BUSINESS 
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AustCham announces Thailand Business Awards 2008

New faces at Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya

Political crisis wiped Bt1.5 trillion off Thai stock market cap


AustCham announces Thailand Business Awards 2008

HE Paul Grigson (6th from right), Australian Ambassador to Thailand, and Shane Torr (5th from right), President of AustCham Thailand are seen with awarded recipients at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.

AustCham Thailand recently announced award recipients for the “14th AustCham Thailand Business Awards 2008” organised at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel. The AustCham Thailand Business Awards 2008 were granted either to Australian, Thai and other foreign companies that have made outstanding contributions to Australia-Thailand business endeavours in seven different categories.
The awards for this year were as follows: Bangkok Hospital Medical Center for Business of the Year; Superior A.R.T (Oogonia) for Best SME; Kingsgate Consolidated for Best Employer; BLCP Power Ltd for Environmental Excellence; Woods Bagot (Thailand) Co Ltd for Best Services Company; Westwools Carpets (Thailand) Co Ltd for Best Exporter, and Bosch Chassis Systems (Thailand) Ltd for Best Manufacturer.
In addition to the main business awards, Dr Num Tanthuwanit, a doctor from Royal Thai Air Force was the recipient of the inaugural AustCham Young Alumni Award for making a significant contribution to relationships between Thailand and Australia and Barry Peterson received the President’s Award for his services to the chamber and the business community. The Bangkok Hospital Medical Center was given the Popular Vote from both Thais and expatriates attending the AustCham Thailand Business Awards.
 


New faces at Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya

George Henri Hazard, the new General Manager for Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya.

Wanpen Chanthariya has been appointed as the new Director of Marketing  & Communications at the Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya.

HPL Hotels & Resorts recently announced George Henri Hazard as the new General Manager for Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya, his appointment commencing from July 2, 2008.
Hazard, an Australian citizen, has over 30 years of extensive hospitality management experience through his roles as a company director for a variety of entertainment and restaurant businesses. Most recently he served as General Manager for the Holiday Resort Lombok, Indonesia and was a founding member of the Rotary Club, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia.
Also new to the Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya is Wanpen Chanthariya who, from August 18, 2008, has been appointed the hotel’s new Director of Marketing & Communications.
Prior to assuming her position at Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya, Wanpen was senior Marketing Communications manager for Hilton Worldwide Resorts in Thailand, comprising Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa and Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa.
Wanpen has a total of 15 years experience in marketing and public relations working with The Oriental Bangkok, Central Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Resorts.


Political crisis wiped Bt1.5 trillion off Thai stock market cap

Political tensions simmering from the start of this year until September 4 have wiped out nearly Bt1.5 trillion off Thai stock market trade, according to figures from the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).
Over the past nine months of rough political tides, foreign investors dumped shares worth Bt107 billion, resulting in a Bt1.46 trillion loss of market capitalisation, which now stands at Bt5.2 trillion compared to Bt6.6 trillion at the end of last year.
CitiCorp Securities analyst Thongmongkut Thongyai said most foreign investors are nervous that the political crisis in Thailand will drag on, and as a result have withheld placing purchase orders.
The latest developments with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej digging in his heels to stay in power means continued anxiety on the part of foreign investors, who are fleeing to other emerging markets such as Indonesia, he said.
However, if the crisis is resolved, he is confident that the stock market will recover, though it is also possible that when the market hits a low of 620 points, foreign investors might be lured to buy in cheap.
Meanwhile, analyst Wiwat Techapoonpol at Tisco Securities believes that foreign investors will continue to dump shares in Thailand as they move money to the US where there’s demand for credit to ease the bad mortgage loan crisis.
Bualuang Securities managing director Worawan Tharapoom said most brokers are recommending value investors to collect cheap stocks and hang on to them for the long-term at least until the crisis is over. (TNA)