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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017999

When Akalarp Yimwilai co-founded Zipmex Thailand in 2018, his aim was to create a platform that would become the foundation of Asia’s financial architecture, allowing everyone to experience the digital assets world.

But the falling prices of cryptocurrencies and the liquidity crunch faced by Zipmex Global — a partner of Zipmex Thailand — forced Akalarp to suspend trading on his company’s platform for two hours on Wednesday evening.

The suspension was aimed at distancing Zipmex Thailand from trading on Zipmex Global to prevent more damage.

Akalarp founded Zipmex Thailand with Marcus Lim, the CEO of Zipmex Global.

Akalarp himself is a legal veteran in the finance industry, specialising in capital markets and digital assets.

He registered Zipmex Co Ltd on October 25, 2018 with a registered capital of 112 million.

He registered Zipmex Technology Co Ltd on March 11, 20202 with registered capital of 50 million baht.

On November 8, 2021, he registered Zipmex Thai Subsidiary Co Ltd with registered capital of 51 million baht.

And the Zipmex Thai Group was registered on January 20, 2022 with 26.01 million baht registered capital and Akalarp as founder.

On January 20, 2022, he registered Zipmex Thai Holding Co Ltd with 1.961 million baht registered capital.

Akalarp is the third child of Chaiya Yimwilai, a political science lecturer at Thammasat University, and Tipsuda Yimwilai, a well-known TV anchorwoman.

He got a bachelor’s degree in law from Bloomsbury London University and a master’s degree in law from Georgetown University before getting a doctorate in public administration from Sripathum University.

He is a legal expert on the financial markets and the stock exchange and worked with a trust company for almost 10 years as an executive.

He said he became interested in trading in digital assets when he was studying in England after receiving financial services there. He got more experience with trading in digital assets when he studied for his master’s degree in the United States.

He found Thailand lagging behind in digital assets technologies like several other Asia-Pacific nations. He foresaw that digital assets trading would happen in Thailand one day, so he talked with Lim about setting up the Zipmex Thailand platform.

He initially aimed to push Zipmex Thailand and its partner Zipmex Global as the leading digital assets trading platform in the Asia Pacific but the falling prices of currencies and liquidity crunch of the partner has dealt him a blow.

Published : July 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017997

If you own BCH, BTC, LTC or XRP coins via the Bitkub platform you won’t be able to withdraw them on Friday night-Saturday morning.

Thailand’s cryptocurrency-exchange firm announced it would suspend withdrawal of the four cryptocurrencies from 9.30pm on Friday to 5am on Saturday.

Bitkub said the suspension is for routine maintenance so the service provider can keep its customers’ digital coins secure.

On Wednesday, Bitkub rival Zipmex Thailand suspended services for two hours to disable its ZipUp+ service from its exchange platform after partner Zipmex Global was hit by a liquidity crunch.

Zipmex’s Trade Wallet service resumed at 8pm.

Published : July 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017995

Digital assets trading platform Zipmex Thailand said on Thursday that damage to investors in Thailand from their investment in Zipmex Global amounted to less than 5 billion.

Zipmex Thailand CEO Akalarp Yimwilai did not disclose the exact amount of damage from investments in the Zipup+ product of Zipmex Global made via the Zipmex Thailand platform.

Akalarp said he was consulting the company’s lawyer about disclosing details of the investment in Zipup+.

“The damage did not amount to 5 billion baht as reported by sone online media,” Akalarp clarified.

“Now, I am consulting with lawyers as to whether we can disclose the amount.”

Akalarp reiterated that Zipup+ was not a product of Zipmex Thailand but of Zipmex Global.

On Wednesday, Zipmex Thailand sent shock waves among its customers by suspending withdrawal of both cryptocurrency and baht currency at 6pm.

Zipmex Thailand initially announced that the withdrawal function was disabled because its trading partners were in a financial crisis.

Then at 7pm, Akalarp issued a long statement to explain the problem.

Akalarp said the brief suspension was necessary to discontinued the Zipup+ product and its Z Wallet, an electronic wallet of the product, from the Zipmex Thailand platform so that Zipmex Thailand’s own Trade Wallet could continue to be used when the system resumed at 8pm.

In the statement, Akalarp explained that customers in Thailand used ZipUp+ to deposit in Zipmex Global in Singapore, which in turn used the money to deposit with Babel Finance and Celsius.

Akalarp said Babel Finance and Celsius later suffered from a liquidity crunch so Zipmex Global could not respond to clients’ demands when they wanted to withdraw money from their Z Wallet accounts.

As a result of the liquidity crunch, customers were unable to withdraw their digital assets, such as bitcoin and ethereum, from Z Wallet.

Akalarp said the issue did not affect the baht and digital currencies in the Trade Wallet accounts with Zipmex Thailand and the deposit and withdrawal functions of Trade Wallet would resume at 8pm.

Akalarp said in the statement that Zipmex Thailand would sue Zipmex Global, Babel Finance and Celsius for the return of digital assets of Zipmex Thailand’s customers.

Akalarp said Zipmex Thailand was willing to organise a Class Action lawsuit for its customers and would shoulder all the legal costs.

Zipmex Thailand resumed trading at 8pm on Wednesday as announced.

“After we resumed trade at 8pm, our customers still deposited into their Trade Wallet to trade digital assets,” Akalarp said on Thursday.

Published : July 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017971

Zipmex Thailand, a crypto-trading platform, announced at 6pm on Wednesday that the withdrawal of baht and crypto currency on its platform has been suspended temporarily.

It announced that various situations, fluctuations and several incidents in the cryptocurrency and problems with major trading partners of the company prompted Zipmex Thailand to suspend all withdrawals.

It said the suspension was necessary to protect the stability of the platform and withdrawals will be suspended until further notice.

The announcement on its Facebook was shared by over 1,400 times in 40 minutes and drew over 500 angry comments.

But by 7.30pm, the company issued another announcement, saying the platform was working to re-enable withdrawal and could be resumed by 8pm.

Published : July 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017970

With a goal of transforming into logistics 4.0, Thailand Post Distribution (THPD) on Wednesday signed MoU with Singapore-based smart mobility firm, Swat Mobility, to jointly research the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning in delivery load and route optimisation.

The partnership is expected to not only strengthen the logistics operations of THPD through the improvement of load utilisation and route planning optimisation but also become a crucial part of driving a shift to carbon-neutral mobility.

Under the agreement, Swat Mobility will use its AI-powered system to automate the management of route planning and optimise vehicle load utilisations for THPD. It is aimed at putting in place a more efficient planning process that will increase productivity and customer satisfaction while reducing the number of vehicles used in these deliveries.

Peera Udomkitsakul, CEO of THPD Co said that Swat smart solutions will align with its plan to launch a platform for small farmers and community enterprises in the last quarter of this year. The new service is aimed at reducing backhaul waste and energy consumption and also offers farmers good and affordable transport options.

Meanwhile, Swat technology will support THPD’s project to expand B2B logistics service.

“We strive to be a model Thai logistics provider that adopts cutting-edge technology to provide efficient transport systems on par with foreign companies. In addition, the new operating procedures will help reduce the logistics costs of customers and promote sustainability with mitigation of carbon footprint,” said Peera.

Arthur Chua, executive chairman and co-founder of Swat Mobility Co, said that this partnership, more than achieving outcomes beyond increased productivity, is driven by a common desire to create a positive impact through vehicles and mileage reduction. Sustainability and resource-use efficiency are priorities that Swat actively strives toward with the use of technology.

“Mileage reduction has always been at the core of Swat’s technology, and so is the corresponding decrease in carbon emissions. We provide AI-powered technology that optimises your mileage and vehicle usage as well as tools that amplify your environmental impact.”

For reduction of operating costs, Chua said that Swat Mobility has done a similar project with other logistics providers, showing that its smart solutions could reduce the number of vehicles by 50 per cent.

Currently, Swat Mobility has launched its solutions in eight countries with the main focus on Thailand, the Philippines and Japan. Swat Mobility has progressively secured the interests of key Thai stakeholders in the automotive, manufacturing and FMCG industries, following its expansion into the market in 2021 with the support of Enterprise Singapore.

“If we want to bring technology to real life in different countries, we need to act on many unique parameters and need unique operational tools.”

Chua pointed out that the company is moving forward to build more parameters to customise solutions for the different needs of customers. So far, we have done over 200 kinds of customisations to fix different countries, different industries and different using patterns. We’re moving forward to build more and more parameters to make customised solutions,” said Chua.

In 2021, Swat Mobility was listed on the Forbes Asia “100 to Watch” list as a notable startup on the rise in the Asia-Pacific region.

Published : July 20, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017950

Production and sale of Foremost pasteurised milk has been suspended since July 1 to cope with changes in Thailand’s dairy market, its manufacturer FrieslandCampina (Thailand) announced on Wednesday.

The announcement came after the “Foremost Thailand” Facebook page administrator, in reply to a netizen’s query, said that Foremost pasteurised milk was not currently being produced.

The company said that it had closed its Lak Si plant on July 1, adding that the company has considered this issue thoroughly in line with business strategies.

FrieslandCampina (Thailand) vowed to produce and sell high-quality dairy products to meet Thai consumers’ demand via various brands, such as Foremost UHT, Foremost Omega, Falcon, Debic, Ship and My Boy.

The company also vowed to continue promoting good nutrition among Thais.

“The company will assist employees affected by the closure of the Lak Si plant to the fullest,” the announcement read.

The Dutch multinational launched its Thai arm in 1956, gaining the largest market share in the dairy segment riding Thais’ increasing thirst for sterilised milk, UHT milk, and pasteurised milk.

However, FrieslandCampina (Thailand) suffered a net loss of 1.36 billion baht in 2021, down 180 per cent from the 289.45 million net profit it made in 2020, according to Department of Business Development data.

Published : July 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017915

On April 29, 2022, Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co., Ltd., led by Mr. Eiichi Koito, President and CEO, together with Mr. Egathi Rattana-Aree, Executive Vice President, Human Resources & General Administration Unit, donated the first solar system to Namphong Hospital in Khon Kaen province as part of its latest environmental project, ‘Solar for Lives’, as well as efforts to promote clean energy in the public health sector and propel Thailand toward a carbon-neutral society. Flagship electric car – Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has also been lent to the hospital to be used for its medical services.

Mr. Eiichi Koito, President & CEO of Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) said, “Our goal in putting solar system in community hospitals across Thailand is to increase the opportunities of Thai people to access good health services while promoting the government’s strategic goals in bringing Thailand towards a balanced carbon society. The project has been initiated through a strong partnership among the Ministry of Public Health, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), and the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) to enhance a collaboration between government and private sector to achieve our target which are to support the installation of solar system for approximately 40 community hospitals by 2032, also can reduce carbon emissions more than 17,300 tons throughout the project and save up to 400,000 baht per year in power expense for each hospital.”

“Namphong Hospital was chosen as the first hospital due to its urgent need to expand its facilities to accommodate more patients, as well as the hospital’s location where direct sunlight shines, which helps solar panels produce power more efficiently. We believe solar system will benefit the local community members for both health and environment which associate with our CSR direction: To contribute and grow with Thai Society in 3 areas: Education, environment, and health,” added Mr. Koito. 

Under the project, Mitsubishi Motors Thailand is responsible for solar system installation and yearly maintenance.

Namphong Hospital, founded in 1971, is located on Mittraphap Road. The hospital serves residents of numerous districts, including Namphong, Khao Suan Kwang, Ubonrat, Kranuan, Mueang, and Non Sa-ard, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Besides the solar system, Mitsubishi Motors Thailand has also lent one unit of Mitsubishi flagship electric car, Outlander PHEVs, for Namphong Hospital to be used for its medical services. The vehicle is an environmental friendly vehicle which can provide a maximum 1,500 watts to electronic appliances for outdoor activities and as a reliable source of electricity in an emergency or blackout. As the car runs by electricity generated by solar system of the hospital, it can demonstrate the example of sustainable and renewable energy eco system as well.

On June 13, 2022, Mitsubishi Motors expanded its ‘Solar for Lives’ project by providing the solar system to the second community hospital, Phaya Mengrai Hospital in Phaya Mengrai District, Chiang Rai province. The company also provided Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs for the hospital to be used for medical services, which include serving communities in the 20 km. radius of the hospital, thanks to their capacity of running 55 km. on electricity alone and up to 500 km. when using both electricity and gasoline. 

The 60-bed Phaya Mengrai Hospital treats outpatients at around 400 persons per day and 10 inpatients daily. It has 7 doctors and 52 medical professionals providing healthcare to local people in Phaya Mengrai and nearby districts.

Mr. Eiichi Koito, President & CEO of Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) said “Phaya Mengrai Hospital was selected to join the ‘Solar for Lives’ project’ as it requires power support to cope with increasing patients in the communities. Furthermore, the hospital is located in an area that receives sunlight directly, which helps maximize the efficiency of solar panels. We are confident that the solar system will help improve local people’s quality of life as well as promote the community awareness of environmental conservation.”

Mitsubishi Motors Thailand commits to its environmental goal of supporting Thailand in becoming carbon neutral. There are a number of green programs in place to reduce carbon emissions throughout all of manufacturing operations, including Reforestation, Solar for Lives project, and production of the electric car – Outlander PHEV that made its debut in Thailand in 2020. The company also installs a rooftop solar system at our Laem Chabang factory in Chon Buri, the largest manufacturing center outside of Japan, which can reduce carbon emissions about 6,100 tons per year. 
 

Published : July 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017924

FrieslandCampina (Thailand) has suspended production and sale of its popular Foremost brand of pasteurised milk, according to the company’s Facebook page.

The announcement came after a netizen posted a query on the “Foremost Thailand” Facebook page, asking why she could not find Foremost milk in supermarkets.

The page administrator confirmed that Foremost pasteurised milk was not currently being produced. However, it added that consumers could still purchase other Foremost dairy products at supermarkets nationwide.

“The company has considered this issue thoroughly in line with business strategies,” the post read, adding that its focus would switch to production and distribution of dairy products that can be preserved for longer.

FrieslandCampina (Thailand) is the country’s biggest dairy producer, selling UHT milk, pasteurised milk, condensed milk and ready-to-drink yoghurt.

Apart from Foremost, the company also manufactures and sells the Falcon, Debic, Ship and My Boy brands.

The Dutch multinational launched its Thai arm in 1956, gaining the largest market share in dairy thanks to Thais’ increasing thirst for sterilised milk, UHT milk and pasteurised milk.

However, FrieslandCampina (Thailand) suffered a net loss of 1.36 billion baht in 2021, down 180 per cent on 2020 profits, according to Department of Business Development data.

Published : July 19, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017917

Multinational hospitality group IHG plans to aggressively expand in Thailand’s luxury premium hospitality sector, aiming to capitalise on the country’s tourism recovery.

Rajit Sukumaran, IHG’s managing director for Southeast Asia and Korea, said during a media group interview in Bangkok on Tuesday, that Thailand’s tourism industry is very positive, with more international tourists expressing a desire to visit Thailand, particularly Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, and Samui Island, which are the top four destinations that IHG’s customers search for on their website.

The growth rate of IHG hotels in Thailand in the first quarter of this year was 61 per cent compared to the same quarter last year, and 82 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2019.

This growth trend reflects the gradual recovery of the country’s tourism. More tourists will visit Thailand in the second half of this year now that the government has lifted the Thailand Pass measure to facilitate entry.

Moreover, the recent success of their first rebranding of Sindhorn Midtown Hotel Bangkok marked the entry of Vignette Collection in the country, Sukumaran said.

IHG plans to add two more hotels to this collection with The Aquatique Pattaya, Thailand and Bangkok Chinatown in the next five years, he added.

Ranging from heritage hotels to idyllic resorts, Vignette Collection includes luxury hotels in vibrant destinations.

Sukumaran stated that the demand for premium hotels and resorts is increasing and tourists are looking for not only comfort but also quality and safe hygiene.

Therefore, IHG Hotels & Resorts is partnering local hotel owners and offering them world-class independent hotels with the opportunity to retain their distinctive identity, while benefiting from IHG’s global scale, luxury and lifestyle expertise, and powerful IHG One Rewards loyalty programme, he said.

He explained that the company’s great tradition in Thailand and long-term commitment to the country means it is a key element in IHG’s Southeast Asia growth strategy.

Previously, the group used Thailand to launch new brands in Southeast Asia, such as Holiday Inn Express, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, and now Vignette Collection.

“We continue to grow in Thailand, and plan to double our estate there with 35 hotels in the pipeline,” said Sukumaran.

This ambition will be supported by Vignette Collection. IHG’s 17th and newest brand is fully embracing its commitment to responsible business and more than 100 properties globally are anticipated to join over the next 10 years, he said.

IHG continues to enjoy a strong 2022 in Thailand, which included the signing of Kimpton Hua Hin, the fourth Kimpton in the Kingdom. Upcoming openings include InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, Staybridge Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit and Holiday Inn Resort Samui Bophut Beach, as the company looks to double its estate across all brands by 2026.

Published : July 19, 2022

By : Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40017913

Vaccine effectiveness similar across all vaccines studied

AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria (ChAdOx1-S [Recombinant]) was effective at preventing COVID-19 infections due to Omicron when used as a fourth dose booster, according to new data from Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University in collaboration with Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office.

In the real-world evidence study, Vaxzevria showed vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 73% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 48-89%) against the highly transmissible Omicron variant when a fourth dose was given on top of any previous primary or booster vaccine.1 According to the study authors, these are the first known data assessing the effectiveness of a mixed (heterologous) four-dose COVID-19 vaccine schedule. 

The findings were published as a preprint in Research Square.
 

The data showed that a fourth dose of any of the COVID-19 vaccines studied, including Vaxzevria, were 75% effective in preventing Omicron infection (VE 75%, 95% CI 71-80%). The VE of 73% for Vaxzevria was similar to that seen with mRNA vaccines which showed VE of 71% (VE 71%, 95% CI 59-79%). VE was adjusted for age, gender, calendar time and preceding vaccine series type. 

Lead author Emeritus Professor Suwat Chariyalertsak, MD, Dr.PH, Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University, Thailand, said: “This study provides much-needed data showing a fourth dose of any COVID-19 vaccine can help prevent infection due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. Providing continuous protection with boosting is especially important for at-risk groups such as the elderly and those living with chronic health conditions. The data also support the effectiveness of heterologous, or ‘mix and match’, vaccination schedules which may help ongoing efforts to increase population coverage of booster doses.”

John Perez, Senior Vice President, Head of Late Development, Vaccines & Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca, added: “These new data further add to our understanding of the importance of booster doses to protect against COVID-19 infection in an evolving variant landscape. Building on Vaxzevria’s effectiveness in preventing severe disease and death, we now know that Vaxzevria can help prevent Omicron-related infections when given as a fourth dose, with greater protection against infection than was seen following a third dose.”
 

Additionally, a preliminary analysis of hospital data reports VE against severe COVID-19 (requiring invasive mechanical ventilation), and death during the Omicron wave in February and March of 2022. Across all age groups studied, a three-dose mixed schedule provided 98% protection against severe infection or COVID-19-related death. Following a fourth dose booster, the authors observed only a single death, in a person with comorbidities, suggesting very high effectiveness. Analysis of this dataset is ongoing and will be reported at a later date.

The study reported real-world VE of Vaxzevria, CoronaVac and mRNA vaccines utilising an active surveillance network which enabled comparisons of the same patient profiles across both Delta-predominant and Omicron-predominant periods.

To date, over 3 billion doses of Vaxzevria have been released, which based on model outcomes is estimated to have helped save over 6 million lives between 08 December 2020 and 08 December 2021. 
 

Published : July 19, 2022

By : THE NATION