Toyota Motor Thailand (TMT) is the largest automobile company in the country, each year capable of churning out more than 600,000 vehicles from its three domestic assembly plants.

This year the company aims to become the No 1 automaker in Thailand in both the passenger car and commercial vehicle markets with combined sales of 315,000 units, an increase of over 31 per cent compared with 2017. In addition, exports of various models from its Thai plants are expected to reach 300,000 units.

According to Toyota, combined production capacity at the Samrong, Gateway and Ban Pho plants is 760,000 units per year. Thailand is one of the global manufacturing hubs for the Japanese auto giant, specialising in 1-tonne pickup trucks.

Apart from having the largest sales network (155 dealers with over 470 showrooms), Toyota also has the largest number of employees among auto companies in Thailand – 14,900 at the last count this year.

“We’re the largest auto company in the country and we also have the largest number of employees,” says Praphan Janwatthanaphong, vice president for human resources and administration sub-division at TMT.

After graduating from Chiang Mai University with a degree in political science, Praphan, a Sukhothai native, joined TMT in 1991 and worked in various human resources departments until 2011, when he took a detour to become director for the public relations department for three years.

“I did pretty much everything in HR, whether it’s employment, labour management, compensation, etc,” he says.

Praphan says that the human resources department is considered the “middleman” of the company. “We get pressure from both the management and the lower employees and we must make sure that we don’t take sides,” he said.

During his PR years Praphan pretty much impressed the local automotive media with his positive and down-to-earth character, something that he had always carried with him.

“In work I always aim to be logical no matter who I am working with. For example if the workers’ union wants a salary or bonus increase, we must sit down together and look at the data, look at the facts,” he says.

“But at other times, I am a friendly guy who likes to communicate with others. It’s actually a strong point because by talking with others we become friendly and understand them better. For example, I am also close to my staff and that allows me to fully know what’s going on.”

In 2016 the Praphan was rotated back as director of the human resources department (Toyota rotates director and manager positions every several years), before making the headlines earlier this year by being promoted to vice president of TMT.

While taking care of almost 15,000 people is an important responsibility, Praphan doesn’t appear like he’s easily stressed out.

Praphan’s job covers not only human resources including labour management, optimising productivity, quality and flexibility, but also corporate affairs such as profit sustainability – something that comes close to a general manager.

In Thailand Toyota has established itself as one of the leading companies that locals perceive as favourable, offering a high level of security and pride. During the past years, it has won several “Top Company Awards” for the most attractive companies to work in.

More Thais are taking up top management positions at TMT, with all current 12 vice presidents and three executive vice presidents being locals.

At TMT, the retirement age is 58, but could be extended to 60, which means that Praphan still has many years to go.

At 50 years of age, Praphan is the youngest vice president ever at TMT, and many hope that the charismatic Thai executive could be the first local to have a crack at the company presidency, finally breaking a long tradition of a Japanese-led hierarchy.

But no matter what position he retires in, Praphan says that the important thing is that Toyota has taught him so much, from the day he walked into the recruitment office in 1991.

“I have learned so many important things (such as the Toyota Business Practice) after joining Toyota and that has made me much more capable person,” he says. “Employees love Toyota because the company takes care of them and their families from the day they join until the day they retire, and beyond that.”

“Not many companies in Thailand can do this,” he emphasized. “While many companies say that employees are their greatest asset, few are able to take care of their employees as well as Toyota. Our welfare, salary and bonuses are among the highest in the country.”

Up to 1,100 tokens can be accumulated at these locations, which can then be used to unlock promotions and discounts during the New Year’s celebration and until 31 January, 2019, the company said.

The campaign is expected to strengthen trust in HOT tokens by ensuring they can soon be used anywhere in Thailand, the company said.

Varoon Aroonsit, Chief Operating Officer, HotNow (Thailand) said: “Today’s launch of the HotNow x Pattaya Campaign will enhance awareness and encourage the use of HOT tokens in a wider area. We chose Pattaya as it is a major center for tourism and economic development in Thailand.

“This campaign will benefit our customers as well as large and small businesses as we offer measurable online marketing tools, while increasing trust in the real-life application of HOT tokens throughout Thailand. We are confident that the HotNow x Pattaya Campaign will help boost people’s spending there during the New Year’s holiday.”

For the campaign, the company has partnered with seven businesses including restaurants, cafés, beverage and ice cream shops, spas, and a hotel to offer special discounts and promotions to HotNow users.

They can receive privileges and collect from 50 up to 1,100 HOT tokens. These HOT tokens can be used during this campaign as well as in other future campaigns. The HotNow x Pattaya Campaign runs from today until 31 January, 2019.

The stores and hotel participating in the campaign are: Spa Café; Blue Tang Café & Bar; Ronin Japanese Restaurant; Pink Salmon Eatery & Bar; Yellow Submarine Pattaya; Na Spa; and The Leela Resort and Spa Hotel.

The HotNow application can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store by searching for “HotNow” then processing the registration and creating a HOT Wallet. HotNow offers 10 free HOT tokens as an entry bonus. These HOT tokens can be redeemed right away or accumulated for future redemptions and privileges. As a special offer, customers who press to get an instant Redemption Code shown on the HotNow promotional materials at the stores and hotel participating in the HotNow x Pattaya Campaign will get 50 free HOT tokens ready for redemption.

The award was given by Myanmar Employer Awards and Mercer, one of the world’s largest HR consulting firms.

The award category is based on the “Thrive45” questionnaire by Mercer. It comprises 45 questions that help measure and identify which aspects of Hilton’s culture and work environment are helping its employees to thrive.

“We are so honoured to receive this award. Every day we strive to foster a workplace culture that meet our employees’ health, well-being and professional development needs.

“As Hilton approaches its 100th year next year, we celebrate what drives our success, and that is our people and the incredible culture that we have built together,” said Veronique Sirault, new Cluster General Manager, Hilton in Myanmar.

The company said 2018 was another banner year for Hilton in Myanmar, as it won multiple accolades. Hilton Nay Pyi Taw won the first Asean MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) Awards as well as Amcham CSR Excellence Awards for three consecutive years for its pioneering capacity-building initiative, Hilton Vocational Training Center (HVTC). One of the HVTC graduates, Thae Thae Zaw, also took home a gold medal from the 2018 Myanmar Culinary Arts Competition.

This is the second year that Hilton has been awarded for talent management and development. Last year, Hilton received three Bronze Awards at the Myanmar Employer Awards International categories of Excellence in Workplace Environment, Rewards and Recognition, and Best Career Advancement. It was also shortlisted for Overall Best of the Best.

Hilton has been operating in Myanmar since October 2014.

“SCB has invested up to Bt40 billion to digitally transform our business structure over the past three years. We have been working relentlessly to execute the bank’s successful digital transformation,” Arthid Nanthawaithaya, president and chief executive officer of Siam Commercial Bank Plc (SCB), said recently.

SCB is among the banks that have transformed their business models – a key plank of which is that counter staff are increasingly providing financial advisory services, helping customers to better manage their money while moving beyond the traditional focus of guiding them on deposit or loan options.

SCB and its commercial banking peers, along with the state-owned lenders, are updating their business models with the use of digital tools to better serve ordinary customers and corporate clients in an era of changing expectations.

In the competition for personal customers, all the commercial banks and state-owned banks have been investing heavily in digital technology. Animated by the vision of a cashless society, they have been developing their mobile applications and other online services while also linking with strategic partners on the provision of additional financial services.

“Digital technology is presenting a big change for financial institutions,” Bank of Ayudhya’s head of SME Banking Group, Sayam Prasitsirikul, said recently.

“Fintech is the tool that is changing the finance business model in order to let customers do everything on their mobile phones, such as with payment systems using QR codes, blockchain, e-wallets and PromptPay.

“All of the new technology platforms are bringing about changes to the financial business model to reduce the need for the opening of new branches to serve customers’ demand. All financial firms have to move to develop their technology and digital platforms to serve the demands of both the corporate and consumer markets.”

For corporate clients, the banks not only need to continue providing loans but also assume the role of business partner in the companies’ growth plans.

That means serving as a financial adviser to help them manage their financial projects.

“Customers have to be at the centre of everything we do in terms of our service approach, and this approach has to be developed to ensure we serve our customers’ demands,” Arthid said.

Since 2017, most banks have been reducing the number of branches in their nationwide networks at a time when customers are increasingly switching to mobile banking. While some the banks are maintaining the number of branches they have, they are not adding to them.

According to a report by the Bank of Thailand, some 23 banks had 6,734 branches nationwide on December 7. The figures include Thai and overseas banks that have opened in Thailand, and represent a drop of 64 branches from a total of 6,789 branches at the same time last year.

SCB had 1,109 branches on December 7, a drop of 61 branches from the 1,170 branches it had at the same time last year. On the same date, Kasikornbank had 987 branches, a fall of 41 branches from the 1,028 branches outlets it had a year earlier.

According to the Bank of Thailand, 43.9 million customers had registered for PromptPay as of September 10 – with some 28.4 million of these registered by identity card and 15.4 million doing so by their mobile phones. By that date, the PromptPay service had recorded 530 million transactions.

“We have to reduce number of branches at those locations that have less transactions, as we also need to change the roles that our staff perform in the branches in order for them to provide financial advisory services, and not just counter services,” Arthid said.

Government Housing Bank (GHB) chief executive officer Chatchai Sirilai said that the bank is making progress with its shift to providing digital services and will complete the transition by the middle of 2019.

“Digital technology has changed our business model and that means we have moved into digital banking by developing our mobile application, GHB All, to provide all the functions required by customers, such as the ability to make monthly payments, apply for mortgages and make deposits and withdrawals,” Chatchai said.

“We have also created our QR Non Cash Payment service to meet the needs of the cashless society and have plans to make the service available next year. The new services are part of the shift in our business model to the provision of digital services for our customers.”

The coming year will see the advent of new digital services from the banks as part of the country’s transition towards a cashless society.

The challenge for the banks is how well they manage the adjustment towards offering a more comprehensive range of services, such as financial advisory, compared with the traditional preoccupation with interest rate spreads.

The banks and other financial institutions have to take active steps to create more income from digital streams by pursuing collaboration with other businesses. In this way, the increase in the range of services they offer will help ensure their sustainable growth.