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Liquor waste products
to be used as fertilizer
Liquor lovers might soon be able to drink in the
knowledge that they are helping the environment if plans by the Department
of Land Development to use waste products from whisky factories to produce
organic fertilizer are given the green light.
According to At Somrang, the department’s
director-general, the department has now signed a research and development
deal with the Excise Department’s Liquor Distillery Organization on a
program which aims to use waste products from the organization’s factories
to produce high quality compost and organic fertilizer. The fertilizer will
be tested in greenhouses on sweet corn and other vegetables before the
technology is disseminated to farmers across the country.
Whisky factories operated by the Liquor Distillery
Organization currently churn out over 500,000 liters of waste products from
the distillation process each day. Although waste products from distillation
have been used to produce cheap fertilizer in the past, the composting
process used to date has been a lengthy and complex one, and most of the
waste products are simply buried in landfill sites. (TNA)
Foreign investment pours into eastern seaboard
Foreign investment of more than four billion baht has
poured into Thailand’s eastern seaboard industrial zone, according to the
Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI). Most of this investment was in the
auto parts and petrochemical industries, the BOI’s regional director
Varaporn Cheuysa-ard said.
The number of foreign investors in the area has been
increasing ever since the BOI increased the benefits and rights for the
projects, to more than 10 billion baht. The BOI’s key incentive is a
seven-year moratorium on tax aimed at lowering the financial burden on the
investors.
The BOI development plan for the eastern seaboard industries is part of
the government’s broader strategy to boost the capacity of the country’s
heavy industries, especially the automobile and auto parts industries.
Thailand’s automobile and parts industries have grown dramatically in the
past decade. The government plans to make Thailand become the “Detroit of
Asia”. (TNA)
Westminster Portfolio Services Ltd wishes to make public the following statement from Westminster’s Managing Director, Lee
Oxley:
Following the sad death of Westminster’s founder, Dr.
Leslie Wright, in February this year after a lengthy battle with cancer, I
have, as executor of Dr. Wright’s Last Will & Testament and in line
with his instructions, made it my foremost concern to secure effective
ongoing management and servicing for all of our clients. In his will, Dr.
Wright expressed a desire that Westminster continue to maintain its high
ethical standards and personal service. For that reason I have decided that
the operation of Westminster Portfolio Services should be taken over by MBMG
International Ltd. This move will allow for the provision of continued
professional advice, management and consultancy services to our clients. In
my opinion, MBMG International is the region’s most reputable and
respected financial practice, having been established for nearly nine years
and being unique in their ability to offer the unrivalled combination of
experience, systems, knowledge and ethical standards that will ensure
Westminster’s clients will receive unparalleled standards of support. It
is for this reason that WPS Ltd. has now been absorbed by MBMG
International.
Lee Oxley
Managing Director
Westminster Portfolio Services Ltd
If you would like to receive any more details then please
contact Lee Oxley on westminster@ mbmg-international.com
For further information please contact:
Graham Macdonald
Head Office 02 650 3123/4
Mob. 01 618 0130
E-mail [email protected]
Bangkok Office: Suite 2 Z, 2nd Floor, Somkid Place, 6 Soi Somkid,
Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330
Foreign retail giants told to buck up on social responsibility
The government recently announced a tough new series of
conditions for foreign retail companies wishing to set up shop in Thailand,
amid growing concern that they are wresting trade from local shops without
putting enough back into the Thai economy.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting, government spokesman
Jakrapob Penkair said that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had announced
that any foreign retailers wishing to establish businesses in Thailand would
be required to establish model farms.
Basing their farming methods on principles of ‘food
safety’, the stores would use their agricultural knowledge to transfer the
latest farming advice to local communities, while helping upgrade quality
standards for Thai products.
At the same time, stores such as French retail giant
Carrefour will be required to showcase One Tambon One Product (OTOP) goods
in its branches across the world. It is expected these measures will ensure
greater recognition for Thai products abroad. (TNA)
Economic confidence indexes continues to slump
All of Thailand’s economic confidence indexes are
continuing on a downward spiral despite attempts by the government to put a
brave face regarding the nation’s growth prospects, according to new research
published September 9. The research by the Center for Economic and Business
Forecasting at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce shows that the
overall economic confidence index for August dropped to 92.0 points, compared to
95.2 points in July.
Confidence in employment opportunities slid from 91.1 points
to 88.1, while confidence in future earning capacity slumped from 108.6 points
to 106.2.
The report said the index was likely to fall further over the
coming months despite the positive factors in August such as expansion of export
growth and low interest rates. It said these factors could be offset in the
future by rising fuel costs.
The center predicts the Thai economy will grow by only 5.5 percent next year,
lower than government forecasts. It bases its forecast on export growth of 14
percent and the government’s decision to raise diesel prices in February next
year. This, in turn, will push up the cost of goods, putting inflation at 4
percent. At the same time, the country is likely to record a trade deficit next
year. (TNA)
Second-hand houses still in greater demand
Second-hand houses remain in greater demand in Thailand, as
total sales of houses in the first half of this year reached more than 240
billion baht, according to a top banker. Napengpasaeng Krisanamara, the senior
vice president of Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited (SCB), said the
sale of houses in the first half of this year significantly increased by 52.1%
to 243 billion baht.
He believes second-hand houses are in greater demand by the
public since new house prices rose considerably upon higher construction
material prices, and increased interest rates. He said the demand for residences
was likely to continue to rise as housing loans extended by the bank in the
January-July period were as high as 7.8 billion baht, and were expected to grow
further.
Napengpaesaeng said SCB planned to place for sale its
non-performance assets (NPAs) comprising of 560 items valued more than 890
million bath at a grand housing fair to be jointly held by the bank, Home
Products Center, and B.C.T. Housing Co during September 29-October 3. He
projected more than 100 million baht of NPAs would be sold off at the fair.
Currently, NPAs held by the bank totals 12 billion baht. The
bank has targeted to reduce the assets by 3 billion baht this year.
To facilitate the NPA sale, the bank has offered a loan with a fixed interest
rate of 1% in the first six months. After that, borrowers can opt for a fixed
interest rate of 3.24% in the first year, 4.25% in the first two years, or 5.25%
in the first three years without lending fees. Napengpaesaeng conceded that
people were more selective in house purchases now that interest rates are
rising. (TNA)
BCCT to visit the Eastern Seaboard
Friday October 1
The BCCT is delighted to announce a day visit to the Eastern
Seaboard to Thai National Power and Sumitomo (to be confirmed) followed by a
Networking Evening at Burapha Golf and Country Club sponsored by TNP. There is
also the option for complimentary golf (sponsored by TNP) at Burapha instead of
the Sumitomo visit. Please advise separately if you wish to play golf.
The cost of this visit is THB 750 per person including
transport, coffee and VAT. Numbers are limited and places will be allocated on
a first-come, first served basis to those that book on-line only. Payment
should be made in advance to the BCCT office.
Booking - please read carefully: Please advise
separately to [email protected] if you wish to play golf instead of attending
the second plant visit. Those not wishing to join the visit may book separately
for the Eastern Seaboard networking evening. Please book on-line at the BCCT
website - www.bccthai.com You will need a membership number and password to
book via this method. Enter both in the appropriate boxes in the bottom left
corner of the home page and proceed by clicking on event bookings.
If you do not know your membership number and/or password
please contact either the BCCT’s webmaster David Quine - david@ bccthai.com
or Greg Watkins - [email protected]
Please do not book your places at events using any other
method unless this is absolutely unavoidable. It is a straightforward procedure
and is much quicker than filling out a reply form.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact either
David Quine or Greg Watkins.
Royal Cliff Beach Resort will soon be full of MICE
Asia’s largest MICE tradeshows to be held at PEACH in 2005 and 2006
Asia’s largest shows for meetings, incentives, conferences
and exhibitions (MICE) professionals, Incentive Travel & Conventions,
Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) and Corporate Travel World Asia-Pacific (CTW) will
move from Bangkok to Pattaya where they are to be held at the Pattaya Exhibition
and Convention Hall (PEACH) for the next two years.
IT&CMA was held in Bangkok in 2002-2004, and CTW
Asia-Pacific had been held in Singapore for 5 years until it was incorporated
with IT&CMA in to Bangkok in 2004. The decision by the IT&CMA organizers
to use PEACH in 2005 and 2006 is a testament to the success of the city’s
extensive cleanup and restoration programme, as well as the unique combination
of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort and PEACH facilities.
“We are happy to see that our efforts to help develop the
city of Pattaya into a flourishing meetings and incentives venue are bearing
fruit. For the last 10 years, the entire community of Pattaya has worked hard to
help the city mature into an unparalleled incentives destination,” says Mrs.
Panga Vathanakul, the managing director of PEACH and the Royal Cliff Beach
Resort. “I am confident that the organizers, the exhibitors and the buyers
alike will find both Pattaya and PEACH to be superb venues that will exceed
their expectations.”
“The move to Pattaya is a display of Thailand’s
quintessential diversity and local flavours. As Pattaya brands itself as an
incentives and meetings destination, hosting IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific
will launch a world of new opportunities and experiences for both buyers and
sellers,” adds Darren Ng, managing director of TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd and
organizer of IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific.
Both events have been steadily gaining in popularity and have now grown into
the most respected MICE trade shows in all of Asia. In 2003, IT&CMA had 271
exhibiting companies with 563 exhibitor-delegates form 30 countries and more
than 580 trade visitors. The show was also attended by nearly 80 members of the
press from over 20 countries. It is widely expected to attract even greater
participation this year and in the years to come.
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