The Korean Cultural Center in Bangkok host Korean softpower experience event Cooking ‘Attorney Woo’s Gimbap’ and ‘Dong Geu-Rami Gimbap’
The Korean series ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ ranked high for five weeks since it launched on Netflix last July. The K-series’s popularity in Thailand has continued with various hit series including ‘Squid Game’, ‘King’s Affection’, ‘Hometown Cha Cha Cha’ and ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’.
With this popularity, interest in Gimbap, Korean rice rolls, also has increased in Thailand. It reminds us that another K-series ‘Itawewon Class’ led the trend of ‘Sundubu Jjigae (Soft tofu stew)’ in Thailand in 2020.
Gimbap, the favourite food of Attorney Woo, attract the attention of many viewers during watching the series.
Therefore, the Korean Cultural Center in Thailand hosted a Korean culture experience event, cooking ‘Attorney Woo’s Gimbap’ and ‘Dong Geu-Rami Gimbap(Folded Gimbap)’ in the series on 18th August for around 120 Korean language learners in Thailand.
During the event, the centre provided various activities including wearing Hanbok(Traditional dress) and Korean school uniforms, Handicrafts and K-pop cover dance performances.
At this event, Cho Yong-man, Vice-Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Korea, delivered his speech. He thanked Thai students who like Korean culture and study the Korean language and said “From last April, the Korean government has continued relaxation of entrance regulation for increasing human interchange between Korea and Thailand. We will do our best to promote friendship and cooperation between the two nations by exchange increasing in many fields, such as Tourism, Culture, Sports and Economy.”
Cho Jae Il, director of the Korean Cultural Center in Thailand said, “I hope Thai students enjoy various Korean cultures through today’s Gimbap cooking event. The centre will continue to host Korean culture experience events related to popular Korean content in Thailand.”
The Center has hosted many Korean cultural events related to popular Korean content, such as the interactive event for Korean games in the series ‘Squid Game’ and the exhibition of the Hanbok from the series ‘The King’s Affection’ and ‘The Red Sleeve’.
Thailand, a long-standing leading producer, and net exporter of food is gearing up to provide the world with volume and nutritive quality in a sustainable manner, and to meet global consumer demand for unique tastes with its food of the future offerings.
The country promotes itself as the “Kitchen of the World’ on account of its strength in the food industry, arising from its abundant natural resources, continuing investment in food innovation and commitment to food safety standards.
In 2021, Thailand ranked 13th largest food exporter in the world, with exports valued at USD30.5 billion.
However, the country is not resting on its laurels and is pushing ahead to meet the growing global demand for healthier food, and the so-called food of the future, such as plant-based proteins and meat alternatives.
Presently, Thailand is the world’s 25th largest exporter of alternative proteins, with USD1.21 billion worth of food of the future in the first quarter of 2022, up 26% on year. Major markets include US, China and Vietnam.
With an increasing number of conglomerates, SMEs and food tech start-ups entering this segment, Thailand’s future food offering is increasing in both quantity and quality.
To compete producers not only aim to create the taste and texture of traditional meat products but also explore the use of new primary ingredients such as chickpea, mushrooms, and barley instead of soy, corn and wheat.
Exotic seasonings from fruits, spices and herbs are inventively added to make future food products from Thailand stand out.
Smith Taweelerdniti, the producer of Let’s Plant Meat said the key to success is to find a balance in the flavour, health and environmental benefits. “Whoever that could skew the consumer demand toward more sustainable and more healthy, I think, is a boon for the planet,” he said in an interview with CNBC Asia. “It’s about creating the flavour and aroma, this is the key.”
Scaling up innovation is part of the Thai government’s plan to promote the sector as a key economic driver. Thaifex, the largest food and beverage trade show in Asia steadily offers food innovators chances to showcase their ideas.
A food tech team from Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University won the Asean Food Innovation Challenge 2021 with “The Marble Booster”, plant-based Wagyu-style marbled-meat slices infused with immune-boosters, turmeric and black pepper extracts. The product will soon be sold at convenience stores.
Thailand’s other alternative proteins, namely edible insects, a well-known local delicacy, and protein sourced from insects have long made inroads into markets including US, UK, Germany, and South Korea.
Popular insects like crickets and grasshoppers are used as ingredients in preparations including canned food, pastry and candy.
As growing concerns about food security and sustainability are boosting global demand, Thailand aims to step up sales of edible insects and insect protein powders and its current rank of 17th largest exporter of live insects.
LiFE Creator’s ongoing production of Patrick Marber’s award-winning play simmers, not sizzles
Thanks to the internet and the subsequent digital disruption, time flies faster than before. In the year when people stop talking about newspaper headlines, #CLOSERbyLiFE was Thailand’s most trending when the Thai translation of this British play opened earlier this month.
The hype was partly due to the fact that Worakamon “Jeff” Satur, an actor portraying one of the three Dans, is one of the most sought-after now, thanks to the megahit TV series “KinnPorsche”.
Tickets for the cast Jeff’s in—there are three alternating ones—were all snapped up before the play opened and are now being scalped for his international die-hard fans. After the theatres had been either dark or socially distanced for more than two years, of course this kind of hype which suddenly brings the new audience to the theatre is necessary. Whether or how this unusual interest in contemporary Thai theatre will sustain is a different question.
I chose not to watch this cast and instead spent one Saturday’s afternoon and evening watching the other two.
With only four characters all with the similar number of lines and scenes, this compelling 12-scene dramatic tale of contemporary relationship with love, sex, lies, truths, deceit and so on is like an acting bout in 12 rounds—a WBC or IBF one, not “10 Fight 10”. In other words, all boxers need to be of the same weight range and have comparable experience in order for the fight to be fair, entertaining and unpredictable.
Thanks to the deft translation, a literary one not adaptation, by Bhanbhassa Dhubthien and Cholatep Na Bangchang, the Thai script of “Closer” captured the true spirit and was packed with all the jabs, hooks and uppercuts of the 1997 British play. The lines were all actable and colloquial, like the original, with very few mistakes, such as their decision to translate “Embankment”. However, we’re not reading but watching this play.
Credit to director Bhanbhassa’s arduous training of her actors, all were almost always realistic. Nevertheless, their stage presence, voice projection and emotional expression varied from one to another.
For example, both Sarinya Olsson, as strip dancer Alice, and Witsarut Himmarat, as writer Dan, were so soft, slow and subtle in the play’s first scene at the hospital that it’s like two boxers prancing around the ring trying not to hurt each other. Throughout the play, Witsarut’s performance frequently put me at the edge of my seat on the third row, not because I was thrilled but I could neither hear what he said nor felt his emotions. This cast was rescued, fortunately, by more seasoned actors Kwankaew Kantawet and Sasidwat Suthigasame who were effortless, always showing their joy in reliving their sophisticated roles—of respectively, photographer Anna and dermatologist Larry—for and creating this art in front of the audience. Their scenes together, of which I wished there had been more, were like Tyson versus Holyfield, without the ear biting of course.
In another cast some of whose scenes were slightly faster, stage veterans Nopphand Boonyai’s Dan and Peter Knight’s Larry were smooth and attractive although one may wish they had both delved deeper into the characters and showed us more of what we haven’t seen from them. Most surprising was former fashion model Rasee Diskul na Ayudya whose maturity and compassion in Anna could mostly match her more experienced scene partners’ punch-by-punch. Television actress and YouTuber Arachaporn Pokinpakorn was as charming as her screen personality but didn’t take enough risks in her portrayal of Alice, her most demanding role in the young career.
Perhaps the biggest setback was the pacing. Even though the Thai director quoted the British playwright’s remark that this play was a comedy, she didn’t quite stage it as such. The third scene in an internet chatroom, for instance, where Dan was tricking Larry into believing that he’s Anna is the play’s most hilarious scene, thanks to the situation we all can relate to, vulgar language and the dramatic irony. I can still recall laughing so much that my tears poured 24 years ago in a West End playhouse. Here it’s as if Bhanbhassa had her actors realistically type all actual letters on the computer keyboard before their chats appeared on the screen—the pace and comedy were sacrificed.
For many contemporary plays, such as in life, jokes first pull the audience into the world of the play then drama, or even tragedy, strikes and we couldn’t help but empathizing with the characters as we’re already there with them. That’s to say: the louder you laugh, the harder you cry.
Another drag was caused by scene changes during which masked stage crews crowded the stage bringing in and taking out set pieces, hand and set props. As efficient as they were, this was the standard practice—of the last century—which didn’t belong in this fight the energy of which needed to be sustained and the flow uninterrupted.
After the curtain call during which it was revealed that there’s the total of 18 dressers and backstage crew—quite possibly a record for “Closer” productions for which the playwright noted “All settings should be minimal”—, our experience ended with Jeff’s newly composed song with the same title. This was a very odd director’s choice to end a play especially for those who chose to watch one of the other two casts. With the same simmering mood and tone as this production, the song did nothing to the meaning of the play and in the end my 1998 West End memory of “Closer” remains intact as do my life lessons learned from it.
“Closer”, in Thai with English surtitles, continues at Sodsai Pantoomkomol Centre for Dramatic Arts on the sixth floor of Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Building, Chulalongkorn University (10-minute walk from BTS Siam station, Exit 5; with discounted parking) until August 31. Tuesday to Friday at 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2pm and 7:30pm. Tickets are Bt 950 (Bt 700 for students). The running time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (15-minute intermission included, the song not included). For more details, www.facebook.com/LiFETheatre.net or Line Official @lifecreatorcompany.
Porsche and Pixar Animation Studios have unveiled a very special Porsche inspired by one of the most popular 911s: Sally Carrera, the famous car from Disney and Pixar’s animated film Cars.
Like Sally Carrera, the 911 Sally Special is one of a kind. There will only be one 911 Sally Special – and it’s the first time that Pixar has supported such a project.
The one-off car will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s on Saturday, 20 August 2022 as part of Monterey Car Week in California.
Auction proceeds will be donated to two charities. A portion of the proceeds will benefit young women through a donation to Girls Inc. The second portion will go to USA for UNHCR, an organisation that supports refugees from Ukraine.
“Vehicles need a face and a story. And the animated Pixar’s film ‘Cars’ has impressively transferred done just that: brought cars to life on the big screen,” says Sebastian Rudolph, Vice President Communications, Sustainability and Politics at Porsche AG.
“The story conveys values such as friendship, love and mutual support – and in the middle of it all is a Porsche: ‘Sally Carrera’. Together with Pixar we have brought the spirit of Sally to life in a new way, not on the screen, but off the screen. With this one-off street legal 911, the “Sally Special”, which we are auctioning for charity, we want to help people who urgently need support, quite in keeping with the spirit of the film character.”
The project began in November 2021 and united members of the original Cars team that brought both the film character and life-size Sally Carrera to life more than 20 years ago.
The team included Jay Ward, Creative Director of Franchise at Pixar Animation Studios, and Bob Pauley, the Production Designer who first drew Sally Carrera for the Cars film.
They were assisted by members of the Sonderwunsch team at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in Stuttgart and designers from Style Porsche in Weissach. The team worked together for ten months – the result is a unique factory one-off.
“We had great fun creating 911 Sally Special and it’s the first time we’ve worked on a project of this kind,” said Jay Ward, Creative Director of Franchise of Pixar Animation Studios.
“We decided early on that we wanted to create a completely drivable 911 – inspired by Sally Carrera, but just not an exact copy. Sally Carrera loves to drive – that was our inspiration. We asked ourselves: if Sally were built today as a road-approved model, what would she look like?”
“911 Sally Special is based on the fastest and most agile variant of the 911 Carrera model line, the 480-PS 911 Carrera GTS. The car is equipped with a manual gearbox, tapping into Sally Carrera’s passion for driving,” explains Boris Apenbrink, Director Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur vehicles.
“The customisation elements are detailed and extensive. 911 Sally Special was one of the most intense, emotional and detailed Sonderwunsch projects our team has worked on. One example is that the car is painted in Sallybluemetallic, a custom paint that was hand-applied specifically for this project. We also thought of Sally’s tattoo, of course. Implementing that was a very special challenge.”
Sally Carrera’s Turbo-look rims were reinterpreted by Style Porsche designers in Weissach and manufactured especially for the 911 Sally Special. The ‘five-arm design’ rim was adapted to the 20-/21-inch wheel dimensions of the current 911 generation and creates a visual link to the 911 Type 996 on which Sally Carrera is based. Porsche interior designer Daniela Milošević led the team that worked with Pixar to design the new blue colour as well as the vehicle’s interior.
“We were given complete freedom, which was great! In the film, Sally Carrera was a lawyer from California who valued style and elegance. At the same time, she was down-to-earth and fun-loving,” says Milošević.
“The special Sallybluemetallic is used in the interior as well, where it creates both obvious highlights and subtle details that will hopefully bring a smile to the future owner’s face. At the same time, it was important to us not to forget everyday usability and practicality. 911 Sally Special is meant to be driven often and gladly. We developed a special Pepita houndstooth fabric upholstery in three colours, combined with chalk-coloured leather and stitching in Speed Blue. Working out these details makes the project special and brings back a lot of memories of the movie and Sally Carrera.”
In addition to the car itself, the auction also includes other highlights – most notably a unique chronograph by Porsche Design, also created in collaboration with Pixar.
Like the car itself, the coloured ring is painted in Sallybluemetallic. The chalk-coloured leather strap with Speed Blue stitching underscores the sporty design of the unique timepiece.
The strap can be quickly and easily swapped out for a second strap in Speed Blue with chalk-coloured stitching, without the need for any tools. Like the vehicle, the chronograph has a limited edition marking on the back of the case. The one-of-a-kind piece is powered by a COSC-certified Porsche Design WERK 01.100 movement.
The 911 Sally Special Chronograph was precision engineered and manufactured at Porsche’s own watchmaking facility in Solothurn, Switzerland. The auction will also feature a special indoor car cover from Porsche Tequipment, a wheel rack with an additional wheelset consisting of Carrera Exclusive Design wheels, a book on the development and production of the one-off model and original drawings by designers Shuichi Yamashita and Bob Pauley.
Information about Girls Inc. and USA for UNHCR Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart and bold through direct service and advocacy.
Operating from 76 sites across the United States and in Canada, Girls Inc. equips girls with the knowledge and skills to effect positive changes in their lives and become leaders who will change the world.
“We are grateful to Porsche and to Pixar for their commitment to this project, which will directly benefit our work,” said Stephanie J. Hull, Ph.D., Girls Inc. President & CEO.
“The character of Sally, and what she represents, is a great role model for young girls and it is fitting that she should be helping a new generation achieve their dreams.”
The United Nations Refugee Agency supports more than 6.2 million refugees who have been forced to flee their homes due to the war in Ukraine. “The majority of those forced to flee Ukraine are women and children, among them unaccompanied children and those separated from their parents,” said Anne-Marie Grey, Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR.
“But there is reason to hope with the critical support of companies like Porsche and Pixar who have generously stepped up to help ensure their safety and protection in months to come.”
Auction information 911 Sally Special will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s on Saturday, 20 August during Monterey Car Week in California.
U.S. citizens are eligible to participate. 911 Sally Special will be available for viewing during auction week in Monterey.
New campaign celebrates the return of travel through the unscripted moments missed by travelers in Asia Pacific.
Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program and marketplace, unveils its newest campaign in Asia Pacific, ‘Here’, to celebrate the return of travel. The campaign builds on Marriott Bonvoy’s global tagline “Where Can We Take You”, with ‘Here’ as an expression for reveling the authentic, relatable little moments loved and missed by travelers.
“While traveling can be about the bucket-list destinations and dining in world-class restaurants, we recognize that travel can also be made up of imperfect moments,” shares Bart Buiring, Chief Sales and Marketing Office, Marriott International Asia Pacific. “With our new campaign, we hope to inspire travelers to embark on their next Asian destination with the return of travel. We want to remind them that the joy of travel is as much about the unscripted and authentic moments as the picture-perfect ones, where the little moments make big memories.”
Produced in collaboration with Singapore-based creative company, The Secret Little Agency, and shot across Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and New Zealand, the breathtaking films are playful, authentic and fast-paced – celebrating the power of travel with moments that everyone can relate to from trips with best friends and family vacations. The idea also extends to the key visuals. From waddling through the muddy but breathtakingly green rice terraces in Bali to getting unexpectedly caught in the lively celebration of Holi in India, Marriott Bonvoy invites travelers to take their next trip and revel in these spontaneous moments of travel.
The campaign, available across the Asia Pacific, excluding Greater China, will air from today across the region with both digital and out-of-home media., and across various touchpoints in India. The campaign film and visuals will be prominently displayed across various locations including at Seoul’s Gimpo Airport, Tokyo’s bustling Shibuya Metro Station and Melbourne’s Central Station, and also on inflight entertainment and across select digital and social channels.
Travelers are invited to join the conversation and connect with one another by sharing their memories of how #TravelMakesUs on Instagram and TikTok. For more information about Marriott Bonvoy or to enroll as a member for free, visit here.
Thailand has a unique geo-economic edge within Asean. Located in the very centre of the region, it is well-positioned to serve as an important logistics hub that connects several surrounding countries. 360TRUCK aims to help elevate the competitiveness of Thailand’s logistics sector.
Operator of 360TRUCK online logistics platform, ThreeSixty Supply Chain Co. Ltd. aims to help elevate the competitiveness of Thailand’s logistics sector.
360TRUCK Reduces Costs, Saves Time, Boosts Revenue
Phraeophan Sarochwimolsin, Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder of 360TRUCK, explains that in logistics, preventing empty backhauls is critical to controlling costs. “Say you dispatch a truck full of goods from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, but it carries nothing back on its return trip to Bangkok – that is what we call empty backhaul, which is a waste of man-hours, resources, and energy.”
The 360TRUCK platform features a proprietary carrier-customer matching algorithm to optimize value for both carriers and customers. This algorithm also helps ensure that trucks carry goods on their return journey, thereby optimizing resource utilization, improving distribution efficiency and reducing logistics rates – ultimately contributing to a win-win situation for everyone and a better economy overall.
Professionalism for Customers of all Sizes
After three years in business, 360TRUCK has more than 50,000 trucks registered on its platform, covering logistics needs nationwide. Their fleet ranges from 4-, 6-, and 10-wheelers to 18- and 22-wheeler trailer trucks. The vehicles are operated by more than 4,000 signed-up users, ranging from individual drivers to large trucking companies.
Once a truck operator has signed up on 360TRUCK, they can inform the platform of their vehicle and route availability. On the other end, shipment customers can request trucks that best suit their requirements as well as specify pick-up location, destination, and desired rates. 360TRUCK matches operators with customers and also suggests rates for a given route.
After the goods have been picked up, the customer can track the shipment at any time. For peace of mind, all shipments are insured. Likewise, all trucks are fully insured and screened by 360TRUCK to minimize risk for customers. Truck operators, too, have peace of mind with a fuel coupon advanced by 360TRUCK, so there’s no need to pay for fuel upfront.
Phraeophan is proud to say that the selling points of 360TRUCK are professionalism, transparency, clearly quoted rates, and efficient management. With these service pillars, 360TRUCK helps corporate customers control logistics costs while offering a good customer experience. That is why so many SMEs and even large corporations like Sahapat Group and Shera choose 360TRUCK for their logistics solutions.
Detailed Work Needs Good Communication
Phraeophan says that 360TRUCK’s work involves complex and vital details. Therefore, to ensure the smooth processing of all shipments, the team needs to verify several data points from both the shipment customer and truck operator. Information such as rates, matching, the volume of goods, dimensions and weight, pick-up time, and additional requirements such as extra workers all need to be ascertained and mutually agreed upon via a telephone conversation.
To support this critical work, 360TRUCK has chosen the dtac OneCall solution with the Mobile PBX service to optimize its hybrid communications requirements. By using only one telephone number – 02-0966-360 – all customers are promptly directed to a customer service representative.
While technology makes things more efficient and speedy, human-led facilitation at each step of the process gives customers reassurance and the feeling of being looked after. This in turn creates a good customer experience and a strong reputation for 360TRUCK.
“In the past, staff using their own personal mobile phones to contact customers did not seem professional. Integrating one corporate number helps with professionalism and significantly better access and transparency for our customers,” Phraeopan explains.
As 360TRUCK plans its future expansion, analyzing its communications performance is an important consideration. The number of calls and call efficiency (measured by waiting times, call times and call recordings) is vital in supporting customer service representatives to do their jobs well. With 360TRUCK now offering its service to the general public (B2C), the customer service team will need to handle more calls and more information, and will thus require more staff. The dtac OneCall solution is a key factor in ensuring this expansion proceeds smoothly.
Technology and Human Touch for Better Service
While 360TRUCK is committed to developing logistics services with cutting-edge technology, the company believes that the human factor is vital in creating the best possible customer experience and boosting confidence and credibility. dtac OneCall solution contributes to this perfect marriage of human touch and technology through a professional Mobile Call Center service.
360TRUCK aims to achieve a 100% match rate in the near future, eliminating empty backhauls and leading the industry in cost control, time efficiency, and resource management (including human and energy). Achieving these goals will ultimately strengthen and future-proof Thailand’s position as ASEAN’s logistics hub.
QSNCC aims to attract new high-profile events to Thailand and elevate the Thai event venue to world-class status as a leader in Asia.
The Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) has announced its readiness to become “The Ultimate World Class Event Platform for All” and has revealed the list of upcoming international events that are keen on moving from their original venues overseas to the newly renovated QSNCC. By highlighting the potential of the venue and its facilities, QSNCC seeks to elevate the Thai event platform and convention center to become a leader in Asia.
Sakchai Phatrapreechakul, Chief Executive Officer of N.C.C. Management & Development Co Ltd, said: “This re-opening of the new QSNCC has great potential to accommodate all kinds of events and activities as well as being suitable for all lifestyles. We are expecting that the number of visitors will be over 13 million annually, more than double the 6 million visitors per year prior to the renovation. We are no longer just a convention center but are transforming into an inspiring world class event platform for all. The new QSNCC will re-open to the public in September this year. We are convinced that there will be all kinds of event hosts and exhibitors who will choose QSNCC as their venue. This will enhance QSNCC’s reputation as an industry pioneer for both Thai and Asian event venues.”
“The new QSNCC is determined to deliver a positive impact for all Thai people. We are keen to play a crucial role in stimulating the country’s overall economic growth by driving forward relevant businesses including event organizers, hotels, shopping centers, and public transport system, all of which will greatly benefit from the advanced development of the MICE industry with a tremendously increasing number of organizers and visitors to events held at the Center, as well as bring value to the surrounding communities from various public amenities available here,” added Sakchai.
With the objective of being more than a “convention center” that facilitates “MICE,” the new QSNCC has been designed to accommodate all practical needs in terms of event spaces and facilities with the ultimate flexibility and simultaneous support for all types of event functions. The center also has the ability to assist and manage all types of activities, including logistics and transportation. In addition, with the convenience of being directly connected to an MRT station, the venue is easy to reach for all comers while safety features and facilities guarantee a high quality of life in sustainable surroundings that comply with global standards.
The reputation of the new QSNCC has already earned the trust of several major international event exhibitors and the venue has attracted new high-profile events from various countries to Thailand for the first time. These include:
Asia Pacific Leather Fair or APLF — the world’s leading leather trade fair, which is usually exhibited in Hong Kong — will now be held on October 19–21, 2022 at QSNCC.
ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, Asia’s international fruit and vegetable trade fair that was originally held in Hong Kong, is confirmed to take place on November 2-4, 2022.
Jewellery & Gem ASEAN Bangkok (JGAB), one of the grand jewellery exhibitions with a collection of trade fairs, seminars and gemstone knowledge activities for buyers and suppliers from all around the world, was originally held in Singapore but will take place on November 2-5, 2022 at QSNCC.
Besides the aforementioned major activities and events, there are over 160 activities that have been confirmed to take place at QSNCC by 2023; for instance, MICE and upcoming lifestyle activities for the first time such as “T-Pop Concert Fest,” which will feature leading Thai pop artists such as PP x Billkin, 4EVE and Bowkylion on October 29-30, 2022. In addition, Southeast Asia’s biggest gaming expo “Thailand Game Show” will take place on October 21-23, 2022. Furthermore, QSNCC will be the venue for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference on November 13-18, 2022.
Another key highlight of the QSNCC, which seeks to become ‘The Ultimate Inspiring World Class Event Platform for All’ is a retail space in the context of Bangkok’s first holistic active lifestyle mall under the concept of BALM (Bangkok Active Lifestyle Mall) with over 11,000 square meters of area. BALM will be the cherry on top of the new Queen Sirikit Convention Center, which is located in the heart of Bangkok, and conform to all lifestyles for both Thais and foreigners. The venue is set to turn the Rama 4–Ratchada area into another prime destination for socializing with all manner of retail conveniences, such as restaurants, cafes, convenience stores, pharmacies, sports equipment stores, IT stores, etc.
Discover the new experience of “The Ultimate World-Class Event Platform for All” at QSNCC soon. For more information, visit www.qsncc.com.
Forbes magazine recently published its listing of Thailand’s 50 Richest 2022 with Sarath Ratanavadi, chief executive officer of Gulf Energy Development Plc (Gulf) ranked in the fourth position with $11.1 billion net worth. This makes him the richest businessperson in the energy industry.
Forbes reported that the top 3 richest people in Thailand are all from the food and beverage sector, namely Chearavanont brothers (Charoen Pokphand Group – $26.5 billion), Chalerm Yoovidhya & family (Red Bull – $26.4 billion), and Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi (Thai Beverage – $11.2 billion), respectively.
Sarath took the company public in 2017 raising more than 25 billion baht in what was the country’s biggest IPO in a decade. In 2021, Sarath acquired stakes in telecom giant InTouch Holdings and its wireless unit, Advanced Info Service (AIS).
Gulf Energy is partnering with Singtel in a new venture to set up data centres in Thailand. In January 2022 it signed an agreement with Binance to set up a crypto exchange in Thailand.
Gulf Energy also has a 70:30 joint venture with state-owned oil and gas firm PTT to build a 46.3 billion baht LNG terminal and port on Thailand’s east coast.
In the first half of this year, Gulf reported financial results with a core profit of 3.25 billion baht, an increase of 36 per cent year-on-year and 19 per cent quarter-on-quarter. The growth is mainly from the profit of Gulf Sriracha Power Plant (GSRC) first unit and second unit, together with higher profit from BKR2 offshore wind power project in Germany and a share of profit from InTouch.
Sarath was born July 12, 1965, in a family of military lineage. His father Thavorn was chief of staff of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, while his grandfather Sod was a member of The People’s Party. Sarath has degrees from Chulalongkorn University and the University of Southern California, both in engineering. He was married to Nalinee Tantisoonthorn and has two sons, Sarit and Sitamon.
After graduation, he established Gulf Electric Co Ltd in 1994 at the age of 29. He later expanded the Gulf empire to other power-related businesses by establishing Gulf Power Generation Co Ltd and Gulf Co-generation Co Ltd in 1996, Gulf Yala Green Co Ltd in 1997, Gulf IPP Co Ltd in 2004 and Gulf Energy Development Co Ltd in 2007.
In December 2021 Sarath was named the wealthiest Thai stockholder for the third consecutive year, according to rankings compiled by Money & Banking magazine and Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy. Sarath topped the list with a total shareholding of 173 billion baht, up by 57.80 billion baht or 50.14 per cent from the previous year.
Amid the growing trend of preventive healthcare, the Care Asia 2022 trade show will unveil the latest wellness innovations and solutions at Bitec Bangna from September 1-4.
The Care Asia 2022 event will encourage visitors to embrace the various dimensions of self-care, as well as explore healthcare and wellness innovations, the organisers said.
“The global wellness market is predicted to reach US$1.5 trillion in value and grow at 5-10 per cent annually. Preventative healthcare has become one of the most talked about trends nowadays,” said Dr Udom Kachintorn, clinical professor emeritus and chairman of the Committee on Higher Education.
Dr Udom added that the most significant disruptions to healthcare were: shifting care emphasis from “diagnose and treat” to “prevent and manage”, and shifting care away from the hospital closer to home.
He added that the future trend of smart healthcare is decentralised with four levels: Predictive identifies genetic risks for many diseases; preventive offers the tools to recognise the earliest signs of disease; participatory informs about their health and better preparedness to arrange their own healthcare; personalised is focused on how to optimise wellness by predicting disease.
McKinsey & Co recently conducted research that discovered six wellness dimensions that consumers are most interested in today: better health, better fitness, better nutrition, better appearance, better sleep, and better mindfulness.
Dr Udom Kachintorn, Clinical Professor Emeritus and Chairman of the Committee on Higher Education.
Dr Bhana Chandrakamol, CEO of Bangpakok Hospital group, said: “The self-care trend presents a golden opportunity for healthcare and preventive healthcare providers, especially those who can identify needs of customers and develop goods and services to meet those demands and help people in healing their minds, especially amidst the crisis.”
Dr Bhana Chandrakamol, CEO of Bangpakok Hospital group
He stated that Bangpakok Hospital Group was committed to developing innovations and modern healthcare models to fulfil the needs of today’s customers. The group offers specialised medical centres covering the full range of healthcare services to ensure the most effective treatment for people all ages.
Dr Paksaran Isarasak na Ayudya, managing director of Best Organizer Co Ltd, one of the organisers of Care Asia 2022, said that the trade show features products and services that are in line with self-care trends and meet the needs of young people who are more health-conscious than ever before.
Among the highlights of Care Asia 2022 would be massage tables from Table Masters, pocket spring mattress from Sleepen, far infared sauna from SG Deluxe, probiotics supplements from Everluck, vascular and bone density test clinics from JNK Wellness Centre.
Bangkok 9 International Hospital will provide free Covid-19 vaccination (Moderna CoVID-19) to 200 people each day, including people in the high risk group, at the event hall. For more information: www.facebook.com/CAREASIA2022
Bangkok, August 18, 2022 – Bitkub Chain, a blockchain network developed by Bitkub Blockchain Technology that aims to be a digital infrastructure for both public and private sectors, passes all 3 categories on Thailand ICT Awards (TICTA) 2022 contest (first round).
Thailand ICT Award 2022 (TICTA) is a contest project emphasized on finding the new invention of technological software and allowing the participants to demonstrate their full potential of the project development.
Bitkub Chain passes all 3 categories as follows:
1. Consumer Category: Digital product and services directly related to the customers such as entertainment, tourism, welcome service, logistic, banking and finance.
2. Research & Development Project of the Year Category: Product or services related to information and communication technology developed by research institutions, educational institutions or independent specialists.
3. Technology Awards Category (Blockchain): Blockchain related category focused on the online transaction network and shared, immutable ledger that facilitate the process of recording the transactions and tracking the digital assets.
Dr Udom Kachintorn, Clinical Professor Emeritus and Chairman of the Committee on Higher Education.
Dr Bhana Chandrakamol, CEO of Bangpakok Hospital group
