MEA returns over Bt6 billion of electricity deposits
Dec 17. 2020
By THE NATION
More than Bt6 billion of electricity deposits have been returned to over 2 million users in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan by the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA).
The MEA announced on Wednesday that as of December 8, Bt6.067 billion had been transferred to more than 226,700 electricity users in metropolitan areas who have registered to receive their deposits back.
The campaign, which has been running since March 25, is part of the MEA’s effort to follow government policy in alleviating people’s financial burden in this Covid-19 situation.
“Users can track the progress of their deposit returns on the website https://measy.mea.or.th by inputting your ID card number and your 10-digit registration code,” it said. “Those who still have not received their deposit can please contact MEA call centre 1130.
For further information, you can also visit the Facebook page @Metropolitan.Electricity.Authority, or Twitter @MEA_news, or Line: MEA Connect.”
Krungsri launches Social Enterprise Market in Bangkok
Dec 16. 2020
By THE NATION
Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) and SE Thailand joined hands on Wednesday to launch the Social Enterprise Market @Krungsri. The fair is aimed at creating opportunities for social enterprises hit by the Covid-19 crisis. On show are quality products for a better environment and society offered by leading social enterprises, including DoiTung, Doi Kham, Green Net, and The SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand. The fair also features fun activities ahead of the festive season.The Social Enterprise Market @Krungsri is at the plaza in front of the Krungsri head office on Rama III Road until this Friday.Pictured opening the event are Pairote Cheunkrut, second left, Krungsri’s chief strategy officer, and Kesara Manchusree, third left, director of the Board of Association of SE Thailand.
Indorama Ventures pilots blockchain transaction with partner in Australia
Dec 16. 2020Krisda Phatcharoen, country head of commercial banking at HSBC Thailand
By The Nation
Indorama Ventures (IVL) has through its subsidiary Indorama Holding successfully executed a blockchain-enabled letter-of-credit (LC) transaction with Techwool Trading using the Contour blockchain platform.
The blockchain transaction, completed on a single shared application called Contour, involved a shipment of scoured wool shipped by Techwool in Australia to IVL in Thailand.
HSBC acted as the issuing and advising bank for both sides.
This transaction shows that blockchain technology will help digitise trade and is commercially and operationally viable. Trade transactions via blockchain technology allow all parties to review documents in real-time, which reduces cost, risk and lead times.
Krisda Phatcharoen, country head of commercial banking at HSBC Thailand, said the bank believes the use of advanced technology will serve businesses well, especially in the restrictive environment brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rajesh Banka, CEO of IVL’s wool business said: “Contour-enabled trade transactions have offered an insight into how the technology has the potential to revolutionise conventional trade finance and reduce time frames and risk involved in cross-border trade. IVL will continue to pursue this technology with HSBC as a fit with our digitalisation transformation project.”
BTS Group added to list of Sustainability Investment for second year running
Dec 16. 2020
By The Nation
The BTS Group has been added to the Thailand Sustainability Investment list for a second consecutive year. Daniel Ross, centre, BTS Group’s chief investment officer, receives a plate from Pakorn Peetathawatchai, left, Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) president, and Krisada Sektrakul, SET’s senior executive vice president.
BTS Group has also won an “excellent” score for corporate governance for the ninth consecutive year under the Corporate Governance Report of Thai Listed Companies 2020 Project by Thai Institute of Directors Association with support from SET.
CP Foods promises corn bought from responsible, eco-friendly sources
Dec 15. 2020
By The Nation
In a bid to cut down on its carbon footprint, Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods) has announced that it only buys corn from responsible and traceable growers, who have legal documents for their farms and do not encroach into forests.
Also, farmers with legal land deeds can sell their produce at a price higher than the market price at 17 points, including 15 CP Foods’ feed mills and two new purchase stations in Uthai Thani and Nakhon Ratchasima.
Woraphot Suratwisit, vice president of Bangkok Produce Merchandising which supplies raw materials to CP Foods’ feed mills, said his company has joined CP Foods in launching a responsible raw material sourcing campaign called “Farmer Self Sufficiency Maize Sustainability” project.
“The project focuses on helping small farmers by providing harvest and delivery trucks for farmers participating in the project and the provision of partial financial support to reduce their production cost and address labour shortage,” Woraphot said.
Meanwhile, CP Foods only buys from farmers who can show proper land documents, are registered with the Corn Traceability system and do not burn off farming leftovers. Suppliers have also been asked to share the movement of their trucks on GPS to further enhance the transparency of the corn supply.
The farmers who have joined this project will get a better-than-market price that is in line with the Commerce Ministry’s moisture content standards (not less than Bt8.5 per kilogram).
CP Foods implemented the Corn Traceability system in early 2016 as part of its commitment to only purchase corn grown sustainably with the goals to mitigate direct and indirect environmental impact and lift farmers’ quality of life
“Dow” supports a community in Klong Toey District in building a waste management learning center and hopes to develop it into a zero-waste city.
Dec 14. 2020
“Dow” promotes “Koh Klang Community” in Klong Toey District as a model in comprehensive waste management with an emphasis on optimum utilization of resources according to the circular economy principle. A waste sorting system has been set up, areas have been improved, and channels for waste sale have been sought. The project aims to generate income and welfare for the community and will also serve as a learning center for other areas to build upon.
Today (27 November), Dow Thailand Group (Dow) held an opening ceremony of a model learning center for comprehensive waste management in Koh Klang Community in Klong Toey District, Bangkok. The community, located on a small island in the Phra Khanong Canal, is the only “island community” in Bangkok and is ready to welcome community members and interested parties who would like to learn more about waste management and further make use of the knowledge to help prevent waste from ending up in the environment.
Koh Klang Community in Klong Toey District goes back more than 100 years ago. It has a population of 270 living in 58 households. The small island, which is owned by the Crown Property Bureau, has an area of 3 rai in the middle ofthe Phra Khanong Canal. It is currently part of a pilot project for a self-managed community, where the residents lead a self-sufficient life, making their own household items to lower expenses, and are committed to conserving the environment. The comprehensive waste management project was, therefore, launched in the community to generate extra income and increase benefits for the community from selling waste. It is also expected to serve as a learning center where other communities can learn from their experience.
“Dow Thailand Group is committed to creating sustainability in combatting global warming, reducing plastic waste, and encouraging recycling to ensure optimum utilization of resources as per the circular economy framework. The company has joined forces with other organizations and communities with a similar outlook to build this pilot project. We found that Koh Klang is our headquarters’ neighboring community with the residents who want to improve their homes and neighborhood. They also have a strong community leader who places emphasis on waste management at the source and they are also prepared to pass on the knowledge to other communities. This has led to the project’s collaboration and success that we see today,” said Mr. SupojKatetohprakarn, Business Director of Dow Thailand Group.
The project is a collaboration between Dow, Klong Toey District Office, and Thailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable Environment (TIPMSE), an expert in packaging management as the project’s consultant. The community’s waste management is divided into four groups according to the types of waste found in the community, comprising 1. Organic waste management 2. Recycle material management 3. General waste management 4. Hazardous waste management. The different types of waste will either be made into sellable items or delivered to the Klong Toey District Office for proper disposal. Land improvement for the project has been carried out since January 2020.
“Dow has worked with TIPMSE to provide knowledge about comprehensive waste management to the community including organizing workshops on types of plastic, proper plastic waste sorting, and the recycling process as well as setting up a better waste sorting system, improving areas for proper waste sorting, and coordinating with organizations that could purchase the waste and make use of it. Dow is currently in talks to Klong Toey District Office to set up a system for a pick-up of clean stretchy plastic waste that has been sorted for further recycling,” added Mr. Supoj.
Dow has also worked with the community in setting up an accounting system that will ensure thorough distribution of income within the community. The income will be divided into two categories, which are income from waste sales and income from study visits by interested organizations and communities. Innovation in a form of an application called O.K. Recycle will also be used to facilitate the community’s buying prices updates and waste selling and buying data collection.
Mr. SinchaiTiansiri, Director of TIPMSE said “TIPMSE, which is an organization that has been promoting packaging for over 15 years, has seen the potential of Koh Klang Community in becoming an interesting learning center. Not only is it located on an island, but it is also an urban community, where promoting waste management is quite difficult with the limited space and urban people’s relaxed attitudes toward waste sorting. Therefore, anyone who would like to learn from a community with so many limitations but has concretely succeeded in carrying out the project can come to Koh Klang, where Dow and TIPMSE have joined forces with the local authorities in developing the area into another interesting learning center.”
Mr. PrateungwitJaidee, Deputy Director of Klong Toey District Office, said “Waste management has always been conducted in Koh Klang community including waste sorting and recycling though it might not be as comprehensive or systematic. Getting support from Dow Thailand Group is wonderful and helps build upon what the community has always been doing. The Kong Toey District Office is more than happy to support the community and the learning center’s future activities that will benefit other communities and organizations who can come for study visits. The knowledge gained from the visits will be useful in reducing waste at the source and building a zero-waste community.
According to the survey, the types of waste in Koh Klang Community comprises 31 percent organic waste, 41 percent recyclable materials, 27 percent general waste, and 1 percent hazardous waste. With all reusable and recyclable waste sorted out, the amount of waste going to the landfill could be reduced by over four tons from 18 tons in the first phase of the project or more than 20 percent. The organic waste can be used to make biogas, compost, and fermented bio-extracts. The recyclablewaste can be sold for added income. For the general waste, the 3 Rs concept will be applied through encouraging reducing and reusing as well as making crafts or other useful items.
Out of all the community’s wastes, 18 percent is plastic waste, which can be divided into 26 percent non-sellable plastic waste and up to 74 percent sellable recyclable plastic waste. The sellable waste can be a source of income and other welfare programs for the community such as a cremation fund or improvement of the community’s common areas.
For a study visit at Koh Klang Community’s Comprehensive Waste Management Learning Center, please contact KhunJurairat (Eiu) at 089-4269723
KBank hails Covid-defying 9% returns for wealthy investors
CorporateDec 16. 2020Monetary easing by the US Fed has boosted stock markets this year, said KBank Private Banking Group head, Jirawat Supornpaibul, on Wednesday.
By The Nation
Kasikorn Bank’s wealth management service says it is defying the Covid-19 crisis with returns of more than 9 per cent for its risk-tolerant millionaire and billionaire customers.
KBank Private Banking (KPB) head Jirawat Supornpaibul said on Wednesday they were confident KPB will maintain its leadership in Thailand’s private banking industry through 2021.
“The Covid-19 pandemic sent global stocks into a tailspin early this year before they bounced back. Of late, many bourses including China’s A-share, the US and Japanese stock markets have rebounded to their pre-pandemic levels,” he said.
Loosening of monetary policy by the US Federal Reserve plus development of Covid-19 vaccines had driven up global equities late this year, said Jirawat. Joe Biden’s win in the US presidential election also had a positive impact on global equities, as well as easing concern over trade tensions between the US and China next year.
However, he predicted a possible deceleration in equity prices next year, while government bonds would recover at a faster pace after low yields this year.
Jerawat said KBank remained confident in its investment strategy of diversification under the core and satellite investment approach. Recommended funds offering impressive returns include K-GA and K-CCTV which invest in China’s A-Shares, K-CHANGE which focuses on ethical global stocks, and K-HIT which targets four megatrends.
“Customers who took full options recommended by the US long-term portfolio+aspiration achieved returns of 9.2 per cent in 2020 while those holding lower-risk long-term portfolios achieved only 3.8 per cent,” Jirwat said.
KPB has maintained its 3S investment strategy of Sustainability, Sharing, and S-Curve, he added.
It was also aiming to spread the wealth by organising the “Perfect Wealth Perfect Night Special Concert” as a fundraiser for charities.
“Business operations under KBank Private Banking continued to grow in 2020, with approximately 12,000 customers and assets under management of around Bt800 billion. Total investment assets currently stand at around Bt540 billion, or roughly 67 per cent of the overall figure, Jirawat said.
Total Access Communication (Dtac) has announced that it will send out notifications on compensations for customers affected by the system crash on Wednesday morning.
According to its press release, customers who requested a one-time password (OTP) to register for the government’s co-payment scheme and missed their chance because the OTP did not arrive on time will be compensated with either free data, airtime bonuses or discounts worth Bt3,500 on devices.
Dtac will contact affected customers via SMS from Thursday onwards. Customers have until December 23 to get the compensation and will be required to follow the instructions provided in the text message.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index closed at 1,483.89 on Thursday, up 1.80 points or 0.12 per cent. The volume of total transactions was Bt112.75 billion with an index high of 1,495.37 and a low of 1,483.32.
In the morning session, an analyst at Krungsri Securities said he expected the day’s index to fluctuate between 1,475 and 1,490 points amid positive sentiment following the US Federal Reserve’s move to maintain bond purchases and hopes of a fresh economic stimulus package worth $900 billion (Bt26.9 trillion).
“However, investors should beware of mass sell-offs of shares due to the index’s tight valuation at 29 times the price-to-earnings ratio,” he said.
The top 10 stocks with the highest trade value today were TMB, KBANK, SCGP, CPALL, DELTA, BANPU, AOT, ADVANC, PTTGC and PTT.
As of 4.30pm, the price of oil rose by US$0.56 or 1.17 per cent to $48.38 per barrel, while gold rose by $20.60 or 1.11 per cent, to $1,879.70 per ounce.
Other Asian indices were mixed:
Japan’s Nikkei Index closed at 26,806.67, up 49.27 points or 0.18 per cent.
China’s Shanghai SE Composite Index closed at 3,404.87, up 37.89 points or 1.13 per cent, while Shenzhen SE Component Index closed at 13,889.87, up 138.78 points or 1.01 per cent.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed at 26,678.38, up 218.09 points or 0.82 per cent.
South Korea’s KOSPI Index closed at 2,770.43, down 1.36 points or 0.049 per cent.
Taiwan’s TAIEX Index closed at 14,258.93, down 45.53 points or 0.32 per cent.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index closed at 2,858.80, down 14 points or 0.49 per cent.
Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Stock Index closed at 1,051.77, down 15.22 points or 1.43 per cent.
Krisda Phatcharoen, country head of commercial banking at HSBC Thailand 
Monetary easing by the US Fed has boosted stock markets this year, said KBank Private Banking Group head, Jirawat Supornpaibul, on Wednesday. 
