Daniel Teh, founder and executive director of Pope Jai Pte Ltd, told a group of Asean journalists who joined the Singapore International Foundation’s multilateral journalist programme last week, that he would like to prove that disabled people are capable of doing great work, if properly trained.

“There is so much discrimination in society, whether it is in a corporate or a smaller company. They [the disabled] usually face discrimination almost everywhere. I do not want them to get depressed,” he said.

In this respect, Teh has been hiring people with disabilities since he first entered the food industry by opening a small coffee shop in Chinatown seven years ago. The business gradually grew enough to become a good dining restaurant. He had to shift to Serangoon, as the building had to tear down. There, he facedhigh rental fees, which led to the relocation of his restaurant to the current venue on Orchard Road.

“I started with only $3,000 Singapore dollars (Bt71,964) in 2011. We have enjoyed a gradual growth over the past seven years, employing more people every year,” he said.

Teh said the enterprise has practised the “Never stop hiring” policy since the very first day of commercial operations.

“I do not want to turn away anyone as long as they are ready to help us. I will offer them (the disabled) a job. No interview is required. As they have different conditions that I might not be aware of, the best way is to give them a try here,” he said.

“By doing so, I can see their strengths and weaknesses as well as attitudes and behaviour. It tells you everything. A resume cannot tell you everything because it can be well-planned.” According to Teh, proper training is usually provided with a major focus on the strengths of an individual. Teh capitalises on what the disabled can do, and trains them to better serve the consumers.

“We train them to be independent. There are three things we are very much focused on – accountability, ownership and bonding. We have to be sincere with them so they are able to sense your sincerity, and understand how things are being run,” he said.

Drastic change

Teh confessed that he was once a troubled youngster but had turned his life around.

“Many years ago, I myself created a lot of issues in the community. Later, it came to a point where I could do something meaningful with my life. My aim here is to solve the ecosystem that could create jobs for disabled people to be a part of your workforce  because I employ them and now my business is valued at $400,000 (Bt9.57million),” he said.”

“It is a business. So, we cannot afford to be a sheltered workshop. What we want is to fill the gap and to allow them to be independent so they are able to take care of themselves.”

Currently, the enterprise employs around 30 people with disabilities, and plans to hire more in the months to come. Teh takes pride in the gradual growth of his restaurant – the first of its kind in Singapore that allows disabled people to serve the clients.

“I did not know what a social enterprise was until four years ago. When it comes to business, the very first thing that comes to my mind is that I need to earn money. If I do not have money, I cannot help them. All the income comes from my consumers. They are the ones who help us to do it,” he said. “A lot of people think social causes means doing charity. But that is not the case. You can employ them and they will be part of your team.”

“Beautiful Bangkok 2019: The Symphony of Happiness” will combine creativity with technology to project colourful, vibrant and imaginative works by seven leading Thai artists on Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard, to amaze and delight Thais and tourists during Christmas and New Year, with performances from December 18 to 31, MQDC chief executive officer Visit Malaisirirat said on Monday.

The show’s audience is expected to surge by 50 per cent, climbing from 600,000 people daily last year to 900,000 this year, he added.

 The company has responded by releasing its new premium Korean seafood brand, K•Fish, as well as the expansion of its online distribution channel, with the goal of generating Thai sales of Bt272 million per annum within the next five years.

According to chief executive officer Junho Lim, Jidubang’s business strategy is now to increase the growth of its seafood product line under the K•Fish brand.

After being marketed in Thailand for three years, it has generated sales of more than Bt40 million so far this year, a figure that is expected to rise to Bt70 million in 2019 as the result of the expansion of its distribution channels and the changing Thai consumer-behaviour trend.

Thais have been increasingly interested in eating at Korean restaurants for the past five years, with 70 per cent of restaurant sales now coming from Thai diners, as against 80 per cent being accounted for by Koreans five years ago, the CEO said.

Today, the Thai market is very important to Korean restaurant entrepreneurs and it is believed that Korean food fever in the Kingdom will go on and on, he added.

Given these factors, the company wants to release more seafood products to the market under the K•Fish brand.

The launch of Jidubang’s Korean seafood product line enables the company to enter the premium seafood product market and effectively reach Thai consumers, Lim said.

The K•Fish brand is the first South Korean government-certified fishery export under a promotional drive created by the country’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

“K•Fish products include 11 seafood products ready for export, which are Gim, Flatfish, Abalone, Miyok, Conger, Seasoned Squid, Oyster, Red Snow Crab, Fish Cake, and Tuna (canned and retort). We can guarantee the quality of Korean seafood thanks to our specific weather and geography,” Lim explained.

Jidubang currently sells the products at its own shops as one of its Thai distribution channels, including K Market and Jibubang Market.

All K Market branches will be transformed to Jidubang Market, in addition to its only stand-alone shop in Ratchada, in parallel with ongoing online-platform development through the firm’s website and application.

The new e-commerce platform is expected to be completed around March 2019.

Some 20 per cent of next year’s Thai sales will come from online channels, with a sales-growth goal of 60-70 per cent over the next five years, the chief executive said.

Overall Thai sales are targeted to double to Bt272 million in five years, from Bt136 million in 2018.

Although some passengers were reported saying “Raberd or Bomb” while checking in or on board aircraft, causing several unnecessary delays frequently, some of them still uttered the word “Explosive” on board consecutively. Such offense is relating to the Act on Certain Offenses against Air transport.

Charita Leelayuth, acting chief executive officer of THAI Smile Airways, revealed that in the past, the airline also found that many passengers who did not know that saying “Bomb” on the aircraft carrier was found guilty under the Act on Certain Offenses against Air Transport.

Penalties have been clearly prescribed in the Article 22 stating that any person who discloses a message or sends a message known to be false and that is, or is likely to cause others in the airport or those on board the aircraft during a flight to panic.

The offender shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine not exceeding Bt200,000, or both imprisonment and fine. If the act causes a danger to the safety of the aircraft during flight, the offender shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of 5-15 years or a fine of between Bt200,000 and Bt600,000 or both.

In cases where passengers say “Bomb” outside of the aircraft, whether speaking at the check-in counter or while boarding, they may be prosecuted and subject to the fine for causing troubles to others.

“Not only the talk with impetuousness of explosives, but the joking words should not be spoken, including air hijack and terrorism since the airport is a place where security is critical.

If an officer of the airline sees or hears a message that may have such a security effect, he/she must notify the relevant authorities without exception. The airport security officers are obliged to comply with the rules of safety and related Acts in accordance with the procedures set forth. The passenger who articulates “Explosive” must be sent to the police station for further inquiry.

And if the baggage has been loaded, then it must be taken out for due check again. It is a waste of time and a real impact on other passengers, particularly flight delay which will have a significant effect.”

In addition, items to be careful include valuables such as cash, iPad, camera, notebook and jewelries. They should be put in a bag and carry with you to the aircraft. They are not allowed to be loaded under the cargo, as well as all types of power banks are not granted to load under the cargo as well, but allowed to carry on the plane.

There must be a power bank with capacity less than 20,000 mAh and/ or backup battery with capacity between 20,000 – 32,000 mAh (up to 2 pcs) while power banks with capacity over 32,000 mAh are prohibited. So, be cautious for these sensitive items so that your special trip can arrive at the destination save and sound,” Charita concluded.

The payment was for Bt6.693 billion, half the total licence fee of Bt12.511 billion.

With a complete spectrum portfolio including both low-band and high-band licences, its parent DTAC is now confident that it will deliver a strong network experience to customers across the country, said Alexandra Reich, chief executive officer of Total Access Communication (DTAC).

“We will use the 1800MHz spectrum acquired through the auction to support our large remaining 2G subscriber base and to enhance our 4G network efficiency. The extra capacity allows us to keep up with the rapid growth of mobile Internet demand and perfectly complements our portfolio.

“DTAC now provides mobile services across 110MHz of spectrum bandwidth in all frequency bands, including 10MHz on 900 MHz, 10MHz on 1800MHz, 30MHz on 2100MHz, and 60MHz on 2300MHz through a partnership with TOT,” she said.

The 1800MHz spectrum licence that dtac TriNet acquired at auction includes two times 5MHz in the range of 1745-1750 MHz, paired with 1840-845MHz.

DTAC will pay for the 15-year licence, valid until 2033, in three instalments.

The second payment is for 25 per cent, due next year, with the final payment due in 2020.

“DTAC has already paid the full Bt13.5 billion for the 2100MHz spectrum licence acquired in 2012. In addition to the first installment of the 1800MHz licence fee, DTAC is also preparing to make the first payment of Bt4.02 billion – out of a total amount of Bt38.064 billion – for the 900MHz licence fee, in compliance with the auction requirements,” the CEO added.

Kang credits her background as a third-generation Korean-Chinese in enabling her, from a very young age, to broaden her perspective and look at issues from different points of view.

And that’s also to the benefit of Bayer Thai, where she has risen to become the smallholder-farming manager for Southeast Asia at the German multinational.

Kang, who has been with Bayer for nine years, believes adaptability is the key component in the success she has enjoyed in boosting farm incomes for Bayer clients.

Kang started off with Bayer in 2009, working as a sales manager for Bayer Crop Science Korea Ltd for more than three years and then as sales excellence manager, covering 14 countries in the Asia Pacific region. Kang has also worked in China as the company’s national channel manager.

In her current role in Thailand with a focus on smallholder farming, she is also responsible for the company’s activities in this field in Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Her bachelor’s degree in German and a master’s degree in linguistics helped Kang kick off her career with Bayer almost a decade ago. But it was not by chance – she always had the dream to work for a German multinational company.

“I wanted to work in a German company because I thought the German working culture was very structured, efficient and productive,” she recalls. “This led me to apply for a position in Bayer in South Korea where I worked for Bayer Korea for three and a half years.”

In her current position, Kang is responsible for the development and implementation of business models for smallholder farmers in the Asean region.

“My current goals are to improve the livelihoods of farmers and to ensure sustainable value creation in the segment. In Thailand, with the local team, we are continuously working to identify the needs of smallholder farmers in the rice industry,” she says.

“My aim is to provide holistic and innovative solutions that can empower smallholder farmers to unlock their farming potential. The effort goes to providing good agricultural practice training for smallholder farmers, as well as introducing new technology such as the drone application to local farmers in the region.

“There are many people who cannot adapt to new working environments, especially when they move abroad. I believe my unique cultural background allows me to approach problems from both a South Korean and a Chinese point of view when working in both South Korea and China respectively.”

She has always had a passion for learning, understanding and adapting to different cultures. That passion powered her aspiration to work in Southeast Asia.

“When I opened myself to different cultures, I could see a lot of new opportunities in different markets, and I started to wonder what Bayer could do to help farmers in different markets in Asia, especially rice farming in the Asean region,” she says.

Kang’s open mindset and adaptability also allowed her to overcome one of her biggest challenges while working with Bayer – helping the company to be more customer-centric.

“When I first entered the company in 2009, it was undergoing a holistic transformation to become more customer-centric,” she says. “This meant reaching out more to customers in order to gain a better understanding of their needs, before developing new technologies to improve their livelihoods, as well as focusing more on their feedback about our products.

“Customers’ satisfaction means a lot to us. It was an important mindset shift. We had to make sure we embed a customer-centric approach in everything we do.”

Kang looks back on the period as having presented a steep learning curve.

“But this helped me to grow in a very short time period, “ she says. “There was excitement in working to transform the company in such a drastic way, but at the same time, the intensive workload and the uncertainty which came with the transformation process was also a key source of stress for me.

“I overcame this challenge by identifying and adapting to the higher stress level, so I started to use this stress to drive me forward. I started to communicate more with my colleagues and fostered a trusting relationship with them.”

Kang found that, by being as open as possible with her colleagues, this approach helped with the transformation process. She was able to explain to them why the company was so rigorous on certain issues, such as the need for a change in working styles.

“Transforming a company involves collective determination and effort from all employees to change both the mindset towards work and the execution of various tasks,” she says.

Hence, when she gained understanding from her colleagues, she was able to push for the transformation that the company needed.

In the coming years, Kang aims to work more closely with farmers either as a general manager in one particular country or in a specific topic covering several countries. This is because either path would allow her to have more direct contact and communication with local farmers, stakeholders and local colleagues – a key aspect of her work that motivates her to further improve Bayer’s services.

“I find that interacting with local farmers is a very meaningful experience. Bringing services to these farmers and improving their livelihoods is something very valuable,” she says. “Not so long ago a farmer told me that after this season’s harvest, they were going to be able to afford a new door for their house. It is conversations like this that push me to improve Bayer’s services for our local farmers.”

As mobile payments experience rapid growth in the region, Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings is considering launching WeChat Pay, its digital payments platform service, in Thailand, says Royal Chen, vice president of financial technology for Tencent.

“We are considering which approach – doing the payment service by ourselves or working with local partners – is more suitable to launch WeChat Pay Thailand,” Chen told a group interview for Thai media on Wednesday in Hangzhou.

Chen is responsible for the product planning and operation in both the China and international payment services for the company. Tencent is thinking about partnering with certain Thai business sectors, particularly banks, to provide the service because payment needs to be localised in different countries.

“A local partner is important,” Chen stressed several times during the interview.

Thailand is a key market for the company, given the huge number of users of WeChat, Tencent’s popular social network, Chen said.

However, the firm has no timeline to launch WeChat Pay Thailand, he added.

WeChat Pay service is currently provided in Thailand for Chinese tourists, to ensure they have a good experience while away from home.

China remains the largest contributor in terms of both arrivals and tourism revenue to Thailand and, on average, they spend more than other tourists – above Bt5,000 per person a day, according to data from the tourism authority.

Chinese accounted for nearly one-third of last year’s record 35 million arrivals but the number began to fall in August this year, plunging 11.77 per cent from a year earlier due to a boat accident that killed over 40 Chinese in Phuket in early July.

WeChat Pay has about 800 million active monthly users, most of them Chinese nationals, according to Tencent. The payment feature integrated into the WeChat app is now supported by merchants in over 40 countries, including Thailand.

In August this year, WeChat launched payment features in Malaysia called WeChat Pay My, its first market in Asia beyond mainland China and Hong Kong.

The WeChat Malaysia’s payment feature will enable local businesses to engage with their customers under the same platform, and make or transfer payments in Malaysian ringgit.

“The outcome is beyond our expectations, and we are expecting the digital wallet in Malaysia will grow faster than in others and even faster than in Hong Kong,” Chen said.

In 2016, Tencent launched WeChat Pay HK in Hong Kong with transaction growth exceeding ten-fold last year. Although it’s difficult for Chen to forecast the trend of mobile payments for the next three years because the system has been in use for just four years in China, his guess it that developments could speed up and cover more business sectors.

Convenience highlighted

Payment technology developments aim for convenience and ease of use, and for users to feel like they are at home even while travelling, with no need to worry about currency exchange rates, Chen said.

“In the future, mobile payment systems will be part of your daily life. It’s just like you drive a car to your home [today] and have a very good experience or enjoy making a payment from your home. You can order coffee and the shop will send a messenger to facilitate your payment,” Chen said.

Also, payment systems in the future will be cashless. Consumers may not need to scan the QR code when doing transactions, because everything will be on cloud services and big data, he said.

From the consumer’s point of view, they do not need to bother with which method of payment they are using, because all their data is already in the cloud and it’s safe, he said.

“We can use voice recognition or facial recognition in order to identify users when they want to make a payment transaction,” he added.

During his speech titled “Exploration of Cross-border Mobile Payment, its Development and Challenges Ahead” at the Money 20/20 conference held in Hangzhou on Wednesday, Chen said mobile payments are developing rapidly in China with support from the regulatory authorities. The growth will continue and penetrate different segments of society, he said.

Tencent will continue to actively explore reaching out to overseas markets via three channels – Chinese outbound tourists, WeChat Pay and the Open Payment Platform.

He cited the success story of WeChat Red Packet since its 2014 launch. The Red Packet continues to break its own records from time to time. That mobile application was developed by Tencent based on the Chinese tradition of hongbao in which money is given to family and friends as a gift.

WeChat Red Packet transactions in one week during this year’s Chinese New Year were 768 million yuan (Bt3.64 billion), Chen said.

In October, Tencent launched the first of its kind cross-border mobile payment service, allowing WeChat Pay HK users to conduct yuan-denominated transactions with Hong Kong dollars in mainland China.

Chen noted the WeChat mini-programmes, tax refunds dubbed the “We Tax Refund”, that enable Chinese tourists to quickly apply for tax refunds from within the app while abroad or once they have returned home.

The service is now open in 81 airports and 19 countries, but not yet in Thailand, though Chen said his firm has a plan to bring it here.

“We are willing to cooperate with partners to facilitate the development of mobile payments globally,” he said.