Pattaya promoted in Hanoi
Thani Samartkit, deputy governor of Chonburi,
and a promotional team travel to Vietnam to boost tourism.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
High-ranking officials from Chonburi and Pattaya flew to Vietnam to
promote Pattaya as a tourist destination at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2009 in
Hanoi on January 11.
Chonburi Administration, Pattaya City and the Tourism Authority of Thailand
organized the “Amazing Pattaya, Chonburi Night” promotion at the Van Mieu
Ballroom of Hanoi Horizon Hotel where the tourism forum was held.
Thani Samartkit, deputy governor of Chonburi, Wittaya Khunplome, head of the
Chonburi Administration Organization and Itthipol Khunplome, Mayor of
Pattaya, gave speeches at the forum.
More than 400 interested people, buyers and media agencies from the global
tourism industry attended the meeting.
PEACH to host Money Expo Pattaya 2009
Organizers gather to promote Money
Expo Pattaya 2009.
The Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall (PEACH) at the
Royal Cliff Beach Resort will host the Money Expo Pattaya 2009 from February 6
to 8, 2009.
The event’s full title is “Money Expo Pattaya 2009: Easy loan with low interest,
Deposit with high interest, Invest with high return.” It is being organized by
Money & Banking Magazine. It will involve 16 organizations from the private and
public sectors, where banks and other financial institutions will be offering a
variety of promotions.
Among this year’s highlights are a range of financial and investment-related
products, SME products. The commercial banks and other financial institutions
that will be participating in this event are Bangkok Bank, Thai Farmer Bank,
Siam Commercial Bank, Bank of Ayudhaya, Thai Military Bank, Siam City Bank, Bank
Thai, Government Savings Bank, Government Housing Bank, Ayudhaya Auto Lease Co.
Ltd., AEON Thana Sinsap Co. Ltd. and Muang Thai Life Assurance, plus another 4
government organizations: the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), the Revenue
Department, Office of Insurance Commission and Sinsulp Bangkok Commercial Co.
Ltd.
Other highlights include entertaining games and activities, prizes and
giveaways, and mini-concerts from well-known artists.
Santi Viriyarungsarit, editor-in-chief of Money & Banking Magazine, who is the
chairman hosting the expo said, “As Pattaya becomes the 2nd largest financial
centre of Thailand, Money Expo Pattaya 2009 will afford all resident and
business sections in Pattaya and nearby provinces, such as Chonburi, Rayong,
Chachoengsao, and Chantaburi, where the population is over 3.1 million, an
opportunity to directly choose financial and investment institutions’ services.”
In 2008, about 620,000 visitors attended the expo, with record transactions
totaling about 64 billion baht.
Economy set to shrink this year, says BoT
The Thai economy is likely to contract this year if the
global economy is in deeper recession than expected, according to the Bank of
Thailand.
BoT assistant governor, Duangmanee Wongprateep, revealed on Friday the central
bank had decreased its economic growth estimate for 2009 to 0-2 percent from the
3.8-5 percent forecast in October 2008.
However, the Thai economy is projected to begin recovering in tandem with the
global economy next year with a gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 2-4
percent.
She said the bank factored in economic stimulus packages and five relief
measures for six months issued by the government.
Ms Duangmanee said the Thai economy slowed down considerably in response to
concerns that the world economy might be in a longer-lasting recession and
recover more slowly than originally expected.
Should the global economy and economies of trade partners shrink by 1 percent
and the United States economy contract by 3.1 percent, she conceded, Thailand’s
exports would experience negative growth of 5.5-8.5 percent.
At the same time, the recent closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport by anti-government
demonstrators had shaken confidence among tourists and investors, which might
lead to slower expansion of private consumption to increase by only 1.5-2.5
percent and cause private investment to decrease by 2 percent.
She said global oil prices continued to decline, which resulted in reduced local
product prices, causing inflation rates to edge down to 0.5 percent from the 3.4
percent expected earlier.
Ms. Duangmanee brushed aside mounting concerns over imminent deflation, saying
although general inflation rates in some months would be negative, they did not
stem from lower prices of products and services, demonstrating that the public
still has purchasing power. (TNA)
First GTCC round table in 2009
Peter Nordhues
The first ‘Stammtisch,’ round table for the German-Thai Chamber of
Commerce (GTCC) in 2009 took place January 9 at its traditional location,
the Moon River Pub at North Pattaya Road.
GTCC
executive director Stefan Bürkle welcomes members and guests.
Stefan Bürkle, the chamber’s executive director, welcomed some 50 members
and guests, mainly from Pattaya, Rayong and Bangkok.
Bürkle opened the commonly fancied networking night with a summary of last
year’s events and a brief perspective for 2009. “2008 was a turbulent and
eventful year in regards to politics and the economy. We all remember the
incidents. The political outlook is still uncertain. No one knows whether
the new government can survive. The prognoses are drifting far apart,” he
said.
“The global meltdown has been affecting Thailand as well. Although it looks
as if the Thai economy has a sturdy base. Entrepreneurs learnt from the 1997
financial crisis and have emerged from it ever stronger.”
Bürkle further noted that 2008 was a successful year for the GTCC. The
chamber boosted its membership significantly, which underlines both nations’
interest in bilateral collaboration.
The chamber’s presence in the Eastern Seaboard region has also increased
over the past year. There were a total of 10 functions, all of which were
well received. Plans are afoot to increase the number of local appearances
in order to integrate more entrepreneurs from the Eastern Seaboard into the
chamber’s network.
The next meeting, Bürkle said, is set to take place March 6. Scheduled is a
visit to several enterprises along the east coast, a seminar and, of course,
the round table meeting at Moon River Pub. Special guest that day will be
Dr. Hanns Schumacher, German Ambassador to Thailand.
As it was not his intention to keep all people from networking, Bürkle soon
concluded his summary with the much anticipated sentence, “The buffet is
opened!” And, to no one’s surprise, what an opulent and delicious one it
was.
A busy networking night evolved, fulfilling the attendees’ expectations.
Later that night, the Power Jam Band gave their eagerly awaited performance,
playing a variety of hits ranging from oldies to current chart toppers.
The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce is located on the 25th Floor, Empire
Tower 3, 195 South Sathorn Road, Yannawa, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120. Tel: +66
(0) 2-670-0600, fax: +66 (0) 2-670-0601, e-mail:
[email protected]
Members gather for the year’s first round table
meeting of the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce at Moon River Pub.
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