The company is known in Japan, Korea and Taiwan for its popular roadside stores, designed to offer customers a more personal, convenient shopping experience. The central promise of the roadside store model is simple: local, one-stop shopping for customers to enjoy in a quick-and-convenient trip close to home, said a company press release on Thursday.

“Southeast Asia is now a key growth engine for UNIQLO globally,” Satoshi Hatase, CEO, UNIQLO Southeast Asia said in the release.

“In line with the philosophy of our roadside stores, a central aim of UNIQLO Phatthanakan is to boost the vitality of the local area, becoming a lifestyle and cultural hub and driver of local economic development and prosperity. We hope UNIQLO roadside stores will stimulate local communities across the region, improving convenience for customers, raising property values and attracting new and sustainable businesses around each new store location.”

Local restaurant owner Mrs Duanporn welcomed the company’s local foray.

“We have a strong community here in Phattanakan and we always work together to support local business. We are delighted that UNIQLO has seen the potential of Phattanakan, and we are pleased to welcome UNIQLO as the newest member of our community. I believe the new UNIQLO store will help stimulate business in the local area.”

UNIQLO Phatthanakan has a sales floor of around 1440 square metres, and will carry a full range of UNIQLO LifeWear items for men, women, kids and babies. As a roadside store, it includes a large parking lot exclusively for UNIQLO customers, and is designed to ensure enough space and accessibility for all needs – families with children, elderly people and people with disabilities.

Blue Carbon Society is a non-profit organization founded by the philanthropist couple as a place for everyone to spread awareness of how much the seas and coasts protect our world and to help future generations enjoy a beautiful natural world.

“Blue Carbon is like a lifeline to safeguard us all from climate change and global warming through the capacities of marine and coastal ecosystems to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Their elements such as mangrove forests, sea grass meadows, and salt marshes function as the world’s air purifier.

Although it is not new, blue carbon has received more and more attention as the capacity of green carbon or land forest as the world’s carbon sink has critically been depleted due mainly to deforestation. With the increasing interest in blue carbon by research communities, it was found that blue carbon has more capacity to fix carbon than green carbon,” said Jwanwat.

Jwanwat has long played an important role in marine conservation in Thailand. He is the maker of Shelldon, a 3D animated series featuring marine life in the Andaman Sea that has been broadcast in over 180 countries, read the statement.

Thippaporn established DT Group of Companies as a community of smart and good-hearted people who care for society at large. Committed to assisting the underprivileged and to promoting the harmonious coexistence of humankind and the rest of nature, she saw Blue Carbon Society as another community of good-hearted people who take care of natural resources and ecosystems, especially endangered marine species like dugong.

Blue Carbon Society launched before the movie screening. Jwanwat and Thippaporn featured in a panel discussion to open the event. Then, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Martin Hart-Hansen delivered the keynote speech, focusing on challenges and opportunities for environmental and biodiversity conservation in Thailand.

“The Blue Carbon Society is a great example of how private sector can be directly involved with biodiversity conservation.”, said Hart-Hansen.

“We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you,” Zuckerberg said, in his first public comments on the harvesting of Facebook user data by a British firm linked to Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Writing on his Facebook page, Zuckerberg announced new steps to rein in the leakage of data to outside developers and third-party apps, while giving users more control over their information through a special toolbar.

Zuckerberg said measures had been in place since 2014 to prevent precisely the sort of abuse revealed at the weekend.

“But we also made mistakes, there’s more to do, and we need to step up and do it,” he said.

The scandal erupted when a whistleblower revealed that British data consultant Cambridge Analytica (CA) had created psychological profiles on 50 million Facebook users via a personality prediction app, created by a researcher named Aleksandr Kogan.

The app was downloaded by 270,000 people, but also scooped up their friends’ data without consent — as was possible under Facebook’s rules at the time.

Facebook says it discovered last week that CA may not have deleted the data as it certified.

“This was a breach of trust between Kogan, Cambridge Analytica and Facebook,” Zuckerberg wrote. “But it was also a breach of trust between Facebook and the people who share their data with us and expect us to protect it.”

“We need to fix that.”

– Probe by special counsel? –

Zuckerberg’s admission follows another day of damaging accusations against the world’s biggest social network as calls mounted for investigations on both sides of the Atlantic.

Max Schrems, a Vienna-Based activist who has brought online data protection cases before European courts, told AFP he complained to the Irish Data Protection Authority in 2011 about the controversial data harvesting methods.

Schrems also recounted a seven-hour meeting with Facebook representatives the following year to discuss concerns around apps operating in this fashion, but said they said they saw no problems with their policies.

“They explicitly said that in their view, by using the platform you consent to a situation where other people can install an app and gather your data,” Schrems said.

ABC News reported meanwhile special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, was looking at Cambridge Analytica’s role in the Trump effort.

Citing anonymous sources, ABC said several digital experts who worked on Trump’s campaign have held closed-door interviews with Mueller’s team.

The British firm has maintained it did not use Facebook data in the Trump campaign, but its now-suspended CEO boasted in secret recordings that his company was deeply involved in the race.

– #DeleteFacebook –

The data scandal has ratcheted up the pressure on Facebook — already under fire for allowing fake news to proliferate on its platform during the US presidential election.

A movement to quit the social network gathered momentum, while a handful of lawsuits emerged which could turn into class actions — in a costly distraction for the company.

One of those calling it quits was a high-profile co-founder of the WhatsApp messaging service acquired by Facebook in 2014.

“It is time. #deletefacebook,” Brian Acton said in a tweet protesting the social media giant’s handling of the crisis.

Both Facebook and CA have denied wrongdoing, as attention focused increasingly on Kogan, the inventor of the controversial app — personality survey dubbed This Is Your Digital Life.

But Kogan said in an interview he was “stunned” by the allegations against him, claiming CA had assured him his activities were above board.

“I’m being basically used as a scapegoat by both Facebook and Cambridge Analytica,” he told the BBC. “We thought we were acting perfectly appropriately. ”

The University of Cambridge psychologist said CA had approached him to do the work, and that he did not know how the firm would use the data collected with his app.

European Union officials have called for an urgent investigation while British, US and EU lawmakers have asked Zuckerberg to give evidence.

Responding to Zuckerberg’s comments Wednesday, US Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts was the latest lawmaker to call on Zuckerberg to appear.

“You need to come to Congress and testify to this under oath,” Markey tweeted.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has urged Facebook and CA to cooperate with the national information commissioner’s probe.

“The allegations are clearly very concerning,” she told MPs.

“People need to have confidence in how their personal data is being used.”

Facebook shares steadied Wednesday, gaining 0.74 percent after steep declines this week that wiped out some $50 billion in market value.

But questions abounded on the future of Facebook, which has grown from a startup in a Harvard dorm room to become one of the world’s most powerful companies.

Analyst Brian Wieser at Pivotal Research said Facebook “is exhibiting signs of systemic mismanagement,” possibly from growing too fast.

“Investors now have to consider whether or not the company will conclude that it has grown in a manner that has proven to be untenable,” Wieser said in a research note.

Brand’s Suntory Trading (Thailand) is a sales arm of Brand’s Suntory International for Brand’s products via traditional and modern trade channels.

The opening of the direct business department is in line with the company’s plan to bridge the gap between the conventional purchasing outlets and the market not reached by these stores.

Along with the announcement of the direct business unit, the company has officially launched Brand’s ActivMove, the company’s first food supplement in the Thai market. Sales will be conducted through three direct-selling channels: telesales, the website store. brandsworld.co.th and LINE: @BRANDScare.

The company said the product caters to what it calls “new era” consumers of both sexes and all ages. It is aimed at helping those whose joints come under increasing pressure in daily life, contributing to premature joint problems. The company targets annual sales of Bt250 million from direct business in the first 12 months, and up to Bt500 million in the next three years.

Yuichiro Ara, the head of the direct business department for Southeast Asia and North Asia at Brand’s Suntory International Co Ltd, said that Brand’s Suntory Trading (Thailand), under the umbrella of Brand’s Suntory, opened the direct business department to provide a new marketing channel in addition to the conventional means provided by shops. This initiative would boost sales of Brand’s products, said Ara, noting that Thais have long been familiar with them.

“Introducing a new business model also serves to respond to changes in consumer behaviour that are resulting in more products being purchased through e-commerce and social media,” he said.

“There is an increasing trend for online shopping. As for the direct selling approach, it relies heavily on customer relationship management and how we create a personal touch. We aim to satisfy customers by using direct selling and direct marketing approaches.

“The key challenges are, how do we expand our customer base and acquire customer data in order to conduct re-targeting of marketing activities. We are looking into ways and means to acquire quality data on consumers in the both the online and offline spheres. We are also leveraging on collaborative marketing with our business partners.

“Direct selling enables the company to reach customers personally, get to understand them and create relationships with them. Customers not only order products directly from these channels but also obtain useful information about Brand’s supplement products; customers can subsequently receive advice and tips on how to take good care of their health.”

The company has used the same business model in other countries and territories such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore as well as in Thailand, where Brand’s food supplements are widely recognised.

Brand’s ActivMove has been in the market for some time now through direct selling channels, but only on a test basis, as it had not been officially launched.

“The product has gone on to receive an overwhelming response and is ranked among the top five products sold through direct business channels,” Ara said. “This inspired the company to officially launch ActivMove on March 14, in which it presented ‘Toon Bodyslam’, or Atiwara Kongmalai, as brand ambassador as well as celebrities who are passionate about fitness and exercise, like ‘Lek’ Kornkanok Yongsakul and ‘Por’ Punyapat Thanomkul, who have also joined the campaign.

“More products will be launched to offer a fascinating array of choices.”

Sawanya Chantarastapornchit, senior manager of the direct business department at Brand’s Suntory Trading (Thailand) Co Ltd, said the company seized on the market opportunities presented by ActivMove because statistics show that one third of Thais suffer from joint problems, especially in the knees.

“Women are more prone to this than men. Around 50 per cent of people over 40 years old are found to have joint issues while at least 10 per cent of those under 40 years old are affected. Ageing and being overweight are important factors contributing to degenerating of knee joints,” she said.

“Today’s lifestyle and daily routines exercises that put pressure on the joints – such as jogging, biking, extreme sports, wearing high-heels all day long and walking for extended period – is another contributor to premature joint degeneration. Wrong sitting postures, for instance sitting on the floor with one’s legs to one side, crossing one’s legs and squatting can also cause problems. So it’s not only seniors but also younger people that suffer knee joint problems.”

She said the main target groups for ActivMove are those aged 25-60 who have an active lifestyle, love fitness and exercising, and those who are overweight as this, along with other risk factors, may cause knee-joint degeneration.

“We are confident it will continue to receive a great response from consumers and expects to see double-digit sales growth each year, aiming to make Bt500 million in sales in three years,” Sawanya said.

The National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI) projects investment for 2018 to swell to Bt160 billion, with 70 per cent from the private sector and the rest from the state sector.

Kitipong Promwong, secretary general of the STI, said that aside from direct R&D, the expected investment would cover science and technology, human resources development and innovation technology as part of stepped-up efforts to boost the country’s productivity and international competitiveness.

Kitipong said the factors driving the increased inflows include a range of incentives and privileges provided by the government. Among them, he said, are tax privileges from the Broad of Investment (BOI) that offer benefits to enterprises for between eight and 13 years and an incentive from the Revenue Department that makes some companies eligible for tax deductions of up to 300 per cent. This would apply to companies in robotics, healthcare, agriculture, biotechnology and the creative economy as part of the government’s Thailand 4.0 vision.

The STI chief also cited the growing startup scene and the huge investment from the government on infrastructure to support the development of economic zones, such as the Eastern Economic Corridor.

Other positives came from the country’s reputation for the ease of doing business and the increased mobility of skilled workers in the emerging growth sectors.

Kitipong also pointed to the government’s active stance in inviting businesses from key countries, such as Japan and China, to invest in the country.

“I think that companies engaged in telecommunications, financial technology (fintech), startup ventures and retail will be much more interested to invest in areas that will see them adopt new technology, and improve human resources development to support their businesses,” Kitipong said.

New areas

“These areas of investment would include artificial intelligence, automation, Big Data, Internet banking and data analytics. By moving into such areas, these companies will be able to better compete with their rivals, improve productivity and increase the efficiency of their businesses. Such efforts will result in the improved competitiveness of the country as a whole.”

The STI also expects that the country’s spending on R&D, science and technology and other innovative technologies will climb to 1.5 per cent of GDP in 2021.

Kitipong said that last year these outlays amounted to Bt142 billion, representing around 0.95 per cent of GDP. As with this year’s projection, the private sector accounted for 70 per cent of this investment.

In 2016, the investment totalled Bt113.5 billion, with private companies contributing 73 per cent of this amount.

For 2017, the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) reported that Thailand ranked No 27 out of 63 countries in the IMD World Competitiveness table.

Within the overall ranking of 27th, Thailand was ranked 10th for economic performance, 20th for government efficiency, 25th for business efficiency and 49th for|science infrastructure.

Pattarapong Raktabutr, head of alternative distribution channels at Kiatnakin Bank, which is a member of the Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group, said KK SME 3x covers three types of credit.

These are term loans, overdrafts and letters of guarantee.

“It’s able to provide borrowers with as much as three times the value of the property being used as collateral – for a maximum of Bt15 million,” Pattarapong said.

“The properties used as collateral include detached houses, condominium rooms, commercial buildings, factory buildings, warehouses and empty land. Loan applicants can utilise the Thai Credit Guarantee Corp to guarantee the loans so they may qualify for a maximum loan repayment period of 20 years.”

This is available only for buyers of assets and for refinancing, however.

“To help customers save on expenses, the bank will shoulder the TCG’s credit guarantee fee throughout the entire contract period, at 1.75 per cent of the loan amount.

“A relationship manager team with specific expertise will also be set up to analyse the client’s business and demands and closely follow up with the client during the entire borrowing period.”

Kiatnakin Bank last year issued more than Bt3 billion worth of loans in its KK SME Car3x programme, an increase of 74 per cent from the previous year.

This year it aims to issue Bt4 billion worth of loans to small and medium-sized businesses.

The contract is part of Canal+ Myanmar’s launch of a pay TV DTH (direct-to-home) service.

It has leased four transponders on the Thaicom 6 satellite and a broadcast platform on Ku-band that will initially be used to deliver 80 channels.

“Our partnership with Thaicom is a cornerstone in our strategy to grow our business in Myanmar, with the capacity to bring our offer to the whole country and make it accessible to most of the population,” said Canal+ Myanmar FG chief executive Erwan Luherne.

“Thaicom’s powerful satellite resources make it possible for Canal+ to offer a channel bouquet that is competitive, both in terms of quality and volume. Thanks to the launch in Myanmar, Canal+ Group is able to strengthen its position in Southeast Asia.”

Thaicom chief commercial officer Patompob Suwansiri called Canal+ Group “an important strategic partner”.

“Thaicom has more than 15 years of experience in serving the Myanmar market. The country is part of Thaicom’s long-term Asean Economic Community strategy.”

The company aims to become one of the world’s top 10 producers in its field by expanding capacity to one million tonnes per year by 2020.

It’s in the midst of forging joint ventures with partners in India to build plants in Visakhapatam and Tuticorin that are expected to go into operation in 2019.

Chememan is also committed to expanding its market overseas and increasing its client base in 10 industries in more than 20 countries.

The plants in India will produce and distribute lime and mineral limestone products in India, which is a market with high growth potential.

It is expected that the two plants will increase Chememan’s combined total production from 900,000 tonnes per year at present to one million tonnes by next year.

With 25 years of experience in UPS, Reed will lead a team of almost 500 employees in one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies.

He is responsible for UPS’ small package, freight forwarding and contract logistics operations, as well as overseeing the growth of UPS operations in Cambodia and Myanmar.

Reed previously served as director of marketing for South Asia and agent coordinator for Asia-Pacific for three years, based in Singapore.