Prote Setsuwan (left), vice president of
marketing, Ping Na Thalang (2nd left), vice president for information
systems, Christophe Clarence (4th left), senior vice president of
maintenance & engineering and Capt. Saravoot Thonglek (right), assistant
vice president flight operations.
Prote Setsuwan, vice president of marketing, Ping Na
Thalang, vice president for information systems and Capt. Saravoot Thonglek,
assistant vice president flight operations welcomed the latest Airbus 319
named “Bangkok” at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
This is Bangkok Airways’ has 18th aircraft. This aircraft
has 138 economy class seats and will serve both domestic and international
routes such as Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Bengarulu (India), and Dhaka
(Bangladesh).
Presently, Bangkok Airways’ fleet consists of eight ATR
72s, three Airbus 320s, and seven Airbus 319s. For more information, please
contact [email protected]
The Barter Card team, with
leader Raevadee Wattanurak (2nd left) addresses potential new subscribers at
their press conference Dec. 8.
Manoon Makpol
In an effort to jump start its Pattaya operation, Barter
Card (Thailand) hosted a welcoming party and marketing promotion to lure in
new members.
The Dec. 8 party at Valentine’s restaurant on Soi 13 was
hosted by Barter Card (Thailand) managing director, Raevadee Wattanurak,
Pattaya branch manager, Ginna Bradbury, and local brand manager, Niran
Kossaeng.
Executives said the Thai program has, in the past, seen
growth of 10 percent per year and up to 8 million baht in sales per month.
Members, they said, exchange about 42,000 baht each. The Pattaya branch,
despite several rounds of management turnover, still is recording 900
transactions a month.
The company has a goal of reaching 90 million in goods to
be exchanged in the next year, although executives conceded more marketing
work needs to be done to teach customers the Barter Card system.
Raevadee acknowledged that Barter Card’s business has
been affected in Thailand by a number of factors, including political
strife, natural disasters and the economy. Small and mid-size companies have
been particularly hurt and Barter Card, she said, is interested in obtaining
new members in the tourism industry.
She said cash-strapped companies are ideal candidates for
Barter Card as they can obtain items they need to operate without using
cash. Barter Card, however, requires paid memberships and business owners
who feel they cannot find customers on their own tend to rely on Barter Card
agents to supply them enough customers so they can fund their barter
spending.
Niran said the Pattaya branch has about 220 companies
under its care, including real estate and construction businesses,
restaurants and tourism ventures who have seen demand from customers in
Barter Card’s home country, Australia.
Lifetime memberships can be purchased for 18,000-50,000
baht. The company then fronts members up to double that in credit. However,
if the customer cannot find enough business to pay off that credit, the
member is held financially liable for any credit over the initial enrollment
payment.
In addition, Barter Card keeps 5.5 percent of all
transactions and collects monthly maintenance fees, whether its services are
used or not.
Founded in Australia in 1991, Barter Card operates six
branches in Thailand, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.
