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Tag: bangkok

  • Kid-Mai Cafe Wants Visitors to See Death Closer

    Kid-Mai Cafe Wants Visitors to See Death Closer

    Dying for a new cafe experience? Bangkok’s new Kid-Mai Death Cafe aims to please, boldly featuring death.

    Parts of a replica funeral ceremony are on display, including a coffin, wreaths and skeletons. According to the cafe workers – no, not a skeleton staff – the idea is to have patrons appreciate and contemplate their everyday lives, as they may not have the luxury of waking up the next day.

    Customers can experience a fleeting death by lying down in the decorated coffin with its lid closed for three minutes, for which they will earn a 20-baht (US 64-cent) discount off their bill.

    On the menu are drinks with such labels as Born, Elder, Painful and Death, not to mention One Year Left, One Week Left and Last Day.

    The cafe was described by Japanese blog ora24 was “morbidally brilliant”.

    This experience of a lifetime is offered by the cafe in the Bangkok suburb of Phayathai.

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  • Fendi to open Kiosk Travels in Siam Paragon

    Fendi to open Kiosk Travels in Siam Paragon

    FENDI opens a brand new store as pop-up store in Siam Paragon, right in the heart of the main shopping area in Thailand. The pop-up store concept, the FENDI KIOSK, is a luxurious reinterpretation of the Roman style vintage newsstands that you will find in a typical Piazza in the heart of Rome. There are two FENDI Kiosks at Siam Paragon, one dedicated to the Spring/Summer2018 Women’s show collection, and the other one is dedicated to the Spring/Summer 2018 Men’s show collection. Both FENDI Kiosks feature ready-to-wear, leathergoods, small leather goods, accessories and shoes.

    To celebrate the launch of the pop-up store, FENDI has thrown a roman inspired cocktail party on the 16th of March 2018. Special guests including Mai Davika, Note Panayangkool, Violette Wautier, Sonya Singha, Nattarat Nopparuttayaporn, Chontida Asavahame, Pasakorn Vanasirikul and Sorawis Saengvanich have joined in the celebration of the pop-up store.

    The two FENDI Kiosk travelling pop-up stores in the Atrium of Siam Paragon will feature the Women’s and Men’s Spring Summer 2018 Collection.

    The Women’s SS18 Collection focuses on the Tropical Futurism Theme, with the iconic FF Logos which can be seen throughout the collection, from Leather Goods, Small Leather Goods, Shoes and Accessories. The adorable Space Monkeys and Banana charms make an appearance at the Kiosk as well.

    The Men’s SS18 collection feature Everyday FENDI Items. These pieces feature illustrations done by British artist, Sue Tilley. From a glossy red corkscrew to an antique set of keys, leaky bathroom taps, a plastic rotary telephone, desk lamp, banana peel, Tilley’s focus zooms in on the banality of everyday life – not glorifying but simply reflecting on these universal domestic motifs with a vibrant, spontaneous hand.

    The FENDI Kiosk will be open until June 2018.

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  • Beiersdorf celebrates expansion of its Bangkok production facility with First Stone ceremony

    Beiersdorf celebrates expansion of its Bangkok production facility with First Stone ceremony

    Beiersdorf, owner of world leading brands such as NIVEA and Eucerin, has begun work on the expansion of its skincare products factory in Bangkok. The group’s industrial unit, located in Bangplee will be an investment of €47.4 million for the company.

    Its offices and production center together employ more than 700 staff and manufacture products for two of its brands, NIVEA and Eucerin, for the Thai market and export to 43 other countries. This expansion is reflective of the continued growth this cosmetics giant has enjoyed within the region.

    Mr. Markus Daburger, Beiersdorf Thailand says: “The Pailin Project is Beiersdorf’s commitment towards doubling production performance in order to support the demand of the region. As a representative of Beiersdorf Thailand, we appreciate the on-going support of the Government and local agencies in our expansion project, which not only sees the production line expand, but also our Beiersdorf family, as up to 200 jobs new will be created in the next years. We are proud to say that the Pailin Project in Thailand is now the second biggest hub of the company after Germany.”

    A key target of the project is to improve the working environment for all employees, with cutting-edge innovation, structured offices, optimized work ergonomics and CE-standard machines as well as a refurbishment of the existing production building. The compounding area will be renewed with four mixers replaced while the factory entrance, canteen, offices and recreation area will all be refurbished, too.

    Efficiency is also a key consideration. Line performance will be improved to see production peak at 240 bottles per minute on a single line. The expansion will include a solar-paneled roof with the capability to produce 500kW of power, and is on target to achieve a gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) certification. The U.S Green Building Council’s prestigious certification serves as a project management tool to achieve more sustainable, high-performance green buildings.

    The expansion, due to house new production lines for Deo Roll-Ons, has a building footprint dimension of 72m x 97m and a construction area of 9,679m2. This vast project is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2019 and will begin production of Roll-Ons in the following quarter. The existing building will be refurbished to accommodate Lip Care production which will begin in the middle of 2020.

     

     

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  • LANCÔME Spreads Festive Joy At King Power Rangnam

    LANCÔME Spreads Festive Joy At King Power Rangnam

    Lancôme has unveiled its first travel retail pop-up in Asia Pacific, complete with an AR feature.

    The activation at the newly-refurbished King Power Rangnam is to mark the Year of the Dog for the luxury beauty brand. The scheme invovles a red facade, pup-up store, light shows and live performances.

    Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific has looked to create a “multi-sensory festive treat” with the campaign. It begins as shoppers approach the store with red lights illuminating the front façade, inside giant TV screens and a fountain symphony of lights and water choreography greet travellers. At the heart of the mall is the Lancôme pop-up which features a lantern-inspired design and digital offerings which draw in shoppers to explore. Inside, an augmented reality photobooth creates images of users with a virtual puppy, while there is also a touch-screen digital game.The bright red colour is both eye-catching and draws in the Chinese New Year theme.

    Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific general manager Tao Zhang said: “Having been inspired by Lancôme’s Chinese New Year campaign design, we specially conceptualised and brought to life this exclusive Chinese New Year pop-up with King Power. Every touchpoint from the digital LED wall to the pop-up was specially created to excite consumers so we hope that this will deliver a memorable brand experience for our travellers. We look forward to sharing moments and memories of happiness with more women during this festive season.”

    Shoppers will also get their hands on limited edition Chinese New Year offers and travel exclusives at the shop. The event launched on 13 February and will end on 31 March in the atrium of the King Power Rangnam Downtown Duty Free Store.

     

  • AirAsia to fly to Hua Hin, Thailand from May 18

    AirAsia to fly to Hua Hin, Thailand from May 18

    AirAsia, is set to fly to Hua Hin, Thailand, with four times weekly direct flights from here, starting May 18. In a statement today, AirAsia said the route, operated on flight code AK, marked the airline’s seventh route into Thailand while providing the widest network in ASEAN and connecting the road less travelled in the region to the world.

    Head of Commercial, Spencer Lee, said the airline carried about 1.3 million of guests from Kuala Lumpur to Thailand and is positive that Hua Hin would be the new preferred holiday destination, while further contributing to tourism growth for both cities.

    “AirAsia currently operates 165 weekly flights one way to Thailand, including Bangkok (80 times weekly), Phuket (35 times weekly), Krabi (21 times weekly), Hat Yai (7 times weekly), Chiang Mai (14 times weekly), and Pattaya (4 times weekly) and now Hua Hin,” he said.

    To celebrate the launch of this new route, AirAsia is offering promotional all-in-fares from RM79 for one way from now to March 4, 2018, for the travel period between May 18, 2018, and Oct 26, 2018.

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  • Siam Piwat lighted up Lunar New Year with performances

    Siam Piwat lighted up Lunar New Year with performances

    Siam Piwat Co., Ltd., owner and operator of Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, unites the three shopping centers under the banner of “One Siam” to host “Siam Delightful Chinese New Year” with a generous budget of 50 million Baht. On the theme of “Lantern Festival”, the event has illuminated with 999 dazzling sculpted lanterns that symbolize prosperity to welcome the Chinese New Year. The grand spectacles from China and fortune-enhancing activities are in the line-up to promote Chinese art and culture and further strengthen Sino-Thai relations. Also featured on the occasion are special offers, co-sponsored by Kbank Credit Card, for Thai and Chinese visitors during the Chinese New Year. The festivities are slated to run from today to 18 February 2018 at Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery.

    Mayuree Chaipromprasith, Senior Executive Vice President – Marketing of Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. reveals “To promote the tourism sector during the Chinese New Year which is a festival of joy for both Thais of Chinese descent and Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, the three shopping centers at Siam area, consisting of Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, unites under the banner of “One Siam” to hold “Siam Delightful Chinese New Year”. Each venue promises a motley range of lively activities, highlighting the image of One Siam as a popular destination for holidaymakers from all over the world. This year, we bring to you a special treat of “Digital Angpao (Red Envelope)” so that you can give your blessings away via such platforms as Facebook and our website. A variety of prizes including gift cards and discounts are also up for grabs. Another way to join in the fun is by downloading our AR application called Flash Venture to find and catch all of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals scattered throughout the three shopping centers.

    On the opening day 15 February 2018, Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Siri Vadhana Phannavadi personally graciously visited the festivity and watched the show welcoming by Pasinee Limatibul, Board of Director of Siam Piwat Co.,Ltd and executives of the company. The event was also joined by celebrities such as Kleddao Panichsamai, Sopitnapa Chumpanee, MR Chanladda Yukol, Prakarn Raiva, Wantita Liewchalermwong, Lina Leenutaphong, Pimpisa Chamanan, and Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying. Moreover, there were a phenomenal line-up of spectacles such as Chinese New Year Drum, a drum show fronted by starlet Nicha Nattanicha, interspersed with a graceful dance performed by native Chinese dancers and a Chinese lion dance featuring Mario Maurer, the biggest Thai heartthrob for Chinese fans. We are committed to bringing you joy and happiness over the Chinese New Year and this is our New Year gift for you.

    From today until 18 February 2018, at Parc Paragon of Siam Paragon, you will be impressed with 999 colored sculpted lanterns symbolizing prosperity and wealth. The installations in the shape of 12 Chinese zodiac animals measuring 2.5m in height dot the open space dwarfed by the 5-meter-tall dog-shaped centrepiece marking the Year of the Dog. Meanwhile, the Chinese Cultural Center of Thailand has joined hands to bring in a host of unforgettable productions involving an exuberant blending of China’s unique ethnic culture with Han Chinese influences. The shows, delivered by over 100 members of performance crews from the city of Hangzhou, in Zhejiang Province, China, include a graceful style of various dances, the jaw-dropping Kongzu acrobatics, and displays of ancient Chinese magic. The festival will also present a showcase for music played with Suona, a Chinese traditional musical instrument.

    Explore Chinese culture and dive into a whole heap of immersive experiences by sitting back and relaxing in our reproduction teahouse or ornamenting yourself with ancient Chinese outfits topped with Chinese makeup looks brought to you by professional makeup artists. Feel free to take as many pictures as you like to remind you of your fond memories with us. The M Floor of Siam Paragon is adorned throughout with good luck symbols such as red dogs, plum blossoms, and bamboo twigs in the hope that every customer is blessed with wealth, health, and happiness all year round. Don’t miss the giant lantern that stands bright in the Hall of Fame section on the M Floor. Revel in music rendered with Guzheng, Erhu and Xiao. Keep your peepers peeled for demonstrations of rope braiding, courtesy of Huachiew Chalermprakiat University. Admire the lit-up plum blossom-decorated arches spotting the entire area of Parc Paragon.

    As for the cutting-edge Siam Center, it is home to a massive selection of high-end fashion brands and creative artworks. No doubt it is tasked with mounting an exhibition of sculptures, designed by up-and-coming collage artist Nakrob Moonmanas, on the theme of All We Need is Love. All kinds of love, be it familial or romantic, are beautiful and make the world a better place. In celebration of the power of equal love, we are proud to present a collection of lantern-mounted photographs. The pictures interconnected with Chinese-inspired chinoiserie patterns feature couples of various nationalities from all walks of life dressed in red, the symbolic color of good fortune.

    Come experience the wonderful “Siam Delightful Chinese New Year” festival where many vibrant activities are in action. Special offers are up for grabs from today to 11 March 2018. In the meantime, from today until 18 February 2018, keep your eye out for a Chinese lion parade giving out red envelopes loaded with 9 million Baht’s worth of discount coupons and gift cards, courtesy of over 500 popular shops in the three shopping centers.

  • 8 best citie to live on this side of the world

    8 best citie to live on this side of the world

    Time Out’s City Life Index, a survey of 15,000 people in 32 global cities, has been released, and it shows which ones promise the most fun and excitement in 2018. Eight of them are on this side of the world.

    The survey, conducted by Tapestry Research, questioned residents on a variety of aspects of city life.

    It ranked cities in categories across food, drink, culture, friendliness, affordability, happiness, and liveability.

    It also “found the key factors that make residents find their city exciting,” from dining out often to feeling proud of where they are from.

    Here, their ranking in ascending order along with their overall scores:

    31. Singapore (98.7) — Those from Singapore may not rate its culture scene highly, but they do value the city’s safety and are perfectly comfortable walking around at night.

    28. Sydney (106.1) — While they may think the city is lacking in things to do and good restaurants, Sydney residents live a healthy life, with 66% having exercised in the past week and 38% never having taken drugs. They know how to party, though, and are the world’s No. 1 vodka drinkers.

    26. Hong Kong (109.6) — Seventy-five percent of residents said the public transport in Hong Kong was great, contributing to the city’s overall score. They’re also among the biggest restaurant-goers in the world.

    24. Bangkok (111.0) — The survey revealed Bangkok as the world’s street-food capital, with more people eating on their feet than anywhere else — 42 times a year, on average. They’re also the biggest restaurant-goers, with 94% of respondents having visited a restaurant in the past week.

    22. Beijing (113.0) — The city may be exciting, but the commute is long, with 6% of Beijing residents even commuting for two to three hours a day.

    19. Tokyo (117.7) — Tokyo residents love their food — they visit restaurants more than most other cities on the list.

    16. Shanghai (119.5) — It may not come cheap, but there’s plenty to do in Shanghai, where residents say that while it is tough to find love, 79% believe it is easy to find a more casual encounter.

    4. Melbourne (132.3) — This Australian city came out above all others in terms of happiness, with nine in 10 residents saying they felt happy within the past 24 hours. They also find it easy to make friends and think the food-and-drink scene is one of the city’s best features.

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  • Exploring the Chatuchak market easier with newest launched app

    Exploring the Chatuchak market easier with newest launched app

    Bangkok’s Chatuchak weekend market has launched a mobile app as a guide to its 8000 shops and restaurants.

    The Chatuchak Guide also offers special offers, promotions and discounts.

    Developed by Digital Ventures, a subsidiary of Siam Commercial Bank, in collaboration with State Railway of Thailand, the app aims to provide the market’s retailers with an online presence to attract both local and international shoppers.

    App users can search for shops by name or type, while a “live” map helps prevent users becoming lost in the market as well as find the shop they want to visit. They can also set up a shopping map by placing pins on shops they want to visit, or they can explore using the app’s recommendations.

    Other features include The Spirit of Chatuchak, a video featuring each shop in the historic market, plus information on where to find toilets, meeting points, ATMs and other services. There is also the Flash Sale & Promotion section with special offers and discounts.

    The app can be downloaded for use on both Android and iOS, and is available in English, Chinese and Thai.

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  • Siam Commercial Bank and Prudential Thailand announce unit-linked bancassurance partnership

    Siam Commercial Bank and Prudential Thailand announce unit-linked bancassurance partnership

    10 January 2018- Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited (“SCB”), a leading bank in Thailand, and Prudential Life Assurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited (“Prudential Thailand”), a subsidiary of UK-based Prudential plc, have agreed to establish a bancassurance partnership to jointly develop and provide insurance solutions for SCB’s wealth segment customers.

    Both companies have a long history of providing Thai people with innovative financial products that meet their evolving needs. The partnership, which will be effective from 1 February 2018, will provide SCB’s customers with access to Prudential Thailand’s world class range of unit-linked products through the bank’s licensed financial advisers.

    SCB and Prudential Thailand will initially offer three-unit linked products with both Regular and Single Premium options1, to serve the protection, savings and investment needs of the Bank’s wealth segment customers.

    Ms. Salisa Hanpanich, Executive Vice President of First Division and Segment Management Division for Siam Commercial Bank, said “The alliance with Prudential Thailand supports our strategy to provide our customers with best-in-class unit-linked life insurance products, which are perfectly fit to serve the financial and investment needs of customers in the fast-growing wealth segment, as customers in this segment are looking for investment products that provide them with an opportunity to get higher returns than deposit ones, and at the same time get protection for the peace of mind of their families. We expect that, through Prudential’s unit-linked products combined with strong team of sales, training and customer service support, we can achieve our ambition.” Aman Chowla, Chief Executive officer of Prudential Thailand, said, “We are proud to partner with Siam Commercial Bank, the longest established bank and one of the most successful banks in Thailand. Bancassurance is an integral part of our multi-distribution strategy to reach and serve Thai customers. This partnership with SCB enables us to leverage our expertise in unit-linked products to provide innovative and need-based solutions to SCB’s wealth segment customers. Thailand is one of the largest insurance markets in South East Asia with low insurance penetration, a growing and increasingly prosperous population with significant insurance and savings needs. This partnership will give us further opportunity to reduce the insurance gap in what is an important market for Prudential in Asia.”

     

     

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  • Centara appoints new Business Development VP to support expansion

    Centara appoints new Business Development VP to support expansion

    Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, announced the appointment of Allen Thomas as Vice President Business Development, effective January 1st. Thomas has 28 years of experience developing hotel and resort businesses, a career that includes positions with HPL and Como Hotels and most recently Resorts Holdings International. His appointment marks another significant Centara move in their five year plan to double the company’s size and become a major regional hospitality brand.

    Mr. Thomas will report to Centara’s Deputy CEO Markland Blaiklock. He will be responsible for executing the company’s plan to grow from 58 to 134 hotels over the next five years. Mr. Blaiklock himself was brought on board in October to lead the expansion strategy. In the weeks since then, Centara has already launched its new affordable lifestyle hotel brand COSI; signed a joint venture to take ownership of Centra by Centara Government Complex Hotel & Convention Centre Cheang Watthana; announced a significant upgrade of its technology infrastructure in partnership with Oracle and IDeaS; and finalised an agreement with Nakheel to develop a family lifestyle resort in Dubai.

    Centara’s CEO, Mr. Thirayuth Chirativat commented, “Allen is a tenured industry expert with an impressive track record of growing the brand footprint of hotel and resort businesses in Asia and beyond. We are confident of meeting our expansion targets with a professional of Allen’s calibre leading our Business Development division”.

    With this latest appointment, Centara’s management team is almost complete following its recent reorganisation. The company is building a diverse and experienced leadership structure to set it up for continued future success.

  • Retailers take omnichannel path in preparation for Thailand 4.0

    Retailers take omnichannel path in preparation for Thailand 4.0

    Supaluck Umpujh, chairwoman of The Mall Group, said that Thailand 4.0 is an economic model to promote and transform Thailand into a digital economy.

    Digital economy refers to the widespread use of digital technologies, which are rapidly transforming business practices and social interactions.

    According to the Thai Board of Industries, the strategic framework for digital economy promotion consists of four areas: digital commerce, digital entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and digital content.

    In pushing forward this forward-looking agenda, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society will promote a new generation of entrepreneurs, as well as commercial and industrial innovations. At the same time, it will assist investors in developing new markets for digital content. Entrepreneurs will be aware of the importance of using ICT in enhancing efficiency and reducing production costs. Implementation of the digital economy plan will need the support and involvement of all stakeholders in achieving its stipulated goals.

    “We realised that retail business played a crucial role in Thailand’s economy, and we are also trendsetters in shopping. The first mission that we seek for our customers is to add some online shopping experience into our stores. But we also offer the experience that customers cannot find through digital channels. Currently, we are working on many digital platforms for instance e-commerce, mobile application, Radio Frequency Identification, Near Field Communication and many more,” she said.

    Nicolo Galante, chief operating officer of Central Group, said the group had integrated omnichannels to improve the customer experience. “We [Central Group] expect to move each of its online business units and will launch major e-commerce initiatives such as major partnerships and joint-ventures,” he said, adding that the e-commerce market will have a significant impact on retailers.

    Galante said the Central Group aimed |to be number one in terms of sales across channels. Central Group has stores, customer data and customer knowledge across many different stores, locations and categories.

    Salinla Seehaphan, corporate affairs director of Tesco Lotus, said the Thailand 4.0 economic model stressed on the importance of adding value to traditional products and services using innovation and digital transformation.

    “In our own business, Tesco Lotus has adopted innovation and digital transformation to improve our product and service offerings, as well as our customers’ shopping experience, for example by allowing customers to be able to trace where their fruits and vegetables come from via QR codes. As our core business revolves around fresh food, we have an opportunity to work directly with farmers across the country and help them to become farmers 4.0 in line with the government’s goal for Thai farmers to transform from being simply growers of food to smart farmers who use effective crop management and a market-led approach to farming,” she said.

    We also focus on equipping them with the knowhow that will help them thrive in Thailand 4.0,” she said.

    Punyapon Tepprasit, chief executive of MVP Consultant and lecturer at Sripatum University’s International Trade Department, said the main idea of the Thailand 4.0 economic model focuses on innovation creativity and sustainability. Thai retailers will change definitely in keeping with consumer behaviour. “I have four suggestions for Thai retailers. First of all, retailers must combine the online and offline channel strategy for creating an omnichannel that can help a business generate brand awareness, market share, and sales growth with big data analysis. Online enjoys competitive advantages as it is the fastest, can be available for 24 hours, has low advertising cost, and can track consumer behaviour. Also, businesses can reduce the cost per acquisition for one customer or groups of target customer,” he said.

    “Second, businesses have to build a talent team to create a new creativity strategy. Their new strategy must attract the attention of customers through newness of products and service innovation, or marketing communication via online and offline channel such as the augmented reality technology with an application on smartphone that can boost the emotional connection by experience and relationship creation with customers or target groups. The winner will be the one who can impress the brand on customers’ minds,” added Punyapon.

    “Third is business transformation. Businesses must reshape their organisations into lean entities to minimise wastage in the working process, as well as total cost and lead time. If companies can adjust agilely, they will have a competitive advantage in the volatile environment, because companies have the ability to address the changes in market demand.

    “The fourth is to become a data driven organisation. Businesses have to undertake market research to know the depth of consumer behaviour. Big data is very important, but the tools and data analysis are more important,” he said.

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  • Nationwide e-payments to push cashless society goal

    Nationwide e-payments to push cashless society goal

    As part of Thailand’s aspiration to become a cashless society, the country will soon adopt a new nationwide e-payment method using the so-called QR Code familiar to social media users.

    The Bank of Thailand has approved plans by five commercial banks to introduce the QR Code e-payment service – Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank, Bangkok Bank, Krungthai Bank and Government Savings Bank.

    The addition of the service is expected to help reduce dependence on cash transactions as more businesses are set to accept the new e-payment method.

    During a recent experiment in using the service at Bangkok’s Chatuchak Sunday market, more than 1,000 small vendors as well as service providers including motorcycle taxis accepted payment from customers using their mobile phones to transfer money via the QR Code.

    The method is convenient and carries no additional transaction costs for either sellers or service providers.

    The QR Code e-payment platform was pioneered by China’s e-commerce and social media giants, Alibaba and Wechat, which operate the Alipay and Wechat Pay apps respectively.

    Its popularity makes it possible to live in China today without having to use cash for most goods and services.

    China is now the world’s leader for QR Code e-payments, which has disrupted more traditional payment services such as debit and credit cards.

    The huge number of Chinese tourists in Thailand, totalling nearly 10 million per year, has also prompted the early adoption of the e-payment method among Thai convenience stores and retail operators.

    Earlier, the Thai government launched the PromptPay e-payment service for domestic use, making free of charge small-value money transfers via bank accounts.

    The PromptPay popularity is expected to further grow when the QR Code system is added to the e-payment platform.

    To facilitate nationwide adoption of the new platform, the central bank has taken steps to endorse a single Thai QR Code standard in accordance with the international system for mobile applications.

    In practice, consumers after downloading an app for the service that matches their bank accounts could turn their smartphones or other compatible devices into electronic purses by scanning a seller’s QR code to pay for purchases at various goods and services outlets.

    The money would then be automatically transferred from the buyer’s bank account into the seller’s account based on a similar arrangement with their participating bank.

    The central bank has said that in a future stage it would expand the e-payment platform to cover holders of credit cards so as to make it more versatile.

    Overall, the platform is a crucial element of Thailand’s emerging digital economy and society in which the lifestyle of consumers increasingly is closely tied to mobile phones and other smart devices.

    For the government, any form of electronic payment is useful since it creates electronic records on transactions that make tax collection more efficient. In addition, the economy will benefit from more electronic transactions by increasing efficiency – cash transactions are more expensive due to higher costs.

    For vendors, there is no additional transaction cost since banks are keen to provide the service free of charge at this stage, with some banks even offering additional financial incentives to early adopters without conditions requiring minimum payment per transaction.

    The new service will help banks stay close to both consumers and businesses, big and small. This would allow banks to make use of the huge amount of data generated by both buyers and sellers in multiple ways.

    While electronic transactions offer definite convenience advantages for consumers, experts warn that they should ensure that their personal devices are fully secured.

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  • Huawei aims to ride tech wave to N° 1 brand status in Thailand

    Huawei aims to ride tech wave to N° 1 brand status in Thailand

    Richard Yu, chief executive officer of Huawei Consumer Business Group, said that the firm provides Huawei smartphones as a premium brand to cover mid-tier and the high-end global market. The firm’s new intelligence phone will bring together artificial intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Virtual Reality (VR). With the AR technology, the future phone will be paired with an AI processor, an AI camera and an AI operating system. The new intelligence phone will have long battery life and super-fast charging ability.

    “My plan for the next five years: With AI, AR, VR and MR, we will have an intelligent phone. We want to provide the future and next-generation phone. In addition, we will try to improve our marketing, branding, retail and services. Every year, we continue to improve our marketing, branding, retail and services in the Thai market and worldwide. We aim to be the leader in artificial intelligence, VR and MR,” said Yu.

    He said the firm next year would launch its new flagship smartphone with new technology such as improved camera and super-fast charging features.

    The firm now provides smartphone with two brands: Huawei for the mid-tier and high-end market, and Honor for young people, e-commerce, mass market, low-end and mid-tier market. The Honor smartphone is available only in China.

    “We want to enhance our technology and innovation and improve the users’ experience,” said the CEO.

    He said the firm in 2017 gained market share in China, totalling 23.8 per cent. It also became number one in Italy, Spain, and Poland.

    In China, it aims for market share of more than 40 per cent in the next three years. Therefore, the firm wants to build its marketing, enhance branding, build better ecosystem and retail system in the Chinese market.

    He added that Thailand is still a growing market, especially in the premium segment. The overall Thai market is growing. The current market share is around 10 per cent. It aims to be No 1 in market share in Thailand for mid-range and high-end smartphones in the next three years with market share of more than 30 per cent.

    He said the firm plans to invest in Thailand in |marketing, branding, premium stores and shops and services.

    “We have committed to the Thai market for the long term. We want to be the leader as a brand and in market share within three years,” said Yu.

    The firm this year expects 30 per cent revenue growth year on year and expects the trend to continue next year. The firm is targeting 1,000 per cent growth in the global market over the next decade. The firm sees high potential in China, Europe and Japan.

    Regarding upcoming smartphone trends, he said next year consumers will buy smart phones with high storage capacity and memory to support more applications, bigger screen, better camera and processor to support customers who love game. He said AI would become more popular. He said battery life would also become more important for consumers. The firm will come out with smartphone with a battery life improvement of around 20 per cent with super-fast charging and digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera features.

    He also said that the smart phone manufacturers would have to consolidate in the future in order to survive.

    The firm continues to cooperate with its business partners to improve its smartphone features and productivity such as Microsoft, Porsche and Leica.

    Last year, the firm invested US$11 billion in research and development.

  • Bangkok’s second IKEA branch opens

    Bangkok’s second IKEA branch opens

    No more taking the expressway across town to shop for affordable furniture at IKEA. The Swedish furniture and home accessories purveyor is opening its second branch in Bangkok in March 2018 in Bangyai, next to gigantic shopping center, Central Plaza WestGate.

    Encompassing more than 50,000 square meters of showroom and retail space, this branch promises to spoil shoppers with endless choices of sofas, chairs, tables and those pretty little things you don’t actually need but are too cute to resist. IKEA Bangyai is the first retail store in Thailand to receive the LEED Green Building certification. Plus, the canteen will offer menu items that are exclusive to this branch.

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  • Chateraise plans to open 200 shops in Thailand

    Chateraise plans to open 200 shops in Thailand

    Japanese patisserie Chateraise, which is known for having its main factory in the middle of a forest, plans to open 200 shops in Thailand and boost overseas sales to 50 per cent of its total revenue in the next 10 years.

    With more than 500 outlets mainly in Japan, it has just opened its second shop in Bangkok, at Gateway Ekamai Shopping Mall, and is seeking franchisees to accelerate store expansion in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.

    Its debut shop for Thailand opened in Isetan Bangkok department store in July. Both Bangkok outlets are under franchise.

    In the past two years, Chateraise has moved into eight markets across Asia, opening more than 30 shops. The company sees Thailand as a promising market where sweets consumption is expected to be driven by economic growth coupled with a youthful population, says senior managing director Takako Saito of parent company Chateraise Holdings.

    Based in Yamanashi prefecture, the company produces cakes, pastry, confectionery and beverages at six factories across Japan. It procures raw materials directly from contracted farmers and sells through branded shops.

    Almost all products for Thailand are shipped from Japan, with plans to add ice cream to the lineup. Chateraise plans a third Bangkok shop for next year

    The brand’s first overseas expansion was to Singapore in 2015, and it has since opened stores in Dubai, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Taiwan, and plans to head to Hanoi and Manila next year.

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