The agency has also affirmed TOP’s national short-term rating at “F1+(tha)” and the national long-term rating on its senior unsecured debts at “AA-(tha)”.

The affirmation reflects TOP’s continued strong business profile in the Thai refinery and petrochemical sector. Fitch expects TOP’s financial leverage to increase temporarily during high investment periods in 2019-22, then to fall to a level commensurate with its rating after the CFP commences full operations in 2023.

The CFP investment is likely to improve TOP’s business profile, increase its refining capacity and enhance its refining complexity and competitiveness.

Pitchayen “Thomas” Hongpakdee, Chief Executive Officer of Smart ID Group, said that the company was affected by the new Thai Industrial Standards Institute standard because its position lies between government and consumers.

As a manufacturer, the company has to increase the price in accordance with higher cost. At the same time, it needs to take consumers into account. The company has decided to slightly increase the product price to avoid posing too much burden on the consumers.

Looking ahead, the company chooses to develop product quality and decrease fire incidents caused by sub-standard plugs.

With eSIM comprising stable software and hardware, the plug is the first that passes Thailand Industrial Standard and will be launched in September.

The innovative product is connected to electric appliances and controlled by smartphone from anywhere with Internet connectivity. The user can set a timer to turn appliances on or off.

“In 2017, the company sold 200 pieces of consumer electronics and home entertainment products worth Bt300 million, a 25 per cent increase from 2016. The marketing budget of Bt45 million for 2018, accounting for 10 per cent of forecasted revenue, mainly focuses on innovation development in the second half of year.

The company aims to penetrate the market of IOT smart plug, which is high-line product. The company targets a sales volume of at least Bt450 million at year end, which will be Bt150 million higher than last year and capture 30 per cent market share in Thailand. Furthermore, the company aims to become the innovation leader in Thailand and take over 50 per cent market share within 2020,” Pitchayen said.

Cathay Pacific is the first airline to land an Airbus A350-1000 in Thailand and was congratulated by Airports of Thailand deputy vice president Kanogwan Kasetsin and customer relations director Anussara Mongsup.

Cathay Pacific’s A350-1000, the largest variant in the A350 family, carries 334 passengers in all seating categories.

The aircraft offers unparalleled comfort. Economy Class seats feature a larger, higher-definition personal television and an advanced inflight entertainment system and LED mood lighting, along with enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity.

Cathay Pacific will begin flying the A350-1000 to Washington DC on September 15. The aircraft will also serve Madrid, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, Manchester and Zurich beginning in the winter.

Thanasorn Jaidee, president of True Digital Park said, that the company had completed 80 per cent of work for the first phrase of the project, which covers about 40,000 square metres in the Punnawithi innovation district on Sukhumvit Soi 101.

Thanasorn said the park will be officially announced in November, set up with investment of around Bt700 million.

He said the park will create a startup ecosystem in its role as the first digital hub to be developed in the region, Some 80 per cent of the fixed space has been reserved by Thai and international companies to set up open laboratories, training centres, one-stop services and other activities.

He said that the first phase draws on a budget of around Bt700 million to manage the park, and work on the second phase – also of around 40,000 square metres – will start early next year.

“We want to built an e-unicorn in the country and for the region. Thailand is a destination for foreigners and we will built a global technology centre for the region and become a global hub for digital innovation,” said Thanasorn.

He said the park is being developed as an open innovation platform that promotes collaboration between multinational companies, startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), investors, government agencies, and universities.

“It will be a digital innovation hub that completely fulfils lifestyles and builds an innovation-focused community under one roof. It also integrates spaces, including co-working space, enterprise space, innovation space and events as well as business services space,” Thanasorn said.

“The co-working space is designed for working, learning and collaboration and will be open for entrepreneurs, startups and tech talent. It also has 100 seats for events and 5,000 seats for co-working space.”

He said the enterprise space is state of the art for technology companies and mature startups.

“ The innovation space serves as a technology centre equipped with tech tools, open labs and an experience centre,” he said. “With the events and business services space, the park will also provide a one-stop services centre offering a wide rang of consultations and support, such as for visa applications for international workers.”

“True Digital Park is fully equipped with an integrated telecommunication system, such as for cloud services and hi-speed connectivity, smart Internet of things (IoT) in order to enable smart solutions for convenience in life. Then there is connected mobility that allow users to get mobility application to access facilities in the park such as allowing them to reserve conference rooms. And there are robotics systems in order to provide delivery service, digital lifestyle and intelligent learning by using Big Data to support users’ satisfaction and for them to achieve better lifestyles.”

 Sales of up to Bt300 million a year – helped by export demand – encouraged Anek, 61, to make the investment commitment. His production plant can process an average of 28 million quail eggs a month; that will increase by up to half when work on the upgraded plant is completed by the end of 2018.

Anek said that the demand for quail eggs and meat has been increasing in Thailand and overseas. This prompted him to make the plans to boost his processing facility’s production plant in order to meet the demand.

The output goes out under his own brand, Anek Farm, and the brands of his customers.

He began raising quails for eggs and meat in 1985 after he returned from a stint of working in Saudi Arabia. “I started out with helping my mother who had been raising quails for eggs but was unable to sell the eggs to her customers in Ang Thong province at that time,” Anek said.

“I decided to transport her products for sale in Bangkok and was encouraged that they were sold out, especially with the reasonable prices.

“As a result, I decided to raise quails for the eggs as well as the meat by expanding my mother’s business.

“This meant going beyond just the raising of the birds and sale of the eggs to carry out processing of the eggs and the meat, while also promoting the opportunity for raising quails among other farmers in Ang Thong and neighbouring provinces.”

Since that start in 1985, Anek has collaborated with more than 100 farming families in over 20 provinces in the Central region on the raising of the birds for their eggs and meat. This cooperation saw Anek reach the level of the 28 million quail eggs a month – set to be exceeded next year. His company, Anek Farm Co Ltd, has steadily expanded in its scope to encompass the raising of quails for the eggs and meat and processing that output for distribution to the home and overseas markets.

“I produce the products under my own brand, Anek Farm, and also for our customers’ brands in the domestic and overseas markets, with the business generating sales averaging Bt300 million a year,” he said.

The company has cooperated with export firms to ship its products to the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany and the Middle East.

Once the expanded manufacturing plant comes on line at the end of this year, this will drive sales growth of up to 50 per cent in 2019 under the company’s focus on markets at home and abroad, Anek said.

The company also aims to increase the number of farmers that can supply it with the quail eggs and meat. This cooperation opens up an additional income stream for these farmers at an average of Bt20,000 a month, said Anek, adding that this is a welcome sideline business for these farmers in addition to their main activity of rice farming.

Until September 30, Citi card members can redeem points for the coupon through their Citi Line Official account.

There are also vouchers, discounts and coupons covering many top restaurants and stores for the rewards points redemption through the Line application.