Thai pet food firms urged to sniff out ‘big opportunity’ in China
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2022
Thai pet food companies have been urged to tap China’s growing trend of pet ownership.
“Thailand has a chance to expand its pet food market share in China, thanks to Chinese people’s rising demand for pets,” said Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) director-general Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit on Thursday.
The value of China’s pet food market has surged from 105.80 billion yuan in 2019 to 140.10 billion yuan (700 billion baht) this year, Phusit said, citing a report from the Office of International Trade Promotion in Qingdao.
He said the majority of China’s pet food market is currently controlled by foreign companies, but domestic firms are developing pet food production facilities to take back market share. However, there are still big opportunities in China’s market for Thai pet food manufacturers, he added. He recommended e-commerce platforms, trade promotions, short video clips, and partnering with local celebrities as ways for Thai businesses to tap market opportunities. He said Thai pet foods are already available on Chinese e-commerce platforms such as JD.com and Taobao.
He also advised Thai businesses to study Chinese consumer behaviour and develop pet foods to meet their demands.
China consumers are increasingly keen on healthy pet foods made from natural or organic ingredients, he added.
Thailand must boost competitiveness via law change to unleash business: Wissanu
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2022
Thailand must boost its competitiveness by amending laws and regulations to promote ease of doing business, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Wednesday.
Wissanu, the government’s legal expert, was speaking during his keynote address on “How unlocking laws and regulations can boost the country’s competitiveness” at the 2022 Sampao-Navathong awards.
The annual awards are organised by the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and Board of Trade to honour government agencies that ease difficulties in business operations.
Wissanu said good laws and regulations are essential to create a supportive ecosystem for business activities covering labour, tax, facilities, environment and anti-corruption issues.
“Hence, acts, royal decrees, regulations, ministry announcements and orders need to be amended and reformed,” he said.
The government has spent years amending laws, but some legal changes to facilitate business were still incomplete due to the lengthy amendment process, Wissanu said.
Parliament’s dissolution and government agencies’ attitude had added to delays.
Wissanu said the current government’s reform plan covered the scrapping of outdated laws, updating laws with amendments and creating new laws.
He said government and private sector had improved almost 1,000 business processes, but laws and royal decrees took a lot of time to improve. He cited the Electronic-means Administrative Functions Act BE 2565 for digitalisation of government.
Wissanu said the attitude of government agencies towards facilitating business must change to enable faster amendment of laws that would boost Thailand’s competitiveness.
TCC chairman Sanan Angubolkul said the chamber and related agencies have improved 938 operations so far. This had reduced operating costs for businesses by 100 billion baht per year, which had also created opportunities for Thailand, he said.
The country now needed to accelerate foreign investment, said Sanan, adding that the Eastern Economic Corridor was ready to support investment from foreigners worldwide.
“Attracting investment is key to generating revenue for the country as domestic investment from the government and private sectors may not be enough for recovery,” he said.
Foreign investment brings the added benefit of knowledge exchange on new technologies, he said, urging the government and private sector to build an ecosystem to support foreign business and investment in Thailand.
Baht hits 6-month high against dollar after US Fed meeting
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2022
The baht opened at 34.53 to the US dollar on Thursday, strengthening from Wednesday’s close of 34.57 to a six-month high.
The currency will likely move between 34.50 and 34.70 against the greenback during the day, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.
Poon said that the baht strengthened on dollar weakening and gold sales but cautioned the Thai currency could weaken if foreign investors begin selling Thai stocks due to a risk-off state in the US and Asian currency markets.
Moreover, foreign investors may begin selling Thai short- and long-term bonds amid dropping yields, especially after the US Federal Reserve approved a half-point interest rate hike on Wednesday. The baht had fallen to 34.745 about an hour after the start of trading on Thursday.
Poon estimated the baht’s key support level at 34.50 to the dollar.
He doubts the baht will weaken past its resistance level at 35 as most investors are waiting to sell the dollar or short the dollar-baht market.
Poon also advised investors to use hedging tools such as options to manage risks in a highly volatile currency market.
Chubb Life continues with ‘Education@Heart – Say Yes to Less Plastic’
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2022
Chubb Life Thailand held its Regional Day of Service, Chubb’s annual corporate social responsibility initiative across 12 countries in Asia Pacific, under the program ‘Education@Heart – Say Yes to Less Plastic.’
This year’s program aims to increase educational opportunities for underprivileged youths and to raise awareness of mangrove forest protection in coastal areas.
Held at Mangrove Forest Resources Education and Development Center, Samut Sakhon, more than 50 volunteers from Chubb Life accompanied 50 elementary school students to explore and learn about the mangrove forest ecosystem, while also enjoying the natural habitat of animals in the area. The students, from grades seven to nine, are supported by the Teach for Thailand Foundation. The activity also allowed the participants to clean up the area and learn about the production of biochar and aromatic salt, retail products created in the Center to support the costs and expenses of its operation.
Adrian O’Brien, Chief Digital and Transformation Officer of Chubb Life Thailand., said “Chubb Life has always been focusing on increasing educational opportunities for underprivileged Thai youths. We believe that knowledge of our environment is important, so this year’s program aims to encourage the children and our volunteers to better understand the need for environmental preservation, as well as the impact of plastic bags on marine pollution. This is the reason we also included rubbish collection and sorting activity. We trust that educating young children on the importance of environmental sustainability is a backbone for a healthy planet, as this will help to protect the environment for future generations, as well as improve our communities in the long-term.”
Korean Product Marketplace ‘Gomi Mall’ 2.0 Launched
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2022
Gomi Corporation, a South Korean commerce company, has launched ‘Gomi Mall’ 2.0, an e-commerce platform for purchasing Korean products in Thailandc.
Gomi Mall is an online marketplace where customers may purchase K-products in various categories ranging from beauty to dental, health, fashion, accessories, living, and food. Over 600 Korean brands have joined the platform to meet Thai customers.
Gomi Corporation, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, directly signs sales contracts with Korean brands. The company then exports, imports, and clears customs from Korea to Thailand in order to sell only 100% genuine products to customers.
New features coming to Gomi Mall 2.0 include an improved user interface and multi-language compatibility based on a visitor’s web browser settings. Gomi Mall accepts Thailand’s local payment methods, including mobile payment in a much easier process. Customers can also easily track the delivery status of local courier services in Thailand, such as J&T Express.
At its branch office in Bangkok, Gomi provides a full CS solution. Customers can contact the customer service centre and get a rapid response to any questions they have about products, orders, and delivery during their visit to Gomi Mall. Gomi operates a warehouse to ensure that customers can expect speedy shipping and have the option to simply return, exchange, or receive a refund for their ordered goods.
Gomi announced a major update to its branding strategy and company logo in conjunction with the launch of Gomi Mall 2.0. Customers will not just purchase Korean products at Gomi Mall; they will be introduced to a new cultural space to quickly gain insight into the latest trends in Korea and discover popular products. The company’s trademark bearing character ‘GOMGOMI’ will be dressed in Thai clothing and will greet customers as an ambassador for Gomi Mall.
Meanwhile, Gomi plans to introduce a new product category to Gomi Mall beginning next year: Baby and kids. Various K-products for children, parents, and families will soon arrive at Gomi Mall to satisfy the needs of customers in Thailand. Gomi has recently signed an exclusive sales contract with ICONIX, a major Korean entertainment company, whose portfolio includes some popular animated TV series, including ‘Pororo the Little Penguin,’ ‘Tayo the Little Bus,’ and ‘Chiro and Friends.’ Customers will be able to purchase products featuring those well-known animated characters at Gomi Mall.
“Waan Thai” Restaurant – Enriches the taste of Thai desserts, local ingredients served both savory and sweet plates
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2022
After the success of R-HAAN restaurant, “Piti Bhirombhakdi” and Chef Chumpol Jangprai, a famous professional chef of Thai cuisine, recently opened “Waan Thai” restaurant to create food and traditional Thai desserts with authentic Thai taste by promoting local ingredients from each region and combining them with fineness in every step of making to serve customers.
Mr Piti Bhirombhakdi, founder of R-HAAN Restaurant, and Waan Thai revealed that his passion and interest in Thai cuisine inspired him to open R-HAAN restaurant, an authentic Thai restaurant with a Fine Dining style, in collaborating with Chef Chumpol Jangprai, which aims to promote the unique and precious Thai food culture and to give Thais and foreigners the opportunity to taste authentic Thai food. We focus on selecting the best local ingredients across the country to create authentic Thai food dishes and present a beautiful impression to reflect Thainess. Presently, R-HAAN restaurant’s success is guaranteed by the Michelin star award, which is an award granted to quality restaurants that are recognized around the world and have been awarded the Michelin Star for the fifth year in a row, achieving a 1-star Michelin since its first year of opening, and held 2-star Michelin for the past four years. Besides, R-HAAN restaurant was chosen to create Thai menus to welcome the 21 leaders of the ASEAN Economic Area at the 2022 APEC conference, which was highly appreciated by leaders from many countries.
Recently, extending its success by opening “Waan Thai”, which is a traditional Thai restaurant and Thai dessert that combines wisdom and authentic Thai taste through the concept of “Thai Cuisine, Thai Dessert” by selecting well-known ingredients from each region of Thailand such as Aromatic Coconuts from Ban Phaeo-Phetchaburi Province, Black Sticky Rice from the North, Brown Rice from the top of the mountain that contains Gaba and high nutritional value, etc. to create with a modern cuisine technique with a special recipe for both Thai food and desserts that are unique to the restaurant, which has been combined with a sophisticated process, delicate, and presented in a more modern international style.
For “Waan Thai” restaurant, there are savory and sweet dishes with authentic Thai tastes such as Waan Thai High Tea, Water Chestnut Ruby in Syrup with Coconut Milk Ice, Muskmelon Coconut Milk Soufflé, Thai Taro Custard Mille-Feuille, Crepe Suzette. However, the savory food menu includes: Homemade Pork Sausage with Steamed River Fish Mixed with Ground Roasted Served with Betel Leaves, Thai Rice Noodles with Vegetables Served with Sweet and Sour Coconut Milk Curry, Beef Curry with Roti, Boiled Duck Egg and Pork in Thai Gravy Stew, Sweet and Sour Crispy Rice Vermicelli Served with Grilled River Prawn, KULAO TAK BAI Dried Salted Fish Fried Rice with Fresh Chilis Served with Sour-Vide Duck Egg Yolk, etc. There are also a variety of drinks that enrich the taste , including premium tea made with a special recipe from Singha Park Chiang Rai Province, cold-pressed juices, cold-pressed herbal juice, coffee, etc.
Waan Thai Restaurant is located at Thonglor Soi 9, open daily, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 094-215-3945 or www.waanthai.com FB, IG: @waanthaidessert
CP and Toyota join forces to study path towards carbon neutrality in Thailand
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2022
Toyota Motor Thailand has announced its partnership with Thai conglomerate CP Group to support a carbon neutral pathway.
The project also includes Toyota’s competitors such as Daihatsu, Isuzu, Suzuki, and its affiliated company Hino.
Since its establishment in 1921, CP has been operating with the core value of three benefits: to country, to people, and to organisation.
CP provides accessibility to high-quality products and is expanding its business in Thailand in a wide range of fields, including retail (such as 7-Eleven), distribution, industrial products, agriculture and livestock.
In the distribution field, CP has been supporting the lives of Thai people by transporting and delivering a variety of products through its wide-ranging operations, considering social, economic and environmental impacts and sustainability practices.
Toyota’s business in Thailand has garnered the support of a number of stakeholders including Siam Cement Group, an important local partner for Toyota, and has grown along with the development of Thai society through products, tax payment, employment and technology transfer, while overcoming a number of challenges, such as the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2011 floods.
Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota, said: “The two companies, both of which consider the best for Thailand and the Earth, have agreed to proceed with what we can do now, by using each company’s strengths and assets. I believe that taking this crucial step will allow us to be rewarded with appreciation from the country, and will change the future landscape.”
Dhanin Chearavanont, Senior Chairman of CP Group, responded, “What President Toyoda and I share is affection and gratitude to Thailand, and both of us very much want to give back to the country. I am delighted that both companies have an opportunity to jointly consider collaboration towards carbon neutrality in Thailand and welcome any companies that share the same carbon neutrality ambitions.”
Specifically, CP and Toyota will explore social implementation in the following three areas.
1. Production of hydrogen using biogas derived from farm wastes (with the focus on economic zones)
2. Introduction of fuel cell delivery trucks into CP’s fleet, which are to use the above-mentioned hydrogen (provide a variety of solutions such as BEV and FCEV, considering travel distance and load weight)
3. Efficient logistics by proposing optimised delivery routes through connectivity technology
With these actions being linked with each other, the two companies will proceed with what can be done now, to consistently reduce CO2 emissions throughout the entire process of producing, transporting, and using energy, towards accelerating carbon neutrality.
This collaboration will be considered with the participation of True Leasing Co Ltd, CP’s transportation service business. In addition, the study will be conducted with Hino Motors Ltd, which will participate in these efforts, made in Asia by Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (capitalised by Isuzu Motors Limited, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd, and Toyota), which has been established with the aim of helping solve challenges faced by the transport sector and achieve carbon neutrality by realising and spreading CASE technology. Furthermore, as carbon neutrality should be tackled by all people and industries, CP and Toyota are willing to welcome any partners who share the same view towards carbon neutrality.
KFC celebrates 1,000th store in Thailand with plans to super-size next year
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2022
Celebrations to mark the opening of KFC’s 1,000th store in Thailand on Wednesday were boosted by plans to open 30 more branches next year.
Central Restaurants Group (CRG) said it will spend 400 million baht to add about 15 new KFC branches in Bangkok and the rest upcountry.
CRG already runs 320 KFCs in Thailand while the rest are operated by Restaurants Development (250) and The QSR of Asia (430), according to brand manager Yum Restaurants International (Thailand).
Yum managing director Sakechai Choomuenwai hailed KFC’s customers and employees as crucial to the brand’s successful 38-year journey in Thailand.
From its first store at Central Ladprao in 1985 to its recently opened 1,000th quick-service restaurant, KFC has always been by the Thais’ side, he said.
“The 1,000-store celebration is more than just a celebration of the brand’s success, but rather a celebration of all of the customers and employees who made that success possible,” he said.
He added that KFC still has potential to expand in Thailand, with brand performance expected to grow 24% this year as the economy and tourism recover.
“All thanks go to food delivery platforms, such as Foodpanda, Grab and Line Man, for enabling the brand to cope with the Covid-19 crisis,” he said.
“KFC is paying value to about 20,000 employees nationwide, of which 40% are from the young generation,” he continued.
The brand has also granted 1,000 scholarships worth over 10 million baht to employees in a bid to equip them with skills for the future.
“These 1,000 opportunities are just the beginning,” Sakechai said. “KFC has more initiatives to develop people’s potential through 2023.”
Thai Airways is recruiting 1,000 workers for Suvarnabhumi
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2022
Thai Airways International is recruiting about 1,000 ground workers, mainly to tackle delays in luggage handling at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, its acting CEO Suvadhana Sibunruang said on Wednesday.
Suvadhana admitted that it took more than 30 minutes to handle one flight’s luggage at Suvarnabhumi airport earlier this year and that some flights were delayed due to slow luggage handling.
He said the carrier realises this is an issue and is recruiting more staff to deal with it. About 1,000 positions are open at the carrier’s Suvarnabhumi operations. These are positions for ground services, including baggage handlers, drivers of vehicles in the airport, and kitchen staff, he said.
“THAI is recruiting employees to fill ground positions to meet the rising number of passengers,” Suvadhana said, adding: “The new recruits will have to undergo training for four or five weeks in line with the regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.”
He said he is confident that during the long New Year holidays, THAI ground staff would be able to handle baggage efficiently and would do it within a 30-minute per-flight limit.
Currently, THAI provides 80% of ground operations for flights at Suvarnabhumi.
Asked to comment on a report that the Transport Ministry may select a new ground service operator to take about 40% of this work from THAI, Suvadhana said a new company might face the same issues THAI did so it would be useless to reduce its operation at the airport.
Suvadhana replied that the delays earlier this year were caused by staff shortages in the aviation industry as a whole.
Flagship Burger King store takes a leap into the future
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2022
Nongluck Ajanapanya
Burger King, the franchise burger restaurant under Minor Food Group, has launched a brand-new flagship store in Thailand equipped with advanced service technology in response to the digital lifestyle trend.
Burger King (Thailand) general manager Tanawat Damnernthong stated that it is the first branch in Thailand to use technology to adapt to the digital lifestyle trend, with a unique exterior building design that blends seamlessly with a touch of American style.
The Ratchadaphisek branch will be the first in Thailand to bring together the best in terms of both products and services, with a focus on introducing modern-day innovations to increase consumer convenience.
Meanwhile, this branch is Asia’s new flagship store, with three highlighted innovative features.
It has Asia’s first new flame-grill burger broilers, which allow customers to see the meat being grilled with a flame in the Burger King style.
Smart lockers facilitate food delivery by separating take-out orders and reducing contact. This innovative solution assists food delivery riders who serve customers via the app-based delivery platform. To open the locker, simply enter the corresponding order code on the screen.
Tanawat Damnernthong and first new flame-grill burger broilers of Asia
To help reduce emissions while adhering to the organisation’s sustainability policy, electric vehicle charging stations are installed. EVs can be fully charged in under 15 minutes. In addition, a solar rooftop has been installed to convert solar energy into electricity.
Tanawat noted, “The opening of this new flagship store is expected to create new experiences for consumers in all aspects while also encouraging sales growth in accordance with the predetermined target.”
Tanawat expected this new flagship store to be one of its top five best-seller branches, based on the concept of “Restaurant as a Future”.
Since the initial launch on December 6 this year, sales have exceeded expectations.
The brand new branch is situated on a 400-square-metre plot of land in the Ratchadaphisek neighbourhood, with ample parking for up to 20 cars. The store’s interior is an entirely new concept, with 60 seats available for customers.
Tanawat stated that Burger King’s new decoration style concept will be applied to another 123 branches across the country by 2030.
Furthermore, the brand intends to open 10 more branches in Bankgok and its environs, including Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, and Pathum Thani, as well as major tourist destinations in the province.
Tanawat stated that the return of foreign tourists has increased Burger King’s overall sales by 30%. He predicted that growth would continue next year, with a 20% increase target.
However, because the majority of Burger King’s ingredients and materials are imported, inflation and currency exchange are factors for concern. Tanawat promised that Burger King would manage the cost so that it has the least impact on its customers.
Tanawat Damnernthong and first new flame-grill burger broilers of Asia
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