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Thai German Institute introduces new technology to Thailand’s SME sector
Earlier this month the Thai German Institute held a press
conference to introduce new technologies into Thailand’s Small and Medium
Size enterprise (SME) sector. Narong Rattana, TGI’s Thai director,
announced that one of these new technologies supported by TGI is the ZOXY
Battery, which was recently released into the Thai business sector.
Hubert
Voudetten, ZOXY Battery business development manager for Asia.
At the conference held on October 1st Narong said, “The
Thai German Institute is at the forefront in presenting new technology to
the SME’s of Thailand. We have supported the Tuk Tuk Thai Co. Ltd., which
is the first company to commit to new innovations including the ZOXY
Battery. Hubert Voudetten, the business development manager for Asia has
been working with the Tuk Tuk Thai Company to get project started.”
The ZOXY Battery (Zinc Oxygen) was first introduced in
1994. Since then development has continued with a full-scale production
beginning in 2000.
Thirasak
Chucheeb together with the ITB Project advisory team instruct the
educational team from Best Polymer International Co., Ltd.
The benefits of the ZOXY Battery are numerous; the main
being a substitute for the lead-acid battery currently used in industry and
in vehicles. In addition to being environmentally friendly, it is three
times lighter than current products, it can be recharged 300 times and is
inexpensive.
 Narong
Rattana, TGI’s Thai director
Hubert Voudetten said, “ZOXY has been well received in
the German and European markets. This versatile power source is used in the
communication, transport and industrial sectors. As for Thailand, production
of the fuel cell is underway and we intend to promote it as an
environmentally friendly and quality product.”
As part of the project, the suggestion was made to use
the battery in the tuk tuk industry. “TGI was instrumental in taking the
idea to the Tuk Tuk Thailand Co. Ltd. We see it as an important step in
furthering the economic development in Thailand,” added Hubert
Prof.
Vinai Sripaichaiyonsak teaches Mold & Dye Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
The official launch of the battery powered Tuk Tuk was held on October
10th. The company expects to integrate the use of the ZOXY Batteries in tuk
tuks by the end of this year. A representative of Tuk Tuk Thailand said,
“We have been operating for over 15 years, producing tuk tuks for
Thailand. This new innovative technology definitely has a market not only in
Thailand but also throughout Asia. The new generation of tuk tuks will
benefit not only the environment but the country as a whole.”
Banks and private firms are urged to be more aggressive
Thailand’s prime minister has suggested commercial
banks and private companies manage their businesses aggressively in view of
stiffer competition encountered through globalization. In his view, adopting
a strictly defensive strategy will hinder the sector and hamper the
nation’s overall economy.
Referring to results from a recent workshop dealing with
non-performing loans, the PM said the meeting reported progress being made
by Thai Asset Management Corporation, (TAMC) which is tasked to manage bad
debts held by private and state banks.
TAMC’s new strategy will involve categorizing all
non-performing loans into different segments. This method will attempt to
set a standard of restructuring geared specifically for each category. Both
good and problem debtors will be given fair treatment in terms of
incentives. Segments of non-performing loans (NPls), which could increase
employment and revitalize the economy if successfully restructured, should
be given priority.
The prime minister said, “I had an opportunity to
exchange views with business figures and executives of the Thai Bankers’
Association and asked them to step up efforts to help strengthen the
country’s economy.” (TNA)
Assumption University polls public confidence on government economic measures
Most households remain confident of economic stimulus
measures being taken by the current administration, according to a poll
conducted by Assumption University (ABAC Poll).
The survey was conducted in the third quarter of this
year with a random sample of 5,346 households nationwide to serve as an
economic warning in the last quarter.
The ABAC Pool showed 15.2% voiced confidence in the
economic stimulus packages and 31.4% was confident while 7.5% expressed
uncertainty and 28.5% was uncertain.
Asked how they felt about family living conditions 54.5%
said they were satisfied while 34.4% said they were not, and 11.5% did not
comment.
Asked to comment on economic conditions in the past few
months, 42.7% viewed they remained stable and 30.1%% said they had
deteriorated while 27.2% viewed they had improved.
The poll showed 58.7% viewed the economy would worsen if
oil prices continued to increase, and 49.6% said it would if farm product
prices experienced a slump.
On the unemployment this year, 37.4% viewed it would
increase while 9.9% said it would decrease and 33.5% felt it would remain
the same. (TNA)
BOT figures for August show business confidence drops only slightly
The business confidence index in August dropped slightly
to 50.9 points from 51.9 in July. However, that level was considered good
for the sixth consecutive month, according to the Bank of Thailand.
The slight decrease was attributed to concern about
higher production costs thanks to rising oil prices. The central bank said
the index, which remained in positive territory; above 50 points for six
months in a row, still reflected confidence among businessmen in the
country’s steady economic recovery.
As a result, the bank is forecasting businessmen’s
confidence in the economic outlook in the next three months will increase to
56.4 points on average.
The corporate performance confidence index rose
marginally to 56.8 and was projected to reach 62 by the end of the year.
The order placement index climbed up to 46 from 45.8 in
July and is expected to continue to rise to 60.6 by year-end.
The investment confidence index declined to 54.8 from
55.2 in July, but was projected to recover to 58.2 by the end of this
quarter.
The employment index decreased to 53.2 from 54 and was
anticipated to reach 54.8 by the end of the year.
The production confidence index fell to 52.1 from 54.3
and was expected to rise to 61.2 by the end of this year. (TNA)
Economic quadrangle trade exhibition
Thailand’s Royal Project and Economic Quadrangle Board
hosted a four-nation trade show in the northern resort province of Chiang
Mai, according to chairman of the Royal Project Foundation Peesadej Rachanee.
The exhibition was held from September 28 through October 6 and aimed to
strengthen ties between China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.
Somsak Wanichkachon, chairman of the Organizing Committee
said that the event was initiated under the cooperation of the three
neighboring countries - China, Laos, Myanmar - and 10 provinces of northern
Thailand, including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Son,
Phrae, Nan, Uttaradit and Tak.
The fair was divided into five major parts. The first
area showcased locally-made products of the four nations, souvenirs plus
Thai goods from the government’s One Tambon, One Product Scheme, and
private firms, namely Charoen Pokphand Group and Saha Pathanapibul Plc.
Motor Expo and fruit markets also held their exhibits in this zone.
The second section featured exhibitions from the Royal
and Economic Quadrangle Projects, as well as tourism promotion of the Mekong
region.
National performances of the four nations were shown at
the third section, including the peacock dance of Sipsongpanna, and cookery
demonstrations of each country.
In the fourth zone, a mini-concert featured Grammy
Entertainment Co., Ltd, as well as other entertainment programs and food
stalls offering northern local dishes. The fair organizers estimated about
30,000 visitors a day visited the 9 day event. (TNA)
Victor Kriventsov promoted to Royal Cliff’s new worldwide director of sales-leisure
The Board of Directors of the Royal Cliff Beach resort
recently announced the promotion of Victor Kriventsov to the position of
director of sales-leisure. Previously, Kriventsov held the position of
director of sales-Europe & Middle East.
 Victor
Kriventsov
Kriventsov has been with the Royal Cliff Beach Resort for
six years and will now be responsible for overseeing the resort’s
worldwide sales activities for the leisure market as well as head the
resort’s international team of sales managers.
The multiple award-winging Royal Cliff Beach Resort is a fully integrated
5-star resort comprising 4 hotels, 2 health spas and a stand-alone
convention and exhibition center along with a myriad of other facilities
recreational and leisure facilities.
Cabinet minister suggests project team on banks’ bad loan problem
Tokyo (AP) A project team to deal with the bad loan
problem saddling Japan’s banking industry will be created in October.
Economy Minister Heizo Takenaka, who assumed the financial services
portfolio in a recent Cabinet reshuffle said the panel will discuss the
issue and the government’s target of “normalizing” banks’
non-performing loans by March 2005.
Takenaka took over the banking portfolio after Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi sacked Hakuo Yanagisawa over his foot-dragging in
fixing the problems in Japan’s financial system.
In announcing the reshuffle, Koizumi stressed his desire
to get Japan’s economy back on track after more than a decade of
sluggishness, and cited the banking problem as a major priority.
Koizumi said the government needs to help the banking
industry eliminate some of its 43 trillion yen (US$352 billion) in bad
loans.
The government wants to cut bad loans to between 3
percent and 4 percent of total loans. The bad loan-to-lending ratio at major
banks jumped to 8.4 percent in March from 6.2 percent in September and 5.3
percent in March 2001.
Takenaka said he wants the project team to submit an
interim report in two weeks, and a final report by the end of the month.
“We do not want a piecemeal approach,” Takenaka said, promising a
comprehensive plan.
The make-up of the team is yet to be finalized. But it is
expected to draw from both government and private sectors.
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