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Liquor operators need to pin hope on foreign tourists: KRC
Local liquor operators need to pin their hope to increase
sales in December on foreign tourists, who have high purchasing power and
begin to return to Thailand, after a decrease in local demand due to many
negative factors, according to Kasikorn Research Center (KRC).
The leading think tank said that local demand for
alcoholic drinks in December, which is a month of celebrations for Christmas
and New Year, would normally be higher than any other month. However, hefty
product sales for 2005 could not rely on local demand since their purchasing
power has been affected by higher oil prices.
Also, an increase in excise tax on liquors this past
September had pushed up prices of the local products. Therefore, KRC said,
operators will have to rely on the many foreign tourists who arrived in
Thailand early December.
KRC estimated that approximately 1.1-1.2 million foreign
tourists would travel in Thailand during Christmas and New Year festivals,
earning the country around 42 billion baht, close to that of the same period
of last year.
Foreign tourist spending on foods and beverages would
represent 17 percent of the total. Of this, around 10 percent or 1.4 billion
baht stems from the purchase of beverages.
KRC warned that what Thailand may see with an increased
liquor demand is the production of illegal alcoholic drinks, smuggling of
the products, and higher accidents caused by drunk drivers. (TNA)
Number of bounced checks still of no concern in November: BOT
The number of bounced checks in Bangkok and its environs
in November remains of no concern although it had increased by 418 issues
from 78,167 worth 7.47 billion baht in October to 78,585 issues worth 8.13
billion baht in November, according to the Bank of Thailand.
A source in the central bank said the number of bounced
checks had not increased to an extent that could affect the current economic
conditions, though interest rates are on the rise.
The number of checks collected in November totals
5,390,470 issues worth 2.14 trillion baht or 245,021 issues per day, up
151,345 from 5,239,125 worth 2.16 trillion baht.
The source said BOT is encouraging the use of electronic
payment in place of check and cash settlement since the economy has expanded
more rapidly and complicatedly.
E-payment would serve as a payment channel that could
provide efficient and convenient services. More importantly, its cost is
three times lower than those of check and cash settlement. (TNA)
Investor and consumer confidence indexes rise markedly in November: BOT
The investor and consumer confidence indexes began to
increase markedly in November after having stayed unchanged for some time,
according to the Bank of Thailand.
BOT’s Governor M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula revealed the
business confidence index in October stayed at 45.1 percent, lower than 50
percent for the 18th consecutive month.
He projected the current account balance would be US$3.5
billion in deficit for 2005 since global crude oil prices had edged up to a
high level. In the first 10 months of this year, Thailand had to spend up to
$7.2 billion on oil imports. The BOT chief said he believed burdens on the
oil purchase would rise to $8.5 billion for the whole year. (TNA)
Chinese-style pavilion to mark 30th anniversary of Sino-Thai ties
A Chinese-style pavilion will be built in a public park
to mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations between China and
Thailand this year, a senior Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said.
Kriangpon Pattanarat, director of International Affairs
Division, Strategy and Evaluation Department, said a team of representatives
from China’s capital, Beijing, visited here earlier in December to discuss
a plan to construct the public park to commemorate the 30th anniversary of
diplomatic ties. The BMA proposed part of the Chatuchak Park, about 2 rai
(0.8 acres) for this purpose, he said.
The Beijing delegates proposed to build the Chinese-style
pavilion and to landscape the surrounding area for a Chinese look to reflect
the good relations between the two cities and two countries.
The Beijing municipality will be responsible for the
design, while the BMA will build the foundation and provide trees, shrubbery
and floral landscaping in the area, following the Chinese architect’s
plan. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2006.
The Bangkok-Beijing commemoration park is part of the
BMA’s three projects to mark the auspicious occasion of the bilateral
ties. The other two projects are an acrobatics show from Beijing and an
exchange of educators. Bangkok and Beijing agreed to ‘Sister City’
relations in 1993. The main purposes of the agreement were to promote better
understanding and amity between the citizens of both cities, and to exchange
and cooperate in fields such as social, urban planning and management,
health and city administration. (TNA)
Court sentences ex-bank head to
20-years jail, US$472 million fine
The Bangkok Criminal Court recently sentenced the former
president of a scandal-plagued bank to a 20-year jail term and ordered him
to pay fines of US$472 million on charges of conspiring to embezzle Bt2.5
billion from the bank.
Krirk-Kiart Jalichandra was president of the now defunct
Bangkok Bank of Commerce or BBC, which collapsed in 1996 under a myriad of
bad debts.
The BBC fiasco resulted in an Bt80-billion bail out by
the Thai government and undermined foreign investors’ confidence in the
Thai banking system. The baht was sharply devalued, triggering the 1997
financial crisis, which spilled over into other Asian economies.
The public prosecutor said the former president and four
other employees of Bangkok Bank of Commerce (BBC) violated a Bank of
Thailand regulation and caused severe damage to the bank.
The other defendants are MR Damrongdej Diskul, Jitsorn
Pramoj Na Ayuthaya and MR Supanee Sarasin. The court handed down sentences
of two years and six month jail terms plus fines of Bt666,066 (about
US$16,650) each.
The Court also ordered Krirk-kiart to return the
embezzled US$167 million to the bank based on the current exchange rate. The
other defendants were ordered to help pay a fair share of US$85 million.
All defendants posted their assets as bonds to the court
to be free on bail and vow to continue to fight the case.
In January, Krirk-Kiart was sentenced to 30 years in jail
in several cases related to embezzlement. Those cases are being appealed and
he was freed on bail. (TNA)
Industrial confidence index drops in November
The industrial confidence index in November edged down
from October since purchase orders placed both locally and overseas eased
and concerns over higher operation costs upon the upward interest rate trend
mounted, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
Santi Vilassakdanont, FTI’s vice chairman, said that
the survey, made with a random sample of 580 companies in 33 industries,
found the index dropped to 97 points from 101.9 in October. It is a
first-time drop because the index has increased consecutively since July.
It shows that entrepreneurs have begun to have concerns
over industrial conditions. The index fall was mainly attributed to a
decrease in 4 out of 5 major confidence indices used for calculation.
For instance, the indices on purchase orders, sales,
output and operating performance dropped to 112.4, 111.3, 117.3, and 108.7
in November, from 115.5, 116.3, 123.5 and 113.4 in October. Only the index
on operation costs rose to 72.8, from 69.3 in October.
He reasoned that purchase orders both locally and
overseas eased towards the end of this year.
Additionally, industrial operators have been affected by
higher lending rates since they had to repay loans in a larger amount.
Equally important, consumption of goods paid in installments has also
reduced.
As well, some industrial operators were worried about
political tension in November, which had an impact on confidence in the
private sector.
The shortage of raw materials has also considerably
increased prices of raw materials in some industries.
Under the circumstance, he said, industrial operators
need to find measures to cut production costs to ensure their products
compete with cheaper imported goods. (TNA)
Customs Department tax targets expected to drop in 2006
The Customs Department’s tax targets are expected to
fall next year, due to Free Trade Area dealings between Thailand and a
number of foreign countries, as well as cuts in import tariffs on primary
materials for electrical appliances, electronic goods and printing
machinery.
Customs Department Director General Sathit Limpongpan
announced that collection of the customs taxes would certainly drop from an
earlier projected estimate of Bt120 billion (US$3 billion) throughout next
year.
Because of these falling revenues, customs taxes would
account for less than 5 percent of total annual tax revenues over the next
several years, compared to a mere 1 percent in developed countries, the
department chief said.
Aside from FTA agreements - under which Thailand and
trading partners are committed to slashing or nullifying the tariffs - the
drop in import tariffs on primary materials for electrical appliances,
electronic goods and printing equipment which will be assembled and
manufactured in Thailand will considerably promote domestic industries to
compete with foreign countries such as China, according to the Customs
Department chief.
The subject of declining revenues faced by the Customs
Department is being discussed by the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy
Office. Government agencies are seeking ways to make up for the projected
decline in tax revenues next year, Sathit said. He also indicated that the
authorities will intensify their crackdown on smuggled goods. (TNA)
Pilot training project aims
to upgrade hotel sanitation
to common standard
Narisa Nitikarn
One hundred hotel workers attended a training course on
public health in a pilot project organized by city hall and conducted at the
A-One Royal Cruise Hotel on December 22.
 (From
right) Mrs Wannaporn Chamcharat, director of Pattaya’s Public Health and
Environmental Department, Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn and Somkiet
Ratanaopath, managing director of the A-One Royal Cruise Hotel in Pattaya
were co-opening presenters of the public health training project for hotel
entrepreneurs.
Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn gave the opening
presentation in which he said that this initial session would act as a model
for training other groups of hotel personnel throughout Pattaya, the
objective being to raise all hotels to have common sanitation standards.
Managing director of A-One Royal Cruise, Somkiet
Ratanaopath hosted the gathering, which consisted of 100 staff from the
Cholchan Hotel, Sheraton and the A-One group.
Bubpha Songsakulchai, a senior sanitation officer from
the Pattaya Public Health and Environmental Department led the training, the
focus of which was swimming pool hygiene. Bubpha said public health officers
in Pattaya City had gone on inspection tours and found many hotel swimming
pools are sub-standard in hygiene terms. The aim of this course was to bring
all hotels to the same standard, which in addition to obvious public health
benefits would also help enhance the image of the hotel industry.
The plan is now to conduct similar sessions, with a budget of 50,000 baht
arranged by city hall. The Public Health and Environmental Department will
follow up at intervals to see how effective the project is proving to be.
Food fair is Delightful and aims to put Sattahip on the map
Narisa Nitikarn
January 27 and 28 will see the Delightful Sattahip 2006
festival take place at Suan Kromluang Chumporn, an event organized by
Sattahip Municipality in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand
Region 3.
 Sattahip
councilors Narong Bunbancherdsri and Barat Bunbancherdsri, and TAT Region 3
director Chattan Kunchorn Na Ayudhya announce this year’s The Delightful
Sattahip festival.
The festival was announced at a recent press briefing at
the A-One Royal Cruise Hotel and presided over by Sattahip councilors Narong
Bunbancherdsri and Barat Bunbancherdsri, and TAT Region 3 director Chattan
Kunchorn Na Ayudhya.
Narong said that a festival has been held each year since
2003 but that until now it had always been known as the Sattahip Seafood
Festival. This year the name has been changed to Delightful Sattahip, to
give it more scope. The event has full backing from the official and private
sectors.
The 12 communities in Sattahip will all play a part and
there will be a great range of original Sattahip food on offer, all prepared
under Clean Food Good Taste hygiene standards.
 The
press briefing included a drill display by six naval officers led by Senior
Lieutenant Manit Wonglom.
Narong added that the scope of the fair would help
publicize Sattahip to the tourists, because most people think of Sattahip as
being only a naval base. Therefore they don’t stop there but continue on
to Rayong or neighboring provinces.
The navy will, however, play a highly visible role in the
event, staging displays of ceremonial drills, plus flag raising and
lowering. Narong said that ceremonies such as these are seldom seen in
public as they are usually arranged for VIPs. The press briefing included a
drill display by six naval officers led by Senior Lieutenant Manit Wonglom.
Chattan said the TAT is always ready to support
activities that will distribute income to the local people. If Delightful
Sattahip is a success then it can be included in the TAT calendar in future.
For more information please contact TAT at tel 038 428 750, 038 427 667,
or 038 423 990.
Generous media support for UNICEF’s
‘Keeping Children Safe From AIDS’ Programme
Mike Franklin
The announcement by UNICEF that all proceeds from the 5th
Khun Anand Panyarachun Charity Golf Invitational will go to support the
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Program in Thailand and the Eastern Seaboard
prompted a quick response and substantial media sponsorship from two media
groups.
 Pattaya
Mail Publishing Co., Ltd. covering the Eastern Seaboard, and the POV
Media Group with display locations in Bangkok. Pattaya Mail, in
addition to designing all materials for the event, will combine colour ads
in Pattaya Mail, Pattaya Blatt and Chiangmai Mail with
poster inserts, and PMTV coverage on Sophon, Chonburi and Jomtien Cable
networks.
Publicity in Bangkok is covered by the Point Of View
Media Group providing poster sites and LCD TV screens in selected prime
locations including office buildings, clubs and hotels. This sponsorship by
the two media groups at the platinum and gold sponsorship levels extends the
invitation by Khun Anand to participate in the tournament and support the
UNICEF HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Program to a wider corporate audience
with the expectation of raising significant additional funds.
A promotional DVD, featuring an interview with former
Prime Minister and UNICEF Ambassador to Thailand, H.E. Anand Panyarachun,
has also been produced and sponsored by Pattaya Mail Television for
mailing to prospective corporate sponsors.
The Khun Anand Panyarachun Charity Golf Invitational is
at Eastern Star Country Club & Resort on Friday February 18. Khun Anand
is chairman of Eastern Star and has a residence by the 14 th
green where he will host a private reception on the eve of the tournament to
which sponsors are invited, in addition to Khun Anand’s personal and
distinguished guests.
For more information and sponsorship details contact Dhavanee Chonhenchob
or Suwakun Denprapa at 02 356 9473 or 02 356 9499 Ext. 9576 or 9473.
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