Five Apec members confirm their attendance at summit in Bangkok in November
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
THE NATION
Leaders of at least five members have agreed to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Meeting on November 18-19, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
Tanee Sangrat, director of the Information Department and spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, said leaders of some other members had not yet officially confirmed, but they had conveyed their intention to participate to the Thai ambassador to the United Nations.
“We don’t want to give details of the names of these members yet due to security reasons,” Tanee said.
On Monday, acting government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisir said Thailand was now ready to host the annual Apec Summit and other meetings.
The meeting will be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre while the gala dinner in honour of the Apec economic leaders and their spouses will be held at the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall.
World Bank raises Thailand growth forecast to 3.1% amid signs of economic recovery
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
THE NATION
The World Bank on Tuesday raised its forecast for Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) this year from 2.9 per cent to 3.1 per cent following recovery in consumption and exports.
However, the bank also reduced Thailand’s growth forecast for next year from 4.3 per cent to 4.1 per cent.
“Despite the economic slowdown’s impact on Thailand’s exports, easing of Covid-19 restrictions will help support the country’s tourism,” it said.
The World Bank expects growth in the East Asia and Pacific region this year to drop sharply to 3.2 per cent due to the impact of China’s strict Covid-19 restrictions on industrial manufacturing, domestic sales and exports.
The bank also expects 8-10 million foreign tourists to visit Southeast Asian countries this year.
The Thai government forecasts a 3-3.5 per cent expansion for the country’s economy this year as tourism recovers.
Songkhla touted as southern Thailand’s hub for medical tourism, MICE activities
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
THE NATION
Thailand’s southern province of Songkhla should be considered for its potential as a medical and wellness hub as well as a MICE destination, Prince of Songkhla University (PSU) president said.
PSU chief Niwat Keawpradub said on Monday that the province has all the resources necessary to hold MICE (meetings, incentive travel, conventions, exhibitions) activities as well as provide the latest medical services.
He said promoting Songkhla as a medical hub would also go hand in hand with the government’s policy to boost medical tourism.
“Songkhla is fully prepared with top medical supplies and equipment and has some of the best government and private hospitals,” he said.
Niwat added that boosting Songkhla’s potential as a MICE as well as medical and wellness hub will also contribute to the country’s economy.
He pointed out that Songkhla’s potential was proven by the 300 million baht revenue generated at the “Healthy Living & Innovation Expo 2022” held in Hat Yai from September 8 to 11.
“This reflects the success achieved by the government and private sector in promoting Thailand as an international medical hub,” he said.
The expo was organised by PSU, Medical Science Research and Innovation Institute, and the Songkhla Convention and Exhibition Bureau.
New release to increase developer productivity, improve the Java language, and enhance the platform’s performance, stability, and security. Java 19’s key capabilities are to be showcased at JavaOne 2022 in Las Vegas on October 17-20.
Oracle today announced the availability of Java 19, the latest version of the world’s number one programming language and development platform.
Java 19 (Oracle JDK 19) delivers thousands of performance, stability, and security improvements, including enhancements to the platform that will help developers improve productivity and drive business-wide innovation.
Oracle will showcase the latest capabilities in Java 19 at JavaOne 2022, taking place October 17-20 in Las Vegas, and via a keynote broadcast airing on dev.java/ at 9:00 a.m. PT on Tuesday, September 20.
Taveesak Saengthong, managing director, Oracle Thailand, said, “The developer community is the lifeblood of Java. As the steward of Java, Oracle is committed to providing developers and enterprises in Thailand with the latest tools to help them create innovative apps and services. We are confident that the new features and enhancements in Java 19 will boost efficiency for developers and programmers in Thailand, enabling businesses to build great platforms.”
The latest Java Development Kit (JDK) provides updates and improvements with seven JDK Enhancement Proposals (JEPs). Most of these updates are to be delivered as follow-up preview features improving on functionality introduced in earlier releases.
JDK 19 delivers language Improvements from OpenJDK project Amber (Record Patterns and Pattern Matching for Switch); library enhancements to interoperate with non-Java Code (Foreign Function and Memory API) and to leverage vector instructions (Vector API) from OpenJDK project Panama; and the first previews for Project Loom (Virtual Threads and Structured Concurrency), which will drastically reduce the effort required to write and maintain high-throughput, concurrent applications in Java.
“Java developers are increasingly seeking tools to help them efficiently build highly functional applications for deployment in the cloud, on-premises, and in hybrid environments,” said Arnal Dayaratna, research vice president, software development, IDC. “The enhancements in Java 19 deliver on these requirements and illustrate how the Java ecosystem is well-positioned to meet the current and future needs of developers and enterprises.”
Oracle delivers new Java Feature releases every six months via a predictable release schedule. This cadence provides a steady stream of innovations while delivering continuous improvements to the platform’s performance, stability, and security, helping increase Java’s pervasiveness across organizations and industries of all sizes.
The most significant updates delivered in Java 19 are:
Updates and Improvements to the Language JEP 405: Record Patterns (Preview): Enables users to nest record patterns and type patterns to create a powerful, declarative, and composable form of data navigation and processing. This extends pattern matching to allow for more sophisticated and composable data queries.
JEP 427: Pattern Matching for Switch (Third Preview): Enables pattern matching for switch expressions and statements by permitting an expression to be tested against a number of patterns. This allows users to express complex data-oriented queries concisely and safely.
Library Tools JEP 424: Foreign Function and Memory API (Preview): Enables Java programs to more easily interoperate with code and data outside of the Java runtime. By efficiently invoking foreign functions (i.e., code outside the Java Virtual Machine [JVM]), and by safely accessing foreign memory (i.e., memory not managed by the JVM), this API enables Java programs to call native libraries and process native data via a pure Java development model. This results in increased ease of use, performance, flexibility, and safety.
JEP 426: Vector API (Fourth Incubator): Enables superior performance compared to equivalent scalar computations by expressing vector computations that reliably compile at runtime to vector instructions on supported CPU architectures.
Ports
JEP 422: Linux/RISC-V Port: Sets the stage for easier Linux/RISC-V implementations by integrating this port into the JDK mainline repository.
Project Loom Preview/Incubator Features JEP 425: Virtual Threads (Preview): Dramatically reduces the effort of writing, maintaining, and observing high-throughput concurrent applications by introducing lightweight virtual threads to the Java Platform. Using virtual threads allows developers to easily troubleshoot, debug, and profile concurrent applications with existing JDK tools and techniques.
JEP 428: Structured Concurrency (Incubator): Streamlines error handling and cancellation, improves reliability, and enhances observability by simplifying multithreaded programming and treating multiple tasks running in different threads as a single unit of work.
Driving Java Innovation in the Cloud The Java 19 release is the result of extensive collaboration between Oracle engineers and other members of the worldwide Java developer community via the OpenJDK Project and the Java Community Process (JCP). In addition to new enhancements, Java 19 is supported by Java Management Service – an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) native service – that provides a single pane of glass to help organizations manage Java runtimes and applications on-premises or on any cloud.
Supporting Java Customers The Oracle Java SE Subscription is a pay-as-you-go offering that provides customers with best-in-class support, entitlement to GraalVM Enterprise, access to the Java Management Service, and the flexibility to upgrade at the pace of their businesses. This helps IT organizations manage complexity, contain costs, and mitigate security risks. In addition, Java SE and GraalVM Enterprise are offered free of charge on OCI, enabling developers to build and deploy applications that run faster, better, and with unbeatable cost performance on Oracle Cloud.
Underscoring Java’s popularity with the global developer community, Oracle is proud to recognize the 1 millionth completed Java certification. Java certifications help developers stand out as Java experts and raise their profiles with enterprises seeking to attract highly skilled Java professionals.
SLEEK EV officially debuts in Thailand, eyes having battery swapping stations nationwide in 2023
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
THE NATION
SLEEK EV, a leading Thai-Singaporean electric motorcycle manufacturer, recently launched its brand for the first time in Thailand, aiming to penetrate the Thai market with four models: SLEEK TYPE-V, TYPE-V GT, TYPE-S and SLEEK ONE. Reservations started in June.
The company aims to launch three more models next year as well as establish battery swapping stations nationwide to improve their users’ mobility experience, with the emphasis in their motto of creating a “Lifestyle in Motion”.
Kantinan Tunveenukoon, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Sleek EV Company Limited, said “Today SLEEK is ready to improve the travel and lifestyle of modern people with high-efficiency electric motorcycles with solid performance, backed by comprehensive one-stop service centres, battery swapping stations, and financial services. We are committed to our goal of creating innovation and products that fulfill the lifestyle of everyone.”
SLEEK EV has introduced two models in the home scooter segment namely TYPE-S and SLEEK ONE, which are suitable for city use thanks to their compact size. Meanwhile, in the urban scooter segment, the company also launched TYPE-V and TYPE-V GT, which have more power and are suitable for long-distance travelling. The TYPE-V model features a 3,000-watt motor and 60V 70Ah Lithium NMC battery, capable of speeds up to 80km/h and priced at 129,000 baht. The TYPE-GT V model comes with a 4,000-watt Mid-Drive Motor, reaching speeds up to 100km/h with a full digital display, priced at 149,000 baht.
At the SLEEK launch event, the company also introduced the S Pods and the S Pods Home battery swapping stations. The network of stations will be available at gas stations, shopping malls, restaurants, and coffee shops, within 7-9km apart. SLEEK aims to roll out in Bangkok first, with a target of 225 locations by the end of 2023. Users can use SLEEK mobile application to get their vehicle information, and locate service centres and S Pods stations.
SLEEK EV also announced business partnerships with Bosch Thailand, who will support the SLEEK’s electric motorcycle development, and with Pro Concept Manufacturer (PCM) who will jointly establish a motorcycle assembly and battery manufacturing factory in Thailand.
SLEEK EV has also partnered with Bank of Ayudhya, which operates under the framework of Environmental, Social, and corporate Governance (ESG), to provide loans with exclusive interest rates to SLEEK customers.
SLEEK EV now has authorized distributors in 22 provinces and expects to have service centres and dealerships nationwide within the first quarter of 2023. The company is committed to developing Thailand’s electric motorcycle industry and promoting the use of renewable energy according to its slogan of ‘Lifestyle in Motion.’
Plus Property showcases its Sole Agent portfolio for 2022, comprising 13 projects worth 12.4 billion baht
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
THE NATION
Reasserting its stance of being a professional partner for the client
Plus Property proudly presents its sole agent business results for this year, spanning 13 property projects on highlight locations in Bangkok and the provinces. Sukhumvit, Ari, Sathon and Ratchada are some of the locations with high potential in Bangkok. In the provinces, PLUS has been managing projects in tourist destinations such as Hua Hin and Phuket. In total, 12.4 billion baht of project value is being managed this year. PLUS is also highlighting the trust that clients have given to the company’s professionalism. This is due to the availability of a seasoned sales team, accurate database and analysis capability and insight into market and consumer demands.
PLUS is confident the property market will become revitalized in the final quarter of the year because of supporting momentum from the tourism sector. The company is expanding its clients base by taking on sales management contracts from developers in provinces that have good potential, such as the tourism destinations of Hua Hin and Phuket.
Ms. Somsakul Limsuttaphan, Deputy Managing Director – Business Development and Asset Management Department, Plus Property Company Limited, the full-service professional property and facility management agency, revealed “PLUS’s project sales management team were entrusted by developers to manage a total of 13 projects, worth 12.4 billion baht in all, in 2022. These include property projects in Bangkok, Hua Hin and Phuket. 70% of the projects were of the condominium and 30% were detached house and townhouse projects. The projects span across all price segments, from affordable projects to luxury offerings. Since the start of the year, PLUS has managed sales and marketing for 7 property projects, namely Quintara Phume in Sukhumvit 39, Quintara Treehaus in Sukhumvit 42, Thawee on Phet Kasem Rd., Dusit D2 Hua Hin, Kalm Penthouse Ari, Park Ram Inthra and MEKA Ramintra. Together, these projects account for 6 billion baht in value. The projects have already achieved an 81% sales ratio, worth 4.8 billion baht. A highlight project is the 440-million-baht Kalm Penthouse Ari where a sold out phenomenon was achieved within just 11 months. MEKA Ramintra is another noteworthy project as it is situated in an area with potential in the heart of the Ram Inthra locale, while being just 1 kilometre away from the Pink Line electric train. Designs were based on the concept “The Pride For Endless Pleasure”. The project consists of 3-storey detached homes built in a modern luxury style that emphasized privacy. Only 24 units were available.”
From the final quarter of 2022 to early next year, PLUS will manage sales for 6 other projects that are due to launch. These include Navara Pahonyothin 8, two projects in Phuket, a townhome project in Bangkok’s Ratchaphruek area and the Quintara MHy’ Gen project in the Ratchada-Huai Khwang locale. The latter offers a central city location enabling connectivity to all other sites in Bangkok via Ratchada, all at an approachable starting price of 1.99 million baht*. Furthermore, the Quintara MHy’ Den project in the Pho Nimit-Sathon area will become the 5th project from developer Eastern Star which PLUS has administered sales for.
Aside from taking additional sales management contracts in Bangkok, PLUS has also been expanding its clients base toward the provinces, especially toward tourism destinations such as Hua Hin and Phuket. The foreign market is currently making a comeback, with information from the Tourism Authority of Thailand forecasting 7-10 million foreign tourist arrivals this year. This would be significantly higher than last year’s figure. Thailand’s full reopening to tourists since July 1 also presents added hope for the revitalization of economic growth. Said revitalization would benefit the recovery of various business sectors in Thailand, especially those within the tourism sector. All the while, the Thai real estate market has been receiving positive signals from the tourism sector.
Plus Property places importance in being a “partner” to clients and highlights several advantages of its sales management service. PLUS pays keen attention to the requirements of developers and has insight into market demands. Key success cases have enable the company to continually gain the trust of clients, who allowed PLUS to continue managing sales for them. An example is Eastern Star Real Estate Plc., which is currently having PLUS manage sales for the 5th time. Meanwhile, the Enrich group has submitted two projects for PLUS’s management. Plus Property offers total solution services, including sole agent service that provides developers with consultation at every step of the way, from initialization of project development to design, marketing and sales. PLUS continually develops the capabilities of its sales personnel so they can perform as professional advisors who are knowledgeable and able to provide accurate target group and market assessments and are also able to act as investment advisors. PLUS’s research team makes use of data analytics to improve on sales and engage the CRM system to determine the real demand of consumers. This is achieved in part using the Customer Journey initiative. The information attained is presented to the client developer.
Plus Property is a full-service professional property and facility management agency. PLUS is able to provide sales management service for all types of residential projects, delivered by its team of personnel that leverages experience spanning more than 25 years. For more information, call 02 688 7555 or visit https://www.plus.co.th/service/sole-agent
EGCO Group acquires Chaiyaphum and Theppana Wind Farms
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
Electricity Generating Public Company Limited or EGCO Group expands its renewable power generation business portfolio with the successful acquisition of 10% additional shares in “Chaiyaphum Wind Farm” and “Theppana Wind Farm” power plants in Chaiyaphum province.
This acquisition enables EGCO to be the whole owner of those two wind power plants and the company will recognize the immediate earnings in the proportion of its additional shares.
Additionally, it will support the company’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Thepparat Theppitak, EGCO Group’s President, disclosed that “EGCO has successfully acquired an additional 10% of the common shares in Chaiyaphum Wind Farm Company Limited and Theppana Wind Farm Company Limited, which operate “Chaiyaphum Wind Farm” and “Theppana Wind Farm” power plants respectively, from the existing minority shareholders.
The transaction was completed with share transfer on 22 September 2022, resulting in EGCO’s 100% ownership in the two wind power plants.”
The “Chaiyaphum Wind Farm” wind power plant is located in Subyai district, Chaiyaphum province. The power plant, commercially operated in 2016, has a total installed capacity of 80 MW and sells its net electricity output to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) under a non-firm PPA for Small Power Plant (SPP) scheme.
Meanwhile, the “Thappana Wind Farm” power plant with an installed capacity totalling 7.5 MW is located in Thepsathit district, Chaiyaphum province. It started commercial operation in 2013 and sells its net electricity output generated to Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) under the non-firm PPA for Very Small Power Plant (VSPP) scheme.
Furthermore, both power plants operate efficiently with high availability and the machines are well-maintained in a good condition. They are placed in potential and good locations where the wind blows throughout the year.
“The additional investment is in line with EGCO Group’s “Cleaner, Smarter and Stronger to Drive Sustainable Growth” business direction in support of the global low-carbon objectives. It will support the company’s mid-term goals to increase the portion of renewable energy to 30% of the total generating capacity and reduce carbon emission intensity by 10% by 2030. Our ambitious goal is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050,” added Thepparat.
Central opens membership store of ‘affordable premium imports’ to beat price crisis
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
Nongluck Ajanapanya
Central Retail aims to soften the cost-of-living crisis for Thailand’s middle class with Tops CLUB, a new membership-based store selling premium imported products at “affordable prices”.
Stephane Coum, Central Retail Food Group CEO, said Tops Club will be the first store of its kind in Southeast Asia when it opens on Wednesday (September 28).
Tops CLUB will be an exclusive source of premier brands from all over the world, with new additions weekly, he said.
The stores will sell five categories of products: dried groceries and beverages, fresh food and ingredients, alcohol, general goods including sports equipment and pet products, and household goods.
Of the 3,500-plus items on shelves, 75 per cent will be imported while the remainder – including chicken, eggs, and some local fruit – will be sourced from domestic producers.
Coum said Tops CLUB expects strong growth after positive feedback from pop-up stores in July. It said about 12,000 members have already registered with 10,000 more expected to follow this year.
Tops CLUB spans 15,000 square metres of warehouse-style space behind Central Rama II and is divided into three product zones.
“Customers can try products before purchasing them at over 40 sampling points,” general manager Jitlada na Chiangmai said.
She added that all prices at Tops CLUB were comparable or lower than the equivalent prices overseas. Thai and expat consumers have long complained about inflated prices of imported products in Thai supermarkets.
Jitlada said Tops CLUB target group is upper-middle-class families.
Nation Group establishes new subsidiary for Post Today, NewsClear acquisition
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
THE NATION
Nation Group Thailand Plc notified the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on Monday that it has approved the establishment of a subsidiary for Post Today and NewsClear online media that it purchased from Bangkok Post Plc.
Nation Group expects the acquisition will strengthen its media empire, as Post Today brings over 20 years of experience in reporting business, economic and social news.
The new subsidiary, named Post Today Co Ltd, will serve as the recipient for licences and services of the newly acquired media.
On September 7, Nation Group notified the SET that the acquisition contract with Bangkok Post was finalised at a price of 58.85 million baht. Nation Group paid a deposit of 10 million baht, with the remainder due by September 30 or when the asset inspection is complete.
Post Today Co Ltd has registered capital of 120 million baht and 12 million ordinary shares priced at 10 baht per unit. Nation Group holds 99.99 per cent of shares in the company, whose business is listed as media and news services. The company is expected to start generating commercial earnings within this year.
Explaining the reason for the acquisition, Nation Group CEO Shine Bunnag said Post Today was a strong media outlet with 20 years of credibility and stature in Thai society.
“Post Today is an outstanding media outlet for both economic and social news. It is a crucial piece of the jigsaw that will help Nation Group grow stronger, as well as build new communities within our media group under the One Nation policy,” said Shine.
He added that the Post Today editorial team is committed to producing high-quality news and analysis that help sharpen public debate and thinking, while adhering to the highest ethical and journalistic standards. “Their dedication is compatible with Nation Group’s ideology, and this is another reason behind the acquisition,” he said.
Post Today has over 4 million followers on its online platform while NewsClear has about 1 million. The acquisition is part of Nation Group’s “One Nation” policy to maximise synergy, under the principle of press freedom, among all its media, including Krungthep Turakij, Nation TV Channel 22, Kom Chad Luek, The Nation Thailand, Nation Online, Spring Online, ThaiNews, OKNation, The People, and Khob Sanam. The acquisition also highlights Nation Group’s position as one of Thailand’s oldest and largest media organisations.
PTG joins hands with CBS to open a coffee shop and convenience store in Chulalongkorn University
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
THE NATION
Aiming to promote students as future entrepreneurs under the concept of “The Real Business in The School”
PTG Energy Plc (PTG) on September 12 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chulalongkorn Business School (CBS) to promote student education under the project “CGS Lounge by PTG”.
PTG president and chief executive officer Pitak Ratchakitprakarn said that under the project, PTG and CBS will together open a coffeeshop “CBS Café by Punthai” and a convenience store “CBS Mart by Max Mart” in Chulalongkorn University, where students can learn how to build and manage a business from early steps until they become future entrepreneurs under the concept of “The Real Business in The School.”
“The MoU signing and the opening of CBS Café by Punthai and CBS Mart by Max Mart are part of a pilot project between PTG and CBS that aims to maximise the learning efficiency in business administration among college students,” he said. “It also enables students to build their own businesses while studying and gain real-world experiences and skills that can be adapted to other industries in the future.”
The project also aligns with PTG’s policy in corporate social responsibility as the company has realised the importance of students who are the country’s future and is therefore committed to promoting their education and personnel development, added Pitak.
PTG will be responsible for the opening and initial operation of the coffee shop and convenience store, while CBS will supervise all the administration of the stores.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Wilert Puriwat, Dean of Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy at Chulalongkorn University or Chulalongkorn Business School (CBS), added that this project will turn CBS into a real business in the school and allow students of the faculty to work as employees of Chula Business Enterprise.
“This project will help students become familiar with working in the real world in all aspects, both online and offline. It also solves the issue that new graduates lack real-world working experience when they try to apply for a job,” he added.
In the early stage of the project, PTG will support the opening of CBS Lounge, a learning space that also provides working experience. CBS Lounge comprises three parts: CBS Café sponsored by Punthai coffee, CBS Mart sponsored by PT Max Mart, and CBS coworking space which provide training in customer service for students.
Students will not only learn how to make coffee or be a cashier at a convenience store but they will also be trained in all aspects of business administration in different capacities, such as online business executives, marketing managers and accountants.
“The CBS Lounge uses Ed-Enterprise model in building a real business in the school to promote students’ learning as well as generate profit to support underprivileged students and other social charity projects,” said Wilert. “The project will serve as a model for business administration education in the digital era that creates a true digital social enterprise while allowing students to establish their own startups while they were studying. In the future, there will be more of this project in the faculty, which will further help prepare students to embark on a real-world career at their full potential.”
The stores will sell five categories of products: dried groceries and beverages, fresh food and ingredients, alcohol, general goods including sports equipment and pet products, and household goods.
Tops CLUB spans 15,000 square metres of warehouse-style space behind Central Rama II and is divided into three product zones.
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