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HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

Pattaya promoted in Hanoi

PEACH to host Money Expo Pattaya 2009

Economy set to shrink this year, says BoT

First GTCC round table in 2009


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.