WEB BBS MAR 18

March 2018 

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BUSINESS 

STAY IN THAILAND FOR FOUR 

YEARS WITH SMART VISA 

COVER STORY OVERLEAF 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE ... 

& FIRMS TO RECEIVE DOUBLE WINDFALL AS MINIMUM WAGES RISE 

& THAILAND’S TOURISM AND HOTEL BUSINESS SET FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH 

& MEGABANGNA CONTINUES ITS TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS MEGACITY 

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BUSINESS SUPPLEMENT 

cover story 

Image courtesy of 

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STAY IN THAILAND FOR FOUR YEARS WITH SMART VISA 

The military-run government recently announced 

plans to introduce what it is calling a 

Smart Visa which will cover a four-year period, 

but it will be restricted to what it calls professionals. 

The aim is to attract foreign experts 

and high-level executives to work in Thailand 

by making the entire visa process easier and 

longer-lasting, thereby reducing the amount of 

bureaucracy and paperwork required from 

professionals. 

According to reports, the Smart Visa will allow 

the bearer and their dependents to stay in 

Thailand without the need to report every 90 

days to Thai Immigration. As well, depending 

on the type of work they will be employed to do, 

the bearer may not need to have a work permit. 

The aim of the new visa is obviously to lure 

skilled foreign workers, something neighbouring 

countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, are 

also keen on doing. The Thai government has 

focused on 10 major industries it believes will 

underpin future economic growth in the country, 

with technology, naturally, at the forefront. 

The Smart Visa will be divided into four categories: 

E for Executives, I for Investors, S for 

Startups and T for Talent. 

Of these four, only the S for Startups will be initially 

restricted in terms of length of time. It will 

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be for an initial one-year period which can later 

be extended. This is sensible as a Startup may 

not last the four-year distance anyway. 

People eligible for the Smart Visa scheme will 

include those working currently in the fields of 

science and technology, investors, high-ranking 

executives and startup entrepreneurs, but they 

will all have to be part of just specific industries. 

Some 39 professions will still be restricted to 

Thai nationals only, the government keen to 

ensure that locals do not lose out to foreign 

competition. 

The Board of Investment (BoI) believes there 

will be around 1,000 applicants a year for the 

new Smart Visa, which is hardly an onerous 

number. As usual, the devil is in the details 

with those who are considering applying needing 

to have their application approved first by 

the BoI as well as the Digital Economy Promotion 

Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

and some other government agencies. Only 

once they have passed this first set of hurdles, 

a process the government claims will take no 

more than 30 days, can the applicant then put 

in a formal request for the Smart Visa at a Thai 

consulate or embassy. 

The Smart Visa was officially introduced at the 

start of February and it will now be just a matter 

of time to see whether its introduction has the 

desired results. 

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FIRMS TO RECEIVE DOUBLE 

WINDFALL AS MINIMUM WAGES RISE 

Companies with annual sales that 

do not exceed 100 million baht 

per year are expected to be able 

to benefit from a double windfall 

from the government as new reforms 

come into force to increase 

minimum wage levels. 

The windfalls cover small and medium-sized 

enterprises (SMEs) in 

17 provinces where average minimum 

wages are expected to rise 

by 5 baht per employee per day. 

The 17 provinces include Maha 

Sarakham, Sukhothai, Tak, Sri Sa 

Ket, Satun, Ratchaburi and Chaiyaphum. 

The total tax deduction 

amounts to 115 per cent of the 

amount of the increase paid to 

employees, allowing firms to cover 

the additional wages and still gain 

up to 4.3 baht per employee per 

day as an additional credit. 

Another 60 provinces will see 

minimum wages rise by more 

than 5 baht per day (from 6 to 

22 baht), and in these cases the 

windfall will not exist but the government 

will still shoulder some of 

the costs involved. 

As an example, in some provinces 

where minimum wages will rise by 

15 to 19 baht to 323 baht per day, 

employers will only have to shoulder 

5.5 baht of the rise with the 

rest covered by the government. 

In some others provinces where 

the minimum wage rise is around 

9.8 baht per day to 313.5 baht, 

employers will only have to bear 

0.4 baht of the cost. Provinces 

in this bracket include Ranong, 

Loei, Trang, Surin, Sa Kaeo, Kanchanaburi, 

Narathiwat and Udon 

Thani. 

In the top three provinces, Phuket, 

Rayong, and Chonburi, minimum 

wages will increase by 21.3 baht 

to 330 baht per day and companies 

can get back 9.9 baht meaning 

they will only have to cover 

11.4 baht of the increase. 

The government incentives will be 

in force from April 1st 2018 until 

the end of the year. 

In total around 400,000 small and 

medium sized enterprises will 

benefit from the measures and on 

average employer’s costs will only 

rise by 1.2 per cent overall. The 

cost to the revenue department is 

expected to be around 5.4 billion 

baht. 

Other measures announced at the 

same time include a tax deduction 

for new investments in start up 

companies amounting to 100,000 

baht or more in ten target industries. 

The industries are robotics 

for industry, logistics and aviation, 

agriculture and biotechnology, 

food, next-generation cars, digital 

and medical services, affluent 

medical and wellness tourism, 

biofuels and biochemicals, and 

smart electronics. 

The Investments must be made 

for two consecutive years of 2018 

and 2019 to be valid, and the 

startups must have a registered 

capital of 5 million baht or more. 

As well, their total income should 

be below 30 million baht per year. 



“Bits n 

Bytes” 

STEVE DICKENS 

TECHIES GIFT GUIDE: 

BEST SELLING TECH GIFTS IN 2018. 

Choosing a gift can be problematical, 

but here are a few ideas that any tech 

type person will love! 

1. The Echo of the Future: New Echo 

Show 

Because now Alexa can actually show 

you how to do things instead of just telling 

you! Watch your video flash briefings, 

listen to music or watch videos, enjoy 

hands free face-to-face calling, hook it 

up to your home security cameras or 

monitoring systems and simply ask Alexa 

to “show you the front door” to see who’s 

there. It can basically do everything that 

your first echo could do, but now way 

more! 

2. The Future of Life: Best Selling 

2018 Samsung Gear VR Headset with 

Controller 

Lightweight, easy to use touch pad, 

and won’t break the bank! Get ready to 

live that virtual life, play games, and so 

much more. 

3. VicTsing Shower Speaker 

(Wireless Waterproof Speaker 

with 5W Drive, Suction Cup) 

Great for the shower, or the beach! 

4. When More Power is Needed: 

TP-Link Wi-Fi Range Extender 

Easily plug it in to your wall outlet and 

quickly increase your Wi-Fi range up to 

10,000 square feet. 

5. The Headphones: New Beats 

Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones 

Go wireless, stay comfortable, listen to 

music, remain on trend. Beats Solo3 

come in black, white, red, blue and 

gold. Gold! 

6. TrackR Pixel Bluetooth Tracking 

Device, Key Finder, Wallet Locator 

A light, (comes in 9 bright colors!) 

bluetooth tracking device that comes 

equipped with an LED light. Attach it to 

your phone, remote, keys, bags, etc… 

and easily keep track of your items by 

activating TrackR via your smartphone. 

< 7. All-New Fire HD 8 Tablet with Alexa 

Best-selling 8″ HD display, 16 GB tablet 

in black. Enjoy up to 12-hours of battery 

life on one full charge. 

8. For the Techie on the Go (Literally) 

– OjO Smart Electric Commuter 

Scooter for Adults – around 

US$2,000! 

How cool is this!? Sleek AF in graphite 

grey, this smart scooter tops speeds 

of 20 mph, can reach distances of 25 

miles on a single full charge, is bikelane 

friendly, and no license is needed. 

You’ll be off to work in no time and will 

turn heads at the same time. 

9. Acer Chromebook R 11 Convertible, 

11.6-Inch HD Touch 2-in-1 Laptop 

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THAILAND BUSINESS NEWS 

Thailand’s smartphone sales expected to slow 

Thailand is expected to see a slowdown in 

smartphone sales this year for the first time due 

to a combination of market saturation and a lack 

of technological leaps in the sector. 

Opas Cherdpunt, managing director of M Vision, 

the organizer of The Thailand Mobile Expo, was 

quoted as saying “Smartphone sales during the 

four-day event are expected to total 1.9 billion 

baht, equal to last year, which would signify 

that consumers are delaying purchase of a new 

device,” adding, “The replacement period has 

been extended from 12 to 18 months.” 

Owners are holding on to their smartphones for 

longer and are seeing that features released in 

the last few years such as retina displays, and 

longer battery life are hard to surpass with anything 

that is markedly better of late. 

Even accelerated obsolescence, which had 

come to the fore recently in cases where Apple 

admitted it had installed algorithms to slow 

down older iPhones, is slowing down as advancements 

in software are leveling out. 

The fashionable side of upgrading hardware 

every year has worn off with little to detect 

between competing models and with several 

models being offered by smartphone makers at 

a single point in time. As an example you can 

step into any Apple reseller and find on display 

IPhone 7’s, iPhone 8’s, iPhone X’s as well as 

iPhone SE’s (A hybrid of the iPhone 5 and 6) all 

at the same time. 

South Koreans investors eye Thailand 

South Korean investors who were previously 

looking at Vietnam as an investment hub are 

now keen to invest in Thailand. In particular 

the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) could 

provide a springboard for South Korean investment 

as there were special investment zones 

and South Korean technology expertise would 

suit the goals of the EEC project. 

Photo courtesy of http://primagold.ae 

Korean companies were also being invited to 

invest in the Yellow Line and Pink Line mass 

transit train routes in the form of a private-public 

partnership. 

Other projects for South Korean companies 

included the possibility of bidding for the operation 

of duty free stores in Bangkok’s airports 

when current contracts expire over the next 

two to four years. 

A recent meeting of the Korea-Thailand Committee 

on Economic Cooperation took place to 

help secure future investment relations. 

Pranda Jewelry seeks 20% sales growth 

Pranda Jewelry, a SET listed company, is 

looking for 20% sales growth in 2018 on an 

assumed sales turnover of 3.7 billion baht using 

its brands Prima Gold, Prima Art, Prima 

Diamond, Merii, Gringoire and Julia. 

Chanat Sorakraikitikul, chairman of the financial 

and risk management committee at Pranda 

Jewelry was quoted as saying, “Pranda is assured 

of a good industrial direction because 

of the economic recovery in partner countries 

and support from the public sector.” 

The company has distribution partners in 

several countries including India, France, the 

U.S. and the U.K. 

Mr. Sorakraikitikul was also quoted as saying, 

”Our business operation has been improving 

as the global economy recovers, with more 

orders from the U.S. and Europe.” 




SCAN THIS AREA 




JUST THE STATISTICS 

While bar charts, line graphs and 

simple numbers are hardly capable 

of providing the defining answer 

to many economic, social 

and political questions, they are 

certainly a good way of obtaining 

a general overview of any particular 

subject. 

The end result of such poor traffic 

management is some serious loss 

in terms of economic production, 

not to mention stress levels for 

commuters. 

Expected wage rate rises for 

2018 across Asia 

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Each month the Business Supplement 

will look into a brace of 

statistical information and provide 

readers with what we consider to 

be the central elements of these 

figures. 

Traffic: the most congested 

countries in Asia 

While it is pretty obvious that 

Thailand has some serious traffic 

congestion, the big question is 

‘how does it rate when it comes 

to the rest of the Asian region?’. 

According to Numbeo, Thailand 

ranks as the second-worst in 

Southeast Asia and fifth-worst in 

Asia. 

In Thailand the average oneway 

journey takes 41.09 minutes. 

The Philippines is worse, with an 

average one-way journey eating 

up 43.42 minutes while Iran rates 

as the worst in Asia at 50.17 

minutes for an average one-way 

journey. 

When it comes to CO2 emissions, 

sadly Thailand ranks as number 

three across Asia, but number 

one in Southeast Asia. The average 

CO2 emission in Thailand 

is 7,926.45 grams compared 

with Qatar, which is the worst at 

8,510.24 grams and the United 

Arab Emirates at 8,169.71 grams. 

The second-ranked country in 

Southeast Asia is Malaysia at 

7,104.75 grams. 

The Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard 

ranks Bangkok as the most 

congested city in Asia and 12th 

worldwide. 

Data from the International Labour 

Organisation (ILO) and the 

Korn Ferry Hay Group suggests 

Thailand’s working population 

will experience real wage growth 

in 2018 of around 4.5 percent. 

This compares favourably with its 

regional neighbours with only 

India (4.7 percent) and Vietnam 

(4.6 percent) set to experience 

better numbers. 

In 2017, Thai workers saw real 

salaries rise by around 5.6 percent, 

a figure only surpassed by Vietnam 

which saw growth of 7.2 percent. 

Thailand’s Talent Pool Drops 

The 2017 figures released by the 

IMD World Talent Ranking and 

World Digital Competitiveness 

Ranking shows Thailand has 

dropped from 37th to 42nd in the 

world and is well behind local rivals 

Singapore, 13th, up from 15th, and 

Malaysia, which did drop from 

21st to 28th. 

Number one in the world is Switzerland, 

ahead of Denmark, 

Belgium, Austria, Finland, the 

Netherlands, Norway, Germany, 

Sweden and Luxembourg. 

In the category termed ‘Investment 

and Development’ Thailand 

ranks 48th, while Malaysia, for 

example, actually tops the Southeast 

Asian region at 19th. 

Thailand comes in at 41st in the 

‘Digital Competitiveness’ category. 

By comparison, China ranks 31st, 

Hong Kong seventh and Singapore 

first in the world. 



VEKA UPVC WINDOWS AND DOORS LEADING 

THE WAY ON THE EASTERN SEABOARD 

Although it may only be more subliminal than 

obvious, a house or condo which sports the 

best quality of uPVC window frames and glass 

is generally the kind of residence which is immediately 

attractive to outsiders and reveals a 

measure of that elusive quality called ‘class’. 

Additionally, a house or condo fitted out in such 

a way is usually made more valuable as a 

saleable commodity. 

Naturally, there are a number of companies 

operating within the uPVC space in Pattaya, 

but one of them is a definite standout when it 

comes to longevity within this specialist space, 

and that is the German-run VEKA uPVC 

Windows & Doors. 

For many long-time residents and regular 

visitors the VEKA company might be more 

familiar under its previous incarnation as ARC 

Windows & Doors. Indeed, the VEKA website 

is still www.arc-windows-doors.com, reflecting 

a desire to maintain a link with the past while 

moving forward into a brighter future. 

The German VEKA Group has been around 

since 1969, established in Sendenhorst, Germany, 

and claims to be the world-wide leader 

in uPVC profiles. 

The Thai-based arm of the company offers 

custom-made windows and doors in any style 

and configuration to match the needs of customers. 

For example, in high buildings where strong 

winds at times can be a problem, it’s important 

to install windows that will not bend, but maintain 

their structural integrity. 

Leaking windows under heavy rains are also 

a perennial problem that should be easily addressed 

with properly-fitted uPVC windows and 

doors. 

In a succinct Power Point presentation, the 

operators of VEKA put forward a strong case 

for the installation of their product in any 

house or condo. The two key factors for installing 

uPVC windows and doors are excellent 

thermal insulation (surely a huge factor 

in this tropical climate) and excellent acoustic 

insulation. As well, the products offer security 

and strength and are virtually maintenance 

free. The only real downside is the initial cost 

factor. After all, quality does come at a price, 

but if the end result is a long-term reduction 

in electricity costs, for example, then the initial 

outlay is well worth it. 

If your house or condo is exposed to direct 

sunlight the chances are you’ll want to install 

double glazing, simply to offset the harsh heat, 

as well as outside noise. The uPVC frames 

manufactured by VEKA are fitted with a galvanised 

steel reinforcement to provide mechanical 

stability. 

As the company notes, ‘windows and doors 

are very special architectural elements…They 

must function reliably, whilst looking good 

both from the inside as well as the outside.’ 

‘A perfect window is made of high quality 

glazing, a robust frame and casing, strong 

hinges and locks, and a well-designed handle.’ 

VEKA ticks all the boxes when it comes 

to these requirements. 

For further information contact VEKA on 081 

377 4941 (for English) or send an email to 

info@arc-windows-doors.com 

uPVC Windows & Doors for a Lifetime! 

Noise Reduction by “smart” Windows 

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081 – 377 4941 (EN) 

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Double glazing Insulated glass with pvb 

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up to 45dB without impact on the lucency. 

uPVC frames fitted with a galvanized steel reinforcement 

provide the mechanical stability as well as the demanded 

contact pressure for the rubber gaskets. 

www.arc-windows-doors.com 






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The cheese just got fresher in TOSCANA 

Italian food revolves around some basic staples, with pasta, vegetables and 

cheese among the key non-meat ingredients for many dishes. For the highly-rated 

Toscana Italian restaurant, one of the major reasons it is able to stand out from a 

very crowded field, is partly due to its incredible variety, and, more importantly, 

quality of its cheese selections. 

Recently, the management of Toscana 

purchased a number of cows with the 

aim of being able to supply the restaurant 

with the freshest milk possible. The cows 

have been quickly put into service on their 

organic animal farm, located in Huay Yai 

district. 

Toscana is now capable of producing a 

mixture of goat’s milk (something it has 

been doing for a long time) and cow’s milk, 

primarily to produce arguably the best and 

widest variety of cheeses in Pattaya. 

One of the wonderful elements of being 

able to eat goat’s cheese is that it is easier 

on the human digestive system, being 

lower in calories and cholesterol than 

cheese made from cow’s milk. 

When you add in the fact that the goat’s 

cheese products sold in Toscana come 

totally from the herd roaming the organic 

animal farm, you can basically be assured 

of a great taste, without the potential 

negative side-effects of ordinary cheese. 

As well as the expanded variety of cheeses, 

which include Mozzarella and Tomato 

Caprese, the restaurant can now supply 

its own butter and fresh cream. 

An interesting facet of goat’s cheese, 

according to Luca Marchetti, Toscana’s 

restaurateur and the man behind the organic 

farms, is how its taste will linger, 




and indeed become more evident on the 

palate, after you’ve eaten a particular dish. 

“From every 25 litres of goat’s milk, I get 

about 2.5 kilos of goat’s cheese,” said mine 

host Luca. “Depending on what you want, 

from this I make some cheeses that are 

best to eat straight away. Cheeses that will 

last for only three or four days. Then there 

are some that you should keep for longer, 

that age very well.” 

Luca tries a variety of mixtures from cow’s 

milk constituting 80 percent and goat’s milk 

20 percent of a sample, to a goat’s milk at 

80 percent and cow’s milk just 20 percent 

and another with an even mix of 50 percent 

cow’s and goat’s milk. Each will produce a 

slightly different texture and taste. 

One of the best ways to get a handle on the 

wide variety and textures of goat’s cheeses 

available in Toscana is to order a cheese 

platter, with maybe a glass or two of the 

house red wine. One of the more intriguing 

and certainly incredibly tasty examples on 

the platter is the cheese-in-camicia, also 

called cheese-in-a-shirt. Basically, it is an 

aged cheese surrounded with a crust of 

pepper. The pepper is cut off, but the resultant 

cheese has a flavour that is as distinct 

as all the other cheeses produced by Luca 

and his team. 

All the cheese is made in very much the 

same way Luca was taught as a youngster 

growing up in the Tuscany region of Italy. 

Toscana cheese platter 

SCAN THIS AREA 

Trattoria Pizzeria Toscana 

Moom Talay Thai Restaurant 




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09-432-99-701 

PHOENIX GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB PATTAYA 

Almost 17 Rai for sale next to the Phoenix Golf Course and Country Club 

valued between 5-6 mb per rai for similar land in the area and location, 

this 16 rai and 303 Tw is on offer at the very low price of 

ONLY 3.5 mb per Rai for a quick sale! 

(Land in the area is averaging between 5 and 6 mb per rai) 

Contact Solution Finders : 094 329 9701 

NEWLY 

REFURBISHED 

BAR / BISTRO 

Soi Post Office 

(Soi 13/2 Pattaya) 

with all new equipment! 

Lease Hold 

for only 

2.7 MB 





BBDO BANGKOK LAUNCHES NEW GLOBAL CAMPAIGN 

FOR TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND (TAT) 

BBDO Bangkok, in partnership with Tourism 

Authority of Thailand (TAT), has officially unveiled 

an exciting, new global campaign under 

Amazing Thailand, titled ‘Open to the New 

Shades’ at World Travel Market (WTM), London, 

United Kingdom, in 2017 

Thailand is a country known to travelers across 

the world for its signature dishes, beaches, cultural 

festivals and most of all, the kindness of 

Thai people and their smiles. These qualities 

are some of Thailand’s amazing assets that, 

over the years, have helped make visits truly 

memorable. 

Even though the country is well recognized 

among travelers for its charms, there are lots 

of hidden, diversified and unique local cultural 

experience that are yet to be discovered. Unexplored 

travel locations, local food and craftsmanship 

await, ready to offer never-before-seen 

experience to visitors. 

TAT and BBDO Bangkok hope that Amazing 

Thailand ‘Open to the New Shades’ – TAT’s 

international marketing communications campaign 

of 2018 – will be able to offer a variety of 

experience that travelers can freely customize to 

create their very own journeys in Thailand. This 

campaign aims to introduce the new shades of 

Thailand, by inviting travelers from around the 

world to experience Thailand through a different 

lens, and shed light on Thailand’s celebration 

of diversity. It hopes to encourage travelers to 

open their minds to the new travel experience 

Thailand has to offer, just as Thailand is opening 

its arms to welcome them. 

To best reach its target audience, world travelers 

who seek enriching, new experience, BBDO 

Bangkok has created a 2-minute online shortfilm. 

It features three different groups of travelers 

who encounter unexplored, new shades 

of Thailand, which makes them realize that 

traveling with an open-mind can change their 

views of themselves and of the world. Discover 

their journeys at: https://www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=ezNS2blyT74&t=2s 

Moreover, in order to celebrate and awaken the 

spirit within, Thailand also calls out footages 

from travelers who have ever visited Thailand to 

participate in ‘Thailand Footage Trading’ project 

which will be promoted through 3 short films. 

For those travelers who are interested and 

would like to engage in this project can share 

their stories [VDOs and images] on their social 

media with hashtag #OpenToTheNewShades 

#AmazingThailand . The owner of the selected 

footage or image will get the special prizes in 

return. 

For example: 

• Kan Yao Durian: Mrs.Samai, the fruit farmer 

in Nonthaburi, swaps the footage from traveler 

by giving Kan Yao Durian in return. And because 

Kan Yao Durian is the most expensive 

durian in the world. Therefore, the prize for 

one piece of Kan Yao could go up as much as 

700USD. 

Watch the clip at; 

https://www.facebook.com/AmazingThailand/ 

videos/10156066609050699/ 

Mr. Suthisak Sucharittanonta, Chairman and 

Chief Creative Officer of BBDO Bangkok said, 

“Thailand’s ‘Open to the New Shades’ is not 

just an advertising concept, but also a philosophy 

that we are proud to announce to the 

world. We want to encourage global citizens 

to embrace the spirit of diversity, discover the 

unknown, and be open-minded to everything 

and everyone. Those ready to embrace new 

possibilities can discover millions of shades 

waiting for them in Thailand, a country long 

celebrated for its diversity. This will provide 

greater depth to Thailand’s tourism industry.” 

BBDO Bangkok has been awarded Tourism 

Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s creative duty for 

its new global advertising campaign Amazing 

Thailand, to communicate to its international 

audience, after winning the pitch against four 

other bidders in 2017. The goal is to take 

Amazing Thailand to the next level, capture 

the hearts of the new generation of world travelers. 

BBDO Bangkok is proud to launch the 

new campaign: ‘Open to the New Shades’. 

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around the 1.39 to 1.41area, moving as high 

as 1.4120 before dropping back to 1.4039. 

Against the Thai Baht the Pound gave back 

last month’s gains and fell from 44.80 to 43.88. 

The USD/JPY cross rate has seen some of the 

biggest moves amongst major currency pairs 

falling from 111.01 to 106.15 with safe haven 

trades likely partly to blame. The Yen is seen 

as a safe haven when stock markets are volatile 

and this has only exaggerated the move 

in the currency. Against the Thai Baht,the Yen 

recovered quite a bit of ground moving from 

0.2846 to hit 0.2950. 

FOREIGN CURRENCY UPDATE 

The US Dollar rose slightly on higher interest 

expectations, (which incidentally sent global 

stock markets plunging), but has since given 

up its gains to remain at the bottom of a multi 

month range. Indeed, when comparing the 

plunge in the stock markets with the relatively 

muted move in the dollar index you would be 

hard pressed to find anycorrelation. The DXY 

Dollar index, (an index that measures the US 

Dollar’s valueagainst a basket of other currencies), 

rose from a low of 88.67 to hit 90.5 only 

to return to its lows again within a week or so. 

Against the Thai Baht the dollar moved from 

31.44 to 31.83, before returning tomulti year 

lows at 31.28. 

The British Pound dropped from a high of 

1.4289to 1.3880 on the dollar’s interest rate 

driven rise but this was short lived as there 

was also news from the UK regarding a possible 

quicker and more robust move to a higher 

interest rate environment that kept the Pound 

well bid. Although the British currency didn’t 

hit last month’s highs, it regained ground to sit 

The Russian Ruble weakened against the US 

Dollar during its temporary spike and moved 

from 56.20 to 58.65, before quickly retracing 

almost the entire move and settling back at 

56.39. When compared to the Thai Baht, the 

Ruble fell from 0.5640 to briefly touch 0.5440 

before staging a rally back to 0.5546. Thus it 

has not regained all of its strength and this is 

telling of a slightly stronger Thai Baht. 

The Euro/USD rate moved from a high of 

1.2514 to 1.2204 before recovering to an 

even higher high of 1.2553. Some give back 

occurred to see the Euro retrace back to 

1.2418 against the USD. It remains near to 

multi-year highs even as the dollar has tried to 

rally somewhat. Against the Thai baht the Euro 

saw choppy trade albeit within a tight range of 

38.70 to 39.10, suggesting that Euro strength 

is being matched by renewed strength in the 

Thai baht. 




one stop service 

THAILAND’S TOURISM AND 

HOTEL BUSINESS SET FOR 

LONG-TERM GROWTH 

Business leaders have been 

urged to take advantage of a recent 

growth trend in Bangkok’s 

tourism and hotel business sectors 

with a view to making the 

capital a megacity in the next five 

years. 

Jesper Palmqvist, area director 

for Asia-Pacific at STR, a global 

research firm, was quoted as 

saying, “With almost three years 

of stable growth in terms of hotel 

performance, Bangkok has put 

the 2014 decline firmly behind it. 

In November 2017, revenue per 

available room [RevPAR] had 

grown 3.4% year-on-year, against 

a backdrop of a reasonably strong 

supply increase of 4.1%.” 

The Thai capital is expected to 

continue to grow by way of new 

infrastructure investment and this 

will lead to improved hotel performance. 

Other tourist hotspots in 

the country will also benefit in the 

same way. 

Hotels have increased their rates 

by an average of two per cent 

even with additional supply. This 

is on the back of five per cent 

growth in the underlying tourism 

market. 

Giving cause for optimism is that 

the statistics are not short-term 

in nature. There have been longterm 

trends in place and these 

have lead to a cycle of confidence 

building for future continuation. 

Tourist arrivals continue to rise. 

Mr. Palmqvist was also quoted as 


saying, ”Not every hotel player 

will benefit form the large arrivals, 

however. Hotels in Bangkok’s 

Sukhumvit area are underperforming 

compared with those in 

other parts of the city because of 

competition.” 

Thai food is likely to play a big part 

in attracting visitors as it is well 

known across the world and an 

opportunity to taste authentic Thai 

cuisine will be hard to resist on the 

part of would-be tourists. 

The new subway lines will also 

enable tourism in the capital to 

grow. Within 5 years there will be 

464 kilometers of underground 

and elevated mass transit railway 

systems compared with New 

York’s 380 km and London’s 402 

km. As well, all the infrastructure 

will be new compared to an ageing 

transport system of that size 

found in many other countries. 

Bill Burnett, managing director of 

C9 Hotelworks, was quoted as 

saying, “Bangkok will become the 

world’s third accessible megacity 

after Beijing and Shanghai in the 

next five years.” 

The Eastern Economic Corridor 

(EEC) project will provide infrastructure 

projects in the form of 

high-speed rail networks and road 

improvements that will open up 

stable long-term growth opportunities 

for Chonburi, Sri Racha, 

Pattaya, Rayong, Chantaburi, 

Klaeng and Trat, as the possibility 

of a new Gold Coast emerges in 

the region. 

In these competitive times, the company that innovates and 

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marketing and classic business expertise will ensure that your 

company stays out in front. For custom-designed IT, Web & 

Marketing Solutions that present your best to a wider audience, 

BitSiren is your partner. No followers here. 

BitSiren 113/228 Anuphas Golf Ville Moo 7, T. Kathu, A. Kathu, Phuket 83120 Thailand 

T +66 76 319 179 F +66 76 319 178 contact@bitsiren.com - www.bitsiren.com 

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SUDOKU 

These Sudoku puzzles are pitched at a middle level: not too easy, 

and not too frustratingly hard, for the average person. 

We will publish the solutions in next month’s issue. 

Last months sudoku answers 

ACROSS 

1/ Precaution (9) 

5/ The beat of a heart (5) 

6/ Not well (3) 

8/ Not the beginning (3) 

9/ Bowling area (5) 

11/ Make something in 

style (7) 

13/ Pirate (9) 

CROSSWORD 

DOWN 

1/ Sagacious (7) 

2/ Algerian National Liberation Front (init) (3) 

3/ Norwegian composer Edvard, surname (5) 

4/ Line up (5) 

7/ Fabric woven from flax (5) 

10/ Powder used for keeping cool (4) 

12/ Germanic racial group, of which Attila 

was one (3) 

TRIVIA Quiz 

1. Which country in Europe shares its borders with more 

than any other country? 

2. In which James Bond film does the character 

Dr Christmas Jones appear? 

3. Santa Claus won which major horse race in 1964? 

4. For which state was current US vice-president 

Mike Pence governor from 2013 to 2017? 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5. Which British admiral commanded at the victory over 

the French at the battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759? 

6. Who is the current prime minister of Canada? 

5 

6 

7 

7. In which US city was the Motown record label founded? 

8. Who was Pope during the Second World War? 

9. What is the capital city of Vanuatu? 

8 

9 

10. How many feet make up a fathom? 

10 

11 12 

Answers 

1. Austria (with 8) 2. The World Is Not Enough 3. Epsom Derby 4. Indiana 5. Edward Hawke 

6. Justin Trudeau 7. Detroit 8. Pius XII 9. Port Vila 10. Six 

13 

CROSSWORD ANSWERS 

ACROSS 1/ Safeguard 5/ Pulse 6/ ILL 8/ End 9/ Green 11/ Fashion 13/ Buccaneer 

DOWN 1/ Sapient 2/ FNL 3/ Grieg 4/ Aline 7/ Linen 10/ Talc 12/ Hun 

For information on the BANGKOK BUSINESS SUPPLEMENT Contact High Tower Co., Ltd. Tel: 089 249 2778 

*The Bangkok Business Supplement is published by High Tower Co., Ltd.


MEGABANGNA CONTINUES ITS TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS MEGACITY 

SF Development, owner of Megabangna 

shopping centre, has revealed its new retail 

extension “Mega FoodWalk”. The extension of 

the shopping centre features 10,000 sqm of 

additional retail space as well as a 7-storey-carpark 

building to cater for the growing demand 

of more parking spaces. The opening resulted 

in an impressive 15% visitation growth for the 

month of December, compared to last year. 

Two new phases extending the retail destination 

and enlarging the experience, education 

and leisure offer are currently ongoing. The first 

“Marvel Experience” in Southeast Asia, offering 

customers an interactive entertainment park, 

opens in May 2018, followed by the international 

preparatory school “Didyasarin” affiliated 

with American School of Bangkok, opening their 

doors in August 2018. In addition, a new extension 

focusing on kids’ education and fun activities 

will be built in connection to the existing 

Mega kids zone, aiming to further strengthen 

Megabangna’s focus on a family friendly offer. 

Megabangna will also add a new customer 

touch point “Mega Park” where our customers 

can spend their quality time with families and 

friends for recreation and leisure in a green environment. 

In addition, the centre has opened 

its extended surrounding Ring Road with its aim 

to cater for the increasing car traffic demand of 

its future development projects. 

Mr. Christian Olofsson, Shopping Centre & 

Mixed Use Director, IKEA Southeast Asia, said 

“We envision the Megabangna shopping centre 

to be a centre piece of a modern community 

in the future, a city where people work and 

live close to the place they shop, eat, meet with 

friends and spend time with their family. The 

transformation from today’s retail destination 

will of course happen over a series of phases, 

but we see Megacity hosting an even larger 

commercial offer, while also including experience 

venues, hotels, office buildings, residential 

properties, park and leisure components on the 

400 rai that we have at our disposal. With a capacity 

to cater for over 250,000 people per day, 

it will be a sustainable development equivalent 

of a city, which is why we call it Megacity.” 

Bangna is one of Bangkok’s most desirable 

suburban areas, with high spending power, 

great quality education opportunities and close 

proximity to the international airport and eastern 

seaboard. Investments into new mass public 

transport projects, such as the new MRT line 

and future light monorail, provides additional 

benefits for developers and investors that wants 

to join hands with us in realizing our vision for 

Megabangna and Megacity. Mr. Olofsson said. 

Ms. Paphitchaya Suwandee, President, Megabangna 

Shopping Centre, said “We are excited 

to see our first extension phase Mega Food- 

Walk come to life. With this extension, we have 

strengthened our total food offer by providing 

more than 160 restaurants to our customers. 

In 2018, we will further welcome over new 100 

tenants and offer a better customer experience 

through the centre’s refurbishment program. 

Our ambition is to develop Megabangna as 

a true Meeting Place that offers more than 

just shopping. An opening of Marvel Experience 

and Didyasarin international preparatory 

school is another step we are taking to realize 

our ambition.” 

In 2018, Megabangna has increased its 

marketing budget by 20% comparing to last 

year, with a main focus to communicate its 

new offers to a wider group of customers, 

domestically and internationally. The centre 

expects to receive 10% increase of visitation 

throughout the year. 

“We will continue to deliver memorable experiences 

to our customers through signature 

events. The Mega Countdown 2018 has 

earned us a title “best” countdown destination 

in Eastern Bangkok, with an impressive audience 

number of over 350,000 on the New 

Year’s Eve. We are currently working with 

The Walt Disney to bring to our centre the 

Dream Big Princess event in order to create 

an enjoyable experience for our kid customers.” 

She said. 

“We never stop to listen to our customers as 

we learn so much from them about what they 

want and how we can improve. It is our ambition 

to turn Megabangna to be a great Meeting 

Place where our customers feel special and 

unique at every visit they make to our centre.” 

she concluded. 

Almost 7 rai for sale 

in Hua Yai Pattaya 

LAND AT PHOENIX GOLF & 

COUNTRY CLUB PATTAYA 

already divided into 19 plots 

with planning permission. 

Selling for ONLY 

3.5 mb per rai 

with full planning 

permission for up to 

19 homes approved. 


094 329 9701 


Almost 17 Rai for sale next to the Phoenix Golf Course and Country Club 

valued between 5-6 mb per rai for similar land in the area and location, 

this 16 rai and 303 Tw is on offer at the very low price of 

ONLY 3.5 mb per Rai 

for a quick sale! 

(Land in the area is averaging between 5 and 6 mb per rai) 


094 329 9701 


On a Budget? 

100 4-Colour Name Cards 

99 

BAHT* 

*Specifications : Printed 4-Colour on 1 side only 

on 260 gsm Imported Art Card & Trimmed to Size. 

No other finishing included. 

File must be supplied by client. 

Shipping additional at cost via Thailand Post. 

Fliers, Brochures, Menus, Beer Mats & More. 

Anything that can be printed at competitive prices.

WEB BBS MAR 18

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