Yesterday, THAI, its wholly owned subsidiary THAI Smile Airways Co Ltd and Nok Airlines signed a code-share deal on a round-trip service from Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport to Mae Hong Son as part of a closer collaboration between companies in the THAI group.

Under this code-share collaboration, Nok Air will operate the flights, while the three airlines will jointly market the tickets for the route.

Nok Air will initially operate three flights a week on the route: on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The first flight will take off on March 25.

THAI formed the THAI Group in the middle of last year in order to compete more efficiently in the industry. THAI holds around 29 per cent of Nok Air.

Their airlines’ move to cooperate on the code-sharing arrangement fits in with the government’s policy of promoting tourism in the 55 provinces identified as attracting the fewest visitors.

The Cabinet has approved a tax-break measure to stimulate tourism spending in these laggard provinces. The measure, which took effect on January 1, will continue for the rest of the year.

Nok Air chief executive officer Piya Yodmani said that Nok Air already flies to 17 of the government’s targeted 55 provinces, and Mae Hong Son – in the Northern region – would become the 18th such province it serves.

THAI acting president Usanee Sangsingkeo said that the companies in the THAI Group would continue to collaborate more closely in order to cut overall costs and boost passenger numbers as part of a goal to boost revenue.

She said the Thai Group would expand this model of code-sharing collaboration between the three airlines wherever possible.

Announcing the company’s 2017 operating performance, president Hiroto Kimura said the company had garnered overall sales revenue of Bt51 billion during the year, a 2-per-cent increase from the previous year’s level.

The domestic market accounted for 55 per cent of income, while 45 per cent came from overseas sales of Siam Kubota’s agricultural machinery.

“For the direction of business, from now onwards, our major goal is to become a global major brand, in line with the intention of Kubota Corporation Japan, to reinforce our position as the leader in agricultural machinery that has been with Thai farmers for four decades.

“Through research and development of our products, knowledge, as well as agricultural innovation and technology, we aim to deliver quality farm machinery that truly meets the needs of farmers and affords them with greater precision and convenience.

“Simultaneously, the company will also pursue policies that pay back to society and elevate the quality of life of farmers to ensure that they grow sustainably with us,” Kimura said.

As for the strategy of the business this year, Somsak Mauthorn, senior executive vice president of Siam Kubota, said the company would strongly continue to innovate, research and develop new products.

It will also incorporate new technology such as the application of GNSS (global navigation satellite system) to tractors to level ground slopes as desired, and an automated guidance system for direction control in rice transplanters to ensure that rice seedlings are planted precisely in linear rows.

This direction will correspond with the government’s policy aiming to usher Thailand’s agricultural sector into the 4.0 era and promote precision agriculture, in which cutting-edge farming innovation is required to achieve greater efficiency, the executive added.

KBank aims to increase the number of K Plus users to 10.8 million this year.

It handles three billion transactions a year worth Bt6.3 trillion, and 80 per cent of its 7.5 million users are regular users.

Four new functions have been introduced to serve retail clients and merchants.

• Quick Pay enables quicker payments to merchants using K Plus Shop without needing to log into the system, using just a QR code scan. There are currently 1.3 million transactions a year being made via QR code, valued at Bt811 million.

• Shopping on K Plus will be introduced in March. It’s the first e-market place in Thailand where the customers can select a diverse range of goods, including agricultural produce from the Pruanfun project and farmer groups across the country, as well as products from small retailers and SMEs.

K Plus users will also have access to digital-content news and information about numerous consumer products. KBank is targeting 30 million products, with total turnover topping Bt600 million within one year.

• K-Personal Loan service – KBank uses an interest-rate calculation system that takes into consideration individual customers’ risk factors to customise and offer loan products.

KBank is now testing the system with pre-qualified customers with appropriate creditworthiness. They can enter the amount they want to borrow and the system will show their credit limits.

• There are 800,000 merchants using K Plus Shop, with 1.4 million transaction items, totalling Bt1.1 billion. Aiming to increase the number of participating merchants to one million by the end of this year, KBank focuses on familiarising customers with QR Code payments and tapping into the segment of small businesses which sell daily essential goods or services, such as restaurants, clothing stores and travel service providers.

KBank has recently developed a Social Payment function to enable sellers to receive payments instantly from their customers via social media platforms such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, LINE and WhatsApp.

The merchants simply send their QR code bills so that the customers can pay for goods and services via K Plus or other mobile banking application of any commercial bank.

KBank targets 10.8 million and one million users of K Plus and K Plus Shop, respectively, by the end of 2018.

There’ll be a 119-metre-long golden dragon, Chinese lion dances, and mask-changing and fire-breathing performances.

The golden dragon will perform on February 14 at 4.25 and 6.55pm, animated by 99 people.

There will be lion dances at 1 and 3pm, which are said to bring observers wealth and fortune, and traditional drumming at 11am and 4pm “in honour of the gods”.

At noon and 2pm, an actor dressed as the Monkey King Heng Jia will bless audiences with thrilling mask-changing and fire-breathing performances.

Bie and Hunz will present a mini-concert at 7.35pm.

The rating reflects the listed company’s acceptable track record in the middle- to low-income segment of the residential property market, its improving revenue base, and relatively high profitability.

The company has moved to higher-priced products to expand its project portfolio since 2015 and the success of its expansion therefore remains to be seen, the ratings firm said on Monday.

The supportive factors are partly offset by Sena’s rapid business expansion, which may raise financial leverage and lower cash-flow protection over the next three years.

The rating also takes into consideration the cyclicality and competitive environment in the residential property development business and the concern over the high level of household debt nationwide, which impacts the affordability of home-buyers, especially in the middle to low-income segment, TRIS explained.

Newly issued loans within the commercial segment are expected to amount to Bt33.5 billion during the course of the year.

The tendency for commercial banks’ operations to expand in line with the Thai economy’s recovery, and for interest rates to remain low, is expected to support growth in commercial lending, said Sammit Sakulwira, Kiatnakin Bank’s head of commercial lending.

“For 2018, the economic direction and customer demand have prompted the bank to make adjustments to accommodate client needs and contribute to their business success. Four directives are being pursued.

“Namely: 1) Penetrate all segments of property businesses, while maintaining focus on the same clientele within the SME [small and medium-sized enterprise] business group. 2) Establish the bank as one that has expertise in the real-estate industry, due to its experienced staff.

“3) Expand the clientele toward high-net-worth customers of the Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group, by providing financial services to said customers, most of whom are businesspersons and business owners, and sustainably contributing to their business success.

“4) Establish the bank as a financial-solution expert, by developing personnel, products and services that are able to encompass clients’ business needs while offering appropriate financial tools that are able to add value to a business operation,” he said.

If the commercial lending group achieves its goal of issuing Bt33.5 billion-worth of new loans this year, total lending will expand to about Bt46 billion, representing an increase of about 5 per cent from the 2017 level.

“We think servicing clients based on our areas of specialty, and with emphasis on the clients meeting success, will allow us to achieve work results that are in line with the set target,” Sammit explained.

At the same time, TRIS Rating has assigned a rating of A- to KK’s proposed issue of up to Bt4,500 million in senior unsecured debentures.

The agency said the ratings reflected KK’s strengthened business position following its successful integration of capital market and commercial banking operations.

“This integrated operating platform will significantly enhance its niche position in the Thai banking industry with unique strengths in fee-based business,” it said.

“The ratings take into account KK’s diverse sources of revenue, particularly those from non-credit businesses, and its strong capital position. The ratings are, however, constrained by KK’s small market share in loans and deposits and relatively weak funding capability.”

Winchai Co Ltd has ordered the Rom Klao wind farm, which will feature the highest turbine towers in Asia.

The V136-3.45MW turbine features Vestas’ advanced aerofoil design, the proven 4MW nacelle, and the High Tubular Steel Tower technology making it ideal for generating high and efficient energy in Thailand’s low wind conditions, said Winchai chairman Prompong Chaisrisawatsuk.

The Rom Klao project will be in northeastern Mukdahan province.

It includes supervision of the turbine installation, a 10-year Active Output Management 5000 service contract and a VestasOnline Business SCADA solution.

Turbine delivery is expected by the end of 2018, with commissioning expected in the second quarter of 2019.

In response to growing demand, the company will increase its Kangkoi plant’s annual quicklime-production capacity by more than 100,000 tonnes, raising total annual lime capacity to more than 900,000 tonnes.

The move would make Chememan one of the world’s top 10 lime producers and distributors, chief executive Adisak Lowjun said on Monday.

The company is positioned as the sole lime company in Thailand possessing both production plants and a 25-year mining concession, enhancing the stability of its raw materials.

Chememan is “Asia’s leader in lime”, Adisak said, and Thailand’s largest producer and distributor, with installed production capacity of 800,000 tonnes per year as of last September, from three plants in Saraburi and Rayong.

It also has two major distribution centres in Australia.

Vice chief executive Amorn Sapthaweekul said on Monday the company’s investment budget would come from cash and commercial bank loans and through a joint venture with partners.