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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40024376

US cloud computing firm sees more room for growth in Asia

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Nutanix, an American company that says its platform simplifies and integrates cloud computing, says three key cloud-computing trends are prevalent across the Asia Pacific and Japan region.

The trends were announced during an online media briefing on Tuesday by the company’s vice president of sales for the region.

Aaron White, Nutanix’s general manager and vice president of sales for the Asia Pacific and Japan region, said companies need to abandon the patchwork approach to information technology.

White said the three main trends are: 1) identifying true cloud implementation requirements, 2) remaining vigilant and agile in the face of uncertainty, and 3) keeping ahead of the explosion in app development and reigning in database sprawl.

“It’s time for organisations to take a step back and abandon their patchwork information technology in favour of more permanent, scalable solutions that will truly stand the test of time,” he said.

In terms of the second trend, White explained that macroeconomic uncertainty is putting customers on edge. Companies in the Asia Pacific region are now attempting to figure out how to build resilient, adaptable organisations while controlling costs.

“Standing still is no longer an option, even to maintain the status quo,” he said.

Regarding the third trend, he said that many organisations can’t see where everything is located and lack the capacity to manage the sprawl caused by having apps and databases spread across multiple clouds and environments.

“Having a unified environment with the same policies and tooling, visibility across all clouds, and leveraging automation are all necessary for digital organisations looking to take control of their data to succeed,” he said.

Aaron White

He also said that the three trends came at a high cost and posed numerous challenges.

As a result, companies must find a management path that balances costs with improving business.

Cloud computing is no longer an option for businesses looking to strengthen their operations and secure their immunity to cybersecurity threats, he said.

Despite fierce competition, the cloud computing segment remains promising and presents more opportunities for growth, White said.

Cloud services have become one of the solutions many companies across the region are using during uncertain macroeconomic times, he explained.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40024372

Nation Group rights issue gets overwhelming response, oversubscribed by 20%

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Nation Group’s rights issue to fund its expansion plans has been oversubscribed by over 20%, the company’s top executive said on Thursday.

Nation Group CEO and president Shine Bunnag said that a large number of existing shareholders and investors had applied for the group’s rights offer, with the total subscription amount exceeding 900 million baht, compared to the company’s proposed capital increase of 732 million baht.

The rights issue offered shareholders two newly issued ordinary shares for every ordinary share at 0.09 baht a share.

The increased capital is intended to be used as a revolving fund to support Nation Group’s future business expansion under its One Nation strategy.
 

In December, Nation Group (Thailand) Plc’s board of directors approved a rights offering of 8,135,940,724 shares to existing shareholders.

Application for the rights issue was open from January 19 to 25.
Nation Group, which operates The Nation news website among many other media outlets, said on Thursday that the latest capital increase would raise the company’s registered capital from 2.1 billion baht at present to 6.46 billion baht.

Shine on Thursday thanked shareholders and investors for their “overwhelming interest” in Nation Group’s rights offer. “As the representative of the management, I am deeply impressed and grateful for your confidence in the organisation,” he said.

The president also said that the company aimed to pay dividend later this year, for the first time in eight years .

Shine said Nation Group is currently among Thailand’s strongest media organisations with a comprehensive stable of brands including Krungthep Turakij, Nation TV, Post Today, Nation Online, Kom Chad Luek, Spring Online, The Nation, Thansettakij, OK Nation, Khob Sanam, and The People.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40024370

Minor expects collaboration with European NH brand to boost growth

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Minor Hotels is collaborating with the European NH Hotel Group as part of a strategy to attract more guests from western countries, which could boost the hotel chain’s growth by 20 per cent.

Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO Minor International and CEO Minor Hotels, told a press conference on Thursday that the collaboration with NH Hotel Group, Europe’s fourth-largest hotel company, would provide more diverse and unique experiences for tourists visiting the country.

The move follows a strong rebound in Thailand’s tourism industry and is an effort to push occupancy rates to more than 75% as in 2019.

He explained that due to the limited number of flights arriving in Thailand, it would be difficult and time-consuming to restore the occupancy rate to pre-Covid-19 levels, hence Minor Hotels should focus on room rates instead.

Rajakarier expected the revenue of Minor Hotels in Thailand to continue growing with a 10-15% bottomline growth.

The NH Hotel brand made its debut recently in Thailand with the signing of NH Boat Lagoon Phuket Resort. The group will add two more properties in the country to its NH Collection.

NH Collection Chiang Mai Ping River is currently under development in Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai. The new hotel will open in the fourth quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, work on the upcoming NH Collection Rayong Resort & Residences has begun. It is expected to open within the next two years.

“Our strategies will be for more joint investments with various funds and property owners, starting this year. We plan to expand our portfolio of hospitality management contracts and franchise opportunities under the Oaks, NH Hotel, and Avani brands,” Rajakarier explained.

The strategy is part of Minor Hotels’ commitment to expanding NH Hotel Group’s brands, with 10 new properties set to open in Asia and the Middle East in 2023 and 2024.

Aside from two NH Collection hotels in Thailand, China will add three NH Hotels and two NH Collection hotels, and the Middle East will see the brand make its debut with three NH Collection openings — two in Dubai and one in Doha.

Overall, the six new NH Collection properties and two NH Hotels are set to launch in 2023, plus one NH Hotel and one NH Collection in 2024, adding 2,643 keys to the Minor Hotels group.

“This is just the start and we continue to explore opportunities to further grow the footprint of NH Collection, NH and nhow in the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean,” Rajakarier stated.

Sriya Yongsakul, director of Phuket Boat Lagoon, who made the decision to rebrand her hotel with the NH brand, explained that the joint investment helped raise the bar in terms of hotel quality while expanding the hotel’s brand recognition, particularly in Europe and South America.

She praised Minor Hotels’ management for helping NH Boat Lagoon Phuket Resort address its current urgent pain point, which is a labour shortage.

Jirath Pavaravadhana, the chairman of Osmo Properties Group, which is the owner of the NH Collection Chiang Mai Ping River and the NH Collection Rayong Resort & Residences, anticipated that the hotel would draw both domestic and foreign guests who would spend more money while staying longer.

(From left) MC, Dillip Rajakarier, Sriya Yongsakul and Jirath Pavaravadhana

Rajakarier expressed confidence in Thailand’s tourism recovery, which will enable Minor Hotels to fully reopen and perform even better this year with the return of Chinese tourists, who account for 40% of all tourists.

He emphasised that Thailand is always a favoured tourist destination. The country is still ranked fourth in tourist spending.

Minor Hotels currently has more than 530 hotels in operation. Through Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, M Collection, NH Collection, NH, nhow, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International properties, Minor Hotels now operates in 56 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe, South America and North America.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40024361

“PT Service Masters” revolutionise petrol stations with 7-star quality

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

PTG Energy has launched its new service enhancement program by assigning “PT Service Masters” – experts in petrol station services – to provide 7-star services at selected PT stations nationwide, being the first brand in Thailand to do so.

After winning the “Business+ Product of The Year Awards 2022” jointly organised by Business+ magazine and College of Management Mahidol University, PTG Energy Public Company Limited continues its journey into 2023 as a modern organisation that focuses on improving service quality and customer satisfaction in all aspects. 

Intending to revolutionise old images of petrol service stations, PTG recently launched its new service-focused program titled “PT Service Master” at selected PT stations nationwide. Every PT Service Master is committed to taking care of customers, providing advice on products and services, and ensuring customers’ highest satisfaction and benefits from each visit to the PT station. The program aims to create a positive impression that prompts customers to come back in the future and establish PT as a top-of-mind brand among Thai motorists.

Pitak Ratchakitprakarn, president and chief executive officer of PTG, said that to increase service quality the company has been surveying customers’ needs and empathy, as well as collecting input from service staffers in the past five years. 

Under the program, PTG carefully handpicked qualified personnel who are well-trained in all aspects of petro station’s services and gave them personality training to become PT Service Masters, he added.

“PT Service Masters’ task is to upgrade the service quality of PT stations to the same level as 7-star hotels. At these pilot stations there will no longer be Dek Pump (pumping boys), but will have Service Masters instead,” said Pitak. 

“These specialists will assist customers in all aspects with a focus on selecting the best services and benefits for each customer, ranging from privileges of PT Max Card, motor oil change, and other promotional campaigns. PT Service Masters are also responsible for surveying customers’ needs and collecting feedback to further improve their service quality,” he added.

PTG has been selecting qualified personnel to join the PT Service Master workforce from within the organisation and by recruiting from the general public. The company has been providing extensive training in the petrol business and customer service by experts and instructors who are well-known at the national level. “PTG is committed to taking care of our employees and making them happy, which will prompt them to pass on the happiness to customers and surrounding communities,” added the CEO.

Currently, 200 PT Service Masters have been providing top-notch services at 100 selected PT stations. The company plans to increase the number of PT Service Masters to 500 within this year and to 2,000 in the next three years to expand the program’s coverage to all PT stations nationwide.

PTG is the first petrol service provider in Thailand that uses “Service Master” to take its service quality to the next level, distinguishing itself from other brands of petrol stations. The program is a huge success as can be seen from the 25% jump in PT Max Card membership subscriptions at petrol stations that have PT Service Masters.

PT Service Master

++Responsibilities

• Provide services to customers of PT petrol stations, ensure their highest satisfaction and maintain a customer base
• Provide consulting service and coordinate with other departments to solve problems related to customers’ usage of petrol station
• Present the company’s products, services and sales promotion campaigns to customers

++ Workforce overview

• 200 PT Service Masters at present 
• Stationed at 100 selected PT petrol stations nationwide 
• To be expanded to 500 PT Service Masters in 2023
• Target 2,000 PT Service Masters in three years, covering all petrol stations nationwide

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40024344

Asset World spending 1 billion baht to rebrand flagship

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2023

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Asset World Corp (AWC) is investing 1 billion baht to turn its flagship office tower, The Empire, into what it calls a “revolutionary lifestyle space that embraces the future of work-life integration”, the company announced on Wednesday.

AWC CEO and President Wallapa Traisorat told a press conference that 1,500 square metres of The Empire will be turned into a co-living space, bringing a home-like experience and large facilities to the workplace. These will include a living room, a communal kitchen and dining area, a kids’ room, and a pet hotel, she said.

The company is also rebranding the building’s rooftop, saying it will offer a wider range of international food and beverages.

AWC will continue to offer tenants hotel-like services through an app connecting them to all AWC-affiliated hotels.

Wallapa said The Empire was “currently valued at 20 billion baht”.

Its renovation and rebranding will be completed in November, with its co-working space opening in the first quarter of this year, she said.

Wallapa Traisorat

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40024343

Cat litter Thai startup forges new partnership to penetrate domestic market

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2023

Nongluck Ajanapanya

A fully Thai-owned organic cat litter startup is tying up with Thonglor International Pet Hospital and a private investor to scale up its manufacturing process and grow sales by 10 per cent over the next five years.

Wealthy Moggie Innovation (WMI) expects the 10-million-baht investment to assist the company in implementing an active marketing strategy to raise brand awareness of “Hide and Seek” cat litter in the domestic market.

Vattanaporn Tungsagna, WMI’s sales director, co-founder, who is also a cat lover, told a press conference on Wednesday that Hide and Seek is made entirely of Thai cassava.

“After finding out that the majority of cat litter in Thailand is imported, we were perplexed as to why there has been no made-in-Thailand product, even though we have plenty of natural sources. So we started experimenting until we found the right ingredients that are both effective at eliminating odours and safe for cats, owners, and the environment,” he explained.

He estimates the product currently has a 1-2% market share in Thailand. He expects to reach at least 10% in the next five years. Meanwhile, he hopes to expand his pet shop partners from the current 400. According to Wattanporn, there are over 5,000 pet stores in Thailand.

The company aims to earn 22 million baht from product sales this year as there has been a surge in international orders. The company’s plant can produce 40 containers per month.

“We also intend to launch a new innovative cat-litter product that will aid in the early detection of feline disease. The product will be available around the middle of the year,” he said.

He added that the products were well received in the market, particularly in the international market. When compared to other brands, Hide and Seek clumps up quickly, according to customer feedback. Furthermore, the product is chemical- and odour-free, has long-lasting odour control, high absorbtion, and is safe to flush.

“We are now exporting to South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, and Dubai. We are in discussions with dealers both in India and Japan. Unfortunately, we are not popular in our home country. So, we need a more comprehensive marketing strategy to raise brand awareness,” Wattanaporn said.

He added that Hide and Seek cat litter sales would help increase the value of cassava grown by Thai farmers by up to 16 times.

Poolperm T.charoenpoolporn, Thonglor International Pet Hospital executive director and finance director, said that growth opportunities in the pet industry average about 5-10% per year, as couples without children, LGBTQ groups, and the elderly are increasingly looking for pets. These people are willing to spend money on food, utensils, and services to improve the quality of life of their pets.

He believes that the joint investment with WMI will yield enormous returns.

Boonpaween Boonmechote, an independent investor and Thai Union Frozen Products’ planning and strategy department manager, added that the goal of his joint venture is to bring about improvements in production processes, cost reduction, productivity improvement, expand distribution channels, and the opportunity to export cat litter products.

Wealthy Moggie Innovation has received support from Thailand’s National Innovation Agency (NIA) through “Nilmangkorn” (Onyx Dragon horse), an accelerator programme that helps Thai entrepreneurs and startups grow their businesses.

Krithpaka Boonfueng, NIA deputy executive director, said the programme would educate and assist in the development of business plans and products by connecting business owners with NIA researchers and the investor network.

“WMI is our first onyx dragon horse from this programme. However, we intend to expand our Thai unicorn creations with ‘Nilmangkorn Season 2’, which will be open for applications soon,” she said.

Pan-arj Chairat, president of the NIA, said that the programme was part of the agency’s efforts to promote and support Thailand’s innovation ecosystem. The goal is to address innovative business development and use innovative tools to increase their own competitiveness as well as build a better understanding of the mechanism of joint ventures, he added.
 

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40024320

JKN Global selects El Salvador to host 72nd Miss Universe pageant in Nov-Dec

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2023

After the grand success of Miss Universe 2022’s final round that registered almost one billion viewers from 121 countries, El Salvador has announced its decision to pay an undisclosed sum of money to JKN Global Group Public Company Limited to host Miss Universe 2023 pageant.

The 2022’s final round was broadcasted via streaming channels, social media as well as television networks including the number one Spanish channel Telemundo.

One of the key moments of the event that was lauded by foreign media worldwide was the beautiful speech by Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, Chief Executive Officer of JKN Global Group, and the owner of the Miss Universe organization.  

The CEO’s Woman Empowerment Vision celebrates feminism, while promoting cultural diversity, social opportunities, and gender equality. The speech also focuses on how to empower all women to feel empowered, through the concept of Transformational Leadership or leadership reforms to enhance the value of the Miss Universe pageant.

The television network Telemundo cited data from AGB Nielsen Media Research Company ratings survey that the live broadcast of the 71st Miss Universe Finals on Saturday January 14, was rated as the number one among channels in viewers aged 18 – 49. The channel, the only television network live broadcasted in the glamourous pageant, attracted more than 2.4 million viewers, with the highest number of viewers among the age group 18-49 years old, or 84% growth and a 54% increase in overall audience numbers compared to the previous year.

In the United States, audiences in the 18-49 age bracket are number one in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Dallas, and Chicago. Talkwalker, a social media analysis website, said that the 71st Miss Universe Finals was ranked No. 1 in the lifestyle and social program category. It has 10.6 million social media views and 5.7 million audience participation from live broadcasts, online media, and social media distribution. 526 million minutes of content related to the Miss Universe Finals were watched, a 37% increase this year compared to last year.

As a result of the vision of supporting the empowerment and elevation of women and the success of the 71st Miss Universe pageant, Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s President, decided to pay an undisclosed sum of money to JKN Global Group Public Company Limited under the leadership of Anne Jakapong to host the 72nd Miss Universe pageant. The event will take place from November to December 2023, which was earlier announced on the Miss Universe stage for the first time in 12 years. The deal is considered one of the successes and pride of the Bangkok-based JKN Global Group.

After managing the Miss Universe Organization for two and a half months, Miss Anne Jakapong said, “We are committed to further developing and integrating the Miss Universe organization as a platform for empowering women for all people in the universe, to lead, to be able to inspire, to be role models to others, and the Miss Universe pageant must be a platform that is conducted with the most transparency and fairness.”

From all the statistics and achievements, Miss Universe is considered the world’s number one beauty pageant and is ready to move into a new dimension of the contest that will drive society and empower women as leaders of social reform. This will give Thailand a standing ovation in the eyes of the world as well as the power to drive global society towards better change in all dimensions.