The company will invest Bt7 billion this year in building up its four major businesses – glass containers, float glass, non-glass packaging, and alternative energy.

“We are embarking on significant changes to our structure and business expansion,” he said. “After more than 40 years of operations, these changes will help the company to adapt in order to reduce the business risks as well as help the company to move forward and be more comprehensive.”

Pavin said that in 2017 the company introduced new businesses, such as the business integration between float glass and building materials. In the future, the alternative energy business will be interconnected with the existing businesses like the non-glass packaging business.

He said that the overall picture for the business in 2018 would be one growth, supported the recovering economy.

“Our packaging business, especially, could grow remarkably due to the growth of food and beverage business which resulted in the increase in demand for packaging containers,” Pavin said. “Meanwhile, the growth in the float glass business will take a certain period of time.”

He said the company had recently opened its float glass factory on a 150-rai plot in Prachinburi province at a cost of Bt5 billion. The factory started operations in September last year.

“We are discussing with potential partners, both in Thailand and abroad, for investment possibilities in alternative energy projects. The negotiations with some foreign investors have been initiated,” said Pavin, adding that the company has already invested in the opening of two solar power rooftop facilities at its existing glass contain factories in Ayutthaya and Khon Kaen with combined capacity of 4.5 megawatts. The facilities, however, are expected to increase capacity to 10 megawatts by the end of this year.

“We expect the overall investment to reach approximately Bt7 billion this year, to be allocated to our four core businesses. We also expect our total revenue to increase by about 10 per cent this year, up from the between 4 per cent and 5 per cent growth posted in 2017,” said Pavin.

Bangkok Glass’ subsidiary BG Container Glass Co Ltd is preparing to file for a public securities offering by April to be listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

With the opening, the hospital becomes the seventh to be established under the Samitivej Group, which is managed by the SET-listed Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Plc (BDMS). The hospital is in the heart of Yaowarat, Thailand’s most famous enclave for the Thai-Chinese community.

The other six hospitals in the Samitivej Group are Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, Samitivej Children’s Hospital, Samitivej Sriracha Hospital, Samitivej Thonburi Hospital and Samitivej Chonburi Hospital.

Dr Chairat Punthuraamphorn, chief executive officer of Samitivej and BNH Group Hospitals, said that in the initial stage, most of the customers of the Samitivej Chinatown Hospital were expected to be people in the |community, while the number of international customers, especially from China, was expected to increase later.

“All our offerings at the Samitivej Chinatown Hospital will lift the exclusive healthcare service to another level for all customers,” Dr Chairat said.

“We not only want to be known as the community hospital that takes good care of people’s health within the Chinatown community, but one that is also committed to serving people in the nearby area as well as Chinese expats in Thailand.”

Assoc. Prof. Amporn Jongsareejit, director of Samitivej Chinatown Hospital, said that the 31-bed facility drew on a talented pool of medical specialists from various fields of expertise, applying advanced technology to ensure efficient diagnosis and treatment.

BDMS, as Thailand’s leading private hospital operator, has set a target for 50 hospitals under its network by the end of this year, up from 43 hospitals in Thailand and two in Cambodia.

Suwat Techawatanawana, KBank executive vice president, and Pongrat Luangthamrongcharoen, managing director of Singha Park Chiang Rai, have joined to promote QR Code payment for food and beverages, and other services, at Singha Park Chiang Rai International Balloon Fiesta.

The move is intended to highlight the convenience, safety, and speed associated with a cashless lifestyle.

Customers and tourists attending the event can pay by scanning standardized QR Code or using Alipay and WeChat Pay QR Code for payment. Customers who scan QR Code via K Plus will receive Bt50 in cash back per Bt300 of their spending.

The balloon fiesta will run February 14-18.

The proceeds of this year’s tournament will be donated towards the construction of a new classroom building and provision of a daily food supply at Lo Ta Ya Monastic School, where 396 orphans and less fortunate children live and study, said a Thursday press release.

Led by PTTEP Myanmar Asset general manager Piya Sukhumpanumet, 160 golfers from MOEE, MOGE, PTTEP Headquarters, PTTEP Myanmar Asset, as well as PTTEP’s partners and contractors participated in the tournament. The event took place at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club, Yangon on Saturday, January 20.

Baddanta Tay Zi Thaya from Lo Ta Ya Monastic School said: “We started our school in 2013 and today, we take care of nearly 400 children aged between 4 and 17 years old. We only have one main building, which is used as both living quarters and classroom for our students. Over the years, we’ve relied heavily on public donations to maintain the school and provide education and basic necessities for the children. The contributions from PTTEP Myanmar Asset and their partners are great support for our work. It will directly benefit our children and provide a safe and supportive environment for their development.”

First launched in 2014, the Zawtika Charity Golf Tournament is designed to bring PTTEP Myanmar Asset’s partners together to collaborate for a good cause. Every year, funds raised were used to uplift the living and education environment of orphans and less fortunate children under the Care-Taking schools, orphanages and monastic schools in Yangon. To date, the tournaments have raised more than $140,000 in total for the Malikha Training School for Girls, Kyite Wine Training School for Boys, Su Taung Pyae Monastery and Orphanage School, Nawaratt Monastic School, and Lo Ta Ya Monastic School.

“We have been Leica-brand cameras’ official importer and retailer in Thailand for two full years, having reached the goal of B150 million in the first year and B300 million at the end of 2017, with 100-per-cent growth, a result of customer-relations strategy and direct user involvement creating brand loyalty and respect,” said managing director Danai Sorakraikitikul.

“Users today consist of the previously existing users, which we retain and value highly, together with new users we are trying to expand toward and educate with appropriate product usage along with any purchase.

“We have set in motion three major strategies – the Leica Academy with workshops for photographers from beginner to advanced level, user-engagement activities such as photo trips, and the Leica Gallery Bangkok, which will be the world’s 19th and Asia’s fourth location, an exhibition centre for foreign and Thai photographers.”

The first set of photographs to be exhibited is an honour from Nick Ut, a globally recognised photographer from Vietnam and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, who has brought over 25 photographs for the show “My Story by Nick Ut”, on view until April 30.

Danai said most amateur photographers are familiar only with the first steps in taking pictures – positioning, lighting and compositions.

Few bother with retouching, even with computer programs readily available, or printing to bring out different details.

“We aim to encourage all photography enthusiasts to move forward. This year, the goal is to retain the existing users while expanding on to new ones, with the expectation to reach B500 million in sales revenue and to be foremost in the minds of users of super-luxury cameras via activities and prices comparable to the international markets.”

Kelly will provide career consulting for 400 Games employees, including job matching, resume clinics and interview skills.

It has consolidated the candidates’ resumes by function and distributed the to partners in the form of a resume book. This has resulted in an initial uptake of about 30 candidates who have already been offered roles.

Items are priced as low as Bt22 and there are buy-one-get-one-free offers on more than 300 gifts and Bt250,000 worth of vouchers to be redeemed.

“According to a survey by Mastercard, about 74 per cent of people in Thailand are planning to buy a gift for their Valentine,” said Shopee marketing chief Agatha Soh.

“With this in mind, Shopee has localised this year’s Valentine’s campaign to capture all target groups, offering wide product assortments that cater to the needs and preferences of all Thais, whether they are family, loving couples or even single.”

Promotions cover women’s apparel, health and beauty products, family essentials, food and electronics.

“It is confirmed that the corporate governance fund will not be invested in the shares of Italian-Thai Development,” said Worawan Tharapoom, president of the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations.

She added that the members of asset management companies would discuss the Premchai issue, which could be a case study on good governance.

Premchai is accused of poaching endangered animals in Thung Yai Wildlife Sanctuary after his arrest at the weekend.

However, Kesara Manchusee, president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand, said Premchai’s arrest could not be considered a fault under the Securities and Exchange Act, which stipulated that corruption findings against the chief executives of listed companies depended on Supreme Court verdicts.

“In the case of Premchai, we should look at the good governance and business ethics of Italian-Thai Development, which has already announced in its code of conduct for this year that the company would not doing anything that would negatively impact the country’s natural resources and environment,” Kesara said.

“The Thai Institute of Directors last year awarded four-star scores for good corporate governance to Italian-Thai Development.

“Such awards should be reviewed regarding the facts. If Premchai is actually found guilty, it is the responsibility of the company’s board of directors to consider the issue carefully and appropriately as they will be pressured and investigated by society,” she added.