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Netflix’s hit show ‘Narcos’ will stream for free on Pluto TV

CorporateOct 13. 2020The ViacomCBS logo is displayed on doors at its headquarters in New York, on Feb. 9, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Tiffany Hagler-Geard. 

By Syndication Washington Post, Bloomberg · Lucas Shaw · BUSINESS, ENTERTAINMENT, US-GLOBAL-MARKETS

One of Netflix’s biggest hits is about to be available free on Pluto TV, part of a dash by streaming rivals to grab binge-worthy shows.

Pluto, a free online service owned by ViacomCBS, has acquired the rights to “Narcos,” the popular drama about the Latin American drug trade.

Pluto will offer episodes of the show starting with season one Oct. 20, with T-Mobile as a sponsor, rolling out additional seasons through February. Pluto acquired exclusive rights to the show on advertising-supported streaming for the next six months.

Securing the rights to one of Netflix’s most popular series is a rarity — and a win for Pluto, which prevailed after a competitive bidding process. Netflix has locked up rights to most of its original series for years to come to ensure they aren’t available anywhere else. But “Narcos” was one of its first shows and is owned by Gaumont, a French studio. The series will remain on Netflix, though with a bit less exclusive allure.

“Narcos” will add to a growing roster of popular and premium shows on Pluto, which is at the vanguard of a new crop of advertising-supported video platforms. A year after ViacomCBS bought Pluto, Fox acquired TubiTV and Comcast agreed to purchase Vudu, both of which are Pluto rivals.

Pluto offers dozens of live channels devoted to news, sports and comedy, as well as more than 100,000 hours of programming. The service has added dozens of TV shows and movies since ViacomCBS became its parent last year, including recent additions “The Twilight Zone” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

Pluto has boosted its overall user base to 33 million, as of the end of June, a 60% jump from the prior year. Average users are also spending more time watching Pluto than they did a year ago, according to Tom Ryan, the unit’s CEO. While global advertising sales have slowed this year, Pluto hasn’t suffered, Ryan said. Sales dropped for a few weeks, then rebounded to their previous pace.

“The business is growing like a weed,” Ryan said. Ryan credited Pluto’s recent growth to demand for high-quality programming at no additional cost.

The first two seasons of “Narcos” are based on the life of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and his tussles with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The third season followed the Cali cartel, while two subsequent seasons were rebranded “Narcos: Mexico.”

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Cabinet okays 6 new projects to boost production, distribution of tap water

CorporateOct 13. 2020

By The Nation

The Cabinet on Monday gave the green light to six new projects from the Provincial Waterworks Authority worth Bt11.45 billion, in addition to the nine projects it endorsed in April.

The six new projects aim to improve the agency’s efficiency in the production and distribution of tap water, as well as boosting its water-production capacity.

Of the Bt11.45 billion, Bt748 million will come from the agency’s revenue and Bt2.6 billion from local loans.

Once completed, the six projects will boost the production of tap water by 216,000 cubic metres daily, which can serve an additional 97,100 users.

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Bombardier on the fast track to growth in Thailand

CorporateOct 12. 2020(Photo credit: Bombardier Transportation Thailand) 

By Sirivish Toomgum

The Nation

Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation Thailand sees increased opportunity for projects in Bangkok and other cities in Thailand next year, Claudio Tiraferri, managing director of Bombardier Transportation Thailand and Bombardier’s Head of Rail Control Solutions for Asia Pacific, said.

Claudio Tiraferri, MD of Bombardier Transportation Thailand

He added that the company is also looking to significantly grow its local team and skillset next year.

The company is the local unit of Bombardier, a leading manufacturer of both planes and trains, with headquarters in Canada.

“For 2020, Bombardier Transportation Thailand aims to secure orders worth several hundred million euros by the year-end in Thailand, comprising both mass transit and mainline projects,” Tiraferri said.

“Our strong presence in Thailand, and highly-skilled local team of over 600 who work on rail system projects in Thailand and across Asia Pacific, means we are increasingly investing in the local supply chain and exporting more competence globally, with 400,000 hours and Bt1.6 billion delivered in export projects in 2019,” he added.

“Thailand is an important market for Bombardier, where we have grown from signalling supplier to rail technology market leader. We were the first supplier to recognise the potential of Bangkok as a regional signalling engineering base and we have invested significantly in our team.”

He added that the company expects its market in Thailand to grow by almost 6 per cent a year in the next five years, with many opportunities ahead in Bangkok and cities such as Pattaya, and for mainline modernisation. This growth story is reflected in Asia and globally, with urbanisation, digitalisation and sustainability continuing to drive increasing interest in rail transportation.

“Over the last five years, the company has won over 1.3 billion euros of business in Thailand, including to provide the driverless Bombardier Innovia monorail 300 system for Bangkok’s new Pink and Yellow lines and the Bombardier Innovia APM 300 automated people-mover system for the capital’s Gold Line, and we will provide 20 years of services to maintain the new monorails. I was honoured to attend the ceremonies to welcome the first vehicles for both systems recently,” Tiraferri said.

(Photo credit: Bombardier Transportation Thailand)

“In addition, we are providing our Bombardier Cityflo signalling and wayside integration for the latest extensions of the BTS Skytrain, rail control services for the MRT Purple Line, and our Bombardier Interflo 250 mainline signalling for the Lop Buri-Pak Nam Pho segment of the SRT Northern Line,” Tiraferri said.

When asked if the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic was disrupting the company’s businesses, Yuwaree Chulya, head of finance Southeast Asia for Bombardier Transportation, said that Bombardier continued to take decisive actions worldwide to protect employees and their families.

“In Bangkok, we have seen minimal impact, with our teams adapting to virtual working and safety protocols at our office. For those involved in our system installation, we have worked closely with our customers, partners and local authorities to ensure safe working practices, especially for the Gold Line and Green Line extensions set to open this year,” she added.

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B Grimm eyes biomass, natural gas industry

CorporateOct 12. 2020

By THE NATION

Preeyanat Soontornwata, president of B Grimm Power (BGRIM), said the company is studying the possibility of co-investing with domestic partners in biomass and natural gas to fuel its power plants.

“The strength of biomass is that it produces clean energy and can help improve the local economy by providing a sustainable source of income to local farmers,” she said. “We are aiming to invest in biomass business through merging or acquiring existing operators. Details are expected to be finalised by the first quarter of 2021, while the company is also expecting to close the deal on the acquisition of power plants in Thailand and Malaysia, most of which use natural gas as primary fuel.”

Preeyanat also said B Grimm was waiting for a finalisation of the investment criteria for the community power plant project, which the government is working on. She added that the company was ready to support the project as it will help create jobs and boost grassroots economy.

“However, we think the new criteria requiring investors to allocate at least 80 per cent of their farming area to grow new crops may be difficult to implement, while the retail rate of electricity should be increased in order to attract more investors,” she said.

“B Grimm expects to invest in six to seven community power plants, all of which will use biomass as fuel, with a total capacity of 60 megawatts or about 8MW per plant,” she said. “These plants will be located either in the Central region or the South.”

B Grimm is also in the process of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) after it was given a licence by the Energy Regulatory Commission to import up to 650,000 tonnes per year. “We are negotiating with PTT Group to rent their warehouse for the first lot of 250,000 tonnes of LNG which should be gradually imported in the next two years,” she added.

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Heinecke warns of more layoffs, closure of some hotels, as tourism continues to languish

CorporateOct 10. 2020William Ellwood Heinecke 

By The Nation

Minor International (MINT) may have to lay off its employees for the second time and temporarily close some hotels that had previously resumed operations due to the impact of Covid-19 on tourism.

MINT chairman William E Heinecke told Bloomberg News that some hotels operated by the company were unable to pay monthly salaries to employees because there were no guests.

“MINT has faced net loss in the second quarter of this year and laid off thousands of employees to enable the company to operate its business amid the Covid-19 crisis that has caused an impact on tourism even in countries that have been able to contain the spread effectively, such as Thailand,” he said.

Last year 27,259,855 foreign tourists, mostly from China, Russia and India, visited Thailand, generating revenue of Bt1.1 trillion. The revenue from foreign tourists accounted for 11.9 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.

Heinecke said that of the 526 hotels under MINT, 83 per cent of hotels were able to resume operations, while expecting that 90 per cent of the company’s hotels will be able to resume operations in the fourth quarter of this year. He added that 6 per cent of MINT hotels were located in Thailand.

“We expect the company’s performance in China to rise to the level before the Covid-19 outbreak, as the occupancy rate rose to 80 per cent in August, while the company’s food business has revenue growth per branch at 8 per cent,” he said.

Also, he expected that Thailand would be the first country to allow Chinese tourists to enter after the Chinese government allowed its citizens to travel overseas, as these tourists would help boost the country’s economy.

MINT’s second-quarter net loss was Bt10.22 billion, while its share price dropped by 43 per cent, lower than the Stock Exchange of Thailand Index that dropped by 20 per cent.

Meanwhile, NH Hotel Group SA, a leading hotel operator in which MINT holds a 94.1 per cent stake, is expected to announce its third-quarter results on November 9.

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IRPC researching melt-blown fabric to make country self-reliant for face mask production

CorporateOct 09. 2020

By THE NATION

IRPC Pcl is now researching on specialised plastic bead which is used to manufacture melt-blown fabric, a key component that acts as air filter in sanitary facemasks, company president and chief executive officer Noppadol Pinsupa said.

“Currently only a few countries are capable of manufacturing melt-blown fabric, such as China, South Korea and Japan, while no country in Asean can do it,” he said. “If we succeed, Thailand could be the first country in the region capable of making sanitary face masks using all domestic components. We expect the research to be complete by early next year.”

“Melt-blown fabric is currently in high demand worldwide due to the Covid-19 outbreak, which should have an impact in several countries for years to come. This is therefore a good opportunity for IRPC to expand into medical equipment markets at the global level,” he added.

Noppadol Pinsupa

The company is also researching on ‘Kleanteq Mask’, or sanitary face mask capable of killing germs and preventing the building up of static electricity, which causes dust particles to stick to the mask.

“The Kleanteq Mask can be washed for reuse up to 10 times and is highly resistant against water damage,” he said. “We coat the fabric with graphene particle that would help kill the bacteria by blocking their cell wall. It can also block 70 per cent of 0.1 micron dust particle and 100 per cent of 2.5 micron particle [PM 2.5] without causing respiratory fatigue, making it perfect for protection against air pollution.”

IRPC is also a manufacturer of polypropylene spunbond fabric, which is used to produce PPE [Personal Protective Equipment] suit, a vital equipment for medical professionals working with Covid-19 patients, as well as medical grade plastic beads for the manufacture of IV wire, syringe, saline bag and eye cover. “These products are single-use and therefore are in constant high demand both domestically and globally. IRPC has greatly helped reduce the reliance on foreign manufacturers of these vital products,” added Noppadol.

IRPC recently won the second prize for best social and environmental innovation from the National Innovation Day 2020, for its research on polypropylene copolymer 3340H, a plastic bead used in the manufacture of prosthetic legs for disabled persons. It has been working with Prostheses Foundation of HRH the Princess Mother.

“Our new prosthetic leg is smooth, flexible and transparent, which enables doctors to see the contact surface with patient’s skin and therefore adjust the leg accordingly for a better fit,” he said. “This plastic innovation essentially helps disabled persons to have a better quality of life.”

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Thai Smile to add four new routes as demand starts to go up

CorporateOct 08. 2020

By The Nation

Thai Smile Airways, a subsidiary of Thai Airways International, plan to fly on four new routes in the last quarter of this year, chief executive officer Charita Leelayudth said.

The routes are: Suvarnabhumi-Nan, Suvarnabhumi-Nakon Panom, Nakhon Si Thammarat-Chiang Mai and Nakhon Si Thammarat-Udon Thani.

Charita said that the airline had witnessed an increase in passenger numbers after the resumption of operation on domestic routes since June 1.

She said that the airline saw new potential customer segments, including retirees.

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SME D Bank teams up with GEC to help enterprises on e-commerce

CorporateOct 08. 2020

By The Nation

The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME D Bank) has joined forces with General Electronic Commerce Services (GEC) on improving SMEs’ e-commerce potential via The Hub Thailand platform to increase their market channels and revenue.

After presiding over a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony, Industry Ministry permanent secretary and SME D Bank chairman Kobchai Sangsitthisawat said that as the Covid-19 crisis has severely impacted SMEs, the bank aims to enhance their potential to expand market channels, especially the e-commerce market which is witnessing high growth, to boost their revenue in this new normal era.

SME D Bank president Nartnaree Rattapat said the bank and GEC will enable the enterprises to sell products via The Hub Thailand platform to take advantage of online shopping trends.

“Also, the bank is prepared to grant low-interest loans to SMEs which need more capital,” she said.

GEC president and CEO Rathapol Bhakdibhumi said the company will prepare an e-marketplace system on The Hub Thailand platform to assist SMEs on sales.

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CPF pitches “Cheeva Pork” under U Farm brand of biochemical-free meats

CorporateOct 08. 2020

By THE NATION

Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) has introduced its “U Farm” brand of meats that are free from biochemicals for consumers conscious about food safety and animal welfare, chief executive officer Prasit Boondoungprasert said.

“Under the U Farm brand, Cheeva Pork is high quality meat that contains a high volume of good fat and Omega 3 for health conscious consumers. It is now available at selected retailers including Central, The Mall, Foodland, Villa and CP Fresh Mart,” Prasit said.

“Next, we will push for export of Cheeva Pork to Hong Kong and Japan, markets where we had previously successfully penetrated with U Farm’s Benja chicken meat and processed pork,” he said.

According to Prasit, pigs for Cheeva Pork will be raised without the use of biochemicals or growth hormones in group pens that allow the animals to move around freely while the facility is air conditioned by evaporators. The pigs will not receive any vaccine for at least a month before going to the slaughterhouse to ensure there is no chemical residue in the meat.

“Cheeva Pork is certified by NSF International, an American product testing, inspection and certification organisation. This brand of pork also received the food innovation award at the ThaiFex-Anuga Asia 2020 trade exhibition last month,” Prasit said.

“The cost of producing Cheeva Pork is roughly 10 per cent higher than ordinary pork, with a capacity of 400-500 pigs per day, which could be expanded when market demand increases,” he added.

CPF executive vice president of the firm’s pig business Somporn Jermpong said the company now has approximately 900,000 breeder pigs in its domestic and foreign farms, making it the world’s third largest breeder pig producer.

“The second place goes to a manufacturer in China, which has a little over 1 million breeder pigs, making it quite possible for us to overtake them soon and grab the title of the world’s 2nd largest breeder pig producer,” he said.

In Thailand, CPF produces around 5 million pigs per year and is the biggest producer in the market of around 18 million swine per year.

“Our production capacity is expanding at 1-2 per cent annually, with most of the pigs being bred for domestic consumption. Exports, in the form of processed pork, are only responsible for a small portion,” Somporn said.

“Due to the African Swine Fever outbreak, China is suffering from a pig-supply shortage and is looking to import pigs from Russia, where we also have farms. So this is a good chance to expand our presence in the Chinese market,” he added.

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Gulf Energy takes 10% stake in Intouch

CorporateOct 07. 2020

By The Nation

Gulf Energy Development (GULF) on Tuesday became the second-largest shareholder of Intouch Holdings (INTUCH) after securing a 10-per-cent stake in the company.

Gulf’s board of directors had previously approved spending up to Bt19 billion to boost its Intouch shareholding via the Stock Exchange of Thailand or other methods.

As of Tuesday, Gulf held 320.65 million Intouch shares, upping its stake from 7.99 per cent to 10 per cent.

Singtel Global Investment holds the largest stake in Intouch, with a shareholding of 21 per cent.