Cambodia is the No 1 foreign market for Siang Pure products, said Bertram chief executive officer Suwanna Eiampikul.

The brand last year achieved a growth rate of 20 per cent in the country, she said.

Despite this rather firm base in Cambodia, the CEO admitted that the brand’s introduction of inhalers could be challenged by lower prices of local inhalers, with consumers being sensitive to prices.

“We use the principle of sincerity towards the Cambodian market and everywhere else,” she said. “We always go by a motto ‘what is good for us is good for them’.”

An advantage for Bertram is that it is allowed to conduct sales promotions for its products in Cambodia, unlike in Thailand, where they are registered as medical products and such activities are prohibited, she said.

Backed by the slogan “Refresh brain, relieve pain”, Siang Pure has a strategy to modernise its product research and development, as well as exploring new markets.

Siang Pure is promoting its inhaler to young Cambodians who have to keep up with work and studies simultaneously, with the main distribution channel remaining traditional trade.

The brand also plans to launch a pain-relief cream by midyear after introducing it in Thailand, she said.

While Siang Pure focuses on functionality, Bertram’s Peppermint Field brand is more on the emotional side, with planned package re-launching and brand-awareness campaigns in line with modern lifestyles, for example viral marketing and the opening of Peppermint Bike Park in Bangkok, Suwanna said.

Starting from Siem Reap, the company plans to create markets in six other Cambodian provinces including the capital Phnom Penh, she said, together with construction of a new factory outside Phnom Penh within five years with up to Bt500 million worth of investment.

The debut of a Cambodian factory is also part of Bertram’s plans to keep up with the recently opened Asean Economic Community, she said. Other plans include intensive personnel training, new product development, and restructuring of its information technology based on the Navision system.

Besides Cambodia, Suwanna said, the company has strongholds in Vietnam and Malaysia, with distribution in nine other markets – Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, the United States, Colombia and Germany. It also hopes to expand into either Japan or Taiwan this year.

Domestically and internationally, Bertram’s overall operations last year increased by 18 per cent.

Siang Pure sales grew by 17 per cent and Peppermint Field’s by 22 per cent.

This year, the company expects overall growth of 23 per cent, with Siang Pure to contribute 18 per cent and Peppermint Field 25 per cent, she said.

With more than Bt1 billion worth of income from foreign markets last year, Bertram expects to see Bt1.8 billion by 2020, she said.

Last year, Siang Pure contributed 70 per cent of Bertram’s sales revenue, with the rest from Peppermint Field. By category, Siang Pure Oil topped the sales volume at 60 per cent. Siang Pure inhalers, together with Peppermint Field inhalers, came second, contributing 25 per cent, while Siang Pure Balm placed third with 10 per cent, she said.

From the current 50:50 sales-volume ratio between domestic and international markets, Bertram is aiming for a 60-per-cent international contribution within five years, she added.

Bualuang Securities, Kasikorn Securities, Phatra Securities and Deutsche Bank have been appointed as the financial advisers for the IPO, which is tipped to be one of the largest this |year.

Preeyanart Soontornwata, president of the flagship of diversified trade and manufacturing concern B Grimm Group, told The Nation that the listing was expected to boost her company’s market capitalisation to between Bt50 billion and Bt60 billion.

B Grimm Power has shown stellar growth averaging 22 per cent annually over the past three years. Based on its project backlog, the company targets leaping ahead by 17 per cent annually to 2021.

“We will try to keep our growth profile of 20 per cent per year, since we’re now ready in every aspect, from our strong team, and the credibility that we have won from the banks that have seen how we have operated all our power plants at high efficiency and how all of the projects came under budget,” she said.

The 17 small-power-producer plants all operate under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), so the company is as financially solid as large players like Electricity Generating and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding, she said.

To find higher growth opportunities, the company has started to move into renewable and overseas power projects.

In Laos, it has signed agreements to develop nine hydroelectric projects.

The first one will be the 20-megawatt Xenamnoy and Xekatam hydropower plant, due to be commissioned next year.

It has secured credit support from Bangkok Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Thailand.

B Grimm has found a strong local company, the Vorachith group, as its partner in that project as well as in other hydropower projects to be developed in Laos until 2020.

The future projects include the 15MW Nam Che, 30MW Tadsakhoi and 97.5MW Nam Khao projects.

B Grimm also has a 25-per-cent stake in the 420MW Se Kong 4 project, with Ratchaburi Electricity Generating as the major shareholder.

The Bt5.3-billion acquisition of Sime Darby’s two combined-cycle co-generation plants in Laem Chabang, which was disclosed in June 2014 as the company’s first merger-and-acquisition exercise, has given it a good reputation, Preeyanart said. That deal brought in many others for the firm.

Without laying off a single worker, B Grimm was able nearly to double the profits of the Laem Chabang power plants within the first year.

B Grimm is targeting increasing its revenue from Bt23.7 billion last year to Bt58.4 billion in 2020 and net profit from Bt1.94 billion to Bt5.82 billion.

Counting only on PPA-committed projects, it will have 44 power plants with combined capacity of 2.86 gigawatts by 2020, of which 2.15GW will be co-generation, 583MW hydropower, 114MW solar power, 16MW wind power and 13MW diesel-fired power plants.

However, the target is to achieve 5GW capacity in four years.

B Grimm is also eyeing investing in other Asean countries including Myanmar where it was ranked third in the international bidding to build Myanmar’s largest gas-fired independent power plant in Myingyan.

It is conducting a due-diligence to acquire nearly 40 per cent of an Indonesian power company, the results will be known by the end of this month.

Preeyanart has been with B Grimm for more than 25 years. She was instrumental in the group’s first foray into the power business in 1993, which now contributes 70 per cent of the group’s revenues.

“Even though the ready-to-drink green-tea market experienced a decline of 2.5 per cent to Bt15.57 billion last year due to economic conditions, consumption volume still saw growth of 0.7 per cent,” said Tan Passakornnatee, president and chief executive officer.

With the government’s stimulus packages, the industry should shift into recovery mode by the second half this year, so the green-tea market should advance at least 10 per cent over last year, he said.

The Ichitan green-tea empire aims to increase its market share through a series of campaigns in line with the introduction of new products.

Tanapan Khongnuntha, executive vice president, said the company would concentrate more on the sugar-free green-tea segment to expand its customer base to health-conscious consumers.

Next month, the company will start an online campaign for its existing sugar-free green tea and Oolong tea drink, targeting urban dwellers.

“If any brands in this segment do not make significant moves, this segment will see a drop in market share. So Ichitan’s efforts must be in place.

“I personally believe that the sugar-free green-tea-drink market could hit Bt1.5 billion in five years,” he said.

Ultra-high-temperature processed green tea is another highlight for the group this year. Tan said his company would offer a bigger UHT green-tea pack with 300 millilitres, up from 250ml, but keep the price the same to grab share from its rivals.

It will apply a sizing strategy to supply seven sizes for Ichitan green tea, Yen Yen herbal drink and Bireley’s 30-per-cent-concentrated orange juice, from 290ml-840ml, priced from Bt10-Bt27.

By next quarter, Ichitan will make a significant move into the 100-per-cent-concentrate juice market with the introduction of the Bireley’s Premium brand.

This seems to be a daring move as there are already two strong players – Tipco and Malee.

In the third quarter, the company expects to introduce another product category, but Tan did not elaborate.

The company has earmarked about Bt900 million or 12 per cent of estimated sales for marketing campaigns, promotions, on-ground activities and TV sponsorship.

Ichitan will join forces with GMM Grammy to air the “Sue Tid Peek” talent show soon on the One digital TV channel.

For the overseas market, Ichitan Indonesia will do more brand-building to expand its customer base with the addition of at least two or three products to its line-up this year.

Under a partnership with Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation, the company now distributes its products via Alfamart convenience stores, run by Atri Pasifik, in Indonesia.

In the near future, Ichitan expects to realise Bt1 billion in revenue from Indonesia.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to offer safe and legal employment to the former workers from the external pre-processing facilities,” Rittirong Boonmechote, president of TU’s global shrimp business, said yesterday.

The workers will be paid wages consistent with TU’s processing-line employees, which also meet the minimum-wage requirements under Thai law.

The new workers have been provided with all apparel and equipment, as required by TU’s health and safety standards.

An induction workshop informed these workers of their employment rights under Thai law, the employment rules and regulations under Thai Union Group, their wages, benefits and employee welfare rights, the world’s leading seafood company said.

Financial support was provided to those who had been out of work since TU ceased business with external pre-processors.

During the transition, the pre-processing employees were paid their minimum wage to ensure that they were not struggling as a result of external factors.

“We are interested in both (Casino-controlled) Big C in Thailand and Vietnam,” Prin Chirathivat, deputy chief executive officer told Reuters in a phone call. “If the prices are not too expensive, we will be keen to bid,” Prin said.

Casino owns 58.6 percent of the Thai asset, Big C Supercenter Pcl, which has a market value of $5.5 billion, and is the country’s second-biggest hypermarket business. The Vietnam asset is worth at least $750 million, according to people familiar with the matter.

Central owns 25 percent of Big C through its founding Chirathivat family, according to company sources. A takeover bid would make for Thailand’s second-biggest inbound acquisition after 2013’s $6.6 billion purchase by CP All Pcl of cash-and-carry wholesaler Siam Makro Pcl.

Big C shares surged over 9 percent, hitting a 12-month high of 247 baht in morning trade.

Casino said last week some buyers had expressed interest in its Thai business during the sale process for its Vietnam unit. The French firm’s move to consider selling the Thai unit comes after a report by short-seller Muddy Waters in December that said Casino was “dangerously leveraged”, prompting the worst slide in its stock in seven years.

Bankers pointed to Central’s existing interest in Big C as a potentially serious impediment for other bidders – despite the asset’s appeal as growing Southeast Asian economies bring rising consumer spending. Big C was founded by Central, but it brought in Casino as a partner in 1999 when Thailand was mired in economic difficulties.

“The sell-side is trying to drum up competition to Central for Thailand, but (it’s) not sure people want to go hostile against them,” a banker familiar with the transaction said. “This is all happening so quickly.”

Other potential bidders for the Big C Vietnam asset include Berli Jucker Pcl, the flagship company in the consumer business of TCC Group, controlled by Thai tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi.

Central has been actively looking to buy assets overseas as it wants to expand into Southeast Asia and Europe. The Chirathivat family is the third-richest in Thailand, according to Forbes Magazine.

– Reuters

Besides talks with JAS, AIS is also negotiating with Total Access Communication (DTAC) on the plan to roam its 2G subscribers with DTAC’s network, according to National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission member General Sukit Khamasundara.

AIS is striving to prevent service disruption to its 11 million 2G subscribers.

AIS’ failure to win the 900MHz spectrum licence in the auction last month prompted the leading cellular operator to explore various means to prevent service disruption to its 11 million subscribers using 2G-900MHz service.

The 900MHz spectrum licence was earlier held by AIS before the NBTC reclaimed it for auction last month after AIS’ concession under the TOT expired in September 2015.

JAS’ subsidiary, Jasmine Mobile Broadband (JASMBB), and True Corp’s subsidiary, True Move H Universal Communication (TUC), each won the 900MHz licence in the auction.

A telecom industry source said that JASMBB is likely to pay the first instalment of the 900MHz licence upfront to the NBTC after completing talks with AIS on a possible 900MHz roaming deal. If JASMBB pays such an instalment before the deal is concluded, AIS’ 2G subscribers will be affected.

Under the NBTC auction rules, it will award the 900MHz licences to any of the two bid winners once any of them pays the first instalment of the licence upfront. JASMBB and TUC have yet to pay the first instalment upfront. They can pay the first instalment within 90 days after the bid winners were announced on December 19, 2015.

Of the total 11 million users of AIS’ 900MHz service, 1 million are on the AIS 900MHz network and 10 million are on the network of AIS subsidiary Advanced Wireless Network (AWN) but they have roamed with the AIS network. Once it failed to win the 900MHz licence, AIS rushed to offer subsidised handsets to these 2G subscribers to migrate them to AWN.

Meanwhile, the NBTC recently approved granting of the mobile virtual network operator licence to AIS.

NBTC deputy secretary-general Korkij Danchaivichit said the NBTC would soon advise TOT to ask for the NBTC permits to install, own, and utilise all the telecom towers built by AIS during its concession from TOT. Without the permits, the state agency will not have the right to use them.

TOT and AIS are negotiating to settle the dispute over ownership of 13,000 telecom towers from the concession contract. AIS will return all towers to TOT and lease all of them back to install its new 4G base stations.

Apart from AIS, JASMBB is also in talks with TOT on a plan to install the 4G-900MHz network on these towers.

Pinto said quality content not only travels across global media outlets but needs marketing weapons that provide the perfect springboard for it to better connect with audiences.

Pinto flew from Turkey last week to be a judge in the Content Creator project co-produced by MCOT and Entertainment Lab. The project aims to snare potential TV formats possibly suited for global audience demand.

“We’ve become one of the leading exhibitors participating in MIP Com [global event for entertainment content with the most participants],” he said.

He said nine years ago the |company was a “no name” at the event.

“Global Agency has now become the seventh biggest spender in this event,” he said.

The other big spenders are Sony Entertainment Television, Warner Brothers, RTL Group and Disney.

Pinto said that in two to three years his company wanted to be among the

five top spenders in this annual show.

He said Global Agency would invest more in the event based on the belief that the more content-buyers see the company’s ads and sponsorships, such as billboards, digital screens and airport leaflets, the more sales opportunities it has.

“My philosophy is that if we earn $10, we will spend $9 on marketing to create awareness of quality content and the corporate brand,” he said.

The selection of content is the key weapon, he said, adding that Global Agency gets more than 500 proposals from TV production houses annually. Of that figure, 10 projects called ‘diamonds’ have the potential to be sold internationally.

Pinto referred to the most profitable content as that which generates long-term income. “Magnificent Century” and “Shopping Monster” are perfect examples in this regard.

“Magnificent Century” is seen in more than 80 countries and is estimated to have more than 300 million viewers. More than 300 episodes of this TV format have been produced worldwide.

“After nine years, I know what global audiences want. A TV format is, for instance, the best selling content. It must be a simple and original idea, not a copycat. When we watch it, we should be hooked right away and [have it that] it makes us stayed tuned with the programme,” Pinto said.

He described the format business as being akin to a kind of lottery. Only one out of every hundred formats becomes big enough to help sustain the company.

“I would say that 5 per cent of total formats have some success but unfortunately 95 per cent fail,” he said.

When asked about key markets for the firm, he explained that the European market was the most important because the licence fees they pay are huge – more than 10 times higher than the average fee. After that, it was Russia and Ukraine, and Latin America.

“Asia is still growing but the big issue is piracy. For the Thai market, TV broadcasters and production houses are good content buyers so they prefer to import both formats and finished programmes for audiences,” he added.

Vikram Chatwal, the group’s vice chairman, said Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa features 174 guest rooms, suites and villas, adding that this is part of the group’s expansion plans.

“We are also setting up a property in Chiang Mai,” he said.

When asked why the group chose Phuket, Chatwal said the island was popular among international tourists and the hotel would be able to serve all active travellers from the East and West.

Phuket’s natural beauty and its calm and jovial people welcomed a third of total arrivals or 10 million travellers last year. The island is also being promoted as a centre for cruise and marina.

“Dream Phuket has its own beach club. We have villas, pool cabanas and suites. The pool’s wavy structure along with the island bar is pleasurable for all that see it,” he pointed out.

“The average occupancy we are looking for is 80-90 per cent. Our reputation as a global brand and being positioned in exotic locals will strengthens the company.”

Apart from the property in Phuket, the group also owns two hotels in Bangkok as well as properties in New York, Chicago, Hollywood and Dallas.

As founder and creative force behind other iconic lifestyle hotel brands, such as Night and Time Hotels and Augustus, Chatwal has also spent 43 years shaping the way for the Debut Hotels group, which is comprised of five brands and is |part of the Manhattan-based |firm Hampshire Hotels Management.

Chatwal was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and his family moved to Montreal, Canada in the 1970s and then to New York in the 1980s.

He attended the United Nations International School and earned a bachelor’s in Finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

After graduating, Chatwal began his career on Wall Street, working at Morgan Stanley then Global Emerging Markets, insistent |on making his first million on his own.

Chatwal was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the South Asia Media Awards in 2005 and Forbes Asia featured him on the cover in 2006.

The Council of State has finished vetting the Commerce Ministry’s draft regulations designed to remove these four types of business from the Annex III list of the Foreign Business Act (FBA) and the draft will soon be sent to the Cabinet.

The FBA obliges foreign investors wanting to own more than 50 per cent in business types in the Annex III list to seek approval from the FBA committee.

Pongpun Gearaviriyapun, director-general of the ministry’s Business Development Department, said after the new regulations take effect, foreign investors can directly apply for an operating licence from the authorities or regulators of these four businesses, such as the Bank of Thailand, or the Office of Insurance Commission.

Currently, they have to seek the FBA committee’s approval first and then approach the regulators.

“This will help improve ease of doing business in Thailand and make the country the centre of banking and insurance in Asean,” Pongpun said.

She said these businesses were set to be liberalised soon, as they are already strictly regulated by specific agencies and governed by a special set of laws and regulations. The move is expected to reduce duplication of procedures and save time for enterprises.

As of December 31, 2015, 11 foreign banks have got approval to do business under the FBA. They have a combined initial investment capital of Bt109.81 billion, while nine foreign bank representative offices, two foreign life-insurance firms, and six non-life insurance companies currently operate in the Kingdom under the FBA.

Under the department’s plan, more businesses related to banking and insurance and trading of agriculture products in the futures market listed in Annex III will also be considered for liberalisation in the future.

Meanwhile, the department has joined hands with leading modern traders Tesco Lotus to support sales of One Tambon One Product (OTOP) in a bid to help increase the income of farmers.

Rattana Theanvisitskool, deputy director-general to the department, said Thai OTOP would soon be available for online trading. Modern traders will help local enterprises in selecting products for trading.

Products that will be traded online are mostly food and essential goods, which will be selected from 2,700 OTOP Selects.

The department is also negotiating with Central Department Store, to help sell OTOP products on its website. To increase distribution channels for OTOP products, the department will also cooperate with the Tourism Ministry to establish the OTOP Village so that OTOP products can be bought by tourists.