Chalermchai Mahagitsiri, president and chief executive of Thoresen Thai Agencies Public Company Limited (TTA), who is also a director of Siam Taco Co Ltd, says Taco Bell always wants to be where the customers are.

The fourth Taco Bell outlet is expected to become one of the favorites among visitors to the complex as well as university students and office workers in the Samyan area, he added.

The restaurant is located on the ground floor, opening daily from 10 AM to 10 PM.

Taco Bell Corp, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands Inc, is a world-famous Mexican-inspired restaurant chain. There are currently 500 Taco Bell restaurants in nearly 30 countries outside the United States, in addition to over 7,000 restaurants across the US, amid continuous expansion in international markets.

Siam Taco Co Ltd is a joint venture company between TTA and CM Capital (owned by the Mahagitsiri family) to operate Taco Bell restaurants in Thailand.

TTA has grown from its beginning in 1904 as a shipping service company to a global strategic investment holding company with presence throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, TTA is a diversified investment holding group with primary interest in shipping, offshore service, agrochemical and investment which includes food retail.

ARV is a subsidiary of PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP).

By leveraging smart farming technology, the agro drones will contribute to a more sustainable agriculture ecosystem, resulting in less impact from chemicals, lower production costs, and improved quality of life for farmers. It will also boost international competitiveness of the local sector.

Anant Kaewruamvongs, Chief Executive Officer Thaicom, said Thai AI and ARV share the same objectives to solve the problems in Thailand’s agricultural sector. The partnership aims to sustain Thailand’s leading position in APAC’s agricultural sector and improve productivity through the development and marketing of smart farming technology that benefits the ecosystem and people making a living out of farming.

“And, as we are defining our new vision and making inroads into new business areas, we have begun investing in smart digital solutions for a better life. Our subsidiary Thai AI plays an important role for us in the expansion of our business into new markets and in creating strategic partnerships with next generation smart technology companies such as ARV,” he added.

Thana Slanvetpan, general manager of ARV, said the company is very excited to welcome Thaicom as a partner. “We share the same goal of a better future through the development of smart technology. ARV’s know-how and vast experience in both hardware and software drone technology make this partnership ideal for business growth and helping farmers improve agricultural productivity”.

The US company’s executives made the announcement at the Indo-Pacific Business Forum on the sidelines of the Asean Summit on Monday.

“We have centralised our production base in the region,” said Alexis Underwood, general manager of Guardian for the Asia Pacific “We are excited to continue our expansion in Thailand, with the country serving as a critical base for our Asia-Pacific business.”

The firm has invested about $100 million (Bt3 billion) over the past five years in Thailand, she said.

The company manufactures glass used in the construction and automotive industries. It exports about 50 per cent of its production to other countries in the Asia Pacific, with Australia and Japan being its two largest markets.

The Michigan-based firm has been investing in Thailand since the 1990s. It has two factories in the country – one in Saraburi province, north of Bangkok, and the other in Rayong, east of Bangkok.

Thailand has in recent years offered generous tax and other incentives for multinational companies which set up regional operating headquarters (ROH) in the country.

For example, the Revenue Department offers a corporate income tax reduction from 20 per cent to 10 per cent on net profit deriving from offshore branches and associated companies, tax exemption for dividends received from the ROH’s domestic or foreign subsidiaries, withholding tax exemption for dividends paid out from the ROH to foreign companies that do not carry on business in Thailand. The department also offers personal income tax reduction on salaries for expatriates working at regional headquarters at the rate of 15 per cent instead of the progressive tax rate of 5-35 per cent.

Furthermore, the Board of Investment has given foreign investors permission to own land, permission to bring in foreign experts and technicians, with work permit and visa facilitation.

This partnership marks the first-of-its-kind finTech collaboration in Thailand, allowing travellers to pay overseas with the best exchange rates.

YouTrip offers travellers the “Truly No Fees” payment experience without 2.5 per cent exchange fee, issuance fee and annual fee for payments in over 150 currencies. It offers better exchange rates than kiosks and other banks.

YouTrip offers a mobile application specially crafted for travellers, that comes with a contactless prepaid Mastercard. Users can exchange 10 selected currencies conveniently in app anytime before making a purchase, or simply rely on the SmartExchange automated currency exchange technology, to pay in over 150 currencies with YouTrip Mastercard.

It also provides instant notification for all transactions, and real-time card blocking in case of card loss. YouTrip also allows cash withdrawal from overseas ATMs at the same competitive exchange rates, with 24-hour customer service support.

The partnership between YouTrip and KBank is the first-of-its-kind innovation between a leading finTech startup in the region and and a major bank in Thailand.

YouTrip and KBank aim to sign up 400,000 users within the first year.

President of KBank Patchara Samalapa stated that “KBank sees strong potentials in YouTrip, which enjoys great success as the leading multi-currency travel wallet in Singapore. We also believe in the foreign exchange market as it benefits from strong outbound tourism growth in Thailand due to the strong Baht, travel promotions, new flight routes openings, among other postive factors.

The successful partnership with YouTrip to co-develop YouTrip mobile application and contactless Mastercard, is further supported by KBank’s strong operational platform. As a “Powered by KBank” project, the seamless integration between YouTrip and K PLUS delivers the best experience for Thai travellers. With real time card blocking and security features built in YouTrip, travellers can enjoy peace of mind when travelling”.

Juthasree Kuvinichkul, Founding Partner of YouTrip Thailand, said “Kasikornbank is a leading Thai bank, well trusted by the locals. It possesses expertise in digital banking and currency exchange. With the seamless integration with K Plus, YouTrip delivers not only a “Truly No Fees” travel wallet with competitive exchange rates, but also a secured experience with fully digital sign-up and top-up processes. With the launch of YouTrip, Thai travellers will now have the most affordable options to pay with the best exchange when overseas”.

“Mastercard and YouTrip share the same desire which is to deliver a seamless and convenient payment solution for travellers, no matter where and how often they travel. Through this partnership, Mastercard wants to expand user access to YouTrip’s mulit-currency travel wallet in markets beyond Singapore and are excited to partner with YouTrip to elevate the experience of Thai travellers.” said Aileen Chew, country manager of Thailand and Myanmar, Mastercard.

YouTrip is now available for download. Users can sign up for a YouTrip account online in less than three minutes by linking to an existing K PLUS account, without the need to visit bank branches for document submission.

The group has over 40 years of experience in the hotel industry.

At an investment of more than Bt1.75 billion, not including the cost of the land, Pamookkoo Resort is a theme hotel, designed as an adventure land into the past, with a Mesopotamian concept and a decor of golden earth tones. Set around a large pool with a huge four-storey water slider, the hotel will appeal to guests who enjoy water slide thrills and who love to soak their feet.

The resort covers an area of more than 16 rai at Kata, Phuket.

The new hotel is led by Pariyawit “Benz” Achariyachai, son and heir to Kata Group founder and president Pramookpisitt Achariyachai, who will promote the project as a new leisure destination, focusing on fun-and-sun loving family groups.

Kata Group plans to expand its business along the Andaman coast, adding one or two units in the next three to five years and bringing the total accommodation to around 2,000 rooms.

Pariyawit expressed confidence in Kata Group’s hotels, saying they meet tourist demand in every segment, while each hotel has a distinct character.

Pariyawit

The Hong Kong-based hospitality company, which recently celebrated its 32nd anniversary, currently has a collection of 145 hotels and resorts in 22 countries, either operating or in the pipeline. This includes properties in five of the ten Asean member states, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The group’s Southeast Asian development will now accelerate with the launch of its first hotels in Thailand – the region’s most popular tourism destination. Swiss-Belhotel International is currently in advanced negotiations with its partners for four new hotels in three key cities: Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya.

Other established and emerging locations will also be considered in future, including cities and beach resorts, as Swiss-Belhotel International strives to build a nationwide portfolio.

“Thailand is a truly amazing country, with so many breath-taking sights and iconic landmarks to discover. This makes it the next logical step in our growth strategy. We already have strong brand recognition in Southeast Asia, largely thanks to our extensive presence in Indonesia, which gives us the perfect platform from which to expand across the region. We look forward to introducing Thai and international guests to our warm, world-class hospitality in the Land of Smiles,” said the group’s chairman and president, Gavin M Faull.

Thailand welcomed a record 38.3 million international travellers in 2018, making it one of world’s top ten most-visited countries. In the same year, Bangkok was named as the world’s most popular city. In 2019, Thailand is expected to exceed 40 million overseas visitors.

This upsurge in arrivals is creating opportunities for hoteliers in all sectors of the market. Swiss-Belhotel International will be able to tap into many of these areas with its collection of 14 distinctive brands, which range from budget to luxury and include serviced residences, boutique brands, villas and more.

By end of 2020, the group expects to boost its global portfolio to 250 properties comprising approximately 25,000 rooms.