It will introduce new innovations and offer high-quality products from leading brands in joint ventures while new deals are being sealed in the beauty category. Recently, the company recruited honey-skinned beauty “Namtan” Chalita Suansane to share her beauty secrets in a new campaign “Who says tanned skin can’t be radiant?”. It features Magique Herblisse, using story-telling strategies to highlight the benefits of health and beauty products, trageting health and beauty-conscious consumers. The campaign is expected to accelerate growth of the company’s revenure to Bt10 billion in 2022.

Surachai Chetchotisak, CEO of RS Public Company Limited, said: ” Our MPC (Multi-platform Commerce) business has been growing steadily and generates about 60 per cent of our income, through Lifestar which offers health and beauty products, home and lifestyle products, accessories, and electronic & gadgets. The growth of MPC has reached a new high as it has witnessed more penetration through various platforms such as Channel 8, Thairath TV, and Cool Fahrenheit, reaching more than 20 million people in total. Additionally, there are online platforms such as www.shop1781.com, LINE@shop1781 and LINE@COOLanything. These products are also available via LifestarBIZ or direct sales representatives. After a big lot transaction with BTS Group Holdings, the combined size of the two comanies’ database stands at 35 million with consumers 35-year old and above forming the majority of RS’s base, while BTS database mostly comprises consumers under 35. It means RS can benefit from the database of BTS as it does not duplicate with its own.

The company saw opportunities in partnering with BTS in two aspects – synergy and amplifying RS’s MPC business. BTS will serve as an additional platform, and there will be more joint efforts to take health and beauty products to another level, as well as launching new products.

RS plans to expand its telesales team from the current 500 with more skilled and experienced workers, aimed at catering to repeat purchases and offer recommendations and tips round the clock.

The company will relocate its office early next year to accommodate more than 2,000 telesales staff members. Currently, more than 1.3 million people have purchased its products with the number increasing by 20,000 a month.

There are omni channel communication and marketing strategies to link the online and offline worlds to facilitate better consumers’ access to the products.

To make its products more interesting, RS resorts to endorsement through famous presenters such as seasoned actress Duangta Tungkamanee being the presenter for S.O.M Lingzhi Sun, Channel 8 actress “Fai” Weluree Ditsayabut for Magique skincare brand, and singer “James” Ruangsak the presenter for haircare brand Revive, and superstar Pete Thongchua who is the presenter for S.O.M. CMAX coffee. To further highlight the benefits of the products, RS makes use of its programmes Sai Jai Klai Rok and Beauty Club on Channel 8 to help consumers learn more about the products from real users as well as celebrities. For instance, S.O.M I-Care is presented by “Ton” Trakarn Punthumlerdrujee, S.O.M DTX is presented by “Yui” Pattamawan Kaomulkadee, Revive Black Shine Anti-aging Hair Serum is presented by Padthai Deejai Deedeedee, as well as real users who have seen real results from using the products. In the last quarter of the year, there will be 2-3 new products in the health and beauty category.

Consumers today care more about health products and Thailand is fast becoming an aged society. People care more about their health by eating healthy food and exercising. Food supplement products are increasingly popular. In the 4th quarter of the year, which is the high season, the MPC business has prepared new product launches in the Health and Beauty category. These products are new innovations which meet international standards. The new products will be under the brand S.O.M. CMAX and a few others, and they will be backed by strong management and marketing strategies throughout the year. The products are expected to be well-received by consumers and will soon become champion products.

Surachai adds, “RS is committed to our vision in generating big growth and stability in the long run. We are open to new partnership opportunities to expand our business and reach new customers. We have deals with partners in upstream beauty. All this will help take RS to our goal of 10 billion baht revenue by 2022 as planned.”

The group reached total revenue of Bt3.881 billion in the first half of this year, up 15.6 per cent year on year.

He added that THG has focused for increased revenue from its medical service business, which is already its main revenue contributor, expecting second-half revenues to exceed those of the first six months.

Two additional hospitals are scheduled to open in the fourth quarter this year – Thonburi Thungsong in Nakon Si Thammarat and Thonburi Burana Hospital.

THG’s revenues are from medical services, healthcare solutions and other businesses.

He added that newer THG hospitals, that opened in the past few years are showing improving performance. Among them is Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital, which was officially opened in January 2019 to serve premium customers and the medical tourism sector.

The Ar Yu International hospital in Yangon, Myanmar which is 40 per cent owned by THG, has seen a steady growth in patient number. The hospital was opened in March this year.

In line with the Thailand 4.0 vision, organisations across Thailand are fully embracing digital transformation and plugging into the globalised digital economy.

Research firm IDC predicts that over 61 per cent of Thailand’s GDP will be digitalised by 2022, with growth in every industry driven by digitally enhanced offerings, operations, and relationships.

The new partnership between True IDC and VMware aims to support Thailand’s digital economy by offering local enterprises the speed, scale and agility of a cloud-enabled infrastructure, they said.

“True IDC’s position as one of the top carrier-neutral data centre providers in Thailand, together with their national network, makes them the ideal partner to roll out the VMware Cloud on AWS service to enterprises across the country,” said Sanjay K Deshmukh, vice president and managing director, Southeast Asia and Korea, VMware. “Combining the industry-leading software-defined data centre capabilities of VMware, together with the elasticity, breadth and depth of AWS infrastructure and services, the new hybrid cloud service is well-positioned to be the platform-of-choice for forward-thinking enterprises in Thailand,” Deshmukh said.

“Cloud migration is a key component of digital transformation, and the VMware cloud on AWS offering will enable us to provide a country-wide high-capacity digital infrastructure to our customers, thereby increasing the accessibility, availability and affordability of digital products and services to consumers at domestic and international level,” said Tanat Sangkasem, chief technology officer, True IDC. “We are excited to be the launch partner for VMware cloud on AWS in Thailand and look forward to supporting our customers with the best-in-class multi-cloud offerings that will serve to enable new product innovations in furtherance of the Thailand 4.0 vision.”

As an existing VMware cloud provider partner and AWS advanced consulting partner, True IDC’s team of technical experts possess deep product knowledge of both VMware and AWS offerings and are able to provide the full suite of consulting, implementation and managed services to customers across Thailand, Tanat said.

Customers can tap on True IDC’s VMware cloud consulting service provided by certified professional service engineers, as well as a simplified single invoice and billing management service, he said.

Jointly engineered by VMware and AWS, the applications deployed in this environment benefit from robust disaster protection and optimised access to AWS’ wide range of services. It can also reduce the cost and effort associated with migrating applications to the cloud by delivering infrastructure and operations that are consistent with those deployed within customer data centres, and extending tools, processes, and practices proven to support the most demanding applications, True IDC said.

The group aims to leverage its offline (print media and TV broadcasting business) and online businesses, as well as event management such as organising sports activities, seminars and training programmes.

The group is confident of a strong financial performance this year.

The group will announce its “Nation Transform” strategy on October 10, which will see all the online media channels of the business group come under a new company, Nation Digital Content, formerly known as Spring 26.

The digital content medium aims for 10 million page views of all its online media channels next year, up from the present 8 million page views.

Directors of the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) on Friday (September 27) announced the winners of two of four contracts to build the Rama III Expressway, which will feature a two-kilometre cable-stayed bridge spanning the Chao Phraya River.

A consortium called CTB, comprised of China Harbour Engineering Co, Thipakorn Co Ltd and Buri Ram Thong Chai Construction Co Ltd, posted the winning bid of Bt6.44 billion for Contract 2, 11.06 per cent lower than the reference rate.

Ch Karnchang Pcl was awarded Contract 4 – the bridge itself – with a Bt6.636-billion bid, 16.46 per cent under the reference rate.

Two other contracts are expected to be awarded at the end of October, by which time a new EXAT governor will have succeeded retiring Phuttigun Kanjanapangka.

The expressway will cover 19km from Rama III Road in Phra Nakhon to the Western Outer Ring Road in Thon Buri.

Contract 1, involving a 6.4km segment of the expressway, has a reference rate of Bt6.98 billion. A consortium of China State Construction Engineering Corp, Nawarat Patanakarn Pcl and AS Associated Engineering (1964) Co Ltd have bid Bt5.897 billion.

Contract 3, for a 5km section, has a reference rate of Bt6.991 billion. A consortium of China Railway 11th Bureau Group Corp, Civil Engineering Co Ltd and Bunchai Panich (1979) Co Ltd has offered Bt6.098 billion.

THAI management will next month submit to the board a proposal to lease three Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to support operations for six years, he said.

If approved, the leasing process would begin immediately. No Cabinet endorsement would be required.

Unless unforeseen obstacles arise, the leasing procedure would likely take four months, with the jets delivered beginning early next year.

The THAI board on Tuesday asked management to review plans to procure 38 more aircraft worth a combined Bt156 billion.

The directors cited a “fast-changing situation” in asking for a fresh plan within the next six months.

Although the carrier needs a partner to boost its performance, it does not need a financial backer, said chief executive officer Wutthiphum Jurangkool, adding that the Jurangkool family could meet the funding needs of the airline. Members of the Jurangkool family own 67 per cent of Nok Airlines.

Wutthiphum said he could not tell when the company would find a strategic partner.

Nok’s management will submit a rehabilitation plan to the board in November.

“The PTT board will meet to discuss the plan, but it may not make a decision on the listing unless the plan proves to be faultless,” the source added.

The board of directors will also consider the interim dividend payment for PTT shareholders as well as its winning bid for the Bt55.4 billion expansion of the Map Ta Phut seaport.

The PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (PTTOR)’s main products are fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas, lubricant as well as food and beverage. Part of its retail business is “Café Amazon”, which PTT executives often say earns far more than the sale of fuel.

PTTOR entered China on September 26 by opening a Café Amazon in Nanning, Guangxi province, with full backing from the company’s partners in both Thailand and mainland, PTTOR’s president and chief executive officer Jiraphon Kawswat said. The conglomerate plans to open other Café Amazon branches at Sinopec petrol stations across China and has given operating rights to PTTOR China (Shanghai), a unit under its umbrella.

Apart from China, Café Amazon has also made its presence felt in Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Japan and Oman.

This business has been growing annually in terms of new branches and sales. Last year, it recorded sales of 225 million cups, Jiraphon added.

“The appreciation of the baht against the US dollar and the Chinese yuan has hit our revenue by up to Bt10 billion,” said Somboon Wattanavanichkul, president of the North Eastern Tapioca Trade Association.

Exporters want the baht in the range of Bt32 to the dollar in order to ensure price competitiveness of farm products in export markets, he said.

The baht currently trades at around Bt30 to the dollar, a five per cent appreciation since January this year. If the US Federal Reserve cuts its policy rate again, that would further strengthen the baht hence Thai authorities should look at the exchange rate market, he said. Thai exporters and their Chinese counterparts recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to trade 2.68 million tonnes of tapioca products — chips and starch — valued at $608 million (Bt18.464 billion).

The MoU signing took place last week during the visit of a Thai delegation to China led by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit in a bid to export more farm products to China.

Chinese traders will import this batch of tapioca chips and starch between October this year and October next year.

Boonchai Srichaiyongpanich, president of the Thai Tapioca Trade Association, said that export demand is higher than Thailand’s tapioca production cane meet, leading to the rising price of cassava roots. The fresh root now sells at between Bt2.10 to Bt2.40 per kilogram.

Currently, Thailand has the capacity to produce about 30 million tonnes of tapioca. He said that production capacity should increase to 40 million tonnes to meet high export demand. Thailand could increase cassava root yields from 3.6 tonnes per rai to 5 tonnes per rai, he suggested. Total land area for plantation of tapioca in Thailand is estimated at 8 million rai

From January to July, Thai traders exported 4.5 million tonnes of tapioca products value at $1.69 billion, down 11.63 per cent and 6.88 per cent respectively year on year. However, the Chinese export market remains promising as China is expected to import more cassava products to produce ethanol and feed meal, according to Thai exporters.

The company said it was accelerating its climate change efforts. Over the past four years, Nestle said it had aligned its objectives with science-based targets to keep the temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius.

The company vowed to play a leading role in tackling climate change and said that over the next two years, it would come up with a time-bound plan consistent with the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal. Nestle said it would review its progress annually to ensure it was on track.

“Climate change is one of the biggest threats we face as a society. It is also one of the greatest risks to the future of our business,” said Mark Schneider, Nestle’s CEO.

“We are running out of time to avoid the worst effects of global warming. That is why we are setting a bolder ambition to reach a net-zero future. Deploying Nestle’s global resources and industry know-how, we know we can make a difference at a significant scale. Our journey to net zero has already started. Now, we are accelerating our efforts,” he added.