Aomsin Nutchaya Phoungjeen and Frong Thanakorn Yaowarat will be part of the opening-match proceedings at the “2018 FIFA World Cup Russia” in June, walking onto the pitch hand-in-hand with their footballing idols, together with other children from around the world.

In its ongoing effort to improve client services, Mazars Thailand set out to find a comprehensive HR business that could serve clients of all sectors and sizes in one place, and the perfect partner to develop such solutions was found in HReasily.

The partnership allows Mazars Thailand – whose parent company, Mazars, is based in France – to introduce cloud-based HR-compliance and payroll solutions on a single platform to both Thai and regional markets.

The Thai company described the new relationship with HReasily as “a synergistic one with multiple benefits”, including:

– Efficiency: The ability to provide an HR management system that offers payroll services as well as managing the employee database, new hires, leavers, leave, timesheets, expense claims and document storage.

– Multi-country coverage: It enables Mazars to provide regional payroll services on a single platform, covering Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia.

– Ease of use: Payroll reports, statutory returns, pay slips and leave information will be available to the client and its employees online or via a mobile application.

– Seamless integration: HReasily is seamlessly integrated with Xero accounting software; output is recorded as an accounting entry each month and posted directly into Xero.

With the recent government initiative to bolster small and medium-sized enterprises in 10 provinces via a Bt3.81-billion pilot project, there is a strong demand for human-resources solutions that are flexible enough to accommodate growth and expansion, both within Thailand and regionally, Mazars Thailand said.

This new collaboration offers an agile technology platform that will enable SMEs to adapt as their workforce grows, the company added.

The goals of the MOU – titled “Digital Human Development in Digital Business and Services (Cooperative Education)” – include creating innovation, encouraging creativity, and supporting the readiness of students to fulfill industry demand in accordance with national “Trade and Service 4.0” initiatives.

The UTCC is the only Thai university that requires first-year students to complete a “Digital Innovation Thinking and Coding” course.

Assoc Professor Sauwanee Thairungroj, president of the university and teaching professor, said the UTCC is the leading institute in the business, trading and service industries.

The main mission is to function as a practice-university in providing the knowledge and skills necessary to students in every faculty, she said.

Graduating students possess entrepreneurial skills and can apply digital technology-related innovation to business. UTCC sees this skill base, which it refers to as IDE (innovation-driven entrepreneurship), as a potential driving factor in developing the national economy, she added.

TCC’s Voradis said: “The competencies and capabilities of today’s graduates do not fulfill the current aggressive demands of our growing market. There is a lack of ‘industry linkage’ between industry and educational systems. This is a very critical time for students to equip and leverage themselves with industry needs.

“With readiness under our specialised domains within our ecosystems of data centres, connectivity and computing resources, TCC Technology Group is privileged to be a part of this exciting joint-programme.”

Festival-goers are invited to pay respect to the replica Buddha statues from well-known temples, receive a Lanna-style blessing for good fortune, water the Buddha statue representing their birth day of the week, watch exciting Lanna-style performances, beat the heat of the day at the mobile water park and attractions, enjoy fun games at a traditional temple-style fair and win authentic Thai prizes – all for free from April 12-15 at Megabangna.

For this year’s Songkran festival, Megabangna is all set to offer happiness by bringing exotic ancient Lanna to the city under the concept “Mega Splash…Mega Lanna Happiness”.

The whole shopping centre will be extravagantly decorated with Tung – a northern-style flag – and Yi Peng, a northern-style lantern, to set the stage for the special event.

Activities are divided into the Sook Jai Zone, located at the main entrance, where every family can take pleasure from inheriting the Thai New Year tradition by paying respect to the replicated Buddha statues, such as the Lanna-style Phra Buddha Sihing.

Shoppers can also water the Buddha statue representing their birth day of the week, and should not miss the chance to see exciting and rare Lanna-style performances such as the Sabatchai Drum Dance and Jeng Dance – an elegant and exhilarating dance created from the ancient Thai martial arts – and the Sword Dance.

In addition, get ready to splash away all the summer heat at the Sard Sanook Zone, located at Mega Plaza, where everyone can enjoy all-day cooling off at the mobile water park, well-equipped with its giant water slide and water tunnel.

Last but not the least, reminisce the retro fun with a traditional temple fair that offers myriad food and snacks from your memory, such as old-fashioned ice pops and soda, cotton candy, sugar-candy sculptures, and shaved ice.

And be sure to top up all the fun with carnival games like shooting, balloon and dart, hoop-throwing and dunk-tank girl.

The Board of Directors of Ticon Industrial Connection Plc (TICON) has announced a transition in the company’s management – after the departure of Virapan Pulges, chief executive officer (CEO) on March 31, that Sopon Racharaksa, president, has taken on the additional role of acting CEO, effective on the same date.

Board chairman Chainoi Puankosoom expressed his full appreciation to Virapan for his dedication and contribution to Ticon’s success.

Under his leadership, Ticon had maintained its unbroken record of full-year profitability, it continued to grow its logistics and industrial portfolio to over 2.7 million square metres and led the sector in winning the Gold Leed green-sustainability awards.

He also guided the merger of Property Funds (TLOGIS, TFUND and TGROWTH) with Ticon’s Real Estate Investment Trust (TREIT) to form the largest logistics and industrial REIT in Thailand.

Sopon is an industry veteran and a worthy leader. With 7-years of experience in the Thailand Board of Investment and senior leadership in real estate development sector, he led Ticon’s transformation strategy, ranging from driving up asset management capability, portfolio occupancy rate, securing new built-to-suits customers, introducing new development techniques from Frasers Property Australia.

BASE, Physique 57 join forces in Sathorn

BASE has partnered with New York’s Physique 57 to create Bangkok’s most exciting fitness destination in Sathorn

BASE, the fitness studio that’s taken Bangkok’s industry by storm, has expanded with a second branch conveniently located in the heart of Sathorn, just two minutes walk from Chong Nonsi BTS.

BASE has developed a strong reputation as a fun training environment that offers real results, making its Sukhumvit studio a firm favourite with locals, expats and celebrities alike.

All the elements of BASE’s concept that have proven so popular are now available at their second branch including their signature approach to HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and strength training. Whether it’s in a group |class format or a tailored personal training programme, BASE’s mix of cardio and strength has been a huge hit for its effectiveness in burning fat, improving fitness and building muscle.

In an exciting development for Sathorn-based exercise lovers, BASE is partnering with Physique 57, the workout specialists from New York.

The boutique fitness market is currently underserved in Sathorn so the introduction of these two top studios |creates a true fitness destination in the city’s business |district.

BASE and Physique 57 are offering an 8-week |transformation package that combines the two proven |training systems for maximum results , to be launched |on April 28.

International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 9 was developed by the International Accounting Standards Board to plug gaps that were believed to have contributed to the economic meltdown during the 2008 global financial crisis.

Thailand will adopt the local equivalent, TFRS 9, which will apply to all companies and public-interest entities in the Kingdom.

The new standard, which will require companies and banks to recognise and provide for expected credit losses within 12 months from their reporting date, is expected to have a substantial impact on any organisations that have financial aspects, particularly banks.

“IFRS9 brings with it many challenges for banks, with a huge potential to negatively impact profitability. This will have a knock-on effect on consumers and businesses, who may see their mortgage rates go up and access to loans go down,” Dev Dhiman, managing director of Experian Southeast Asia, said on Monday.

“We are excited to be able to support TMB as they develop ways to better meet the challenges from the new standard and help ensure that they can provide the best quality services to their customers,” he added.

The additional flights will be available on April 10, 11, 12, 16 and 17, lifting the number of daily return services to six from the usual five. The service will be designated WE8732, departing Bangkok at noon and arriving in Chiang Mai at 1.15pm, and WE8733, departing Chiang Mai at 1.45pm and arriving at Suvarnabhumi at 3.10pm.

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/thaismileairways.

The rating reflects the listed company’s experience as a property developer, its relationships with successful hotel brands, and the good locations of its hotel properties, TRIS said on Monday.

The rating is, however, constrained by Grande Asset’s reliance on the income from a few properties, its high administrative expenses, and an aggressive investment plan.

The rating also takes into consideration the nature of the hotel industry, which is characterised by intense competition and a high sensitivity to uncontrollable external factors, and the cyclicality of the property market, the ratings firm said.

Property Perfect and its affiliates are currently Grande Asset’s major shareholders and direct its business decision.

As a result, the ratings of the two developers are closely linked, with Property Perfect rated “BB+” with a “stable” outlook by TRIS.

Chairman Chainoi Puankosoom said on Monday that Sopon was “a worthy leader” with seven-plus years of experience at the Thailand Board of Investment and senior leadership in real estate development sector.

The bank meanwhile reported on Monday it had approved new loans in the first quarter (as of March 29) worth Bt47 billion, a 62-per-cent increase over the same period last year.

It said the rise boosted outstanding loans to Bt1.04 trillion.