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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020965

NBTC adjourns meeting, delays its decision on True-DTAC merger to Oct 20

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2022

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has deferred its decision on the controversial merger of two telecom giants to next week.

Acting NBTC secretary-general Trairat Viriyasirikul said the telecom watchdog resolved during its meeting on Wednesday to postpone deliberations on the merger of True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC) to October 20.

The NBTC meeting began at 9.30am on Wednesday and was adjourned at 12.30pm.

During the meeting next week, the NBTC would deliberate only the merger deal, Trairat said.

He added that the NBTC had also instructed the NBTC Office to summarise opinions of foreign advisers of the telecom watchdog for the NBTC to consider during the meeting next Thursday.

On September 23, the NBTC had announced it would issue its decision on the True-DTAC merger on October 12 after the Council of State advised on September 20 that the NBTC has no authority to approve or reject the merger, but it could only issue regulations to mitigate its impact on the public.

The NBTC has come under much criticism from both opponents of the merger and shareholders of True and DTAC for delaying its decision.

True and DTAC formally announced their merger plans in November last year to pursue a new tech business and raise venture capital for startups, reportedly after Norway’s Telenor decided to pull out of the telecom business from Asean.

The NBTC has repeatedly delayed its decision on the merger, saying it needed time to study the pros and cons and the impact on society, as well as for the Council of State to define its authority on the issue.

Academics and the Thailand Consumer Council have called on the NBTC to reject the merger outright for fear of severe impact on consumers, while True, DTAC and their shareholders called on the NBTC to proceed with the merger so that their business plan would not be affected.

The two telcos argue that the NBTC has no authority to approve or reject the merger and at least nine mergers have take place under the 2018 NBTC Notification, which required the watchdog to only issue measures to mitigate the impact.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020934

Bett Asia expo in Bangkok showcases role of technology in the future of education

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Over 50 exhibitors worldwide displayed their latest innovations and services at the “Bett Asia Leadership Summit & Expo 2022”, emphasising the importance of advanced technology in finding new possible solutions for education in today’s digital era.

Bett’s portfolio director, Louisa Hunter, told a press conference on Tuesday that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the global education landscape. It has demonstrated that technology plays an essential role in increasing people’s access to knowledge and education.

She noted that more and more teachers and students around the world, including in the Asia Pacific region, have adopted and applied various technologies in the classroom. She strongly believes that hybrid learning will be more accepted in the next normal of education.

“Students tend to use technology to further their education. Education will become more customised and personalised, while technology will make access to knowledge much easier,” said Hunter.

The 6th annual Bett Asia Leadership Summit & Expo is being organised at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, co-hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.

The two-day event (October 11-12 ) is showcasing the latest technologies in education at the expo and key opportunities for the future of education at the Leadership Summit as well as honouring acknowledged top leaders in education with the Bett Asia Awards.The expo, held for the first time in three years, highlights the most pressing challenges and priorities of education stakeholders and recognises the importance of new solutions through technological advancement in today’s world under the theme “Education as a Catalyst for Change”.

Hunter said that attendees will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with EdTech solutions from top global technology companies such as Microsoft, Lenovo, HP, Zoom and many more.

Meanwhile, the invitation-only Leadership Summit provides attendees with the opportunity to network with other senior leaders and educators from across Asia-Pacific. The summit addresses key topics such as how EdTech can improve the education system, improve outcomes, and enrich learning experiences for all learners.

Tom Poole, director of Bett Asia, said in the statement that the event is filled with the most innovative technology solutions that can be implemented to enhance today’s learning experiences. It is also offering opportunities for the educationists to stay connected, hone their educational skills, expand their network, and exchange ideas about EdTech with fellow attendees.

“I hope that Bett Asia 2022 has helped create a positive impact on education and foster great changes for future generations,” said Poole.

He expects Bett Asia 2022 to bring over 2,400 unique attendees from Asia Pacific, over 700 leaders, and over 65 government organisations represented from over 40 countries.

He also revealed that the next Bett Asia event will be held at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok on October 18-19, 2023.

Bett is the global community for education technology, offering world-class content, networking opportunities, and the discovery of cutting-edge innovations. The Community Hub hosts webinars, CPD sessions, and publishes articles from education industry leaders all year.
 

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020910

Range of products on sale at Makro as part of ‘Taste of Australia’ campaign

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2022

A variety of products from Australia are now available for Thai entrepreneurs and consumers at Makro nationwide until November 1 under the campaign “Taste of Australia”.

The campaign is a cooperation between wholesale business operator Makro, the Australian embassy and Australian Trade and Investment Commission, aimed at enabling business recovery for restaurants and hotel operators after the Covid-19 crisis.

“This move also aims to stimulate consumption among consumers who love to cook foods from quality ingredients,” Makro said.

More than 130 Australian products are available during the campaign, such as beef, mutton, turkey, Tasmanian salmon, yellowtail amberjack and abalone, which are popular among Thais.

Meanwhile, a variety of vegetables, fruits and other consumer products are also available, such as lettuce, celery, red onion, bravo apple, mandarin orange, cheese, yogurt and salad dressing.

Interested entrepreneurs and consumers can also purchase Australian products at the website: Makroclick.com.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020901

Deloitte plans higher investment in Southeast Asia amid rapid growth in region

MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Leading professional consulting firm Deloitte is planning to invest more than usual in Southeast Asia to support the region’s rapid growth.

Deloitte’s chief executive officer for Asia Pacific, David Hill, said during an exclusive interview with The Nation that the Deloitte World Meeting in Rome in late September had approved a major investment to scale Southeast Asia, including markets in Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

“We normally invest 7-8 per cent of revenue in this region. On top of that, we recently announced a $225-million scale investment in Southeast Asia for at least the next five years,” Hill stated.

The goal of this movement is to build Deloitte’s capability on the ground in Southeast Asia in order to win and deliver company services to clients seamlessly. It will also serve as an announcement for talent in Thailand and its neighbouring countries, ensuring that Deloitte is the employer of choice in every market in this region.

“The funding will come from both Deloitte Southeast Asia and Deloitte Global. We are committing to this region because we believe it is important,” Hill noted.

He explained that the Southeast Asia region will be 100 per cent more engaged in the global economy. Most developing countries in this region are becoming developed, which increases the need for professional services.

“Many major global institutions are moving and coming into the Southeast Asia region for reasons such as supply chain. Malaysia and the Philippines are relevant for chain services, Vietnam for manufacturing and supply chain, and Thailand for emerging technology such as blockchain and the financial services industry,” Hill pointed out.

He added that Southeast Asia has a growing population, a growing economy, a maturing professional services sector, and is a neutral region in terms of current geopolitical dynamics.

Furthermore, the region remains a source of low-cost operations with high-quality infrastructure, such as 5G connectivity, multilingual talent, and a wealth of resources.

Hill stated that Deloitte, which was recently named the No. 1 professional services firm in Asia Pacific and globally, will use its resources, knowledge, and technology to help the business navigate digital transformation, cloud migration, truly embracing all the abundant data, applying all appropriate technology to build digital twins, and optimising performance.
 

Besides, he stated that Deloitte will continue to provide its services to clients and their people in frictionless sustainable ways to serve the environment, social, and green (ESG) business trend.

“My objective is to ensure that our clients receive a seamless experience across Asia Pacific. It means it would be easiest for our clients to work with Deloitte across the region. And then for our people, to give them more opportunities to live and work across the region, particularly as we move into a post-Covid environment,” Hill added.

Deloitte currently operates in 150 countries and at more than 750 locations worldwide, employing over 345,000 people, with over 60,000 in Asia Pacific.

Deloitte’s aggregate global revenue for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2022 was US$59.3 billion, a 19.6 per cent increase over fiscal year 2021. In seven years, Deloitte’s revenue has increased by $24 billion, or 69 per cent.

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020895

BDMS and Minor Hotels join hands to prepare for expected rapid growth in wellness tourism

MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

BDMS Wellness Clinic has collaborated with Minor Hotels to launch BDMS Wellness Clinic Retreat at Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, with the goal of adding value to Thailand’s tourism industry through professional holistic wellness.

Dr Tanupol Virunhagarun, chief executive officer of BDMS Wellness Clinic, stated at a press conference on Monday that following the Covid-19 pandemic, people are more aware and prioritising preventive measures to improve their wellness and longevity. These needs drive medical and wellness tourism demand from tourists all over the world.

“It is regarded as the future of Thailand’s medical tourism industry, which is rapidly expanding. The trend is expected to continue once borders reopen following Covid-19. As a specialist in preventive and personalised medicine, BDMS Wellness Clinic recognises the sector’s growth potential and has decided to collaborate with Minor Hotels,” Tanupol said.

Thailand’s wellness tourism industry will experience rapid growth in the coming years, he said, citing a recent survey that found Thailand to be the second most popular medical tourist destination in the world, behind Australia.

“This newly opened Preventive Health Care Centre is providing ways in which guests can feel connected to nature while receiving counselling and medical services from a professional team,” Tanupol added.

Minor International Plc chairman William E Heinecke expressed confidence in Thailand’s medical and wellness tourism’s exponential growth.

He emphasised that this type of tourism is a global mega-trend. According to McKensy, the overall value of wellness tourism is US$1.5 trillion. It is expected to grow by 5-10 per cent per year from now on.

According to a recent research, “The Global Wellness Economy: Looking beyond COVID-19”, conducted by the Global Wellness Institute GWI), the growth of global wellness tourism is expected to be worth $7 trillion by 2025. Thailand will be the third country to be spotlighted on GWI’s “Geography of Wellness” microsite.

“The Covid-19 pandemic raised an alarm for health-conscious people as well as tourists. More consumers became more interested in preventive measures and in incorporating wellness into their lifestyles. Hence wellness tourists spent more time and more money per trip than the typical domestic tourist,” said Heinecke.

He insisted that Minor Hotels already recognises the increasing importance of wellness tourism or health tourism. Therefore, this is the right time for the collaboration between BDMS Wellness Clinic and Minor Hotels in launching BDMS Wellness Clinic Retreat at Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort.

“I hope that this kind of collaboration will provide a new combination model for tourism business. We do have a plan to join BDMS to open this kind of centre in Phuket in the future,” said Heinecke.
 

“With BDMS’s expertise in healthcare, preventive medicine and personalised medicine, combined with prime location and the relaxing atmosphere of our hotel, we have confidence that our health-conscious guests will be touched by true wellness and these challenges will surely provide many opportunities to all parties involved,” Heinecke said.

Minor Hotels is one of Thailand’s largest hotel operators with over 535 hotels and over 75,000 guest rooms under its umbrella.

Once the Covid-19 virus is under control and borders are cautiously reopened, all areas of health and wellness tourism will soon be welcoming foreign wellness tourists, demonstrating Thailand’s resilience to the world, Tanupol said.

He expects this collaboration will encourage other stakeholders to participate in and invest in the country’s medical and wellness tourism.

Thailand is the ideal destination for wellness tourism for a number of reasons. He insisted that Thailand truly shines thanks to its plentiful food, stunning tourist attractions, highly qualified medical professionals, state-of-the-art medical technology, and first-rate amenities in hospitality services.
 

Nongluck Ajanapanya