Given that the Internet of Things (IoT) technology will become the key technology in changing the way Thais live and work, AIS is providing two networks specifically designed for the task: Narrow Band IoT and EMTC or Enhanced Machine Type Communication. Both are now available throughout Bangkok and nine other major cities.

The eMTC network is a standard network technology that comes with NB-IoT (narrowband Internet of Things) technology. Both have characteristics to support each other. eMTC can support mobile IoT such as connected cars and new voice-controlled IoT devices while NB-IoT focuses on energy saving of devices and distant communications.

AIS is also upgrading its mobile data network around the country to support Internet connection speed of up to 1 Gigabit per second.

The company also announced its goal to become the digital platform for Thais through the launching of three platforms: VDO Platform “Play 365”, VR Content Platform, and the AIS IoT Alliance Programme (AIAP).

These are specifically designed to support all relevant parties in developing services that emphasise the strengthening of capabilities and also to create new conducive opportunities.

AIS IoT Alliance Programme is a collaboration between members of all parties involved in IoT including public and private organisations and equipment and software developers to engage in exchange of knowledge and capabilities, products, services or solutions.

The programme is aimed to jointly create the substantial development of the IoT Solution/Business Model, broaden benefits to the public sector and enhance the management of all parties.

The Play 365is a local VDO platform offering opportunities for Thai artists to introduce their creative works without a label. The artists will have access to all Thai consumers and benefit from a proper revenue structure and advertising model that reflects the real number of viewers.

AIS IMAX VR (virtual reality) Content Platform offers opportunities for VR Content developers to create content and submit it to AIS. Activities will be organised continuously to support the developers.

Speaking at its own “Digital Intelligent Nation 2018” seminar yesterday, AIS chief executive officer Somchai Lertsutiwong said: “In 2017, the overall telecom industry continued to grow by 4 per cent (higher than GDP). Mobile Internet usage surged by 80 per cent over 2016. This year, Thai people are using up to 7.3 gigabytes of data and the amount of time spent on the social networks has doubled to 4.8 hours a day,”

More than 41 million people watch VDO via smartphones and 80 per cent of this is local content. Enterprises use the Cloud as a new standard to enhance operational management. AIS constantly develops its networks and services to meet all demands and has a network investment budget this year of more than between Bt35 billion and Bt38 billion to transform the mobile network into the next generation network.

AIS is also expanding NB-IoT and EMTC networks to support IoT and AIS fiber broadband Internet service. AIS brings new global VDO content such as CNN, Cartoon Network and TVN Channel from South Korea as well as the best local content for the benefits of Thais.

“AIS is highly confident that digital technology is the forefront solution to sustainable growth. It will help support the goal of the public sector to transform Thailand into achieving Thailand 4.0 and increase the country’s competitiveness,” Somchai added.

Passengers can now make reservations for all flights via www.expedia.co.th, Expedia’s mobile application or at any Expedia customer service centre around the world.

“Bangkok Airways strives to improve services provided to our passengers to enhance their travel experience as well as to emphasise our position as ‘Asia’s Boutique Airline’,” said vice president Varong Israsena Na Ayudhya.

Expedia vice president James Marshall said the relationship would extend cutting-edge technology to the airline, powering a booking system offering access to competitive flight prices and convenience.

“This is a great step forward in widening the reach for Bangkok Airways to a global audience through our Expedia platforms,” he said.

Hitachi and Hitachi Asia (Thailand) will work with Thailand Post to start proof of concept regarding an experimental digital post service that will enable receivers to receive notifications from state agencies through their computers and smartphones.

The agreement will also accommodate the outsourcing of a mail-printing service.

Hitachi said: “Studies will also be conducted on the needs associated with other public administrative information and various types of notifications from private companies, such as direct mail and invoices, to determine the feasibility of specific Thailand Post services specifically for such notifications.”

In a press release, the company described the product as “a rich, butter flaky taste cracker in a grab-and-go pack with three new flavours to reach out to young professionals aged 18-34 years old”.

The company said it aimed to become the number-one cracker brand in Thailand’s biscuit market by 2019.

Tanant Suwanraks, country head, Mondelez International (Thailand) Company Limited, said, Ritz was a leading cracker brand from the United States with a long-standing history “that has offered a taste of the good life for over 82 years”.

Tanant said the brand’s belief was that “the good life today is one we create for ourselves, formed around the people that we care about and the things that truly matter”.

The launch of three new flavours would strengthen Ritz’s position among its existing consumers, while also expanding its target customer base to cover young professionals and young families, Tanant said.

“In this regard, ThaiNamthip will be focusing more on developing technological innovations, being adaptive in the way it works, and emphasizing the customer-centric approach to succeed in highly competitive and fast-paced markets,” the company said in a press release.

The conference was also joined by Sedef Salingan Sahin (third left), general manager of Coca-Cola (Thailand) Limited and welcomed Ignace Corthouts (second left), the new chief operations officer, to the ThaiNamthip leadership team.

The announcement comes as the Bank of Thailand plans to allow commercial banks to set up banking agents in order to provide financial-service points that are closer to people’s homes than branch operations.

Many observers speculate that 7-Eleven has the potential to be a banking agent providing financial transactions such as deposit and withdrawal services, as well as small-amount payment services for retail – or individual – customers.

Suripong Tantiyanon, country manager of Visa Thailand, in a statement on Tuesday described the partnership between Visa, Thai Smart Card and 7-Eleven as “an important chapter in the digital transformation of commerce in Thailand”.

The Visa payment programme was first piloted in the Kingdom last year in selected 7-Eleven stores with high tourist traffic, and has since gradually branched out across the country, according to Visa Thailand’s office.

By 2022, the company will make improvements to the Happy Meal menu across 120 markets to offer more balanced meals, simplify ingredients, continue to be transparent with Happy Meal nutrition information, reinforce responsible marketing to children, and leverage innovative marketing to help impact the purchase of foods and beverages that contain recommended food groups in Happy Meals.

“We recognise the opportunity that we have to support families as one of the most visited restaurants in the world, and remain committed to elevating our food,” said Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s president and chief executive officer.

“Given our scale and reach, we hope these actions will bring more choices to consumers and uniquely benefit millions of families, which are important steps as we build a better McDonald’s,” he added.

In 2013, the company began working with the not-for-profit Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation) to develop a comprehensive plan for 20 major markets to increase customers’ access to fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy and water.

Many of those markets are ahead of schedule in their progress on those prior commitments, the company said.

The increase was due to the improved performance of the listed company and its subsidiaries in most business areas, PTT said in a filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

PTT’s board has also resolved that the company will establish a wholly owned subsidiary, PTT Treasury Centre Company Limited.

The new unit will conduct business in the area of international headquarters and treasury centre for the purpose of financial and treasury management of the PTT Group.

In a press statement, Kawin Tangudtaisak, content business director of Line Thailand, said: “In today’s mobile era, 90 per cent of Thailand’s mobile users are watching video online (source: TNS, the Connected Life 2017).

“This is in line with Line TV’s dramatic growth since the service launch. Within just three years, Line TV has grown to become Thailand’s leading online video platform with 20 million user downloads. Users now spend on average 176 minutes daily on Line TV (source: Nielsen).

“In addition, Line TV has expanded its partners to 161 content partners, up 90 per cent from 2016 including TV channels, producers, music labels, and news and magazines.

“Advertising spend on Line TV has also grown at over 100 per cent year on year. In fact, due to our strong partnership with leading TV channels, Line TV has been voted as Thailand’s no. 1 TV re-run platform (source: Nielsen), having acquired top prime time TV drama and entertainment content on an exclusive basis.”

Explaining Line TV’s aim to become Thailand’s No.1 online video platform, Kawin said “Line and our partners will continue to offer, create and market high quality content with first and exclusive TV re-runs and original content, all free to users.”

“This year, we are extending our TV re-run leadership by joining hands with top-rated TV channels, like Channel 3, WorkPoint, Channel 8, and provide full re-runs exclusively on Line TV, like one31 and GMM25.”

Kawin said Line was with major and up-and-coming partners such as TV Thunder, JSL Global Media, Bear Cave, Nomadik, GMMTV and Kantana Group to create original content, across series like “Together With Me: The Next Chapter”, “GGEZ”, “It’s Complicated”, “Hipster or Loser” and “The Deadline”, and programmes like “Dance Dance Dance”, “The Hidden Songs”, “Food Tribe”, “Kor Ku Tam Mai Penn”, and “Drag Race Thailand”.

High tuna prices contributed to the weaker margin, which was partly offset by prudent foreign-exchange management and stringent cost controls, the company said.

The 2017 selling, general and administration to sales ratio came in at 9.8 per cent, below the full-year target of 10 per cent.

As a result, net profit surged 14.6 per cent to a record Bt6.02 billion.

Thai Union announced a final dividend of Bt0.34 per share, making a 2017 full-year dividend of Bt0.66 per share, representing 5-per-cent dividend-payout growth from 2016 “despite strong operational headwinds”.

Last year, sales in North America continued to play an important role in the company’s revenue, accounting for 40 per cent of total sales, while Europe contributed 32 per cent.

The Thai market grew to 10 per cent of overall sales, while Japan contributed 6 per cent.

The sales contribution from major markets marginally shifted in favour of domestic and emerging markets partly due to strong penetration efforts in emerging markets, particularly China.

“Despite market volatility and higher raw material prices, our profitability remained resilient in 2017,” chief executive officer Thiraphong Chansiri said.

“Raw material price pressures are relaxing as tuna prices started to decline since the fourth quarter of 2017,” he added.