Central, Tops launch New Year ‘baskets of happiness’
Nov 06. 2020
By The Nation
Central Food Retail has launched its 2021 New Year gift basket campaign under the theme “Infinite Happiness”. The baskets are available at every branch of Tops Market, Tops Superstore, Central Food Hall, Tops Daily and Tops online until January 5.
Highlights include gift baskets for pet cats and dogs, for health and beauty, and for DIY.
Stephane Coum, CEO of Food at Central Food Retail, said the long-awaited season of happiness was rolling around even as Thailand and the rest of the world fought the Covid-19 pandemic..
TikTok launches new contest to hunt for Southeast Asian marketing trendsetters
Nov 06. 2020
By The Nation
TikTok, the leading social-media app for short video clips, is calling on Southeast Asian marketing and creative professionals as well as agencies to participate in the TikTok Trendsetter competition.
Launching on Monday, the contest aims to inspire people and agencies in the region to harness the potential of TikTok to solve real-world marketing challenges.
Contestants will be divided into three categories, namely:
• Individual: Contestants will submit one TikTok video creative idea that addresses marketing-related challenges for small and medium enterprises, and sectors such as fast-moving consumer goods and government.
• Agency: Contestants will submit a storyboard for at least four TikTok creative ideas, a media plan using TikTok and a sample TikTok video that address marketing-related challenges for industries such as fintech, luxury, automobiles and telecom.
• Existing Campaigns: Campaigns that have already run on TikTok this year can also participate in the competition.
The deadline for submission is December 24, with votes running from January 4 to 22.
The panel of judges will include in-house and agency creative executives as well as TikTok creators. The winners will be announced on February 1, 2021.
Agency teams will have a chance to win up to US$40,000 in prizes, while individual contestants can win a mentorship session with TikTok Global Business Marketing executives.
TikTok will hold a creative workshop on November 24 and 26 in partnership with BBDO Singapore to provide a deeper understanding on how TikTok can be used for marketing purposes. The workshop will be held virtually at https://www.tiktok-trendsetter.com/ and is accessible to all.
CP Foods first in Thailand to receive ISO management innovation certification
Nov 06. 2020
By The Nation
Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF)’s Bang Na feed mill is the first Thai operation to be granted international ISO 56002 certification for management innovation.
Siripong Aroonratana, COO of the company, received the certification from Punnee Angsusingha, president of Management System Certification Institute (Thailand) at CP Tower in Bangkok recently.
Punnee explained that the new ISO standard was initiated to provide a framework for a systematic innovation management, helping the organisation to get the most benefit out of their own innovations.
She praised CP Foods for continuously driving organisational development through innovation. She noted that the company was the first in Thailand to receive the new certificate, reflecting its status as world leader in the agro-industrial and food business that is constantly boosting its competitiveness and driving the food industry towards Thailand 4.0.
Siripong thanked the company’s management as well as all employees for their contributions to boosting innovation in the organisation.
Global Power Synergy Plc (GPSC)’s board of directors on Friday appointed Worawat Pitayasiri as new president and chief executive officer of the company, effective from December 1.
The board also acknowledged the resignation of Chawalit Tippawanich as president and CEO, effective from December.
Chawalit is leaving to take up the posts of IRPC’s president and CEO. The IRPC board of directors appointed him on November 5, effective from December 1.
GPSC said Worawat, 54, has many years of experience and expertise in technology and innovation management, which is in line with the firm’s vision and growth strategy as a global sustainable power leader and flagship of the PTT Group.
Worawat is currently senior executive vice president for Innovation and Digital at PTT. He has been with PTT Group for over 20 years, holding senior positions including executive vice president, Downstream Business Group Planning, executive vice president, Downstream Business Group Collaboration, and president of PTT MCC Biochem.
International Coaching Federation shares ideas on human resources amid virus crisis
Nov 06. 2020
By The Nation
The International Coaching Federation (ICF)’s Bangkok branch has proposed an agenda for national leaders, teachers and parents, to develop human resources that would boost Thailand’s push to become a top “S-Curve industry” country.
Ramida Russell Maneesatiean
The agenda was delivered last week at “Coaching DNA of Leaders”, an event organised by Bangkok’s ICF president Wittawat Kasemwut and presided over by Ramida Russell Maneesatiean, ICC International president and ICF committee member.
Jean-Francois Cousin
Jean-Francois Cousin, a world-renowned coach from ICF Professional Coach Global Board, described changing global trends in coaching as the world focuses on development from the youth level.
Cousin shared interesting coaching developments, such as giving children the opportunity to experiment freely to draw out their potential while adults keep watch from afar. He cited the example of Ray Charles, a blind musician-songwriter whose mother did not reach out to help while her sightless son wept for help, training him instead to learn how to survive by himself.
Chatchai Norasetthaporn, senior executive vice president of Sustainable Development at Central Group, said building leaders within companies by adopting coaching methods will play an important role in driving Thai education. He pointed out that the new national education strategy calls for teachers to be coaches. Teachers must change their methods to help students get involved in learning, he added.
Prasarn Trairatworakul, adviser of Central Group, said that old methods of education were no longer suited to the demands of the current era. The National Strategic Planning Committee had asked the Education Ministry to adjust the role of teachers towards coaching, and organised coaching training for teachers in schools. He said most teachers don’t know what a coach is, but after training they at least understand the culture and value of coaching. In today’s fast-changing world, teachers had to act as directors by engaging students in thinking, he added.
Lukkana WorasilchaiiLukkana Worasilchai, vice-rector of Bangkok University, said the Thai government still needs to improve education if Thailand wants to step up to become an S-Curve industry country. It should discuss learning based on the competencies and skills of the learner. What learners need is an ecosystem of education, a goal-oriented study plan, and a career-planning expert. Education should be characterised by lifelong learning, not requiring children to complete their studies within a time limit. Studying has to be a real experiment with a compact lesson for specific interests (“micro-learning”).
Pimonrat Reephattanavijitkul, executive vice president, Head of Human Resources at Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF), said that CPF is a company with huge human resources – 120,000 people worldwide, 75,000 people alone in Thailand. Everything must proceed systematically. Adopting coaching methods helps a lot. Seniors must relearn and be open to new generations, drawing the power of these two groups for further development, she said, adding that coaching is very important. “We have a system of change by giving new graduates a chance to become a ‘boss’ to do real business with real funds and P&L to work with.” New graduates are given freedom to make decisions. A coaching process is guided by supporters [seniors], but they do not direct nor instruct since this would mean reverting to old paradigms.
Banpu NEXT, Tribeca Enterprise sign solar-energy deal for LK-Rich in Rayong
Nov 06. 2020
By The NationBanpu NEXT, a Banpu subsidiary and leading clean energy solution provider in Asia-Pacific, signed a pact with Tribeca Enterprise on Friday to set up a floating solar panel with a total capacity of 16 megawatts.
Tribeca is the developer of the LK Rubber Industrial City Hub (LK-Rich) in Rayong.
The solar energy set-up, the largest privately-owned development of its kind in Thailand, will power up LK-Rich and support its endeavour to become an eco-industrial town. The installation of the panel is scheduled to begin in February.
Somruedee Chaimongkol, chief executive officer of Banpu Pcl and Banpu NEXT, said the floating panel will be set up in a reservoir covering more than 4 million square metres.
Dr Luckchai Kittipol, chief executive officer of Tribeca, said: “Tribeca Enterprise has a vision to develop LK-Rich as the hub of the rubber industry where processed rubber is turned into value-added products, such as tyres and auto parts, as well as an eco-industrial estate where tenants, their employees and surrounding communities can lead a good quality of life.
“We aspire to be a hi-tech industrial estate that adopts advanced technology to assure high quality products using minimal time.”
He said this will require high energy, which is why Tribeca has been exploring opportunities to bring clean energy to LK-Rich.
“The installation work will begin in February, with completion planned within the same year,” he added. “Once operational, this solar floating panel will play a key role in boosting our energy efficiency. With the 20-year contract, we will be able to save more than Bt200 million in electricity cost, reduce pollution and bring added value to LK-Rich and its tenants,” Luckchai said.
“We plan to expand this industrial estate with an additional 3,000-rai development for S-curve industries. This clean energy project and our positioning as a high-tech industrial estate will help bring Thai and foreign investors to LK-Rich.”
Worawat Pitayasiri 
