Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan said on Monday that the Cabinet may be requested in October to approve collection of entry fees from foreign tourists, expected to be implemented early next year.
Pipat said the Naresuan University is studying the appropriate entry fee rate for foreign tourists arriving by land and the study should be done within this month.
“Then, the entry fee rates will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval in October,” Pipat said.
“Once approved, the rates will have to be published in the Royal Gazette and they will take effect 90 days later.”
Pipat said the enforcement of entry fee rates on foreign tourists will take effect early next year.
“I see it’s appropriate to start collecting entry fees in early 2023 because it would still be in the high tourism season,” Pipat said.
The National Tourism Policy Committee approved the Tourism and Sports Ministry’s proposal to collect a 300-baht fee from every tourist entering the country in January.
But Pipat later said it would not be fair to use the same rate for tourists who arrive by different modes of transport, so he had assigned the university to study the appropriate rate to be collected from tourists arriving by land.
Pipat said on Monday that tourists who arrive by land tend to stay for a shorter duration than those arriving by air.
He said the entry fee would be used to buy insurance for foreign tourists so that the government would not have to solely shoulder costs of treatments of foreign tourists injured in accidents.
He revelaed that the government spent about 300 million to 400 million baht each year for treating injured foreign tourists before the Covid pandemic.
Udon Thani, Buri Ram and Krabi airports will be put under the jurisdiction of Airports of Thailand (AOT) from early next year, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said on Monday.
He said the Cabinet had agreed in principle on August 30 to shift the management of the three airports from the ministry’s Department of Airports to AOT as of 2023.
Saksayam added that the Transport Ministry will consider the Finance Ministry’s opinions on transferring the airports’ management before it submits a final report to the Cabinet.
Airports of Thailand Plc is a public company with the Finance Ministry as its major shareholder.
“Basically, Airports of Thailand will manage the three airports,” the minister announced.
However, he said, the three airports will remain the property of the Treasury Department, while AOT will only be licensed to manage and use them for commercial purposes.
Before taking over, AOT is expected to deposit the value of all moveable assets in the three airports in the Department of Airports’ revolving fund, which will finance the management of other airports, Saksayam said.
He added that AOT has yet to come up with an operation plan for the three airports that is in line with the law and takes public interest into account.
Saksayam added that he has instructed AOT to come up with ways of directing passengers to other airports to prevent congestion in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.
“For instance, all domestic flights do not have to take off from Don Mueang Airport. New routes like Korat-Hua Hin or Korat-Chiang Mai can also be introduced,” he said.
A source from the Transport Ministry said AOT is planning to spend 3.52 billion baht to develop Udon Thani airport and has earmarked 460 million baht for Buri Ram airport.
The development budget for Krabi airport will be 5.22 billion baht if signs indicate that Phang Nga airport can start operating by 2031. If not, then the budget for Krabi airport will be increased to 6.49 billion baht, the source added.
The three airports will be upgraded into regional airports before they are turned into secondary flight hubs in the future, the source added.
The baht opened at 36.72 to the US dollar on Monday, strengthening from Friday’s close of 36.74.
The Thai currency will likely move between 36.65 and 36.85 against the greenback during the day and between 36.35 and 36.95 during the week, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool predicted.
He added that the baht might fluctuate and weaken as the market is in a risk-off state. The baht might also strengthen from a bearish divergence technical sign soon, he said and suggested monitoring foreign investors’ transactions and gold prices.
Meanwhile, the dollar could fluctuate and swing sideways due to demand for safe-haven assets.
He said that if the European Central Bank increases the interest rate and sends a signal to increase it continuously, it might support the euro and pressure the dollar.
The strategist advised investors to use hedging tools such as options to manage risks in a highly volatile currency market.
In the previous week, investors were in a risk-off state due to concerns that the US Federal Reserve might increase the interest rate, the lockdown measure in China and the energy crisis in Europe.
He said the market is waiting for the result of the European Central Bank’s meeting this week and a statement from the Fed’s chair or officials, to predict the direction of the monetary policy of central banks.
Below is a statement by Julia A. Simon, Chief Legal and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Mary Kay Inc., on the release of the 2022 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report.
According to a sobering finding from the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Gender Gap Report, gender parity is beyond reach in our lifetime. In fact, it will take 132 years for gender equality to become a reality and 151 years to close the economic participation and opportunity gender gap.
Not a single country from the 146 examined has reached parity.
That’s the bad news.
The good news? There’s still time to change all that. The 2022 findings have shaken me, but they have not deterred me. Nor should they deter you.
Gender equality is a prerequisite not only for human development—but sustainable economic growth. A rich body of data shows that without gender parity it is impossible to reduce poverty, attain food security, address climate impacts, or ensure a more peaceful and inclusive society. Gender parity isn’t a “nice to have.”
It’s also not just a perk of developed nations. It is an essential requirement for all countries to develop and prosper.
To mitigate further backsliding, the structural barriers limiting women’s labour market participation, including their re-entry and retention in the workforce following Covid-19, must be addressed.
Targeted policies which support women’s talent development in the industries of the future, and which accelerate their advancement to leadership and management positions, are also needed.
The private sector has a critical role to play in addressing gender gaps in the workplace and in developing the pipeline of women for leadership positions.
As a company founded by a barrier-breaking businesswoman almost 60 years ago, this is personal to Mary Kay.
In 2019, Mary Kay signed the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and in 2021 the company became a Commitment Maker to the Generation Equality Forum Action Coalitions to accelerate progress on gender equality to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mary Kay is participating in the 2022-2023 UN Global Compact Target Gender Equality accelerator programme to continue the implementation of ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation and leadership in the company and in our supply chain.
Leading by example and reflecting our belief in increased women’s inclusion, Mary Kay is putting our values and commitments into action:
Women’s Representation and Leadership at Mary Kay (Data from August 2022):
62% of our Global Workforce are Women 50% of our Executive Team are Women 53% of our Vice Presidents and above are Women 57% of our Directors and above are Women 59% of our Managers and above are Women 70% of our Market Leaders are Women 60% of our Leaders in our Top 10 Markets are Women
Gender-Responsive Procurement & Supplier Diversity at Mary Kay (U.S. only supply chain data from February 2021):
66% of our Procurement Team are Women 12% of our Indirect Suppliers are Women, Minority or Veteran-Owned 5% of our Direct Suppliers are Women, Minority or Veteran-Owned Our 10-year Sustainability Strategy, titled Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow, pursues a holistic approach to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment with the following key commitments to achieve by 2030:
Economically empower 5 million women worldwide
Ensure access to education for 250,000 women and girls globally Provide over 10 million women worldwide with gender-based violence support services, and
Develop a 10-year policy agenda to address women’s rights Inspired by our mission as an entrepreneurship development company founded by a woman for women, we are committed to advancing women’s entrepreneurship and dismantling the barriers to women’s economic empowerment.
We brought this vision to the United Nations in 2019 and, together with 6 UN agencies, we incepted the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator (WEA) to create an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs.
The time to act is now. Sitting on the sidelines and waiting 132 years is simply not an option.
The Sustainable Development Impact Meeting on “Advancing Gender Equality”, which takes place in New York this month, is an opportunity for leaders from the public and private sectors to identify tools and strategies to close the gender gap.
We owe it to future generations to mobilize our efforts to make the transformative changes that are so badly needed for women and girls.
TMB Thanachart Bank says it will compensate customers who were affected by the two-day outage of its ttb touch mobile banking app.
In an announcement posted on its website on Saturday, the bank apologised for the disruption to app services on Thursday and Friday.
The announcement said although the app is back online, the backlog of transactions might mean certain users find it hard to access mobile banking services.
The bank advised those who experience difficulty logging in to wait for a moment before trying again.
It also announced the following four measures to compensate users of the app:
– The issuing fee for new TMB debit cards will be exempted this month.
– Current debit card holders will have their annual fee reduced to reflect the two-day app outage.
– Customers who carry out inter-bank ORFT (Online Retail Funds Transfer) transactions at TMB ATM machines will be exempted from fees throughout this month.
– Customers who use the app to pay monthly instalments will be compensated in two cases:
Those who make loan repayments to TMB will be exempted from late-payment penalties and interest incurred during the two-day downtime.
Delicate authentic flavours are not enough to ensure success in the Thai fine-dining business today. Adding consciousness about sustainability is a key to level up, according to Blue Elephant, a well-known global Thai fine restaurant chain.
Thai cuisine is popular around the world because it is marketed as the healthiest meal which the rich of herbs. Many non-Thai customers visit Thai restaurants around the world. In 2017, seven Thai dishes were named in CNN Travel’s “World’s 50 Best Foods” list, which was based on an online poll of 35,000 people.
According to statista.com, revenue in Thai food market amounts to US$65.31 billion in 2022. The market is expected to grow annually by 5.83 per cent.
Blue Elephant Group and Blue Spices Vice Managing Director Kevin Somany discusses his goals and challenges after half-inheriting this 42-year-old Thai fine-dining restaurant in an exclusive interview with The Nation in order to stay at the forefront of this competitive market.
Blue Elephant, which opened in Brussels, Belgium in 1980, was one of the first well-known Thai fine dining restaurants among foreigners.
After years of tremendous success, the Blue Elephant Restaurant and Cooking School returned to its homeland, opening in Bangkok in 2002, followed by a Phuket branch in 2010. The Blue Spice factory, the Blue Elephant group’s manufacturing arm, was then opened in 2006.
Kevin concedes that the authentic taste of genuine traditional Thai cuisine at Blue Elephant restaurants, and their other spice products, such as curry pastes, sauces and seasonings, have given them global recognition. These key elements, however, cannot be their sole unique selling points to sustain the business in the long run.
Adding more items to the menu, creating more products and more services will help, but they will not be enough to make Blue Elephant and Blue Spices any different from other Thai restaurants, he points out.
“When you come out with any new products, it has to have something unique beyond normal standards,” Kevin says, and that’s when he discovered the critical part of the sustainability factor.
Kevin says that Blue Elephant has been concerned about people, the community, and the environment since its inception. It is the guiding principle of chef Nooror Somany Steppe and her husband, restaurant founder Karl Steppe.
Hence, all he needs to do now is make those principles visible and concrete.
That’s when he and his management team decided to go for a makeover in the packaging of all Blue Spices products, including their pastes, sauces, spices, and cooking sets in 2020.
“The change is in the very small details, you have to observe closely to see it,” says Kevin, as he demonstrates their products.
All the cardboard used for packaging is 100 per cent from trees certified by Forest Stewardship Council, meaning the trees are harvested from forests that are responsibly managed, socially beneficial, environmentally conscious and economically viable.
Besides, the packaging has been redesigned to eliminate the use of plastic film coating, no more see-through windows to prevent a plastic, non-toxic water-based matted coating, and a smart lock pack to eliminate the use of glue or Polyvinyl chloride sticker.
Furthermore, the package is labelled with a new logo to certify that the improvement is in the nature of more eco-friendly packaging, Kevin points out.
“As Blue Elephant, no one doubts our quality and the authentic Thai traditional taste. However, in every change, we have to add a bit more level of delicacy that will please our customers,” Kevin noted.
He says that the market has reacted favourably to the products. Blue Elephant sold 3.5 million units of products just before Covid. With people staying at home during the pandemic and a growing interest in Thai cuisine, it peaked at 4.6 million units, with curry pastes accounting for 70 per cent of sales.
However, he believes that a part of the reason people from other countries choose Blue Elephant is not only the savoury flavours, but also the innovative eco-friendly packaging.
According to a study on “Thai Cuisine to Global Market” by Napavarn Noparatnaraporn, an expert in biodiversity, one of the most important things that draws customers’ attention is creative and distinct packaging. Furthermore, food producers must be concerned about society, the environment, and the global food market in the near future.
“Our biggest market is the USA, followed by Switzerland, Austria, Israel and Hong Kong. The Netherlands, despite a year-long disruption, could be added to this list as it has always been in the top 3 and is about to be back in the top 5,” says Kevin.
Kevin is currently moving forward with his plan to expand its Pathum Thani factory, where work was temporarily suspended due to the pandemic. The new factory will be twice the size of the old one and will begin production in 2024.
“The demand is growing stronger and stronger. With the factory expansion, we can increase production, manpower, and use a more sustainable method. We are in the midst of a young generation that is just stepping in. Hopefully, we will be able to continue for the next hundred years,” Kevin states.
Blue Spices now has four main product categories: ready to cook, ready to eat, ready to heat, and ingredients.
“I think Blue Elephant is a great concept and my dream would be to have one Blue Elephant in every major city in the world. There are many places that deserve to have a Blue Elephant restaurant,” Kevin says.
Currently, there are four Blue Elephant restaurants in operation: Bangkok, Phuket, Copenhagen, and Malta. They did, however, manage to expand their Blue Spice products to 45 countries worldwide, with more new markets on the way.
In addition, they provide cooking-based curry pastes, dipping and dressing sauce to airlines, hotels, and Thai restaurants as well as Thai cooking classes.
Sustainability has been a buzzword for many years as a result of the global environmental crisis. The United Nations declared climate change an emergency and urged all parties to do more to protect the environment.
The term is also thought to be a key secret to success for many businesses looking to expand and is projected to skyrocket in developing economies and emerging markets in the coming years
Fortune Business Insights found out that the global green technology and sustainability market is expected to grow from $13.76 billion in 2022 to $51.09 billion by 2029.
The Business Development Department expects hotel booking and tour businesses to experience growth this year after suffering a massive drop in revenue for two years.
In its recent report, the department said these two types of businesses saw their combined revenue of 123.79 billion in 2019 fall by 70.42 per cent to 36.42 billion in 2020 and again by 61.08 per cent from the previous year to 14.25 billion baht in 2021.
The department attributed this drop to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns that kept tourists away.
This year, however, the department is upbeat about the two businesses enjoying growth, especially with several indicators pointing to an upward trend in travel.
The report also cited a forecast from the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce, which said some 6 million to 8 million tourists can be expected to visit Thailand in the second half of this year and this would generate revenue of up to 50 billion baht per month.
Another indicator is the registration of new tourism and hotel-booking businesses this year, the report said.
From January to July this year, 549 new tourism-related companies have been registered with a capital of 988.53 million, marking a 169.12 per cent increase year on year.
The report said the lifting of travel restrictions and the fact that Thailand has destinations that can be visited all year are factors that will encourage foreign arrivals and encourage travel by local people, thus boosting the growth of related businesses.
Cartier is bringing new timeless appeals of the TANK watch, a compelling timepiece treasured generation after generation, by introducing the newest version of TANK LOUIS CARTIER that stands out for its rectangle-within-a-rectangle dial buoyed by the intensity of red, Maison’s signature colour, and anthracite grey.
Complementing this duo, TANK MUST feature timeless aesthetics of a deep black dial that characterises its understated look and feel.
TANK LOUIS CARTIER
For Cartier, time is here and now. Pure lines, perfect form and precise proportions: these enduring watches stand out as readily in their own time as they will in the future. The Tank watch is a prime example of being utterly timeless.
FROM TANK TO TANK LOUIS CARTIER
REVISITING AN INSPIRATION
Two signature brancards and a clean rectangle punctuating the strap: this is the Tank watch, created in 1917 and cherished generation after generation since. Like an idea with endless possibilities, or a “founding concept” according to Louis Cartier, it paved the way for many different versions.
In 1922, the design of the Tank watch was reworked: the case was elongated, the brancards were refined and the angles softened.
The resulting Tank Louis Cartier would go on to borrow the monochrome dials of its sister and of the Tank Must, born in 1977. In 2021, Cartier revealed a Tank Louis Cartier watch whose dial featured the rectangle-within-a-rectangle motif that first appeared on a Must de Cartier watch from the 1980s.
RED AND GREY
TECHNICAL INNOVATION AND MONOCHROME WITH A TWIST
This year, the Tank Louis Cartier watch brings with it a new radical elegance buoyed by the intensity of the monochrome dials: red, Maison’s signature colour, and anthracite grey, a shade borrowed from the Cartier watchmaking palette.
In addition to this, it has been further refined: from the twelve classic hour marks, just four remain and the rail track is absent. Appearing monochrome at first glance, the Tank Louis Cartier watch, depending on the light and the way you view it, reveals a vibrancy that is rich in shade and depth.
To achieve this effect, Cartier’s watchmaking craftsmen used—for the first time at Cartier—an innovative electrochemical engraving technique that allows for very high-precision markings: these almost invisible markings, carried out in different directions, form a group of sections and areas which recreates the graphic pattern featured on the dial of a Cartier Must watch from the 1980s. Techniques used for colouring differ: lacquer for the red dial and a galvanised finish for the grey dial.
The dials are then enhanced with a glossy, multi-layered decal that accentuates the Roman numerals. The engraving creates reflective effects and optical variations that modify our very perception of colour.
THE TANK MUST
MEETS BLACK
Even more radical and intense, the third version of the Tank Louis Cartier complements this duo with its deep black dial. The bright lacquer contrasts with the radiance of the gold case. A family affair, yes, but two watches with strong character nonetheless.
Embodying the spirit of the 1970s and 80s, the Tank Must applies the visual style of the early Tank Louis Cartier watches to steel. This great aesthetic potential feeds the inspiration of Cartier’s watchmakers and inspires ongoing cycles of creative exploration.
Fully redesigned in 2021 to be as close as possible to the Tank Louis Cartier, the 2022 edition of the Tank Must features an all-black dial. Timeless, understated and mounted on steel, this is a watch rich in character and without distraction or compromise. This new version is now available in both small and large models.
Mercedes-Benz AG announced the appointment of Martin Schwenk as the new President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Limited, succeeding Roland Folger who will take over a new position at Mercedes-Benz’s headquarter in Germany, effective from January 1, 2023.
Under his leadership at Mercedes-Benz Thailand, Roland Folger has contributed to the sustainable growth of the company and the structural optimization of Mercedes-Benz’s dealer network in Thailand.
His support and dedication to the electrification of Mercedes-Benz brand, including his initiatives on the preparation of battery and electric vehicle production as well as the Charge to Change movement, have been the key to success ahead of the trends.
Roland’s managing of the digitalization drive has enabled the company to achieve measurable results for an online business for both sales and customer service.
Martin Schwenk who will succeed Folger on January 1, 2023, started his career in 1992 when he joined the ‘Mercedes-Benz-Nachwuchsgruppe’ in Stuttgart as a quality engineer.
After several functions in Quality and Finance at the MB Plant in Rastatt, Germany, he headed the Controlling department for the newly established Production Planning in Sindelfingen.
From 2006 to 2015, he was in charge of different Finance and Controlling functions in South Africa, and Austria and as CFO of MBUSI in the United States.
In 2015, Martin relocated to Beijing, to assume the role of CFO for the Mercedes-Benz Sales organization in China. He contributed to the success of Mercedes-Benz brand in China and exerted a strong impact on the progress of many critical projects and business processes.
On November 1, 2018, Martin took over as the Managing Director & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India.
Martin played a key role in preparing Mercedes-Benz India for the future transition of the automotive industry, by driving electrification and digitalization initiatives.
He contributed to formulating Mercedes-Benz’s growth strategy that includes the market introduction of key ICE products, pioneering luxury EV journey with the EQC, transforming the retail network strategy with MAR 2020 retail format, and successful implementation of the ‘Retail of the Future’ business model in India.
During his tenure, Mercedes-Benz India successfully mitigated the Covid-19 crisis, emerging stronger as a resilient organization. His vision, strategic collaborations, and deep engagement with people, partners and customers, enormously contributed to building a future-ready, transparent and highly people-centric organization.
Upon his appointment, the company is certain that, with three decades of experience in the automotive industry across several continents, Schwenk will drive business growth and lead Mercedes-Benz Thailand to achieve new heights in an exciting future of emerging mobility trends.
“Boonrawd Supply Chain Co., Ltd.,” the supply chain service and full distribution solution provider nationwide, joins forces with “Pongrawee Company Limited,” which specializes in logistics for high maintenance materials like chemicals and petroleum products, to boost the capabilities and business potential in Thailand and the region.
Mr. Piti Bhirom Bhakdi, Chairman of the Board Boon Rawd Supply Chain Co., Ltd reveals that the company had its eyes set on long-term growth, and elevating its distribution and logistics game is one of the company’s core strategies. In the past years, the company has partnered with world-class businesses like “Linfox” which specializes in storage management and logistics from Australia. The global technology, knowledge, and methods, paired with the company’s strength in the nationwide distribution network, will bring our logistics capabilities to new heights, not only just in Thailand but in the region as well.
Furthermore, Boonrawd Supply Chain has planned to expand its distribution and logistics business to meet the market’s demands. The company has recently joined hands with ASEAN-level partners like PONGRAWE Co., Ltd., an expert in delivering dangerous goods like chemical or petroleum products to leading companies. Pongrawee now operates with over 350 vehicles to serve its clients and over 14 processing centers nationwide in Chiang Mai, Lampang, Khon Kaen, Yasothorn, Pichit, Chant, Saraburi, Pathumthani, Bangkok, Samut Prawn, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, and Rayong.
Pongrawee is a trusted partner and has been certified by institutions like the British Standards Institution and Department of Land Transport and has been awarded from both national and international clients like PTT, Shell Thailand, Esso Thailand, and Oil Industry Environmental Safety Group Association.
While Boonrawd Supply Chain is an expert in managing supply chains with a nationwide distribution network and aims to build capabilities at a regional level with four services available: logistics, customer, planning, and Digital services. The company can hold up to 310,000 square meters of goods, which accounts for over 380 million pieces per year. With over 13 distribution centers nationwide, the company can distribute products over 180,000 trips per year to more than 250 Thai wholesalers and 300,000 retailers.
This partnership will bring Boonrawd’s strength in managing supply chain with a nationwide distribution network and combine it with Pongrawee’s capabilities in distributing dangerous goods to deliver a complete logistics business and lead to new business capabilities, leveraging the economy of scale to grow side by side with clients in Thailand and the whole region.
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