Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath and Director-General Witchu Vejjajiva of the Department of American and South Pacific Affairs, Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with other distinguished guests, broke ground today on a new Embassy annex that is emblematic of the U.S.-Thai relationship: rooted in history and forward-looking.
Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath commented, “In 2017 we marked 200 years of friendship between our two nations. In 2020 we celebrated both the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Consulate General in Chiang Mai, as well as the groundbreaking of a new Consulate compound.
I am proud to break new ground with you today on this latest example of our commitment to a shared future with Thailand.”
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U.S. Embassy and Distinguished Guests Celebrate Start of Construction of New Building
“All the U.S. Embassy office buildings in Thailand represent so much more than bricks and mortar; they embody the amity and spirit of cooperation – symbolizing the commitment to forging ahead with Thailand through thick and thin and on the basis of our shared values and mutual interests,” said Director-General Witchu. “This new building will both symbolize and synergize our common aspirations and joint efforts in the future,” he continued.
U.S. Embassy and Distinguished Guests Celebrate Start of Construction of New Building
The design of the building and grounds reflect Thai cultural heritage, with areas that resemble Thailand’s chaan style of shaded gathering spaces and Lanna design features inspired by traditional Northern architecture.
At the same time, the state-of-the art building, which is expected to be completed in 2025, targets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification and incorporates environmentally friendly design elements, such as a rainwater and storm water management system and energy recovery air conditioning systems. These design features and construction technologies will reduce our demand for non-renewable energies and ease the burden on the city’s utilities.
U.S. Embassy and Distinguished Guests Celebrate Start of Construction of New Building
To honor Bangkok’s history and the site’s beautiful flora, the new annex incorporates green space to showcase the natural beauty of Thailand, while reducing the heat-island effect associated with urban development. With the restoration of the two historic Salas, we are providing additional space to gather outside and to respect our shared history.
U.S. Embassy and Distinguished Guests Celebrate Start of Construction of New Building
This new building, which will be housed on the existing U.S. Embassy compound, will centralize Embassy operations, modernize our platform for diplomacy and consular services, and strengthen the foundation of cooperation and collaboration between our nations.
Vietjet plans to resume domestic services connecting Vietnams transportation hub of Ho Chi Minh City with Quy Nhon, Thanh Hoa, Tuy Hoa, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang with a daily return flight each from October 10, 2021.
Vietjet plans to resume domestic services connecting Vietnam’s transportation hub of Ho Chi Minh City with Quy Nhon, Thanh Hoa, Tuy Hoa, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang with a daily return flight each from October 10, 2021. The airline also looks to operate two services from Thanh Hoa to Nha Trang and to Phu Quoc with two return flights per week. All services will implement seat spacing in accordance with the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam’s regulations between October 10-19, 2021.
Detailed information of flight schedule and ticket booking will be updated at www.vietjetair.com and Vietjet Air mobile app as well as ticket offices and official agents once approved.
All of Vietjet’s aircraft are equipped HEPA filter system that filters up to 99.7% of dust particles, bacteria and viruses. All frontline staff serving passengers have been fully vaccinated, regularly tested for Covid-19 and fully equipped with the high-standard protection equipment.
To comply with the pandemic prevention regulations while enjoying safe and convenient flights, passengers are required to practice 5K principles, including wearing a face mask, disinfecting, keeping a distance, no gathering, and declaring health. Within 24 hours before their scheduled departure time, passengers are expected to carry out online check-in via www.vietjetair.com or Vietjet Air mobile app as well as declaring regulated medical information at https://vnkm.yte.gov.vn.
The annual Global Compact Network Thailand (GCNT) Forum 2021 will this year be held online on October 11, 2021.
The Global Compact Network in Thailand, in partnership with the United Nations in Thailand is organizing the GCNT Forum, which brings together a broad range of delegates to discuss strategies on maximizing the positive contribution of business to Thailand’s climate leadership and chart a path to a more inclusive future.
With the theme ‘Thailand’s Climate Leadership Summit 2021: A New Era of Accelerated Actions’, this year’s event will focus on the role private sector leadership can play to move towards carbon neutrality in Thailand against the grim backdrop of the climate crisis. General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand, will deliver opening remarks.
Thanyaporn Krichtitayawuth, Executive Director at GCNT, said that climate change is a more serious threat to humanity than the COVID-19 crisis, which may eventually disappear. Climate change is one of the most pressing and challenging issues in sustainable development as has been confirmed by recent scientific reports. Our world is experiencing worsening global warming: intense wildfires, rising sea levels, melting Polar ice caps and reduced snowfall all culminating in the year 2020 being the world’s warmest year on record.
The central objective of the Paris Agreement is to hold the increase in global average temperatures to 1.5-degree Celsius from pre-industrial levels. Despite this, the year 2020 saw a 1.2-degree Celsius of warming, pointing to the severity of the current situation. The former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said: “There is no Plan B because there is no Planet B” – all this means we must take serious action now to preserve tomorrow as there is no spare planet.
Normally held in Bangkok, the Forum this year is virtual, with more than 70 GCNT members, private sector organizations and stakeholders in Thailand mobilized to work together through a “solutions-oriented” approach to mitigate the climate challenge. At the same time, they will take stock of progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country since last year’s forum, focusing on responsible business commitments and the role Thai private sector can play in charting the next steps to address climate change.
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The opening segment will be chaired by high-level delegates including General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand; H.E. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand; Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact; Suphachai Chearavanont, Chairperson of GCNT; Gita Sabharwal, UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand; Dr. Pakorn Peetathawatchai, President of Stock Exchange of Thailand; and Ruenvadee Suwanmongkol, Secretary-General, Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand.
Global Compact, United Nations to accelerate Thailand’s business leadership on climate action
Leading companies in Thailand which are expected to take part in the event include Charoen Pokphand Group Company Limited., Thai Beverage Public Company Limited., CP ALL Public Company Limited., Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited., HSBC Thailand., Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Company Limited., NR Instant Produce Public Company Limited., True Corporation Public Company Limited., Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited., BCPG Public Company Limited, C.P. INTERTRADE Company Limited., Charoen Pokphand Produce Company Limited., IRPC Public Company Limited., Ek-chai Distribution System Company Limited., Siam Makro Public Company Limited., Oklin (Thailand) Company Limited., Pranda Group, PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited, PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited, PTT Public Company Limited., Thai Oil Public Company Limited. and Krungthai Bank Public Company Limited. Representatives from the United Nations will also be speaking at the GCNT Forum, including UNIDO, UNEP, and UNDP.
Exclusive Travel Guides Offer Insider Intel On What’s New/Next In Design, Music, Fashion And Wellness In Nine W Hotels Destinations
There are no strangers when you travel, only friends you haven’t met yet. W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, today announced an exciting collaboration with LUXE City Guides – to curate a series of print and digital travel guides packed with insider information for W Hotels guests in nine W Hotels destinations including Bali, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Osaka, Shanghai, Singapore, Suzhou and Xi’an. The look of the W Hotels LUXE City Guide is influenced by Spring/Summer 2022 trends, with fabulous, eye-catching colours and layouts brimming with the know-how of a savvy local pal.
“The W brand’s mission has always been to fuel our guests’ lust for life by providing them with access to the latest trends and immersive experiences unique to each city, and the W Hotels LUXE City Guide is the latest example of what we do,” said Jennie Toh, Vice President Brand Marketing and Management, Marriott International Asia Pacific. “As everyone gets ready to jetset once again, the guide will be the perfect resource for new/next discoveries for those waiting to rediscover the joy of travel.”
The W Hotel LUXE City Guide provides a plethora of quick, to-the-point travel tips in a 24-hour timeline format, including where to go, what to see and which eateries are not to be missed in each destination. The guide taps into the W brand’s DNA by inspiring guests to connect with each city and culture through the approaches of great music, design, fashion and FUEL – the brand’s unique take on wellness. By directing visitors to the best spots for interesting art, delectable eats and local fun, the guide empowers guests to make the most out of every trip.
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Discovering Xi’an’s Other Underground Scene
The bold and bright W Xi’an tantalizes with step-out balconies offering fantastic panoramas of the historic city, welcoming guests with inspired culinary offerings at its three dining spots, as well as bespoke cocktail selections at its signature WOOBAR. The LUXE guide’s advice for 24 hours in Xi’an starts with grabbing street snacks for breakfast and a scenic bike ride around the city walls, whizzing past Xi’an old and new. A Shaanxi cuisine lunch is recommended behind the local market in a casual alfresco courtyard, while the evening is dedicated to cocktails and beers in underground-style speakeasies and local taprooms, or a refreshing soak and scrub at a classic local bathhouse.
Detox And Retox In Osaka
W Osaka blends Japan’s cultural heritage with bold contemporary designs in an atmosphere of playful chic and seamless luxury, immersing guests in extraordinary social and culinary experiences. A day in Osaka can begin with an onsen hot spring experience in the morning, followed by a visit to a local indie art gallery and people-watching at Orange Street, lined with boutiques and cafés. Night owls can sample chicken sashimi at Osaka’s only Michelin-starred yakitori joint, or party the night away at the city’s clubs and nightspots which are open till 5:00 AM.
On The Go In Melbourne
Holding the back-lane entrance keys to what’s new/next in the city CBD and taking its design cues from the streets of Australia’s cultural capital, W Melbourne is a playground where the early risers to the late-night revellers can mingle. In Melbourne, guests are encouraged to take a bicycle trek into the Australian outback, cycling along the Yarra River before refueling at an Edwardian-era boathouse showcasing contemporary Australian cuisine. Guests can make a quick stop for a refreshing dip in the pool back at W Melbourne before setting off again to sample the city’s fantastic bars, eateries and nightlife in the evening.
“LUXE City Guides are a trusted source for ultra-researched travel and lifestyle information curated by expert teams of locals,” said Simon Westcott, CEO and Owner of LUXE City Guides. “The super-charged energy of W Hotels celebrates its guests’ endless appetites to discover what’s new/next in design, music, fashion and wellness. With the theme of UNLEASH YOUR CURIOSITY, the W Hotels LUXE City Guide sets the scene for next-level travel knowledge, providing valuable destination-insider info through the vibrant lens of W.”
Throughout October, pop-up events celebrating the launch of the W Hotels LUXE City Guide will take place in W Hotels across Singapore, Suzhou and Xi’an. The pop-ups will showcase the nine destinations in the guide and feature scrumptious bites and sips that are virtual passports to the fun, charm and magic of each city.
The W Hotels LUXE City Guide is available in English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. For more information, guests can connect with the W Insider at any W hotel for a copy of the guide, or access the destination content available at https://www.whotels-asiapacific.com/luxecityguides. Guests are invited to join the conversation on Instagram @whotels @luxecityguides and hashtag #UnleashYourCuriosity #WLuxeCityGuides.
The webinar will be joined by industry experts from FTI, SET, KPMG in Thailand and SUNSWEET PCL.
KPMG in Thailand, together with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), the Market for Alternative Investment (mai), and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is hosting a webinar “LiVE Exchange on New Alternatives for Thai SMEs and Startups in the Capital Market” (ทางเลือกใหม่ของ SMEs และ Startups ไทยในตลาดทุน). The webinar, opened to interested SMEs and Startups, will be on Thursday, 7 October 2021, 10:00-12:00.
The webinar will be joined by industry experts from FTI, SET, KPMG in Thailand and SUNSWEET PCL.
Phuket’s local authorities and marine department have now announced sandbox visitors are no longer restricted to the use of public piers for their tour departures.
Royal Phuket Marina is pleased to announce our efforts have been successful in convincing the local authorities and Phuket’s Committee of Communicable Disease, that Phuket’s SHA Plus+ approved marinas are safe and secure departure points for boat tours and yacht charters, taking Sandbox visitors to enjoy Phuket’s beautiful surrounding waters and islands.
Phuket’s local authorities and marine department have now announced sandbox visitors are no longer restricted to the use of public piers for their tour departures. With immediate effect, Royal Phuket Marina is an approved pier and destination for speedboat excursions operated by SHA Plus+ certified tour boat operators, and day trips aboard luxury yachts.
A pioneer in sustainability in Phuket, the 5 Gold Anchor award-winning Royal Phuket Marina was the first marina in Thailand to switch to renewable energy, using the latest solar technology. It was also the first in Thailand to be awarded the ‘Clean Marina Accreditation’, meeting the strict requirements of the ‘Clean Marina Program’ of the Marina Industries Association.
This MoU was concluded in order to strengthen the cooperation between Japan and Thailand in digital-related fields. The cooperation that will occur under this MOU includes promoting opportunities for Thai startups to be known internationally and supporting startups from Japan and abroad to be recognized in Thailand.
Krungsri (Bank of Ayudhya PCL) and Krungsri Finnovate continue to support investment in Thai startups toward innovation technology domestically and globally by synergizing with MUFG and MUFG Innovation Partners to collaborate with the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa). The partnership aims to maximize potentials and support Thai startups in building their growth to expand to the international market. The cooperation also includes business activities to draw Japanese and international startups to Thailand.
The virtual signing ceremony for this Memorandum of Understanding was held on October 6, 2021. On this occasion, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO, The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) together with Mr. Nobuya Kawasaki, Executive Officer, Managing Director and Head of Global Commercial Banking Planning Division, MUFG Bank; Mr. Nobutake Suzuki, President & CEO, MUFG Innovation Partners; Mr. Seiichiro Akita, Krungsri President and Chief Executive Officer; Mr. Yoshiyuki Horio, Krungsri Head of Japanese Corporate and Multinational Banking (JPC/MNC Banking); and Mr. Sam Tanskul, Managing Director at Krungsri Finnovate, participated as the representatives of each organization in this virtual signing ceremony.
This MoU was concluded in order to strengthen the cooperation between Japan and Thailand in digital-related fields. The cooperation that will occur under this MOU includes promoting opportunities for Thai startups to be known internationally and supporting startups from Japan and abroad to be recognized in Thailand. The MoU also includes encouraging potential startups and entrepreneurs to participate in business matching and seminars, sharing challenges and seeking solutions with business partners, expanding investment candidates for Krungsri Finnovate and MUFG Innovation Partners, and regularly exchanging information in ASEAN countries and Japan. With the signing of this MOU, business opportunities will also be expanded to investors through Krungsri and MUFG’s network both domestically and internationally.
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Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO, The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), said “depa intends to take this opportunity for supporting potential Thai digital startup entrepreneurs to participate in the international exhibitions for building connection, such as foreign government agencies and Venture Capital (VC) and expanding their market through various projects under this MOU. We will also encourage potential digital startup partners to participate in Krungsri-MUFG Virtual Business Matching, and expand business opportunities to investors both in Japan and aboard. In the first year, we emphasize on investing in Agri-tech, Ed-tech and Fin-tech, which we have potential 26 digital startups to participate in this promotion.”
Krungsri President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Seiichiro Akita, said “Krungsri and MUFG are pleased to collaborate with The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) to reinforce cooperation between startup companies that can help support the digital networking and growth of startup businesses in Thailand and Japan, which will contribute to the economic and industrial development of both countries.”
“As part of Krungsri’s 2021-2023 Medium-Term Business Plan, we aim to build the ecosystem and partnership, and develop digital and information technology. The collaboration through this MOU resonates with our vision and mission to strengthen the Thai startup ecosystem by supporting a new generation of Tech-startup and tech industries in this country as they thrive. We believe that our expertise together with MUFG strong network can support business expansion for startups in Thailand and abroad and ultimately reinforce the continuation of Thailand’s economic growth.”
Biotechnology company Moderna, under intense pressure to send more of its coronavirus vaccine to lower-income countries, announced Thursday it would build a manufacturing plant in Africa capable of producing 500 million doses of messenger RNA vaccines a year.
The announcement follows tensions between the Biden administration and Moderna that boiled over in the last week, including at a contentious meeting Friday, as the U.S. government urges the biotechnology company to send more coronavirus vaccines to lower-income countries, according to multiple people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose private conversations.
For months, the U.S. government has pleaded with Moderna to boost its domestic and international production so it can ramp up donations to low- and middle-income countries. But in two meetings during the last week, Biden administration officials have grown exasperated over the biotechnology company’s refusal to commit to doing so, the people said.
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One senior U.S. official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said the government pushed Moderna to commit to 1 billion doses for low- and middle-income countries by the end of 2022. But Moderna responded with a proposal that did not meet the Biden administration’s expectations, as the company said it does not have the capacity to ramp up production immediately.
The manufacturing facility Moderna pledged on Thursday to build in Africa will not have an immediate impact on the coronavirus pandemic because it will take two to four years to build. The new facility comes after the Biden administration asked Moderna months ago to boost its international production in Africa, the U.S. official said.
The Biden administration’s frustration with Moderna in recent months stems in part from the recognition that the company partnered with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to invent its vaccine, and that the U.S. government gave Moderna billions of taxpayer dollars to underwrite research and development of the vaccines, and for purchase of doses.
“We look forward to seeing exactly what they will do,” the senior Biden administration official said. “We are in intense discussions to expand capacity to increase the number of doses they are providing to low- and middle-income countries in the shorter term.”
U.S. officials feel the company has not done enough to boost production to send doses overseas, and instead, prioritized its own profits.
The White House declined to comment.
Moderna did not immediately respond to a request for comment about tensions with the Biden administration.
Just this week, three people associated with Moderna were among the 44 new billionaires on Forbes’s list of the 400 richest Americans. Making their debut on this year’s list: Moderna’s chairman, Noubar Afeyan, one of the U.S. biotech company’s founders; board member Robert S. Langer, also a co-founder; and early investor Timothy A. Springer.
“We played a lot of scenarios over the last couple of months and decided we should do something big in Africa. The only way to do it right, if you take a 5-to-10-year view, was to build our own plant like we’ve done in America, so that’s exactly the model,” Moderna chief executive Stéphane Bancel said in an interview.
Creating manufacturing capabilities in underserved areas of the world has become a major goal for public health advocates amid stark inequities in global access to coronavirus vaccines. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found that nearly two-thirds of people in wealthy countries have received at least one dose of a vaccine, compared with 2% in low-income countries.
The United States has already committed to donating more than 1.1 billion doses of coronavirus vaccine to the world, including two purchases of 500 million doses each of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Last month, President Joe Biden convened a virtual global summit focused on vaccinating the world’s population. The president called on global leaders to fully vaccinate 70% of the world’s population by next September.
“This is an all-hands-on-deck crisis,” Biden said. “And the good news is, we know how to beat this pandemic: vaccines, public health measures and collective action.”
Moving manufacturing into less-wealthy countries is one possible solution to the lack of global supply, but many advocates favor transferring the technology to local companies to ensure that countries have the ability to respond to new threats, and to ensure their doses do not end up exported elsewhere in the world.
“There’s this monopolistic grip of a few countries that really controls the narrative, and the availability and the access of lifesaving medical resources – and there’s enormous global resentment about that,” said Lawrence O. Gostin, a global health law expert at Georgetown Law. “Donations always seem to come too late, and be insufficient. . . . Opening up manufacturing plants in other countries is certainly a step forward, but it doesn’t really change the dynamic.”
Bancel said the company has not decided where the factory will be, but that the doses made there would remain in Africa, and Moderna would recruit and train a local workforce. He said the factory would manufacture the mRNA that goes into the vaccines and encase it in the protective lipid bubble that delivers the vaccine and keeps it stable. He said details were still being worked out about where the vaccines would go into vials.
Moderna has a large pipeline of mRNA vaccines in development beyond covid-19, including to protect against respiratory viruses, tropical viruses and HIV.
“We really want to get all the know-how and so on in Africa, so they can make vaccines, if there is an Ebola outbreak, they can use the plant for things like that,” Bancel said.
Gostin said building plants in lower-income countries was a step forward but emphasized that local control, ownership and expertise matters. He drew a comparison to China’s “belt and road initiative” in which the Chinese government built infrastructure in other countries.
“It’s helpful to have the shiny hospital or the shiny manufacturing plant or the shiny clinic, but what you really want is to have the infrastructure that belongs to the country, with trained, capable people running that infrastructure,” Gostin said.
Other efforts to create homegrown mRNA vaccines are already taking place.
University of Pennsylvania researcher Drew Weissman, one of the scientists whose work undergirds the coronavirus vaccines, has worked with Thailand to help design a mRNA vaccine.
GreenLight Biosciences, a start-up company that has been making RNA for agricultural applications, is working toward making mRNA vaccines with a different manufacturing process that could be easier to scale up. GreenLight plans to launch a clinical trial in Africa next year.
The Nation Thailand has a chat with Mr. Chris Wailes, Managing Director of Volvo Car (Thailand) Limited, on the automaker’s strategy for 2022.
The Nation Thailand has a chat with Mr.Chris Wailes, Managing Director of Volvo Car (Thailand) Limited, on the automaker’s strategy for 2022.
Q: Volvo cars have, for decades, been seen as the safest cars in the world. Is this still part of Volvo’s core strategy today?
A: Yes, I mean safety has been part of Volvo’s heart and DNA since 1927, when the company was first founded. It has remained a cornerstone of what we do. But as times change, technology changes… people tend to look at safety in a slightly different way. And what we’re looking at in particular is how we continue to make electric cars.
Pure electric cars are the safest in the world as they utilize new technologies that are available, from sensors to laser radar, in different forms. We still believe both today and as well as tomorrow that we will continue to be one of the safest cars in the world. So, it will always be. We will use technology and showcase our technology to make our customers’ lives much easier when they’re driving the car because it will be very simple to use and will only intervene when is necessary.
Mr.Chris Wailes, Managing Director of Volvo Car (Thailand) Limited
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Q: With the changing car market in Thailand, and as you say the electric car is now the world trend, what is Volvo’s stance on this technology?
A: We were one of the first traditional car manufacturers to come out in 2019 to state that all our new cars will be electric moving forwards. And we have a very clear goal, especially here in Thailand. From my perspective, it’s much easier generally to convert to electric cars in Europe because electricity infrastructure is a little bit more widely available.
But in Thailand, we took the decision in 2018 that we would move away from traditional internal combustion engines to electrification starting with plug-in hybrid cars last year. And we found that investing in charging stations will just not be able to cover everyone.
We included for every customer a wall box fitted to their home or their office as part of the car. So in that sense, we’ve already setup many charging stations in people’s homes, so it makes the transition to move from plug-in hybrid cars to pure electric cars much easier. And what we do know is that customers, who drive an electric car, whether it’s a plug-in hybrid or full electric car, tend not to go back to a traditional internal combustion engine car.
So, our strategy is, by 2025 over half of the cars that we sell in Thailand will be pure electric cars only. And we will continue to launch, as we have done this year, a new pure electric car model into the Thailand market every year for the next four or five years. So, we are very much sure that electric cars are the future and of course we will take all the technology that we have to make sure it incorporates into a car that is very much appreciated by the Thai consumer.
Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric
Q: What is Volvo’s goal for 2022 and how will it reach this goal?
A: We’ve already launched our first pure electric car in Thailand and we received the response from consumers that they are very satisfied and delighted with their car. So, we will continue with the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and then next year we will launch another model another pure electric model in Thailand, which will come in the first half of next year.
Q: Could you tell us about the car that you just launched this year? How is it different from other electric cars in the market?
A: It very much depends on what the consumer is looking for, which will decide what they want to buy. Our first pure electric car is the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric. From the outside, it looks very similar to the traditional XC40 with an internal combustion engine or a plug-in hybrid engine car.
Apart from the front grille obviously it’s converted because there’s no engine. So you’ll see that there’s a slight difference at the front of the car and of course when you lift the hood of the car at the front there is now additional storage area for bags or clothes or whatever you want to put in. For the range of the car, you can travel up to just over 400 kilometers on a single charge. The car will be charged with a DC charger up to 80 per cent of the battery capacity in under 40 minutes. It’s a very useful for city travel. You’ve got more than enough range to meet normal daily use.
If you want to drive further distance we’ve tried to cover that as well, so we include in the price of the car access to our friends at each site anywhere and we include 25,000 baht of electricity in the application so if the customers decide to move away from their home and travel for the distance, for example, from Bangkok to Chiang Mai they can use the “EA Anywhere” application which offers access to the biggest number of charging stations in Thailand.
In addition, we will include what we call a Volvo care package. What we’re trying to do is make the ownership of a car a lot easier and much more seamless for customers. So when a customer looks at an electric car from Volvo, included in the price of the car will be five years warranty and five years of maintenance.
It will also have four years digital services because of course the car is a fully connected car and includes things like Google Maps, Google Play store, Google voice control as well so it’s exactly the same as an Android mobile phone. In addition, we will include your insurance for three years, and of course it comes with an idea factory warranty on that and everything else.
It’s a full package. Basically, for the customer, when they drive away in the car all they have to do is charge and that’s what we believe is the future of mobility.
Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric
Q: How has Volvo coped with the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing situation?
A: Volvo has been no different to anybody else, I mean everybody has been affected by Covid-19. We saw a reduction last year, but it was a much smaller reductions than the general market. This year, obviously since April it’s been a lot harder to manage than last year. Mainly because we closed the office for nearly six months. We’ve closely followed the advice from the CCSA (Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration) and we’ve had all the staff work from home.
But our focus has very much been on everybody’s health and welfare. We’re very aware of the economic impact it has on people, so actually what we did was increase people’s salary shifts and their benefits this year. So, actually we tried to offset some of the negative sides of Covid-19 with something positive and have given them security and safety, so they have nothing to worry about. And because we’ve been working from home for so long, we are very much concerned about people’s mental welfare.
When you’re working from home for long periods of time, you miss being in an office environment, talking to your friends and colleagues on a daily basis and interacting with people, when that stops and you’re working from home and are isolated for long periods of time, it can affect people’s mental wellbeing. So, we’ve organized online booster sessions where we send care packages through the mail to let everybody know that we care.
Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric
Q: The young generation’s perspective right now in Thailand is different from their parents, who were Baby Boomers. What do you think about this market and what is the most challenging factor?
A: Thailand is no different to the rest of the world. The whole world is changing now and things are moving very fast. We see digitalization is certainly expanding here in Thailand. More people buying things online and even ordering food.
So, what we need to do for the car manufacturer is to look at what people need and what people desire and make that technology included in the car that is easy for people to use as possible. Because there is no point, in my opinion, in importing technology in a car if people don’t understand how to use the technology or benefit from technology. So we very much focus on design and of course safety technology, but more importantly we focus on sustainability that we made a core part of our business and we will not back away from it. And we will reduce our carbon footprint here in Thailand as well as across the rest of the world by 40 per cent by 2025.
That includes everything from manufacturing through to logistics, for example here in the headquarters; we replace single-use plastic with recyclable materials. For me it is a very important part moving forward because I have children myself. Our children are going to blame us if we don’t try and fix things now for their benefit. Today people have to go and visit a retailer to have the car serviced or maintained.
Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric
Tomorrow, there will be no need for the customer to go because the retailers can service the car at their home or their office. Because with electric cars, there’s very little to actually maintain on the car so instead of people having to travel to come to us actually we will go to the consumer – very different from how it’s been over the last 40 years. We welcome suggestions from people on what they believe we should be looking at moving forward because like everybody else we don’t know everything, but we try our best.
The first gold trading service via Krungthai Gold Wallet, in collaboration with MTS Gold Mae Thongsuk which is one of the country’s leaders in gold trading, is starting from 25 October 2021 onwards.
Krungthai Bank is set to revolutionize gold trading by introducing Thailand’s first end-to-end gold trading platform “Krungthai Gold Wallet” on its Thailand Open Digital Platform, Pao Tang mobile application. Investors will be able to conveniently and securely trade gold at the global market prices without incurring any commission fee. The US Dollar-denominated trade is real-time and the fund is directly debited and credited to investors’ accounts. The bank also offers a special currency exchange rate. The Krungthai Gold Wallet will be pioneered by MTS Gold Mae Thongsuk; trading will be available from 25 October onwards.
Rawin Boonyanusasna, Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Global Markets Group at Krungthai Bank, stated that Krungthai Bank has been continuously developing investment innovations in order to cover a wider range of assets to meet investors’ demand, and make investment platform easily accessible and aligned with the trend of online investment. Pao Tang mobile application, the Thailand Open Digital Platform developed by Infinitas by Krungthai, is an open platform that welcomes all users, regardless of being Krungthai’s customers or not, and all partners to co-develop products and services that meet consumer demand.
The latest development is “Krungthai Gold Wallet” in Pao Tang mobile application which will allow general investors to invest in gold 99.99% provided by one of the country’s leading gold bullion traders. The platform offers an end-to-end online gold trading service, starting from opening an account, depositing money into the account, exchanging the money, buying and selling gold, all this without having to physically visit a bank branch or retail gold shop, making it suitable for investment in new normal lifestyle and relieving the investors’ burden of keeping the gold bars safe.
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“Krungthai Gold Wallet will disrupt traditional gold investment in Thailand. Investors will be able to trade gold anytime and anywhere literally at their fingertips. The platform is highly convenient, fast and secure. Minimum investment is only 0.1 ounce or approximately 6,000 Baht (referencing exchange rate and gold price as at 7 October 2021). Trading is available Monday – Friday (excluding public holidays) between 07.00 – 02.00 hrs so investors can trade during the opening hours of foreign markets and would not miss any chance arising from changes in gold prices in the global markets. The price used in trading is referenced against global market prices in US Dollars to reduce the risk of currency fluctuation,” said Rawin.
The first gold trading service via Krungthai Gold Wallet, in collaboration with MTS Gold Mae Thongsuk which is one of the country’s leaders in gold trading, is starting from 25 October 2021 onwards. When investors purchase gold, it will be automatically added to MTS Gold’s wallet and they will receive the money in their accounts in real-time when they sell gold. The platform incurs no fees or charges. Investors can make profit from trading gold at global market prices in US Dollars using their US Dollar bank accounts without having to exchange the money to Thai Baht every time. Krungthai Bank also offers Thailand’s first fully electronic foreign currency deposit account (eFCD) which can be opened online any time of the day, 7 days a week with no fee and no minimum balance requirement. The exchange rate offered for the eFCD accounts is also better than the counter rate; this service is built upon the success of Krungthai Travel Card, which was the first product of its kind in Thailand.
Nattapong Hirunyasiri, chief executive of MTS Gold Group, stated that gold is appealing as an investment and it has been a popular investment alternative for years both in Thailand and other countries. MTS Gold Mae Thongsuk is delighted to join hands with Krungthai Bank to develop and offer an easy, fast and secure investment channel. With MTS Gold’s long experience in gold trading and investment, including gold online, gold futures and COMEX gold market, the group is widely recognized both in Thailand and internationally. It also holds a license issued by the Bank of Thailand to offer US Dollar-denominated gold trading services. It believes that connecting to Pao Tang mobile application would lead to the advancement and success of Thailand’s gold industry as it diversifies trading channels and offers more convenience in making gold-related transactions to investors nationwide.
Alisara Mahasantana, Assistant Governor for Financial Markets Operations Group, Bank of Thailand, said that the Bank of Thailand is currently developing a new FX ecosystem and one of the main objectives is to allow Thai people to invest more easily in foreign assets. The Bank of Thailand has relaxed regulations to allow domestic trading of foreign assets and gold in US Dollars as well as allowing Thai people to open FCD accounts, buy and sell foreign currencies and freely transfer foreign currencies between FCD accounts. Therefore, the development of a US Dollar-denominated gold trading platform and the launch of Thailand’s first eFCD would make the online investment service end-to-end and facilitate the investment in foreign assets and the management of foreign currency funds. It will also help to reduce currency fluctuation risk and diversify investment options in foreign assets, which aligns with Bank of Thailand’s long-term goal of developing a new FX ecosystem.
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