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Pattaya International Hospital groups 13 specialist clinics into one center

TGI’s Innovation Day shows how automation can create new concepts in auto assembly

TAT launches Good Deeds travel package that visits 9 propitious locations

Korean outbound tourism operators visit Pattaya to seek new business opportunities

Govt still earns higher-than-expected revenue in March

Oil prices won’t reach 30 baht a liter: Ministry of Energy

ASEAN finance ministers still upbeat about Thai economy

Export growth set to meet 2006 target

Thai baht appreciates to strongest level in 7 years

More foreign investment expected to flow into Thailand’s energy sector

More stock investors turn to deposit money with banks

Mega projects adjourned until new Thai government is formed

Thailand’s interest rates on upward trend

SET board chairman believes private firms won’t delay expansion for long


Pattaya International Hospital groups 13 specialist clinics into one center

Dr Chanchai Chutsirimongkol cuts the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the new specialists center at Pattaya International Hospital.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
Thirteen specialized medical clinics at Pattaya International Hospital have been grouped together and located on the fourth floor of the building, with the new center officially opened on April 10.
The hospital’s managing director, Dr Sunya Viravaidhya, appointed Dr Chanchai Chutsirimongkol, a specialist at the Dermatology Center, to conduct the opening of the new facility.
Dr Chanchai said the intention of the hospital had been to gather all the specialized functions that were located on different floors of the building and to place them on the same floor for the convenience of patients and visitors.
The specialized centers are for dermatology, acupuncture, plastic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, gastroenterology, eye surgery, urology, rheumatology, orthopedics, ear, nose and throat, psychiatry, and neurology. In each center are specialized physicians and modern medical equipment for servicing patients.
Pattaya International Hospital has served Pattaya for 30 years, said Dr Chanchai, and the decision was made to increase the services and give them a higher profile by placing access to them on the fourth floor.
For more information contact Pattaya International Hospital tel 0 38442 8374 fax 0 3842 2773.
 


TGI’s Innovation Day shows how automation can create new concepts in auto assembly

Piyavadee Suvannahong
Innovation in auto assembly technology, particularly in the use of automatic systems, was the theme of an exhibition staged by the Thai-German Institute on April 4.
TGI Innovation Day 2006 was held at the Thai-German Institute at Amata Nakhon Industrial Estate and opened jointly by German ambassador Christoph Brümmer and Dr Damri Sukhothanang, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Industry.

TGI employed a pneumatic control system for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Exhibition booths displayed innovative technology for automobile manufacture, with the emphasis on automatic systems, and there was a technology seminar entitled Assembly Technology Forum V.
Dr Damri said the Thai motor vehicle assembly industry is developing quickly because the number of products is increasing. This he said is likely to continue. Holding Innovation Day is a good way of stimulating ideas amongst entrepreneurs and engineers, and of spreading knowledge about automatic systems and how they can help in the design and production process.
As a dramatic illustration of how automation can work, TGI employed a pneumatic control system for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Siriwat Waiyanit, research and development division manager of Automation System said that the company’s pneumatic control system used airflow to move the scissors, with commands being given from a computer.


TAT launches Good Deeds travel package that visits 9 propitious locations

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The Tourism Authority of Thailand Region 3 office has launched a travel package that allows visitors to tour nine sacred and propitious sites in Chonburi and stack up merit in the process.

Akarawit Thaepasit, assistant director of TAT Central Region 3.

Assistant director of TAT Region 3 Akarawit Thaepasit said the concept arose through the TAT head office policy of allowing regional and local offices to create their own travel lines to increase inland sales. In this way, local travel potential can be increased.
“Head office allows us to create travel routes by thinking of a place and a way to attract tourists. In Chonburi province there are sacred and other important places that we feel will attract visitors with integrity who are intent on good deeds, and we have devised a travel route,” said Akarawit.
The “Good Deeds Satisfaction” travel package visits nine locations in Chonburi during two days. Tourists begin at Buraphavithee Sukhumvit Road and travel out to the Chalerm Thai Junction, where they visit the Jee Hong Buddhist Association. After this they continue to the Thepsatid Prakitti Chalerm Vihara (the Miraculous Heavens Dragon Shrine), which has 2,840 dragons for prosperity. Third stop is the Bodhisattva with a Thousand Eyes and a Thousand Hands. After this the group goes on to the beach at Khao Sammuk and pays respects at the Sammuk Goddess Shrine, particularly revered by fishermen.
This all takes place during the morning of the first day, and visitors are then given an afternoon break at Bang Saen Beach before going to the White Jade Kuan Im Bodhisattva, where they will find the whitest jade in Thailand. The evening is free time in Pattaya City.
Next morning sees the tour depart for Najomtien Beach and then going on to Sattahip for the Khao Cheechan carved Buddha image. The next stop is at Anek Kusol Vihara, with its Thai-Chinese architecture, and the tour ends at the Yanasangwararam Woramahawiharn Temple.
Akarawit said participants will most likely be tourists from China, Korea and Hong Kong. The package will require continuous promotion, but the program is an interesting one with good potential.
Those interested can contact TAT Central Region 3 at tel. 0 3842 7667, 0 3842 8750.


Korean outbound tourism operators visit Pattaya to seek new business opportunities

Vimolrat Singnikorn
Korean outbound tourism business operators visited Pattaya from April 5-7 to view the hotels and tourist attractions, meet industry leaders, and seek out new business opportunities.

Korean delegates learn about local attractions during a trade meeting with local business operators at the Garden Cliff Resort and Spa.

A trade meeting was held between the Korean delegates and local business operators at the Garden Cliff Resort and Spa.
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn met with the visitors who were led by Sasiapha Sukhunrat, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Seoul office who described the workings of tourism marketing between Thailand and Korea.
Sasiapha said that the number of Korean tourists traveling abroad is increasing each year and that they like to travel in family groups. Therefore, the TAT is focusing on family tourism packages.
Weddings in Korea tend to have two high seasons, during the months of April to June, and October and November, and honeymoon packages to countries such as Thailand are popular. When considering traveling abroad Koreans take into consideration the environment, beautiful tourist attractions and facilities, and pricing is secondary.
Last year saw an increase of 28.58 percent over the previous year in the number of Korean tourists visiting Thailand. Sasiapha added that the political protests would not affect the number of Korean tourists visiting Thailand as they are used to this kind of thing in their own country, as well as the fact that the Thai protests were not violent.


Govt still earns higher-than-expected revenue in March

The Revenue Department collected higher-than-expected revenue in March and in the first half of fiscal 2006 while the Excise and Customs Departments continued to earn lower-than-projected revenue, according to the Fiscal Policy Office.
FPO’s Deputy Director-General Somchai Sajjapongse said net revenue earned by the government in March totaled 103.17 billion baht, up 2.19 billion or 2.2 percent from the earlier projection and 9.3 percent from the same month of last year.
The higher revenue stemmed from an increase in collection by the Revenue Department and other departments by around 4.2 percent and 53.3 percent respectively.
Taxes levied at the higher-than-expected level include corporate tax, up 2.61 billion baht or 24.2 percent from the projection to 3.44 billion baht in March, and personal income tax, up 67 million baht or 0.3 percent to 23.28 billion.
Revenue remitted by state enterprises totaled 12.29 billion baht, up 5.66 billion baht or 85.2 percent from the projection and those by the Government Savings Bank, the Government Lottery Office, the Government Housings Bank and Thailand Tobacco Monopoly totaled 4.5, 2.35, 1.5, and 1.39 billion baht respectively.
However, revenues earned by the Excise Department dropped 2.67 billion baht from the projection to 24.72 billion baht due to a fall in the collection of oil and tobacco taxes. Additionally, revenue collected by the Customs Department decreased by 3.09 billion baht from the projection to 8.11 billion due to a reduction of import tariffs to boost competitiveness of Thai products.
Somchai said that revenue earned by the government in the first half of this fiscal year totaled 568 billion baht, up 8.54 billion baht or 1.5 percent from the projection, and 4.5 percent from the same month the year before. (TNA)


Oil prices won’t reach 30 baht a liter: Ministry of Energy

Thailand’s Ministry of Energy believes that oil prices on the domestic market have peaked, and that prices in Bangkok and adjacent areas will not reach Bt30 (US$0.75) despite possible new hikes of world oil prices per liter because the cold season period when crude oil prices normally increase has passed.
However, gasoline may rise when demand in Europe and the US increases during the forthcoming tourist season, he said.
Speaking about the news threats made by Thailand’s Oil Traders Association to close gas stations unless they were allowed to raise marketing margins, he said that this would not happen. There would not be a shortage of diesel, either, he said, adding that if Thai refineries must close for maintenance, oil traders are ready to import oil products to meet the domestic demand.
Energy saving campaigns have significantly helped to reduce oil consumption, Viset added. Thailand’s oil consumption in the first quarter of this year dropped from last year. Diesel consumption has fallen from 52-53 million liters a day one year ago to a current level of 50 million liters a day. Similarly, gasoline use from January to March has fallen from 21-22 million liters a day a year ago to 19 million liters a day currently. Oil consumption has not increased in proportion to the 5 – 6 percent economic growth, the minister explained.
The Ministry of Energy is cooperating with commercial banks to provide loans for businesses and households converting to energy saving electrical equipment. It is expected that the project will help reduce energy use by at least 10 percent, said the energy minister. (TNA)


ASEAN finance ministers still upbeat about Thai economy

Finance Ministers of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remain confident of the Thai economy following caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s decision to step down earlier this week, according to caretaker Finance Minister Thanong Bidaya.
Speaking after an informal meeting with other ASEAN finance ministers in Cambodia last Thursday, Dr. Thanong said that the Thai premier’s decision not to accept the post had brought about a clear political direction in the eyes of foreign investors and neighboring countries.
He said that initially, Thai political uncertainty was not a cause for apprehension. However, when it dragged on for three months, foreign investors began to express their concerns, he noted. Once the premier decided to step aside, their confidence was restored.
Dr. Thanong believes the Thai economy will continue to grow no less than 5 percent, even though the country will have an interim government designated to implement constitutional amendments for the next year.
He said the economic growth projection of 5 percent is considered conservative given the improved exports, tourism and investment sentiment, as well as declined trade deficits.
Although surging oil prices have continued to become a pressing factor, the World Bank has estimated that the Thai gross domestic product (GDP) will expand around 5.3 percent.
Dr. Thanong added that Thailand’s post-election government needs to clarify to foreign investors its mission on the constitutional amendments because it could have an impact on the Thai economy in following years.
Additionally, the government would need to focus on going ahead with the implementation of mega-projects, particularly in the development of water resources and logistics systems because it could boost competitiveness of entrepreneurs and farmers, said the Thai finance minister. (TNA)


Export growth set to meet 2006 target

Thai export growth in 2006 will reach the targeted 15-17.5 percent, despite the current strength of the baht, according to a senior commerce ministry official.
Chantra Purnariksha, director general of Export Promotion Department, said the baht now stood at slightly more than 38 to the dollar, in line with several major currencies, causing widespread concern that the strength of the local currency would have an impact on this year’s export figure.
According to Chantra, the baht was unlikely to remain strong for long, and would not affect exports, which were expected to grow in value to more than US$130 billion this year as orders continued to roll in.
It was expected that March exports would increase by more than 10 percent, worth up to US$8 billion from a year ago, and it is possible that exports for the calendar year of 2006 should grow impressively, she said.
Furniture exports rose significantly after a recent major furniture fair, while more than 100 Japanese importers had placed orders for Thai frozen fruits, food and household goods, she said.
The Export Promotion Department is now negotiating with major foreign-owned department stores in China in an attempt to display Thai goods at their stores.
In a bid to assess the overall export picture, adjust market strategy and explore new markets, the department was scheduled to hold a meeting of Thai trade representatives from 57 offices throughout the world on April 19. (TNA)


Thai baht appreciates to strongest level in 7 years

The Thai baht last week appreciated to 38.03 to the US dollar, the strongest in seven years, before weakening slightly to stay around 38.07-38.08 to the dollar at last Monday morning’s session.
A money dealer at Bank of Ayudhya said that the Thai currency strengthened in the same direction with other currencies in the region since there was a shift of investment into the stock markets and an expectation that interest rates of the countries in the region would increase further.
The dealer projected that the baht would continue to appreciate to 38 to the dollar in the near future and perhaps to 37 to the dollar by the end of this year.
Finance Ministry Spokesman Somchai Sajjapongse said the continued strengthening of the baht to 38 to the dollar stemmed from an inflow of foreign funds to acquire shares in a steel company listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). However, he believes the appreciation of the local currency would proceed only in the short run. The Bank of Thailand (BOT) is closely monitoring the baht movement.
Should the Thai currency continue to strengthen due to an improvement in the economic fundamental, he said, the ministry would consider how the appreciation would impact the country’s exports.
Still, he believes that exports have not yet been adversely affected since purchase orders are normally placed approximately 2-3 months in advance. (TNA)


More foreign investment expected to flow into Thailand’s energy sector

Thailand’s energy sector is expected to attract more foreign investment projects in the future, thanks to high growth potential of local energy firms, according to PTT Public Company Limited (PTT).
PTT President Prasert Bunsumpun revealed that PTT, the country’s petroleum giant, is now listed among the world’s top 500 largest public companies.
According to a recently published annual ranking of Forbes, a US-based globally known magazine, PTT was ranked the 372nd among the world’s top 500 largest public companies limited in 2006, said Prasert.
“PTT is the only Thai firm listed on the board of the world’s top 500 largest public companies for the second consecutive year, ranked 372nd position this year, up from the 425th place last year,” he noted.
According to the Forbes’ annual ranking, Thai Oil Public Company Limited, a PTT affiliate, was also among the world’s top 2,000 best companies this year - positioned at the 1,330th, up from its 1,595th place last year, Prasert said.
The better positions of both PTT and Thai Oil on the Forbes’ lists reflect high growth potential of Thai energy firms, which will boost foreign investors’ confidence in the Thai energy sector, according to the PTT chief.
“This is expected to lead to more foreign investment projects flowing into the country’s energy sector in the future,” Prasert projected. (TNA)


More stock investors turn to deposit money with banks

Liquidity in the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has declined with more investors turning to deposit their money with commercial banks to take advantage of surging interest rates, according to a veteran securities broker.
Sukit Udomsirikul, executive vice president of SCIB Securities Co, revealed last Thursday that a sharp increase in deposit rates offered by commercial banks (as high as 5-6 percent) has encouraged some investors to shift funds and make deposits with banks.
At the same time, some others have turned to invest in fixed-income funds. This has caused the liquidity in SET to decline because investors don’t believe that investing in the stock market can provide them with the same attractive returns.
He said a rally in the SET index will rely on an inflow of foreign funds. Foreign investors have paid close attention to investing on the Thai stock market since prices of most stocks remain low. However, they dare not make full investments on the bourse due to concerns regarding the country’s political uncertainties, he said.
Sukit said that investors want to monitor the country’s political development on a day-to-day basis. Most people in the securities business want to see the political uncertainty end quickly because it has negatively affected the investment and profitability of listed companies, he added. (TNA)


Mega projects adjourned until new Thai government is formed

Decisions and actions concerning mega development projects will be postponed until the Thai government is formed, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said last Monday.

“The new Thai government will take care of the mega projects”
When asked for his comment on Thailand’s planned investment on the mega projects worth around Bt1.7 trillion, Thaksin said he had stepped down from office; so the new Thai government would take care of the projects.
Thaksin’s administration earlier planned to kick off the projects, beginning from the electronic bidding process or e-option, on April 28.
The caretaker prime minister brushed aside speculations that he had discussed with ambassadors of several countries over the past week on issues concerning the mega projects, noting that he informed the foreign top envoys in the kingdom of his planned trips to their respective countries in coming weeks.
Among foreign ambassadors meeting with Thaksin over the past week were the US, Chinese, Russian and Japanese top envoys.
The caretaker premier said, however, that the foreign ambassadors express their appreciation to Thailand’s democratic development with peaceful freedom of expression despite the recent political turmoil.
Thaksin refused to give any further comments concerning state administrations, saying that he had assigned caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Pol. Gen. Chidchai Vanasatidya to serve the public on his behalf, and in the event that there are any guests visiting Thailand, the caretaker deputy premier and caretaker Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon would welcome them. (TNA)


Thailand’s interest rates on upward trend

The Bank of Thailand (BOT)’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is likely to further raise the 14-day repurchase rate (repo) by 25 basis points, which will press local commercial banks to increase their interest rates accordingly, according to a top banker.
Arun Chirachaval, president of Siam City Bank, said liquidity in the Thai banking system had declined, but commercial banks still have no difficulties because the loan-to-deposit ratio remains as low as 75 percent.
Meanwhile, the Kasikorn Research Center (KRC) said financial institutions had come up with new deposit promotions with an offer of high interest rates, even though liquidity in the banking system remains rather high.
The leading think tank believes that the banks are able to offer more competitive deposit rates because they earn handsome interest-based revenue from liquidity assets such as investment in the short-term money market, stock investment and investment overseas.
Given these factors, KRC projected that the repo would further edge up another 0.25-0.50 baht by the middle of this year. (TNA)


SET board chairman believes private firms won’t delay expansion for long

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) board Chairman Vijit Supinit recently voiced confidence that private-sector companies would not shelve its plan to expand investment since combined production capacities have nearly been fully utilized.
He said he believes the recent political crisis would not make private companies postpone their investment plans for long. More importantly, production capacities now stand at an average of 72 percent and need to expand.
Certain companies might opt to see when mega-projects and other state projects get off the ground.
He added that stock investment had not been adversely affected by the political woes and the trading value remained active.
Vijit also denied rumors regarding the resignation of SET’s President Kittirat Na Ranong as totally groundless, saying that Kittirat had not yet tendered any written resignation to the SET’s board. He added that Kittirat has performed well for SET in the past. (TNA)