“We want to drive the shift to a sustainable transport system. The system that is energy efficient, smart, safe and running on alternative fuels or electricity,” Sundell, who is in charge of Sustainability Transportation System program, added.

“The coming 5-10 years are critical to really start shifting from the use of traditional diesel engines to a new solution that is low carbon or even fossil free,” according to Scania’s press statement.

The conference has shed some light on sustainable transportation and the future of “car culture”. Sustainable transportation, for example, has evolved to take a variety of forms, encompassing anything from the transformation of fuel technology to electric vehicle (EV) to a vehicle with auto-pilot application which the artificial intelligence can drive to a destination.

The statement said following the Paris Agreement on reaching zero carbon emission on commercial transport by 2050, Scania initiated an own study of fossil-free pathways for commercial transport. Most of the technology is already available, but the road to a fossil-free society has to wait for the infrastructure. While waiting for the future to come, Scania takes every step possible to move closer to fossil-free and sustainable transport.

The Swedish commercial transport manufacturer offers the widest range of ready-to-go gas, hybrid, bioethanol, biodiesel and HVO engines that qualify Euro 6 requirements. The smart engine is economical, reduce emissions and increase performance.

“When it comes to the sustainable transportation system, we at Scania focus on two areas – sustainable transport and responsible business,” added Sundell, who talked about “Achieving Fossil Free Transportation by 2050” at the EV Tech Forum. “To generate sustainable transport, we build and deliver heavy trucks, buses and vehicles to be energy efficient. They can run on biofuels or electricity and thus, reducing pollution and increasing profitability for customers. The responsible business, on the other hand, is about Scania’s operation. We make sure that we use resources efficiently and create a positive effect on our people and the society around us. We believe that this is key to a sustainable and profitable business.”

Scania Siam has provided products and services in Thailand for 32 years, delivering trucks, buses and coaches and engines to Thai customers. More than 500 of Scania’s trucks, ranging from lightweight P Series to G Series design for long haulage to premium R Series, were sold last year. In addition to positive growth, more than 140 buses and coaches were also sold last year. With positive expanding of logistics and transportation industry in Thailand and the region, Scania will be opening its assembly plant in Thailand’s Samut Prakan province in the first quarter of 2019.

“Our next step is to bring more gas vehicles to Thailand because we see great opportunities for that. They can run both on natural gas and biogas and the engines Euro6, meaning cleaner air for Thai people,” said Erika.

Community engagement is one of Scania’s sustainability focus areas.

“We have local engagements all around the world with vocational training, education for women and re-forestation. In Thailand we have planted mangrove trees and supported the school,” added Erika.

What’s more, Scania Siam takes a step further by offering driver training and coaching to drivers. As a result, customers have been able to see tangible results in improved driver habits, a noted increase in fuel efficiency, fewer accidents on the road and an improvement in uptime.

Agatha Soh, head of marketing at Shopee Thailand, presented the cash donation of Bt120,000 to Kanchada Piriyarangsan, national director of CCF Foundation, according to its press release.

Shopee 12.12 Creative Award was launched in line with the Shopee 12.12 Birthday Sale celebrations, and featured the participation of top Thai celebrities, leading brands and industry players. From December 1 to 6, Thai users logged in the Shopee app to vote for their favourite artworks, with Shopee pledging to match every vote received with a cash contribution.

For more information, please visit https://shopee.co.th. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Seen in the photo from left: Pabhasiri Mahatharadol, Head of corporate development at Shopee Thailand; Kanchada Piriyarangsan, National director at Community Children Foundation; Agatha Soh, Head of marketing at Shopee Thailand; and Suchaya Paleewong, Marketing manager at Shopee Thailand

THAI Smile Airways continues to please the passengers with the launch of the “Year-End Big Surprise” SMILE PRICE promotion.

Prices for domestic routes start at Bt990/person/trip* (all inclusive) and China routes (only Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Changsha) start from Bt2,900/person/trip* (all inclusive). Make a reservation now until December 31 and travel from now – March 31, 2019 via http://www.thaismileair.com, Call Center 1181 or 02-118-8888, Smile Service Center and Smile Agents nationwide.

*Terms and conditions apply and are subject to change without prior notice. The promotional price may not be available on some flights.

International fares may be subject to change at the exchange rate on the date of reservation. Fly with the number one airline in Thailand, the Best Airline in Asia and the best economy seats in Asia guaranteed by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2018.

Posting Bt12.59 billion in revenue for the 2018 fiscal year, Oishi prides itself as being No 1 in the Japanese Restaurant Food and Beverage Business despite the period’s challenging circumstances.

Its green tea business, after all, has faced heavy impacts from the increased excise tax, reduced purchasing power of customers and decline of the ready-to-drink green tea market.

Half of Oishi Group’s revenue for 2018 fiscal year, which concluded on September 30, came from the group’s restaurants with the remainder from its beverages business. Its beverage revenues sank by 15 per cent in 2018, while the restaurant food sales grew by 1.7 per cent.

Despite the significant revenue, data gathered by The Nielsen Company (Thailand) Ltd showed Oishi held strong with a 45.4 per cent market share in Thailand’s green-tea market between October 2017 and June 2018. It is also that sector’s market leader in Malaysia and Cambodia.

“We will expand further as we pursue our ‘Vision 2020’,” Oishi Group (PLC) president and CEO Nongnuch Buranasetkul reported at a press conference last week.

In pursuit of that vision, Oishi group plans to open 19 new restaurants in the coming year, enhance, enhance its delivery services, as well as strengthen its presence in overseas markets. Its products are now sold in at least 34 countries across the globe.

“Our strategy focuses on innovation that accommodates megatrends such as tech-dependent lifestyles, healthy eating, the aeging society and the ‘Asian Century’ on an ongoing-basis, and extends our reach into Asean through the application of synergy within our Group,” Nongnuch said.

Jesdakorn Ghosh, EVP, Beverage Business Group, said while Thailand’s green-tea market was hit hard, her firm’s exports of beverages grew by 59 per cent in the past fiscal year.

“We rolled out new products that were well accepted by local consumers, such as Oishi green tea [with] pomegranate flavour in Cambodia, and Oishi green tea [with] Kyoho grape flavour in Laos,” she pointed out.

The plan for 2019 is also solid, with Oishi Group already taking up a “young generation-centric” approach. It has recruited the hugely popular girls’ group BNK48 as its presenter.

The BNK48 band is a Thai sister-band in the style of popular Japanese idol band AKB48. “BNK48 represents the younger-generation group. They are known for being fun loving – the very brand DNA of Oishi, and they have quickly won the hearts and minds of our targeted customer group,” Jesdakorn said.

Oishi Group has also used BNK48 as presenters to promote its beverage products in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

“We’ve set our sights on seriously tapping further into CLM plus Malaysia,” Jesdakorn added.

The group’s beverage business boasts a Bt700 million annual marketing budget to reach both Thai and overseas markets.

Paisarn Aowsathaporn, EVP, food business group, said that while |Oishi food business group had achieved all its objectives for the past fiscal year, it intended to work harder in 2019.

“We are improving our online and delivery system to reduce customers’ wait time from 45 to 30 minutes,” he said.

According to Paisarn, at least six branches have already succeeded in reducing waiting time for delivery services to below a half-hour.

“We’re focused on better delivery system to respond better to changing consumer behaviours,” Paisarn said.

Mekhala Nethipo, EVP, packaged food business group, said her unit also has an ambitious plan for 2019.

“We will do rebranding and restructuring,” she said.

That decision recognised the many potential business opportunities arising from the packaged food market becoming integral to urban people’s lifestyles.

“Oishi also has ready-to-cook and the ready-to-eat businesses. In 2019, we intend to rebrand the Oishi packaged food image to strengthen it and make it better-known among the public,” said Mekhala. “We should see results by the second quarter of fiscal year 2019.”

Up to Bt5.3 billion of the proceeds from the planned issuances will go towards re-payment for issued debentures expiring in 2019. The balance will be invested in business expansion to boost its net profit by 10 per cent next year from an estimate of Bt5 billion this year, Chutidej said.

The company reported a total revenue of Bt15.74 billion and Bt3.91 billion in net profit for the first nine months, up nine per cent and 65 per cent respectively from the same period last year, according to the company’s report to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

“We will issue one to five-year debentures next year as we believe the Bank of Thailand will soon raise the interest rate by at least 0.50 per cent. The new issuances will carry an interest rate of no more than 3.3 per cent, compared with the current level of 3.1 per cent,” he said.

The company has so far issued Bt45 billion in debentures, of which Bt5.3 billion will expire in 2019. Krungthai Card’s debt to equity ratio currently stands at 3:1 and the company expected a rise to no more than 4:1 next year with issuances of the new debentures, Chutidej said.

It will invest up to Bt30 million, from 2019 to 2021, in the development of robotic process automation (RPA) to streamline the company’s operation. It will first be implemented in the accounting department before other areas to speed up the overall business process by up to 70 per cent, as part of the company’s drive for sustainable growth, Chutidej said.

With plans set for next year, the company expects a 15-per-cent rise in card spending among its customers, partly through the launch of new marketing activities and credit card products, said president and chief executive officer Rathian Srimongkol. The company also aims to expand the base for personal loan to over one million customers and targets a 10 per cent growth in new lending next year, he said.

“Despite the general election in February, we are confident that the next government will continue the current policy on investments in infrastructure projects and boost domestic spending to push the country’s economy growth,” he said.

To further drive business growth, the company plans to enter the nano-pico finance segment and has submitted a proposal to Krungthai Bank and the Bank of Thailand. It is looking to a licence from the central bank, Rathian said adding that Krungthai Card is ready to intensify marketing efforts in all business areas.