a more sustainable method. We are in the midst of a young generation that is just stepping in. Hopefully, we will be able to continue for the next hundred years,” Kevin states.
Blue Spices now has four main product categories: ready to cook, ready to eat, ready to heat, and ingredients.
“I think Blue Elephant is a great concept and my dream would be to have one Blue Elephant in every major city in the world. There are many places that deserve to have a Blue Elephant restaurant,” Kevin says.
Currently, there are four Blue Elephant restaurants in operation: Bangkok, Phuket, Copenhagen, and Malta. They did, however, manage to expand their Blue Spice products to 45 countries worldwide, with more new markets on the way.
In addition, they provide cooking-based curry pastes, dipping and dressing sauce to airlines, hotels, and Thai restaurants as well as Thai cooking classes.
Sustainability has been a buzzword for many years as a result of the global environmental crisis. The United Nations declared climate change an emergency and urged all parties to do more to protect the environment.
The term is also thought to be a key secret to success for many businesses looking to expand and is projected to skyrocket in developing economies and emerging markets in the coming years
Fortune Business Insights found out that the global green technology and sustainability market is expected to grow from $13.76 billion in 2022 to $51.09 billion by 2029.
Bitkub Collaborates With Thai Jiaranai Group To Provide Proper Digital Technology Education For International Investors
BY LINE : THE NATION
SAT, SEPTEMBER 10, 2022
On September 9, 2022 At Bitkub M Social, 9th Floor, The EmQuartier, Bitkub Online, Namely, Bitkub Exchange, The National Largest Cryptocurrency Exchange Certified By Ministry Of Finance And Operated Accordingly With The Securities And Exchange Commission’s Regulations Along With ISO 27001, Has Officially Declared The Business Collaboration With Thai Jiaranai Group Pub Co., Ltd., The World’s Digital Media Leader, Online Marketing Expert, And Organizer Consultant Stationed In Various Countries Such As Hong Kong And Singapore.
This collaboration aims to educate both Thai and international investors on the knowledge regarding Blockchain Technology and digital assets for sustainable and secure investment. With our intention, Bitkub will be a bridge of economic opportunity to connect the old world and digital world, allowing individuals to enter safely and assertively.
Mr. Atthakrit Chimplapibul, Chief Executive Officer of Bitkub Online Co., Ltd., said “The collaboration with Thai Jiaranai Group Pub Co., Ltd. is considered as a crucial cooperation, we will correspondingly strengthen the proper set of understanding toward blockchain technology and digital asset investment to both foreign and Thai investors in order to reach out to the Bitkub’s attentive purposes which are secure and sustainable investment. Bitkub will be mainly responsible for conducting and spreading the right set of information that is suitable and accessible for everyone regardless of any ages and genders. Yet, Bitkub aims to develop the information to be comfortably and efficiently accessible to everyone. With these aforementioned attentions, we are ready to collaborate with every sectoral party to drive the success of efficient information spread regarding our goals.”
Ms. Guo Rui, Director of Thai Jiaranai Group Pub Co., Ltd. revealed that “Thai Jiaranai Group Pub Co., Ltd. pays great attention to this collaboration. Thailand is one of the early countries in Asia that regulated digital assets to protect the investors from the extreme volatility of Digital Assets. Thailand also integrates Blockchain Technology in many industries. These attracted investors from all around the world, especially the new generation of investors who appeal to digital assets. Bitkub Online Co., Ltd. is the first cryptocurrency company that was certified by the Ministry of Finance and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Besides, communication and public relations is also considered as Thai Jiaranai Group’s strengths. Plus, there are several Thai Jiaranai Group Pub’s subordinated entities ranked as the Chinese top-tier presses that are highly guaranteed for swift, precise, and reliable communication. We hope that this collaboration will bring the efficiency of communication through giving accurate knowledge and materials to the investors and help revitalize Thailand’s domestic economy previously affected by the COVID situation by attracting the foreign investors to generate income to the country.”
Zort Widens Online Marketplace For E-Retailers With LINE, TikTok Tie-Up
BY LINE : NONGLUCK AJANAPANYA
FRI, SEPTEMBER 09, 2022
Zort, An Integrated Cloud Inventory Platform That Also Manages The Back Office, Has Joined Up With LINE Shopping And TikTok To Penetrate Social Commerce, A New Frontier In Online Shopping.
Sawapop Tuamsang, CEO of Zortout, which runs the Zort platform, said social commerce or a marketplace operated via social media platforms, had the potential to grow exponentially.
“We gather sales from all platforms, both online and offline, in a single place. Our services include the management of orders, stock, logistics as well as a payment gateway. We also provide customer relationship management by analysing customer data to leverage sales efficiency,” he said.
With social media platforms like Line and TikTok fast becoming popular online marketplaces, he said, this is the perfect time for Zort to step in.
He added that this collaboration will make it easier for small businesses to meet trends and expand their sales channels without additional cost.
“We also offer backend order management via live chat,” he said. “The platform manages orders by connecting to the stock system, then to logistics and payment management. Hence, a single person can handle the entire process.”
He explained that with Zort in place, business owners will not require extra staff to handle different storefronts, because the system can handle everything on its own.
This alone can help boost sales by 50 per cent, he said.
Tracking the platform Established in 2015, Zort became one of the first Thai seller-management platforms to follow a customer-centric concept.
Sawapop said that over the past seven years, Zort has been behind the success of many online sellers. In the first half of this year, the number of Zort users has risen to 4,500, up 30 per cent from the previous year.
Meanwhile, the platform has helped both corporate and individual sellers grow by as much as 300 per cent over these seven years and brought their costs down by at least 30 per cent.
Zort has also helped Thai small businesses become strong enough to compete in foreign and larger markets, he said.
Besides, he added, this new link-up with Line and TikTok will help the platform grow 100 per cent in the second half of this year and again 100 per cent next year.
Wariya Leerasiri, who oversees strategic e-commerce planning and development for Line Thailand, said this partnership will be greatly beneficial to entrepreneurs as it will help them grow and compete sustainably.
Currently, there are 450,000 online stores and 80 per cent are small businesses.
Kornnikar Niwatsaiwong, TikTok Shop lead, said this collaboration gives Zort access to more than 1 billion users globally and a mix of personal and commercial content.
She added that TikTok Shop was fast becoming popular for short clips that offer “shoppertainment” and encourage trend-driven buying decisions.
“Apart from entertaining users and making shopping convenient, it also encourages them to share clips more easily. With Zort in place to manage orders placed via TikTok Shop Live, it will soon grow to become the hottest new sales channel,” Kornnikar said.
Inflation Equals Fewer Tourists And Lower Spending, Say Thai Hoteliers
BY LINE : THE NATION
FRI, SEPTEMBER 09, 2022
Thai Hotel Operators Are Worried That High Inflation Will Reduce Tourist Arrivals And Spending, According To A Survey By The Thai Hotels Association (THA).
Sixty-two per cent worry that inflation is eroding tourists’ purchasing power while 61 per cent are concerned about lower-than-expected foreign arrivals.
The survey was conducted among 106 hotel operators between August 8 and 24, THA president Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi said.
Other major worries expressed by respondents included the shortage of hotel workers (43 per cent), new Covid-19 outbreaks (40 per cent), businesses not fully opened (19 per cent), the currency exchange rate (18 per cent) and the Thai interest rate (18 per cent).
Only 11 per cent were worried about monkeypox as the number of cases in Thailand remains low. Six per cent expressed concern about China-Taiwan tensions amid a lack of tourists from these countries. China was the largest contributor of tourists to Thailand before the pandemic.
Marisa also highlighted positives for the hotel industry, including the extension of visa-on-arrival from 15 to 30 days or 30 to 45 days depending on nationality. The extension will run from October to March 2023.
Meanwhile, operators of MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, and Exhibitions) have been handed a tax break to stimulate events organisation in Thailand.
Moreover, the new Long-Term Resident Visa (10 years) available from September 1 will lure more high-spending foreigners.
Meanwhile, airlines are opening routes again after Covid-19, especially from Asean countries, Northeast Asia, and South Asia.
However, Thai hotel operators are facing rising food and energy costs while the minimum wage increase would also affect costs and profits, Marisa said.
Hotels’ revenue in August was still low compared with pre-Covid times though it had improved since July when the country full reopened, she added.
The occupancy rate in August was around 47.5 per cent, up 2.5 per cent from July, after the Thailand Pass system was scrapped and the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) scheme extended.
Most tourists are still Thai but foreign arrivals, especially from the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia, are increasing.
Hotel occupancy is rising in every region except the South and East, Marisa said.
“THA forecasts the occupancy rate in September will be around 40 to 45 per cent,” she said, adding that this figure could be higher if more foreign tourists arrive.
Meanwhile, the hotel employment rate has increased to 75.2 per cent of pre-Covid levels. However, it would take time to train new staff for the arrival of tourists in the fourth-quarter high season, she said.
Thai Companies To Prepare For Shifting Global Trade Policies
BY LINE : THE NATION
FRI, SEPTEMBER 09, 2022
With Global Geopolitical Tensions Rising, The Most Prominent World Economic Powers US, EU And China Have Been Reshaping Their Trade Policies. These Policies Will Impact Southeast Asian Economies, Including Thailand And Thai Companies Face Both Opportunities And Challenges In This Regard.
Over the past years, China has already been expeditiously rolling out its Belt & Road Initiative to integrate the Chinese economy into Asian and African markets through infrastructure development, investment and financing projects. The US on the other hand unveiled its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) earlier this year seeking closer cooperation with selected Asian countries on trade and economic matters, including standards on digital trade, creating supply chain resiliency, green energy and fair economy rules. While not much more than a ‘symbolic’ agreement at this stage, it sets the foundation for potential far reaching engagements. Thai companies are set to benefit from increased investment and trade opportunities with both China and the US under these initiatives, however they may also have to weigh the opportunities against the risks of running counter to restrictions by either trade partner on the other.
The most remarkable and potentially most impactful trade policy developments for Thailand may however be coming from the EU. Under its Open, Sustainable and Assertive Trade Policy, the EU continues to seek Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with countries in the APAC region, including Thailand, to attain reciprocal market access, harmonize rules and reduce barriers to trade. These objectives are in line with most ASEAN countries’ desire to support economic growth through international trade. However, the EU’s “New Generation FTAs” now focus more than ever on the topic of sustainability, the umbrella term for environmental protection, advancement of human rights and social justice. In its effort to drive the necessary shift to a more sustainable global economy, the EU has decided to expand partner obligations in FTAs and strengthen its enforcement of the sustainability provisions with sanctions. FTA negotiations between the EU and Thailand have stalled but are set to resume once both parties can agree on a basic common framework. If the negotiations proceed, sustainability will without a doubt present a major component in the agreement and require enforceable commitments from Thailand.
The extra-territorial reach of the EU’s sustainability agenda does not stop there. In the past year(s), the EU has rolled out a number of legislative proposals which place requirements on economic operators in the EU market to reduce their greenhouse gas emission levels, implement environmental protections and enforce human rights. Importantly for companies in Thailand looking to supply the EU market, a number of these legislative requirements indirectly cover overseas suppliers. A few prominent examples follow here.
1) The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): Under the EU Emissions Trading System, in place since 2005, a cap is set on the total amount of certain greenhouse gases that can be emitted by covered operators in the EU. This cap is reduced over time. Within the cap, EU operators receive or purchase a limited number of allowances to cover their emissions, which they cannot exceed, or they become subject to fines. To prevent that these carbon reduction efforts on the EU market are being offset by companies increasing their emissions overseas and then importing “unsustainable” goods into the EU, the CBAM requires importers to report the emissions embedded in imported goods and purchase carbon certificates corresponding to the carbon price that would have been paid had the goods been produced in the EU. This would then affect the competitiveness of the products exported by the overseas suppliers. The reporting Phase of the CBAM is expected to apply from 1 January 2023 and the payment system from 1 January 2026. In a first phase, imports of cement, iron & steel, aluminum, fertilizers, and electricity will be covered. The product coverage can be expanded in next phases.
2) Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive: This proposal imposes requirements on large EU companies and certain non-EU companies with significant revenue in the EU to put in place internal due diligence frameworks to identify, report and mitigate adverse impacts of their company activities and international supply chain on human rights and the environment. These due diligence requirements will also extend to the overseas suppliers of the EU operators and failure to address the identified issues will result in sanctions.
3) Regulation on deforestation-free products: If implemented, this policy will ban products associated with deforestation or forest degradation, regardless whether they were produced in the EU or in overseas markets. Products currently covered in the proposal are cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy and wood. In a next phase, this could be expanded to other products as well. To obtain access to the EU market, EU operators will have to gather and report data that demonstrates the products are not from deforested land and comply with the producer-state’s local environmental rules. Inability to produce the necessary due diligence or non-compliance with the requirements will result in a ban of the products on the EU market.
The implications of these proposed rules for overseas suppliers increase the global reach of the EU’s sustainability agenda. For Thai companies supplying the EU market, now is the time to make themselves familiar with the contents of these upcoming sustainability policies to understand the potential impact on their business operations and to plan ahead what they must do to adapt and thrive.
By Tom Cachet Senior Manager | Global Trade Advisory Deloitte Thailand
Boosting With AstraZeneca’s Vaccine Provides High Protection Against Omicron, Equivalent To MRNA COVID-19 Vaccines
BY LINE : THE NATION
FRI, SEPTEMBER 09, 2022
Boosting With AstraZeneca’s Vaccine And MRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Provide Equally High Protection Against Omicron-Related Severe Outcomes, Including Hospitalisation And Death, Even As New Subvariants Of The Virus Emerge, According To An Expert Review Of More Than 50 Real-World Studies.
The newly published review demonstrates that any three-dose schedule including the AstraZeneca vaccine was highly effective at protecting against severe Omicron outcomes (84.8%-89.2%*). Three dose schedules including mRNA vaccines showed equivalent effectiveness.
The review authors conclude that the administration of a fourth dose booster is likely to add a significant level of additional protection, with a recent real-world study from Asia demonstrating no cases of severe outcomes due to Omicron in people vaccinated with a fourth dose of either the AstraZeneca vaccine or a mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during the February to April 2022 analysis period.
Dr Suwat Chariyalertsak, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health at Chiang Mai University and one of the review’s authors, said: “With Omicron infections dominant globally, it is vital to understand how the most widely used vaccines protect people against the most contagious COVID-19 variant yet. This expert analysis tells us that the most effective way to continue saving lives from severe Omicron-related outcomes is the expansion of booster coverage using already available vaccines.”
The 22 independent international infectious disease experts from across Asia and Latin America involved in the review concluded that a sustainable annual boosting strategy could include once a year boosting for the general population, and every six months for vulnerable groups, such as those living with chronic conditions.
Professor Guy Thwaites, Director of the Oxford Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam and one of the study’s authors said: “Booster dose data is critical for informing ongoing vaccination strategies as we transition from pandemic to endemic, whether that is an annual vaccine for most people, or every six months for those considered to be more vulnerable. This expert review of data can reassure governments and the public that viral vector and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines offer great booster protection against serious outcomes in the ongoing battle against Omicron, particularly because that protection also shows very little sign of waning, even after a three-month period.”
The review, published online yesterday, analysed more than 50 global real-world studies hosted on ViewHub, a robust, interactive platform for visualising global data on vaccine use and impact, developed by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the International Vaccine Access Center.
The reviewed data also showed that other vaccines used as boosters perform well against Omicron but appear slightly less effective than AstraZeneca’s vaccine and the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine is a ‘viral vector’ vaccine, which means a version of a virus that cannot cause disease is used as part of the vaccine, so if the body is exposed to the real virus later it is able to fight it. This vaccine technology has been used by scientists over the past 40 years to fight other infectious diseases such as the flu, Zika, Ebola and HIV.
AstraZeneca and its global partners have released over three billion vaccine doses to more than 180 countries, and approximately two-thirds of these doses have been delivered to low- and lower-middle-income countries. The vaccine is estimated to have helped save over six million lives during the first 12 months of use since December 2020, according to data from leading health analytics firm Airfinity.
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