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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40014975

A special House committee has asked Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to put the brakes on the planned merger of telecom operators True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC).

Anudit Nakhonthap, chairman of the ad hoc House panel considering the possible impacts from the True-DTAC merger, sent a letter dated April 20 to Prayut, asking him to indefinitely suspend the planned merger.

Anudit said in the letter that Prayut, as the chief executive of the country, should ask the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission to indefinitely postpone approval for the merger until the NBTC comes up with clear-cut measures on how to protect the country and people’s interests that may be affected by the merger.

True and DTAC’s shareholders have approved the merger plan and the plan has been submitted to the NBTC for approval since January 25.

The House panel and several consumers protection organisations have voiced opposition to the merger, fearing the deal would lead to a duopoly in the telecom industry at the cost of consumers. They expressed fear that the new firm after the merger, and Advanced Info Service (AIS), the largest mobile phone operator by subscriber base, would somehow collude to increase service fees and hurt customers.

Anudit’s letter pointed out that the NBTC has the authority to block the merger in line with the Constitution of Thailand BE 2560 (2017).

The letter cited Section 60 of the charter that requires the government to protect telecom bandwidth for use for the sake of national and public interest.

“The State shall maintain the frequencies and the right to access a satellite orbit, which are national treasures, in order to utilise them for the benefit of the country and the people.

“The arrangement for utilisation of the frequencies under paragraph one, regardless of whether it is for radio broadcasting, television broadcasting and telecommunications or for any other purposes, shall be for the greatest benefit of the people, security of the State, and public interest as well as the participation of the people in the utilisation of frequency, as provided by law.

“The State shall establish a State organisation which is independent in performing duties to be responsible and supervise the undertakings in relation to frequencies under paragraph two. In this regard, such organisation shall ensure that there are measures to prevent unfair consumer exploitation or imposition of unnecessary burden on consumers, to prevent the interference of frequencies, as well as to prevent an act which results in obstructing the liberty of the people to know or preventing the people from knowing true and accurate data or information, and to prevent any person or any group of person from utilising the frequencies without considering the rights of general public,” the letter quoted Section 60 as saying.

The letter also quoted the first paragraph of Section 75 of the charter as saying that the government has to prevent monopoly in business practices.

“The State should organise an economic system which provides opportunities for the people to all together benefit from the economic growth in a comprehensive, fair and sustainable manner and to be self-reliant in accordance with the philosophy of sufficiency economy, should eliminate unfair economic monopoly, and should develop economic competitiveness of the people and the country.”

Earlier, an executive at True reportedly said that the NBTC would have no reasons to block the merger because the two companies have done everything right according to the telecom law.

The executive argued that several telecom mergers have taken place, so the NBTC could not pick on True and DTAC to block the merger.

Published : April 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/business/40014970

Hilton is renewing its commitment to reducing the environmental and social impact of its hotels and operations worldwide, the hotel announced in its latest Environmental, Social and Governance report.

“Across its global network, Hilton continues to considerably close the gap toward meeting key sustainability targets under its Travel with Purpose 2030 goals,” the company said in a press release.

According to Hilton, in 2021 the hotel recorded:

• 70 per cent reduction in landfill waste per square metre from its 2008 baseline (2030 goal: 50%)

• 49 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions per square metre from 2008 (2030 goal: 61%)

• 39 per cent reduction in water consumption per square metre from 2008 (2030 goal: 50%)

• More than US$1 billion of cumulative savings in energy costs since 2009, monitored through LightStay.

“In the Asia-Pacific region, Hilton focuses on driving responsible and sustainable tourism through a wide range of initiatives aimed at making a positive environmental and social impact,” it said.

Driving holistic water stewardship

Hilton roped in leading river clean-up organisation Sungai Watch to install more trash barriers in Bali, Indonesia, to lessen the impact of plastics on communities there.

In China, Hilton Ningbo Dongqian Lake’s rainwater recovery system uses ultraviolet disinfection and automatic replenishment to improve water quality.

The system recycles approximately 1,400 tonnes of rainwater each year, which is equivalent to the amount of water consumed by a family of three in one year, the hotel said.

Sustainable dining and green kitchens

In Southeast Asia, Conrad Koh Samui’s Iris Farm provides a multitude of organic herbs and vegetables for the hotel’s bars and restaurants.

The farm produces 1,300kg of food and processes 2,400kg of compostable waste per month, recycling organic resources while conserving landfill space, the press release said.

Hilton has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Seafood Legacy and Umito to procure more sustainable seafood for its hotels in Japan and South Korea.

Using smart kitchen waste treatment equipment, Hilton Shenzhen Shekou Nanhai turns kitchen waste into carbon dioxide, water and organic fertilisers.

The hotel has recycled 390 tonnes of kitchen waste and produced about 20 tonnes of organic fertiliser since last year, it said.

Reducing environmental footprint

With the return of business travel and in-person events, almost 300 of Hilton’s hotels across the Asia Pacific have rolled out the Plan It Forward offer to help businesses and event planners further reduce their environmental impact when hosting events.

For event planners who opt for a carbon neutral meeting, Hilton will offset their event’s carbon emissions as identified by its meeting impact calculator report on its LightStay platform and invest in a portfolio of high-quality carbon reduction projects with global partner South Pole, the hotel said.

Alternatively, event planners can earn double Hilton honours event planner points per US$1 spent on guest rooms, meeting rooms, etc, for qualifying events at participating hotels.

Hilton Honours Points can be donated to charity through PointWorthy, or redeemed for future events or hotel stays, among other benefits.

For its various environmental and social initiatives, Hilton was named a global sustainability leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the fifth consecutive year, and was the only hotel company to earn Gold Class distinction in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook, the press release added.

Published : April 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40014876

The operation of the Erawan and Bongkot gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand has been smoothly handed over to a new concessionaire, the Mineral Fuels Department said on Sunday.

Sarawut Kaewtatip, director-general of the Mineral Fuels Department, said the operation of Erawan (G1/61) and Bongkot (G2/61) gas fields continued uninterrupted during the transition period.

PTTEP Energy Development Co Ltd (PTTEP ED) won the bid for both fields in December 2018 and signed new product-sharing contracts with the government. PTTEP ED is a subsidiary of PTT Exploration and Production Plc.

Sarawut said this is the first time that a product-sharing contract has been signed in Thailand, heralding a change from concession contracts that have been in use for more than 50 years.

Under the new contract, the government will take 68 per cent of the production profits from Erawan and 70 per cent from Bongkot, an earlier report from Reuters said.

The two fields have a combined output of 2.1 billion cubic feet of gas daily.

Chevron Corp’s Thai unit operated the Erawan gas block earlier and the state-backed PTTEP ran the Bongkot bloc before PTTEP ED won production and development rights of both gas fields on December 13 2018.

Meanwhile, Sarawut said the Mineral Fuels Department had set up a war room to manage the smooth transition and coordinate between the new and old concessionaires as well as buyers of natural gas.

He said initially Chevron would not allow the new concessionaire to enter the G1/61 field during the transition period, but the department stepped in and negotiated an agreement on December 20. The new concessionaire was then allowed to enter the field to prepare for gas production.

During the transition period, the department set up eight teams to monitor the situation at the gas rigs closely.

A team was stationed at each of the five gas rigs and three others at the petroleum tankers. The team measured the volume of the last round of production and the amount of petroleum stored in the tankers before operations were officially handed over to the new contractor.

He said the department also checked the structure and safety of facilities for production at both fields before the handover.

He also applauded department officials for the handover going ahead without a glitch.

The Erawan field produced 399 million cubic feet of gas and Bongkot’s G2/61 938 million cubic on the day of the handover.

Published : April 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40014873

Commercial banks in Thailand have shut down 801 branches over the past year, with Bangkok Bank recording the most closures.

As of the end of March, the number of commercial bank branches in Thailand stood at 5,553, down from 6,354 in the same period last year, according to the central bank.

Bank of Thailand’s statistics also shows that the top five commercial banks that closed the highest number of branches over the past year as of the end of March are:

1. Bangkok Bank: Closed 114 (1,014 in operation)

2. Siam Commercial Bank (SCB): Closed 110 (739 in operation)

3. TMBThanachart Bank (ttb): Closed 46 (622 in operation)

4. Bank of Ayutthaya (BAY): Closed 31 (635 in operation)

4. Land and House Bank: Closed 31 (77 in operation)

5. Kasikorn Bank: Closed 26 (836 in operation)

During the first quarter of this year alone, Bangkok Bank closed 45 branches, followed by SCB (15), ttb (14), Krung Thai Bank (8) and BAY (7).

Observers believe commercial banks are closing their branches because most customers prefer mobile banking and very few use over-the-counter services. Also, banks now prefer to set up branches in shopping malls instead of independent ones.

Published : April 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40014514

The increasing purchasing power of Cambodians is prompting foreign department stores, including Thailand’s Siam Makro Plc, to open more shopping malls in the country, the Thai embassy reported.

The foreign trade promotion office at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh reported that Siam Makro would open two more Makro shopping malls in Cambodia, adding to the two Makro stores already in operation. Currently, Siam Makro owns one shopping mall in Phnom Penh and another in Krong Siem Reap, the trade office added.

The office said Cambodia’s economy is expanding fast, as a result the lifestyle of Cambodians is undergoing a rapid change due to higher purchasing power. The office said as part of the changing lifestyle, more Cambodians were shopping in hypermarkets and modern shopping malls.

Currently, there are several foreign-owned shopping malls in Phnom Penh, including Aeon Mall 1, Aeon Mall 2, Exchange Square, TK Avenue, Global House and SCG Home Village, the trade office said.

The office said there are also several foreign-owned shopping malls in Sihanoukville, including Prince Mall, Furi Time Square, and Aeon Mall 3.

Suchada Ithijarukul, the CEO of Makro Group, confirmed the plan to build two more stores in Cambodia. The two stores will be among five foreign stores to be opened by Makro this year, she added.

The three other foreign Makro stores will be opened in India, she added.

She said Makro would spend THB11 billion to expand 30 branches this year, including the five foreign stores. After the expansions, Makro will have 184 branches — 172 in Thailand, four in Cambodia, one in Myanmar, six in India and one in China.

Published : April 13, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/business/40014357

Amid the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in achieving greater efficiencies and profits in the corporate world, a new research venture aims to help businesses tap the power of AI.

Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology Council (Vista) on Friday,  announced the formation of a new venture, VISTEC, to establish the Thailand Artificial Intelligence Research Institute. The aim is to become a one-stop-service centre for education, experiment, research, and exchange of knowledge on AI. It also will promote and support the development of a digital workforce while developing and researching datasets to answer the rising demands of the industry and digital innovation service business sectors.

Visai AI Co Ltd (VISAI) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA).

Vista chairman Pailin Chuchottaworn said the purpose of the venture was to ensure maximum benefit from artificial intelligence technology. “Many people have taken advantage of this technology. Not only big business organisations, but all entrepreneurs can tap AI to develop their knowledge and take their business forward,” Pailin said. VISTEC has created VISAI to create all AI solutions for all sectors in collaboration with DEPA, he said.

In the keynote session, Asst. Prof Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, the president and CEO of DEPA, spoke on “Ai as Digital Infrastructure”. He said Thailand’s economic structure in 2021 was quite fragile. He divided the pyramid structure into three major parts — the major portion is the agriculture sector while small and medium-sized enterprises are at the top of the pyramid. Big organisations are mostly multinationals, while the presence of big domestic companies is negligible in the economic structure. He thinks the time has come to promote and develop AI technologies to create a strong economic system with an infrastructure that everyone can access and use. He said business competition has been affected by the digital disruption, changing society, changing climate and new diseases. Due to all these reasons, Thailand needed to create systems that would give it a digital competitive advantage in four key areas: digital access, digital connectivity, digital data and digital automation to create sustainable growth.

Another panelist in this event, Assoc Prof Sarana Nutanong, the CEO of Visai, spoke on “Just Add Data”. The process of developing an AI system is collecting data and research to advance the application. “The mission is to enhance the competitiveness of our partners with cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies. Also, to improve the accessibility of advanced modelling techniques to solve real world problems, together with improving tech competency of society through innovative automation and productivity solution for all ages,” he said. He believes Thailand can gain a competitive advantage by leveraging data-centric AI through all needed sectors.

Sarana said that VISAI AI, or just VISAI, was founded this past February with great cooperation from DEPA. VISAI sees an opportunity in applying the mega-tech trend, by developing and presenting high-performance “AI-enabled solutions,” as well as increasing people’s accessibility to AI with the concept “AI for Everyone”. 

In practice, data-centric AI, having been developed similar to service software, has a part in reducing dependency on advanced AI experts for those wishing to apply AI in their businesses. It also enables them to apply VISAI’s off-the-shelf models. This will reduce cost in time and personnel, which is the important factor to reduce entry barriers and increase AI accessibility on a large scale.

Published : April 09, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/business/40014342

Asia Green Energy Pcl (AGE), a bituminous coal distributor and logistic services provider, expects Q1/2022 growth to rise continuously from the previous year, said AGE managing director for Asia Panom Kuansataporn.

Growth is supported by the rising price of coal as demand in the domestic and foreign business sectors remains strong. Revenue from coal sales in the first two months of 2022 increased by 60 per cent year on year.

Meanwhile, on the logistics side of the business, the company signed a contract worth 110 million baht to transport industrial products for the next two years. AGE also has an existing contract, signed in advance at the end of 2021, to transport three million tonnes of industrial products. This contract has a total service period of three years, starting this year.

The company plans to increase investment in logistics by adding one more warehouse. AGE currently operates five warehouses for storage services. In keeping with its strategy of boosting logistics investment, the company has increased its logistics revenue target from 4 per cent of total revenue last year to 5 per cent this year.

For 2022, the company set its target revenue from the logistic business at 2.5 billion baht, up from 2.002 billion baht in 2021. Services to AGE affiliates accounted for 76.5 per cent of logistics revenue while 23.5 per cent came from outside customers.

Meanwhile, the subsidiary AGE Agri Trading Co Ltd ­– which was recently established to provide, distribute and export agricultural products – is expected to realise revenue within this year.

Moreover, Panom said that At Energy Solution Co Ltd, of which AGE possesses a 49.99 per cent stock share, is starting to realise revenue from previous investment projects including retained January-February earnings of 6.14 million baht from a 5MW solar power plant in Lopburi.

As for recent progress, the company is continuously studying the possibility of investing in the energy business in line with energy policy.

At Energy Solution previously invested in a boiler-installation project and sold it to a customer in Thailand. This project is expected to realise revenue in the second half of 2022.

Hence, the company is confident that AGE’s total income this year will reach target growth of 15 billion baht, as 5 per cent of revenue will come from the logistics business and 95 per cent from the coal business. The company has also targeted sales of 6.5 million tonnes of coal.

Published : April 08, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/business/40014301

S Hotels & Resorts Plc (SHR), Singha Estate Pcl’s hospitality arm, expects growth to hit a record-high revenue of THB8.5 billion in 2022, nearly doubling year on year, from THB4.5 billion in 2021.

The growth will push SHR to become the No. 2 Thai hotel operator in terms of revenue, due to the fast recovery in tourism, its well-diversified hospitality portfolios, upgraded services and offerings to reach high tourist demands, and enhanced direct booking.

SHR held an online press conference on Thursday to reveal its plans and goals for 2022.

“The tourism sector continues to recover in many parts of the world. We foresee increasing demand in the hospitality business, including our properties in the five top leisure destinations, particularly in the UK and The Maldives, whose contributions accounted for 44 per cent and 28 per cent, respectively,” said SHR’s chief executive officer, Dirk De Cuyper.

Another key factor that will drive 2022 revenue is the success of the property renovation and the creation of value-added features in all identified potential properties to cater to guests’ various preferences and lifestyle needs, he said.

Three SHR properties have been renovated and undergone brand conversion to align with the homegrown brand and self-managed platform,

SHR’s strategy in driving the business using digital marketing to create customised platforms for the wider implementation of direct booking has given the company more resilience and adaptability. In 2022, the company expects revenue contribution from direct bookings to total revenue to increase from an average of 10 per cent in previous years to 30 per cent in 2022, he said.

As part of a three-year plan, the company has earmarked approximately THB7.3 billion to further expand the growth of portfolios. A total budget of THB2.8 billion has been set aside to enhance its asset rotation strategy for existing properties and the construction of SO/Maldives, which is set to launch in 2023. The other THB4.5 billion is set for the merger and acquisition plan for new properties.

“For new properties, we have eyed M&A [mergers and acquisitions] projects around the Asia-Pacific coast and the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean within the THB4.5 billion budget. We also aim to focus on being a hotel operator, either through a flagship homegrown brand or partnering with leading international brands for business expansion. With the efforts, we target to reach our goals of tripling our size within 2024,” added De Cuyper.

Published : April 07, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40014300

Mobile phones are a must-have for most Thais and the mobile-phone service is big business in the Kingdom. Thailand’s telecommunications landscape is expected to change drastically if True Corporation and Total Access Communication (Dtac) are allowed to go ahead with their merger Plan.

Before the merger takes place, let’s look at the current players in Thailand’s mobile telecom industry:

Thailand’s mobile network operators 

Advanced Info Service (AIS)
TrueMove H
Dtac
National Telecom (NT)
KEY FACTS

Founding
AIS: 1985
Dtac: 1989
TrueMove H: 1990
National Telecom: 2021

Guardians
AIS: INTOUCH Company (40.45%), Singtel (23.32%)
TrueMove H: CP Group (49.99%), China Mobile (18%)
Dtac: Telenor (46.71%), Thai Telco Holdings (18.33%)
NT: Formed via the merger of the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) and Telephone Organisation of Thailand (TOT)

Market share
AIS: 44.31%
TrueMove H: 32.49%
Dtac: 19.73%
NT: 3.41%

Subscribers
AIS: 43,233,700
TrueMove H: 31,697,700
Dtac: 19,560,000
NT: 3,333,752

Employees
AIS: 14,103
TrueMove H: 4,193
Dtac: 4,000
NT: 17,000

Assets
AIS: 350.17 billion baht
TrueMove H: 523.99 billion baht
Dtac: 174.28 billion baht
NT: 200 billion baht

Cash flow
AIS: 75.56 billion baht
TrueMove H: 125.36 billion baht
Dtac: 24.31 billion baht
NT: 36 billion baht

Revenue (2021)
AIS: 181 billion baht
TrueMove H: 143.7 billion baht
Dtac: 81.3 billion baht
NT: 98.254 billion baht

Profit (2021)
AIS: 26.9 billion baht
TrueMove H: -1.4 billion baht
Dtac: 3.3 billion baht
NT: 3.1 billion baht

Thai mobile phone users, who were happy with having a choice of four operators, became concerned last year when Norwegian telecom giant Telenor announced it was discussing the possibility of a Dtac-True merger with CP Group.

What happens if the merger goes ahead?

The new company will become the largest mobile operator, pushing AIS to second place.
Market share after the merger
TrueMove H + Dtac: 52.22%
AIS: 44.31%
NT 3.41%

Subscribers after merger
TrueMove H + Dtac: 51,257,700
AIS: 43,233,700
NT: 3,333,752

Different scenarios
• The new company will have more funds to invest in the infrastructure, which may result in a better network and wider coverage.
• Some subscribers may switch to AIS based on their experience with either TrueMove H or Dtac.
• Dtac subscribers will be entitled to other services offered by True.
• AIS users may switch to a new company if it offers better services at a more competitive price.
• Users will have fewer choices.
• Only two main players can mean less competition, resulting in fewer promotions, milder price-cutting strategy, and fewer innovations in technology and services.

The face of the new player

It is believed that after the merger, the shareholding ratio of the new company will be:
CP Group: 28.98%
Telenor: 19.64%
Thai Telco Holdings: 7.71%
China Mobile: 10.43%
Other shareholders: 33.24%

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, relevant House of Representatives committee and consumer protection bodies are being urged to investigate the proposed merger and the impact it will have on the country’s telecommunications industry, including potential market dominance.

Published : April 07, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40014203

Advanced Wireless Network Co Ltd (AWN) has filed a formal objection against the planned amalgamation of True Corporation and Total Access Communication (Dtac).

AWN, a subsidiary of Advanced Info Service (AIS), submitted a letter dated March 25 to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) recently to express its opposition.

In the letter, AWN said that if the two telecom operators were allowed to merge, mobile phone users in Thailand would be the biggest losers as the merger would affect competition.

It pointed out that the number of key players in the telecoms market would be reduced from three to two, and the new company would dominate with a market share of 53.4 per cent.

It said the merger would also effectively block new players from entering the market.

The letter pointed out that National Telecommunication Plc, created via the merger of TAT Corporation Plc and CAT Telecom Plc, had very little market share to counter the giant that will be created by the True-Dtac merger.

AWN said in the letter that the merger would also put all telecom bandwidths under the new company, which will be in gross violation of the telecom law, under which bandwidths are to be spread among several operators. Once the merger goes through, the new company will hold more bandwidth than allowed by law.

The letter noted that the NBTC is required by the Constitution and NBTC Act to vote against the merger to prevent monopoly and market domination as it would hurt consumers. It said the charter and the NBTC law require the commission to act against the merger to protect the public interest.

Separately, shareholders of the two companies on Monday voted in favour of the merger. According to a report submitted to the Stock Exchange of Thailand on Monday, some 99.37 per cent of True’s shareholders and 89 per cent of Dtac’s shareholders had voted for the merger.

Meanwhile, Dtac CEO Sharad Mehrotra thanked shareholders for the “yes” votes and said the new technology-telecom firm formed after the merger will provide top 5G services that will cover everybody’s needs with reliable and fast service.

Mehrotra added that the new company will not just provide 5G services, but will also be a corporation providing advanced technology such as AI, Cloud, Smart City, media solutions and space technology.

Published : April 05, 2022

By : THE NATION