Phuket governor drums up support for bid to host 2028 expo
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023
Phuket’s governor and the chair of the island’s tourist association met with officials at the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok on Thursday, as they intensified their efforts to increase support for the bid to host the 2028 Specialised Expo.
Phuket governor Narong Woonciew said Expo 2028 dovetails with the province’s long-term development strategy to promote sustainability.
It also aligns with the province’s 2023 to 2027 development strategy, Narong said. The ambitious plan includes elevating Phuket as a destination for gastronomy, medical and sport tourism, and international education. It also calls for expanding marinas, increasing the number of meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, creating a smart city and turning the island into the tuna industry hub of Asean.
Narong explained that the economic diversification strategy would ensure that the province could better cope with climate change, pandemics and the disruptions inherent in the development of new technology.
Currently, 95% of the province’s revenue is generated by tourism, the governor said. The new development plan not only diversifies the economy but also aligns with His Majesty King Bhumibol the Great’s Sufficiency Economy.
Narong Woonciew
Phuket’s long-term development strategy makes it a fitting place to inspire and foster the positive changes necessary to create a sustainable future, Narong added.
“The expo is not only for the future of people in Phuket, but also the world,” he said.
Phuket Tourist Association’s advisory chairman Bhummikitti Ruktaengam said the world-famous island’s tourism potential had yet to be fully tapped. Increasing transport connectivity and world-class facilities will boost its appeal, Bhummikitti said.
The government has already started developing new infrastructure in Phuket and it will be completed before the expo begins, he said.
“Hosting the expo in Phuket will also contribute to local development, which will benefit local communities and those beyond,” he said.
Thailand launched its bid for Phuket to host the 2028 Specialised Expo in Paris in June last year, highlighting the island’s suitability to host the event under the theme “Future of Life: Living in Harmony, Sharing Prosperity”. The Bureau of International Exposition will announce the country that will host the event in June. There are five candidates: the US, Argentina, Serbia, Spain, and Thailand.
Thailand eyes reopening checkpoints safely now that Covid is easing
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023
Border provinces are calling on the government to speed up the restoration of cross-border travel and trade to boost local economies.
Provincial governors along with representatives of local administration and trade agencies met the House committee for national security and border affairs on Friday to discuss the reopening of borders now that the pandemic has eased.
Attending the meeting were governors from Trat, Chiang Rai, Loei, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Sa Kaew, Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchathani and Narathiwat, while other border provinces sent representatives.
The House committee has accepted the request to reopen the borders and revive cross-border trade, House committee member Mallika Boonmeetrakool-Mahasook told the press later.
Mallika, a party-list Democrat MP, said the committee will check each border province’s situation first to ensure the reopening of borders poses no threats to residents or to national security.
“As the Covid situation improves, the government has been working with the private sector to reopen the borders as soon as possible to restore the economy,” said Mallika. “Meanwhile, the Export-Import Bank is also granting loans worth more than 6 billion baht to help small and medium businesses get back on their feet.”
Supreme Patriarch shines guiding light for Children’s Day
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023
Supreme Patriarch Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanana IX on Friday advised children to avoid impacts on their wellbeing and develop their minds to help Thailand prosper.
He offered the guidance on the eve of National Children’s Day, which is marked each year on the second Saturday of January.
The Supreme Patriarch said children are the next generation who will grow up to drive the country’s development. But they will not be able to bear that burden unless they cultivate intelligence and good health, he added.
“Avoiding impacts on wellbeing is an important duty for all children. Meanwhile, adults should manage the ecosystem, society and rules to support children’s wellbeing.”
Citing the Buddha’s teaching, the Supreme Patriarch said people should shun alcohol and drugs as consuming them has negative effects on property, mind, health and reputation.
“Hence, children should not get involved with alcoholic drinks and narcotics,” he said, adding that these substances were like flames that can burn down your home.
The Supreme Patriarch also asked children to cultivate virtuous minds and bring benefits to themselves, their communities and Thailand.
Unprecedented events have been challenging for all of us, pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflation pressures, and hence, aggressively increasing policy rates were seen in various regions. Thailand, is no exception, had increased the interest rate by 0.25% for the first time in August 2022 since the pandemic occurred in order to battle inflation situation.
As entered to 2023, Thai economy seems to gain recovery from the resuming tourism and private consumption. Both IMF and the Bank of Thailand also announced that Thailand’s GDP would grow at 3.7% for 2023 amidst the global slow down.
Tourism, known as Thailand’s key engine for economic growth in pre-Covid, is recovering from more relaxed measurements and reopening of the border. As of December 2022, the country had already reached the 2022’s target of 10 million of foreign tourists, mainly contributed by Malaysia, India, and Laos, and is expected to reach around 22 million for 2023. Besides, China’s faster-than-expected to reopen the border would also push up number of foreign tourist arrivals.
Cost-of-living crisis, pushed by inflation and production costs, saw improving as Thailand’s headline inflation had peaked at 7.9% in August 2022, decelerated to 5.6% in November 2022, and is expected to return to the target rate at 3% by the end of this year. However, Thailand would still face high energy prices as the country is a net importer of crude oil.
By comparing our currency to peers, Thai baht depreciated to 38 per USD in October 2022 mainly from the US’s rising interest rate. Recently, Thai baht has been stronger in response to Fed’s announcement in slowing down the US interest rate increase. TDRI’s forecast in November 2022 also indicated the value 36.87 per USD for 2023.
Looking at industries in Thailand, they are performing in varied directions. Those saw recovering and better-than-Covid19 level are wholesale and retail, department stores with the supports from government scheme, purchasing power from the middle to high income group, and rising tourists. Surge in internet usage also would lead information and communication industry bloom, while changing behavior since Covid will also drive e-commerce, delivery services, and electrical equipment. However, those saw less sign of recovery are internal combustion engine automotive industry due to prolonged semiconductor shortage, high cost of raw material, and rising trend of electric vehicles, while metal industry from the high raw material price which both of the finished steel consumption and import also contracted by 23% in October 2022 (YoY), according to ISIT.
Thailand’s 2023 Key risks and opportunities
Key risks that could deter Thai economic recovery are geopolitical tensions (e.g. war in Ukraine, China-Taiwan tension), resulting in supply disruption or rising energy prices and costs of raw material. FED and other regions to further increase interest rate in response to the inflation would also lower purchasing power, together with, Thailand’s current high level of household debt. China’s economic recovery which might recover slower-than-expected also saw influence on tourism sector and Thai export. However, the bright sides are rising tourist arrivals from other regions’ reopening their borders, recovery in domestic consumption after Covid, and the relocation of production from China.
Looking ahead for 2023 Business Trends
Digital transformation and ESG are two major global trends for all businesses regardless of which industry they are in. It is vital that business leaders need to comprehend and make the most use of these trends.
Digital transformation is no longer an optional for business, as pandemic pressure and consumer trends change to be more digital. As recent Deloitte Tech Trend 2023 articles, the impact of emerging technology is widely affected organization in both challenge and opportunities.
Startups’ mantra – move fast, fail fast and break things – might not be applicable to established companies, as they don’t have any legacy to protect. Successful businesses must realize that they can’t risk breaking thing, as Startups, in pursuit of new. It is crucial that leaders need to balance their digital transformation initiatives from modernizing its core business technologies/processes to extending its business capability or even reimagine their business models.
Hence the roles of leadership are vital in driving successfully digital transformation initiatives. Leaders is in the position to foresee what the business trends & challenges in the future, then set the vision of what their business would be. This aspiration and ambition will be the key to define what the role and level of involvement of leaders.
Organizational readiness is another key factor; leadership, culture, structure and capabilities. Leadership in C-suite level must be motivated and capable of executing the vision with positive attitude and willingness to transform. Culture of innovation, take risk must be instilled against those bureaucratic or risk-averse mindset. The proper talents & team structure are needed to be designed supporting the initiatives with the capabilities in scalability and nimbleness. Both leadership ambition and organizational readiness will help business shape and structure on how they should manage and drive successful digital transformation initiative in a sustainable way.
ESG issues are more crucial at this moment. Investor interest in companies taking ESG goals seriously is also becoming prevalent. According to Deloitte Thailand’s ESG and sustainability survey 2022, most business leaders prioritize awareness of ESG in the organization and integrating ESG into the corporate strategy. Additionally, 34% of respondents already have sustainable committee to oversee or drive ESG in their businesses. Majority of the respondents also view that better corporate sustainability performance will bring about three key benefits: operational efficiency and cost saving, brand credibility and image, and risk management.
By Narain Chutijirawong, Executive Director – Clients & Markets and Tasada Sangmanacharoen, Senior Consultant – Clients & Markets at Deloitte Thailand
Zoos offer free entrance for kids on Children’s Day
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023
Children can visit six zoos for free on Saturday, the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand announced on Friday, ahead of National Children’s Day tomorrow.
The organisation’s director, Atthaporn Srihheran, said the goal of offering free entrance to children was to “create happiness” and raise children’s awareness about wild animals.
Fun activities – like parades, games and stage shows – will be held at the six zoos, he said.
They are Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Chiang Mai Zoo, Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, Songkhla Zoo, Ubon Ratchathani Zoo, and Khon Kaen Zoo.
Free entrance is limited to children whose height does not exceed 135 centimetres, the organisation said.
Life slows down as heavy fog blankets Northeast Thailand
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023
A thick fog descended on Sakon Nakhon and nearby provinces in the upper Northeast on Friday, with people complaining they could not able to see beyond 10 metres.
This bizarre phenomenon brought the area to a practical standstill as motorists had to slow down due to poor visibility.
The poor visibility also forced Nok Air flights to return to Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok.
Flights were also unable to land at Udon Thani International Airport and Nakhon Phanom Airport due to visibility issues.
Many people in Nong Khai, meanwhile, came down with flu after temperatures dropped to about 15 degrees Celsius on Friday after two days of continuous rain.
The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast cool temperatures with heavy morning fog in the Northeast on Friday.
It also forecast isolated thundershowers in Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani.
Temperatures in the Northeast of Thailand have been forecast at lows of 16-19 degrees Celsius and highs of 29-33 degrees Celsius.
The mercury on hilltops is likely to drop to 10-15 degrees Celsius.
Demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in Thailand continues to rise this year.
Reservations for popular BEV brands are driving forecasts of strong growth in the EV market in 2023, with consumer confidence supporting investment in Thailand-based production of EVs, batteries and electric charging stations.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have become a hot topic of conversation among Thais after more than 4,000 units of two models of Tesla were booked on the first day of the Telsa website accepting orders last month
Before the official arrival of Tesla to do its own marketing, the BEVs are already gaining popularity in Thailand
It is predicted that overall BEV sales in Thailand last year exceeded 12,500 units, a 212.5% increase over 2021
Total BEV sales this year are estimated at 24,000 units, a 92.0% increase over last year
Driving range The International Energy Agency (IEA) states that a standard BEV had an average driving range of 349 kms per charge in 2022, an increase of 44% compared to 243 kms in 2017
Charging stations Charging devices have been developed with fast charge technology, allowing a direct current fast charge to the level of 80% of battery in less than an hour
The Energy Policy and Planning Office of the Energy Ministry reports that there are 944 charging stations nationwide
The Electric Vehicle Association Of Thailand (EVAT) states that as of September 2022, there are 2,572 charger plugs in the country, a 13% increase year on year
EVAT says 46% of charger plugs are DC type (a 53% increase from last year) and 54% are AC type (an 8% decrease)
By 2025, the number of fast-charge plugs is estimated to rise to 4,400 plugs and to 12,000 plugs by 2030
Wallbox charging devices at home have become an alternative for BEV users
BEV motorists may get wallboxes from:
BEV manufacturers provide a free wallbox as a promotion plus free or discounted installation fee
Property developers provide a wallbox in their new projects
BEV users buy and install their own wallbox with cost ranging from 35,000 to 85,000 baht
Those without a wallbox can use an AC charger provided with their BEV, but the recharging takes up to 24 hours
Great Wall Motor Reveals 2022 Achievement with 11,616 Car Sales
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023
Great Wall Motor has welcomed in the new year with remarkable sales performance and deliveries of all five models: the HAVAL H6 Hybrid SUV, All New HAVAL H6 Plug-in Hybrid SUV, HAVAL JOLION Hybrid SUV, ORA Good Cat, and ORA Good Cat GT, totalling 11,616 units in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 214%.
The number includes 4,135 units of HAVAL H6 Hybrid SUV, 3,155 units of HAVAL JOLION Hybrid SUV, and 4,326 units of ORA Good Cat. Of the total, 1,610 units were sold and delivered in December – recording the highest monthly sales volume for last year.
In addition, the HAVAL H6 Hybrid SUV has retained its leadership stature in the compact SUV segment for 12 consecutive months while the ORA Good Cat continues to perform outstandingly in the 100% EV market.
Currently, the GWM app currently has 126,825 active users, and there are more than 1.1 million followers on GWM’s social media (all platforms and channels combined).
These achievements reiterate consumers’ trust bestowed upon GWM, which is ready to become the xEV leader, committed to putting cutting-edge vehicles onto Thai roads to transform the county into an electric vehicle society while also completing the EV ecosystem and strengthening Thailand’s automotive industry on the global stage.
Last year’s final quarter was concluded exceptionally once again when GWM achieved total sales and deliveries of 3,522 units from October to December 2022, an increase of 23% from the previous quarter in which 2,875 units were sold and delivered, and a year-on-year growth of 37%.
The success was led by the 12-consecutive-month leader (January-December 2022) in the compact SUV segment – the HAVAL H6 Hybrid SUV, which saw 1,188 units sold in the Q4 2022.
As a result, since its official launch in Thailand in June 2021, GWM has delivered a total of 6,776 units of this model to Thai fans. Of those, 4,135 units were sold and delivered in 2022, including 233 units of the All New HAVAL H6 Plug-in Hybrid SUV – the enthusiastically welcomed electric vehicle with plug-in technology, whose first-batch delivery commenced in November 2022.
The much-loved pure electric vehicle, the ORA Good Cat, which has retained tremendous success after having ignited the trend and excited the EV industry since its official launch in Thailand, achieved total sales and deliveries of 1,361 units in Q4 2022, an increase of 195% compared to the sales volume in Q4 2021.
To date, GWM has released 4,788 units of the ORA Good Cat onto Thailand’s roads, with 4,326 units being sold and delivered in 2022. This included 186 units of the sporty ORA Good Cat GT. Not only does it reinforce the blistering popularity of the vehicle itself but also reflects the rising demand for 100% electric vehicles among consumers.
Meanwhile, 973 units of the HAVAL JOLION Hybrid SUV, which is packed with innovative technology and outstanding performance designed to meet various driving lifestyles, were sold in the fourth quarter of 2022. This marked a 67% growth from the previous quarter and a year-on-year increase of 62%. GWM has delivered 3,754 units of this model to Thai customers.
Among the total deliveries, 3,155 were sold and delivered in 2022, including 549 units in December, which was the best sales performance made since its official launch in November 2021. This success demonstrates the HAVAL JOLION Hybrid SUV’s increasing popularity among Thai consumers, who favour SUVs with spacious cabin and cutting-edge technology, providing safety and convenience for various driving scenarios.
In addition to the successful sales performance, GWM can boast achievements as the fastest-growing brand in Thailand’s automotive industry. Its stature is now attested to by the current 126,825 active users on the GWM app, a year-on-year increase of 76,456 users.
The number of daily active users is more than 14,000 (11.5% of total users). There are more than 1.1 million followers on GWM’s social media channels (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube). On Facebook, GWM has almost 800,000 followers combined (GWM Thailand, HAVAL Thailand, and ORA Thailand). On TikTok, GWM has more than 300,000 followers combined (GWM Thailand, HAVAL Thailand, and ORA Thailand).
Narong Sritalayon, Managing Director of Great Wall Motor (Thailand), said: “Throughout the previous year, GWM’s achievements in terms of rapidly growing sales and social media followers is yet another crucial testimonial to consumers’ unwavering trust bestowed upon us from the beginning of our business journey in Thailand. We appreciate the support, which has encouraged us to provide quality products and services as well as to develop new experiences for consumers. For 2023 onwards, GWM will continue listening to consumers to better develop products and services, curate activities that serve different lifestyles of the new generations and fulfil the mission to bring four xEV models to offer new driving experiences highlighting safety, intelligence, and eco-friendliness to the Thai market.”
Additionally, GWM will expand its network of GWM Stores – Direct Stores and Partner Stores – to cover key locations across the country in 2023, allowing Thai consumers to access electric vehicles from the brand more conveniently. At the end of 2021, GWM Stores were established in 30 locations. By the end of 2022, 80 GWM Stores had been appointed nationwide, of which, 62 stores are currently in operation, and 18 stores are being constructed.
In terms of strengthening the EV ecosystem through the expansion of fast-charging (DC) stations, GWM has appointed 55 facility operators following its direction. Most of these are through collaboration with Partner Stores. There are seven fully constructed facilities with installed systems that will be ready to operate in January 2023. All DC charging docks at GWM Partner Stores provide up to 120 kW to every pure EV, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
GWM also achieved remarkable success internationally, with total sales of 1,067,523 units across the world in 2022, resulting in record sales of more than 1 million vehicles in the global market for seven consecutive years. From these units, 173,180 were sold outside China, marking a 21.28% increase in overseas sales growth year-on-year, of which, 616,550 were HAVAL, 103,996 were ORA, and 123,881 were TANK.
As the ‘Global Intelligent Technology Company’, GWM is committed to providing products and services equipped with advanced technology, safety, and eco-friendliness, while adhering to a consumer-centric approach to provide experiences that truly cater to Thai customers. Similarly, GWM is committed to contributing to the growth of Thailand’s automotive industry and economy in a long-term and sustainable way.
Lisa Marie Presley, a musician and the only daughter of rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis Presley, died on Thursday (January 12) after being rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital, her mother said.
Presley, 54, suffered cardiac arrest in her home in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas, according to the website TMZ. The outlet said paramedics performed CPR and administered the drug epinephrine to restart her pulse.
Her mother, Priscilla, confirmed that her daughter was in the hospital and said she was “receiving the best care.”
“Please keep her and our family in your prayers. We feel the prayers from around the world, and ask for privacy during this time,” Priscilla Presley said in a statement.
TMZ showed a photo of Priscilla Presley arriving at the hospital to be with her daughter.
Lisa Marie Presley was born in 1968 and is the owner of her father’s Graceland mansion in Memphis, a popular tourist attraction. She was nine years old when Elvis died at Graceland in 1977.
Her own music career began with a 2003 debut album “To Whom It May Concern.” It was followed by 2005’s “Now What,” and both hit the top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart.
A third album, “Storm and Grace,” was released in 2012.
On Tuesday (January 10), Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley attended the Golden Globes ceremony in Beverly Hills, where Austin Butler won best actor in a drama film for his leading role in last year’s “Elvis” biopic.
As he accepted the award, Butler thanked both of the women, saying “I love you forever.”
The history was made on Wednesday (January 11) as Muay Thai received official approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and was recognised as a new member by the USOPC board.
National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)’s manager Supranee Guptasa said that the Deputy Prime Minister and Executive Chairman of Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) Prawit Wongsuwan, Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, and governor of the SAT Kongsak Yodmanee have been working with International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) to promote Muay Thai sport.
“IFMA, supported by SAT and NSDF, introduced Thai cultures, including music, food, and especially Muay Thai, to the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, USA, on June 7 to June 17 of last year” Supranee added.
She said that owning to its acceptance in the U.S., Muay Thai is getting closer to being added to the upcoming Olympic Games.
An honour approval from USOPC was the result of the United States Muaythai Federation (USMF)’s effort and reputation, under Michael Corley, who is USMF’s current president.
Michael Corley also said that working under the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which was approved by the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA), we aim to add more value to the Olympics and rely on an athlete-centred approach, focusing on anti-doping process as well as youth protection, development, and inclusion, together with gender equality.
“The USMF and IFMA would like to express their thankfulness to our partners for accepting Muay Thai as a valuable traditional martial art.” He said.
Michael ensured that the future of Muay Thai in the U.S. will be promising.
Narong Woonciew
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