BKK_BUS_SUP_July19

July 2019 

BANGKOK 

BUSINESS 

SUPPLEMENT 

TM 

FREE 

COPY 

US TOP FEEDER MARKET 

TO THAILAND’S HOTELS 

Cover Story Overleaf 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 

- Centara Plans To Double The Number Of Hotels It Runs 

- Thailand’s Competitive Edge Ranking Rises By 5 Places 

- Foreign Currency Update 

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BUSINESS SUPPLEMENT 

Cover Story 

US TOP FEEDER MARKET 

TO THAILAND’S HOTELS 

According to a report by the online travel agent giant, Expedia Group, the US represents the largest feeder market 

to Thailand’s hotels with a 20 per cent increase in demand year on year. China came in at a close second, 

followed by Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and South Korea. India made it into the top 10 for the first time this year. 

Chinese travel package bookings surged 200 per cent over the last 12 months 

According to a report by the online travel 

agent giant, Expedia Group, the US represents 

the largest feeder market to Thailand’s 

hotels with a 20 per cent increase 

in demand year on year. China came in at 

a close second, followed by Japan, Korea, 

Hong Kong and South Korea. India made it 

into the top 10 for the first time this year. Chinese 

travel package bookings surged 200 

per cent over the last 12 months 

Pimpawee Nopakitgumjorn, director for 

market management at Expedia was quoted 

as saying, ”More than 60% of bookings made 

by Chinese and 55% of bookings made by Indians 

were in four-star and five-star hotels,” 

adding, “This is in line with the government’s 

focus on attracting more high-end arrivals 

from China and India.” 

Indian and Chinese travellers preferred 

to visit Pattaya and Bangkok in the main, 

however other travel destinations such as 

Koh Pi Pi, Koh Lipe, and Hua Hin were the 

fastest growing places, registering triple digit 

increases year on year. 

Other important groups are Middle Eastern, 

South African and Israeli travellers who 

preferred to visit Bangkok. Once again highend 

hotels were their preferred option. 

South Korea, Ireland and Indonesia were 

notable markets as these registered triple 

digit growth in feeder activity. 

In related news, Standard International, 

a boutique hotel chain based in the US with 

properties in New York and Miami is looking 

to Thailand to kick start its expansion plans. 

The company is expected to open four new 

hotels in the Kingdom within the next 2 years. 

This comes as part of an international expansion 

plan that will see Standard International 

commence operations of 20 properties 

worldwide including in European locations 

such as Milan, London and Paris. However 

Asia and Thailand in particular, with its nearly 

40 million visitors per year, has caught the 

company’s eye. 

Chief executive officer of Standard International, 

Amar Lalvani was quoted as saying, 

“Growth is much faster in Asia,” adding, 

“Thailand is our starting point and from here 

we are looking at opportunities throughout 

the region.” 

The connection with Thailand is not purely 

incidental. In 2017 Thailand’s famous 

property developer Sansiri spent US$58 million 

to acquire a 35 per cent stake in Standard 

International. Sansiri will be a key partner 

in the country helping to fund projects in 

Phuket, Koh Samui and Bangkok, some of 

which will include hotel and condo mixed developments. 

Standard International will also partner 

with local companies in Singapore, Tokyo, 

Shanghai and Hong Kong to expand into 

those markets. 

It is expected that the Asia Pacific region 

could provide the company with 75 per cent 

of its revenue in the next five years. 

Read Online At 

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Holiday rental in Pattaya is a great way to 

generate additional income! Indeed, with more 

than 16 million visitors in 2017 and the wish to 

exceed 19 million visitors by the end of this year, 

Pattaya is one of the most visited destinations 

in the world, ahead of several heavyweights like 

Barcelona , Milan or Bali. With the rise of apartment 

booking platforms such as airbnb, booking. 

com or agoda, visitor habits have changed a lot 

in recent years and most people now prefer to 

feel "at home" by renting an apartment or a hotel 

residence. Investing in properties that answer this 

rental demand is a good way to capitalize on this 

massive influx of tourists from all over the world 

by generating much higher yields than back home 

thanks to the combination of several factors such 

as strong rental demand, low costs and fees or a 

very soft tax system. 

Define your expectations and possibilities 

When planning to purchase a property, it is 

important to first define your expectations and 

needs by asking yourself several questions, for 

example: 

• What type of property am I looking for? A studio, 

a one-bedroom apartment, ...? 

• Do I want to use the apartment a few days / 

weeks per year? 

• Are there one or more locations I am interested 

in? 

• Do I want to receive my rental income in 

Thailand or abroad, in what currency? 

• Do I want to receive my rental income every 

month, quarter, semester, etc? 

It is also very important to clearly define your 

financial status, for example "how much do I want 

to invest?", "How much do I have now?", "Do I 

need an installment plan for the payment allowing 

me to spread the purchase over several months 

or years? ", etc. 

Defining your expectations, needs and possibilities 

will allow you to naturally refine your real 

estate project, it will automatically exclude certain 

properties, and on the contrary, will bring out others. 

Hunt for information before 

It is important to search for information about 

the country, the city itself (number of tourists, 

economic stability, available and future infrastructures, 

etc.) or the real estate offer that is present 

to understand the rental potential of the destination 

itself and to get an idea of the purchasing 

process or the related legal framework. It can 

also help you identify one or more properties that 

might meet your expectations. 

Beware of false information! 

It is also important to be very careful about 

what can be said or social networks or other forums. 

Indeed it is common to find incomplete or 

even incorrect information. For example, it is not 

uncommon to read that a foreigner can not own 

property in Thailand, or that he can only hold 49% 

of the property, which is totally false. 


HOLIDAY RENTAL IN PATTAYA IS A GREAT 

WAY TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL INCOME! 

Invest in holiday rental via hotel residences: 

the turnkey solution 

Hotel residences are residential programs 

offering hotel services. This type of residence 

is very popular especially in the tourist destinations 

of the Kingdom. Indeed, investors can buy 

an apartment or villa in a residence managed by 

professionals who are in charge of all day-to-day 

management (reservations, concierge, reception, 

cleaning and maintenance ...). The pooling and 

standardization of services makes it possible to 

reduce management costs, optimize filling rates 

and rental rates, and thus obtain better rental 

yields, which are often even guaranteed by contract 

over a given period. 

The professionalization of managers and the 

arrival of large chains in this niche also contribute 

to the development of this concept. As good 

management is a key issue in the valuation of the 

property, the investor here enjoys recurring rental 

income and an appreciation of its assets. In some 

cases, you can even benefit from a buyback guarantee 

with a capital gain. 

The expertise of the management, the relevance 

of the chosen location, the adequacy between 

the services offered by the residence with 

the type of clientele targeted are factors to take 

into account during this type of acquisition. The 

combination of these factors combined with the 

Kingdom's culture of hospitality, its tourist dynamism 

(more than 30 million visitors each year) 

and the quality / price / benefits ratio of its real 

estate market, makes Thailand the ideal country 

for this type of properties. 

To sum up, investing in holiday rental via a hotel 

residence allows you to: 

• Capitalize on very short-term stays (daily 

rates) offering a better return. 

• Rental incomes guaranteed by contract, 

whether the apartment is occupied or not (between 

6 and 10% depending on the property), for 

periods ranging from 3 to 20 years. 

• An assured resale of the property with capital 

appreciation, up to 140% of the purchasing price. 

• Some developers offer the opportunity to use 

the apartment a few days / weeks a year. 

• Some developers offer a system of "cashback", 

allowing you to generate income immediately, 

even during the construction of the residence. 

A few examples in Pattaya: 

• The River, offering an 8% rental guarantee 

per year during 5 years with a 110% buyback 

guarantee. 

• Mira offering, offering a 6% rental guarantee 

per year during 3 years, which will be managed by 

the Wyndham Group, world leader in hotel management. 

Invest in holiday rental via traditional residences: 

a greater flexibility 

When we talk about traditional residences, we 

mean residences such as those we can find back 

home, namely a condominium building with common 

areas and additional services. You can buy 

an apartment in such a residence then rent it out 

by yourself or through a real estate agency. 

This type of residence offers several advantages: 

they are more numerous than hotel residences 

so there is a wider choice for you; they 

also offer more flexibility, allowing you to use the 

property if it is not rented, or to stop renting it and 

come and live there permanently if you wish; they 

can generate excellent rental income because 

you are the one who decide how much you want 

to rent it out; it is possible to find very good deals 

for the purchase (eg. an urgent resale) and the 

negotiation margin is generally higher; etc. 

To sum up, investing in holiday rental via a traditional 

residence allows you to: 

• Have a large selection of goods available. 

• Great flexibility. 

• The possibility of finding very good deals. 

• The possibility of generating very good rental 

yields. 

• Etc. 

A few examples of residences in Pattaya: 

• City Center Residence in the heart of Pattaya. 

• Dusit Grand Park 2, only 800m from Jomtien 

beach. 

Surround yourself with a recognized and experienced 

agent 

It is essential to surround yourself with a recognized 

agent with great experience in the business. 

Indeed, even if purchasing a property in 

Thailand is relatively simple and very secure, to 

appeal to a real estate agency is a pledge of security 

that will avoid you some difficulties: 

• The agent offers a selection of properties 

that meet your expectations so that you can make 

your choice. 

• He will run a full range of tests and verification 

to ensure the project, the developer and the 

property are serious and the purchase is secure. 

• He will negotiate the best prices and conditions 

for you. 

• He advises you to make the best choice according 

to your profile and your needs. 

• He accompanies you all along the process 

and even after (opening of bank account, management 

of the property, etc.). 

• He speaks your language ! Which is always 

reassuring when we consider a real estate purchase 

in a foreign country. 

Moreover, in Thailand, the agency fees are 

paid by the seller, so do not hesitate! 

Do you have a question about real estate in 

Thailand? Contact us and get answers from experts! 

• pattaya@companyvauban.com 

• +66 (0)38 251 729 

Don’t forget to mention you saw in 

the Business Supplement! 

High Tower Co., Ltd. Tel: 038 411 009 For all your advertising enquiries - Tel: 0846 77 43 60


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THAILAND POST 

SPENDS 50M BAHT TO 

UPGRADE AIRMAIL 

SECURITY 

Thailand Post is investing 50 

million baht to upgrade its airmail 

security system at Suvarnabhumi 

airport. 

Currently, Thailand Post’s mail 

center meets international security 

standards. It is already certified 

by the Civil Aviation Authority of 

Thailand (CAAT) and meets all of 

the objectives as dictated by the 

International Civil Aviation Organization. 

The new investment will make 

Thailand Post’s airport facility the 

world’s first regulated mail center 

that will screen each and every 

package for explosives, harmful 

substances and prohibited items. 

This will ensure more timely delivery 

of mail via airlines operating at 

the airport. 

The scanning involves using 

atriple-pass method on a special 

two-dimensional x-ray machine. 

operating areas, all of which are fitted 

with high definition video feeds. 

Security guards will be on patrol 

24 hours per day, 7 days per week. 

Outside of the postal center 

at the airport, other security measures 

are being enhanced. Sender 

details and identification are being 

recorded for the sending of any 

package at post offices. Numbered 

plastic straps and tags are being 

used to ensure that packages are 

not tampered with during transportation 

to the airport facility. 

The rest of the money will be 

spent on a variety of upgrades including 

new software and hardware 

to screen all packages, new procedures 

and new security systems for 

staff. 

With the latter in mind, this will 

include enhanced criminal background 

checks for all handlers and 

postal officers, new training for 

airport security, body scanning for 

staff and visitors to the mail center 

as well as fingerprint scanning for 

entry and exit to the facility. 

Also, new fences and gates 

are being set up around the facility 

and at the entrance of the loading 

area. No personal property will be 

allowed into the mail center. 

Other security measures include 

thirty-six CCTV cameras that 

have coverage of all loading and 

All of this security comes at a 

time of high growth for the postal 

industry and for Thailand Post in 

particular. The company expects to 

see 5 billion baht in profit in 2019, 

up fourteen percent from 4.4 billion 

baht a year earlier, spurned largely 

by e-commerce growth. 

Mrs.Smorn Terdthampiboon, 

president of Thailand 

Post,was quoted as saying, “Consumer-to-consumer 

and business-to-consumer 

sales activities 

are growing significantly, in line 

with changing consumer behavior 

and the popularity of purchasing 

products online.” 

Thailand Post’s full year revenue 

is expected to increase from 

30.8 billion in 2018 baht to 31 billion 

baht this year. 






WESTERN UNION STARTS ONLINE SERVICES IN THAILAND 

Western Union, the well-known 

money transfer company, has 

launched a new online money transfer 

service in Thailand. It has also 

partnered with Central Group to offer 

the new service. 

The launch marks an expansion 

into the Asian market after successful 

operations of online services in 

the U.S. and Europe. 

Customers can use the new 

website or mobile app to send money 

internationally. 

The regional vice president 

for South Asia and Indo-China at 

Western Union, Sohini Rajola, was 

quoted as saying, "We are delighted 

to debut international digital 

money transfer services in Thailand 

as part of our expansion plans 

across Asia," adding, "Our strategy 

of a multi-channel approach is 

about servicing the widest group 

of customers who are multi-cultural, 

multi-generational, with multiple 

purposes of sending money." 

The roll out of the new service 

coincides with the government’s 

push towards digital cash over the 

coming years. 

Mrs. Rajola was also quoted as 

saying, “The Thai Board of Investment 

has declared that the digital 

industry will be a significant driver 

of Thailand’s economic transformation 

strategy, and Western Union’s 

digital services aligns with the Thai 

government's Thailand 4.0 policy to 

create an economy driven by innovation 

and technology.” 

Western Union has an extensive 

network. Customers can send 

money to billions of bank accounts 

in over 100 countries, or to a large 

number of cash-handling agents 

worldwide. The online business has 

been growing at a rate of more than 

20 per cent per year over the last 

few years. 

Mrs. Rajola was further quoted 

as saying, “Coming to Asia, we 

believe that growth will be at the 

same rate or even faster because 

the overall population is very young 

and tech savvy,” adding, “Thailand 

has been one of the important markets 

for Western Union. In fact, the 

country was the first in Indo-China 

for us to launch digital services. The 

country has a lot of growth potential, 

especially with the vision of the government 

in supporting the digital industry. 

The government recognizes 

the power of the digital industry in 

shaping the future and, at the same 

time, Thais are quick to implement 

digital solutions and technology.” 

Central Group’s new partnership 

will follow their position as an agent 

for Western Union, which they had 

maintained for more than 25 years. 

Commenting on the new alliance, 

head of financial services at 

Central Group, Montri Sithiyavanich, 

was quoted as saying, “Our 

collaboration with Western Union 

is focused on delivering customer-centric 

solutions and services 

and enabling convenient financial 

transactions”, adding, “Western 

Union’s innovation over time has 

built a powerful cross-border platform 

for moving money almost anywhere 

in the world in a matter of moments 

and we are delighted to work 

together and open up new choices 

and possibilities to move money 

reliably in many available formats – 

digital or cash, online or offline.” 



CENTARA PLANS TO DOUBLE 

THE NUMBER OF HOTELS IT RUNS 

Centara Hotel and Resorts has 

an ambitious growth plan that includes 

nearly doubling the number 

of hotels it runs, with as many as 

134 properties earmarked by 2022 

up from the current 76. 

As well as the expansion, the 

company is planning to renovate a 

number of its existing properties to 

secure the future with them in a marketplace 

that continues to be competitive. 

Amongst the hotels and resorts 

that are earmarked for significant 

renovation are the Centara Grand 

Beach Resort Samui which will undergo 

a 1.2 billion baht rebranding, 

and the Centara Grand at Central 

World in Bangkok which will have 

some 700 million baht spent on an 

upgrade to its facilities, even though 

the hotel is already considered a 

modern, even a futuristic looking 

building. 

The hotel in Samui will close for 

the renovations and will re-open 

next year, whilst the renovations at 

the Bangkok property are expected 

to not be disruptive at all, and guests 

can continue to enjoy full use of the 

hotel. 

The growth master plan has 

been in force since 2018 and runs 

for around 5 years to the end of 

2022. During the period the company 

is expected to spend 20 billion 

baht on new acquisitions and renovations. 

The speedy rise in the number 

of properties under the company’s 

control will be achieved in some part 

by new partnerships and new brand 

acquisitions as well as by way of entirely 

new buildings being erected. 

During 2019, Centara will start 

operating two new hotels in Sri Racha 

and Krabi and will open a new 

Cosi hotel in Pattaya. 

Outside of Thailand the company 

is looking at the rest of the region for 

expansion but intends to make forays 

into Europe also. 

Thirayuth Chirathivat, chief executive 

of Centara Hotels, was quoted 

as saying, "We have placed our focus 

on operating hotels in the Middle 

East and Asia first.” 

Indeed, Centara has recently entered 

into an agreement to manage 

a hotel in Qatar, with more to come 

in the same country. Also the company 

recently signed contracts with six 

separate hotels in Myanmar spread 

between the provinces of Taungoo, 

Nyaung Shwe and Nay Pyi Taw, all 

of which come hot on the heels of 

other hotel openings in Vietnam and 

Laos. 

Centara is in the process of celebrating 

its 36th anniversary this 

year. It comes at an exciting time for 

the group. It expects that after the 

expansion plan is fully complete, annual 

revenue could more than double 

to 20 billion baht per year from 

the 9 billion baht that was achieved 

in 2018. Occupancy rates have been 

approximately 83 percent in the last 

year. 




“Bits n Bytes” 

STEVE DICKENS 

INTERNET SCAMS 

(PART 1) 

Not so long ago, you were considered a savvy internet user if you 

ignored unsolicited emails from princes in faraway lands. Now the 

distinction between what’s a scam and what’s a legitimate online business 

is not so cut and dry. From phishing schemes disguised to lure 

you into a fraudulent website with innocent-looking bait to malware 

hidden in Wi-Fi hotspots, here are seven internet scams that even the 

smartest people fall for. 

BEST SUPERMARKET 

BEST SUPERMARKET 

North Pattaya Road 

(close to the Dolphin Roundabout) 


1. THE FAKE SOCIAL NETWORK EMAIL 

How it works: This phishing 

scheme involves receiving a fraudulent 

email that looks like it came 

from your actual social network. It 

may say you have new, urgent notifications 

or that someone is erroneously 

trying to access your account 

and you need to sign in to verify 

information. Click on the link in the 

email and you are directed to a fake 

website. If you sign in on that page, 

scammers can then hack into your 

real account and steal your identity, 

sending out spam messages to your 

family and friends and using personal 

information to blackmail you. 

How to avoid it: If there are notifications 

you need to see on your social 

network, visit that page directly 

by typing the Web address into the 

URL bar or opening the network’s 

app on your phone. Do not click on 

links that are emailed to you. And 

set up two-step verification on all of 

your accounts so that if someone 

tries to sign into your account from 

a non-trusted computer, you get a 

notification texted to you. 

2. THE UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENT 

How it works: Scammers access 

one of your associates’ email accounts 

or social networks and send 

out fake emails or direct messages 

to all of his or her contacts. They often 

include an attachment or a link 

to a fraudulent file-sharing website 

and ask you to download a file from 

there. If you download the files, they 

spread destructive malware on your 

computer, locking down all of the 

legitimate files on your device and 

holding it for ransom. 

How to avoid it: If you receive an 

unexpected attachment or link to a 

file-sharing website from a contact, 

do not open it. Instead, reach out 

to that contact directly—preferably 

via another channel than how you 

received it, in case they have been 

hacked—and ask what the file is and 

if he or she intended to send it. 

3. THE UNEXPECTED FRIEND 

REQUEST, FACEBOOK USERS 

PLEASE NOTE! 

How it works: A scammer duplicates 

a social network profile belonging 

to a friend and then adds 

you. Once you confirm, the con 

artist has access to personal information 

that can be used to hack into 

your bank accounts, such as your 

birthday, parents’ names, and pets’ 

names. They can also then send 

out malicious links that you would 

be tempted to click and requests for 

money. 

How to avoid it: Do not accept 

friend requests from strangers. If 

someone you are already friends 

with adds you as a friend, reach out 

to them offline and confirm whether 

or not they have a second account. 

Do not share private information that 

could be used to crack your bank’s 

security questions online. If you go 

out of town, wait until you return to 

post about it; you never know if one 

of your friends’ accounts is compromised. 

................................................................................................................................................. 

Steve Dickens 

has worked in managerial and consultancy roles for 

over 40 years with international technology companies, 

15 of which have been here in Thailand. He 

can be contacted at stevedickens@hotmail.com 



THAILAND BUSINESS NEWS 

SET LISTED DEVELOPER 

PRUKSA EYES STRONG 

GROWTH IN EEC 

THREE 'SMART CITIES' 

PROPOSED IN THAILAND 

During the soon to be held ASEAN Smart Cities 

Network (ASCN) meeting in August 2019, the 

Government will propose Bangkok, Sri Racha and 

Phuketto become smart cities. 

President of the Digital Economy Promotion 

Agency (DEPA), Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, 

was quoted as saying, "As a tourist destination, 

Phuket can be an example of a smart city that 

uses innovation to promote and develop local 

tourism. Chonburi's Sri Racha will be a center of 

innovation. As for Bangkok, we will develop Bang 

Sue station into a mobility hub. Despite different 

focus areas, these smart cities will share the 

same goal of protecting the environment." 

As well as an environmental focus, there will 

be proposals to use digital technology to expand 

and improve local transportation and other public 

services, and proposals to cope with population 

growth, to conserve energy, to provide better 

housing and to develop business opportunities. 

The meeting of the ASCN in August will follow 

a two-day roundtable that was held in Bangkok’s 

BITEC complex in June. The roundtable included 

a large number of ambassadors from 26 cities 

around the ASEAN region. 

Pruksa Real Estate Co, the well known residential 

property developer, is expecting to see 

strong interest in its townhouses and other residential 

projects along the Eastern Economic Corridor 

(EEC). 

New projects continue to be launched in 3 

provinces in the EEC area including Pruksa Avenue 

Nong Mon-Chon Buri in Chon Buri's Muang 

district, which comprises of 219 detached houses 

starting at 2.79 million baht and 474 town houses 

priced from just 1.69 million baht. 

The company sees homes priced below 2 

million baht as enjoying strong demand, since 

mortgages are easier to obtain in an environment 

where lending has been tightened. 

Chief executive for townhouses at Pruksa 

Real Estate, Theeradej Kerdsamang, was quoted 

as saying, "The loan-to-value (LTV) limits had 

an impact on buyers in the eastern provinces," 

adding, "Mortgage lending rejection rate rose to 

7-10% from 5% pre-curbs." 

The EEC area is marked as being the 

best-performing market outside of Bangkok for 

the company. Chang Mai and Phuket were also 

cited as doing well. 

THAILAND’S TWZ MOBILE 

PHONE COMPANY TO 

IMPORT ELECTRIC CARS 

TWZ Corporation Plc., a SET listed mobile 

phone distributor will open a new business unit to 

import electric vehicles into Thailand. 

Chief executive of TWZ, Puttachat Rungkasiri, 

was quoted as saying, “We are in talks with 

Chinese EV manufacturers such as Lifan Motors 

and Dongfeng Motors but have yet to decide 

about types of EVs and services," adding, "TWZ's 

spending for the EV business will be lower than 

100 million baht because we will be an importer 

and distributor, and we hope to offer charging services 

and mobile apps for EV customers." 

The company noted that electric vehicles were 

typically twenty per cent more expensive than petrol 

driven cars. However the price difference could 

be reduced as EV’s become more mainstream 

and conventional cars become phased out in major 

urban centers. 

Mr. Puttachat was also quoted as saying, "Currently, 

several cities in China and Taiwan have set 

time frames to ban the use of conventional cars in 

inner cities in the next couple of years.” 




LUXURY LIVING AT AFFORDABLE PRICES 

READY 

TO MOVE IN 

www.villaasiatic.com 

Contact Info 

Tel: 090-226-4287 (EN) 063-382-1881 (TH) 

info@villaasiatic.com 

Facebook: VILLA ASIATIC 

by Fed Property Co.Ltd 

Railway Bypass, Moo 7, Nongplalai, 

Banglamung, Chonburi 20150 



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2 3 

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0 

LOOKING TO PROMOTE YOUR RESTAURANT, PUB 

OR BAR AMONG THE EXPAT COMMUNITY? 

CALL US AT 02 651 3632 

OR REACH US VIA E-MAIL AT 

BANGKOK@NEWSPAPERDIRECT-THAILAND.COM 

TO FIND OUT HOW EASY AND INEXPENSIVE 

WE CAN HELP YOU RAISE AWARENESS FOR 

YOUR BUSINESS! 

19 

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Featured restaurants & pubs 


CHOOSING THE 

RIGHT DIGITAL 

MARKETING 

AGENCY 


Digital Marketing including services 

such as Website Design, Development 

& Maintenance, Search 

Engine Optimisation, Online Advertising 

such as Google Adwords & 

Social Media including Facebook, 

Twitter, Instagram and many other 

social networks are now a necessity 

not an option for most businesses. 

But how do you choose a company 

which you can trust to carry out 

this work for you and be responsible 

for the digital presence of your business? 

The Digital Marketing industry is 

not regulated, so effectively anyone 

can set themselves up as a ‘Digital 

Marketing Expert’ and pitch for your 

business with little or even no experience 

or knowledge. 

Some of the key factors that distinguish 

the real deal from the not so 

real are verifiable client recommendations. 

● Do they have current or past 

clients who will verify that their work 

is good quality and will you be able 

to actually speak with these people 

if you wish to? 

● Can they give you examples 

of successful campaigns which they 

have run? Many people ‘know’ the 

theory but have never or rarely put it 

into practice. 


What will you actually get for 

your money? How many hours of 

work per month or what kind of results 

can you expect to get from your 

campaign? 

If the company will only be responsible 

for driving traffic to your 

site and not improving your website 

conversion rates, make sure that this 

is clear from the outset and reflected 

in the price you pay. 

Another important question to 

ask, particularly if you are working 

with a local company is ‘are they currently 

or have they ever worked with 

any of your competitors?’ 

Whilst it’s important that anyone 

running a Digital Marketing campaign 

for your business should have 

a firm understanding of your industry, 

it is also important that there is no 

conflict of interest between you and 

any of their other clients. 

Many clients these days are asking 

external agencies to sign ‘Non 

Disclosure Agreements’ before engaging 

their services, and some 

agencies even go so far as to offer it 

as a standard policy to reinforce their 

trustworthiness. 

The last thing that we can cover 

in this article is making sure that any 

accounts set up by a Digital Marketing 

agency will belong to you in the 

event of the contract ending. 

It is important to get this in writing 

as once you have built up a strong 

social media following you won’t 

want to lose it. 

The same goes for accounts like 

Google Analytics & Adwords, just 

one document or clause in a contact 

can help to ensure that you don’t 

lose data which is valuable to your 

business. 

Gemma Purnell 

+66 33 039 399 

gemmapurnell.com 

gemma@gemmapurnell.com 

FOODMART 

SUPERMARKET 

On Thappraya Road, Jomtien 

316/3 Moo 12, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150 

FOODMART 

Offers a wide selection of the best foods and beverages 

from around the world at reasonable prices. 

FOODMART 

Is located directly on Thappraya Road north of Thepprasit Road, 

opposite Pan Pan Restaurant. 

Tel: 038-303 467 


TOSCANA & MOOM TALAY – 

A Combination with Global Appeal 

It goes without saying that the Moom Talay Thai and Toscana Italian restaurants 

attract customers simply because of their wonderful location on Beach Road, 

looking out over Pattaya Bay, after a few visits it becomes quite discernable that 

both also attract diners from virtually all corners of the globe. 

On any occasion there might be 

a group of Australians indulging in a 

variety of dishes from their extensive 

menu, while at the next table will be 

a couple from Singapore sampling the 

best of the Thai dishes from Moom Talay 

while also sharing a generous pizza. 

Nearby them may be a couple of 

Portuguese expats who have come for 

a sojourn in Pattaya from their longtime 

base in Macau. 

Elsewhere there will tables of 

Brits, both expats and holidaymakers 

alike, a few Americans, 

some South 

Koreans, a clutch 

of Japanese and a 

boisterous group 

of Norwegians. Of 

course there will 

also be plenty of 

Italians, from all 

over Italy, as well 

as Thais. 

In many ways an 

Italian restaurant is 

the culinary equivalent 

of the Irish Pub. Everywhere in 

the world there seems to be an Irish 

bar and these places tend to be popular 

with all nationalities. So too with 

Italian restaurants. Go almost anywhere 

and there will be an Italian eatery 

of some sort as pizza and pasta 

seem to be almost universally 

popular. 

It could be said that 

Toscana and Moom 

Talay are the 

Irish pub of Pattaya restaurants, 

especially along the prime tourist 

attraction of Pattaya Bay. Like the 

Irish, the Italians tend to be a popular 

across all nationalities. 

Taking into account the international 

appeal of the two restaurants,

the 16-page Moom Talay restaurant 

menu is written in five languages, 

including Chinese and Russian, which 

is surely unique in Pattaya and much 

further afield. 

Mention the Tuscany region of Italy 

and most people will be aware that it 

is often represented as the breadbasket 

of the country, an area of sweeping 

plains and fertile valleys where 

traditional farming methods and practices 

serve to produce some of the finest 

foods. 

There’s no doubt the management 

of Toscana have remained true to their 

forebears. Owner Luca has steadfastly 

stuck to the tried and time-honoured 

methods of his farming heritage. He 

knows what he needs to do to create a 

special culinary experience for those 

diners who truly understand what it is 

to experience a specific regional cuisine 

in a foreign setting like Pattaya. 

The testimony of this is obvious to 

see, as year after year the two restaurants 

keep seeing familiar faces. After 

all, one of the true tests of any quality 

restaurant is consistency. 

If a diner finds a dish or dishes he 

or she loves, they will come back time 

and again to indulge their desire for 

those special tastes. Both Toscana 

and Moom Talay have some 

unique dishes on their menu 

which lend themselves to attracting 

a loyal and regular 

clientele. 

The Moom Talay Thai Restaurant and 

Trattoria Pizzeria TOSCANA Restaurant 

are located on Beach Road, Pattaya 

(between Soi 6 and Soi 7) 

Telephone: 038 362 370 

Fax: 038 362 371; 

Email:tirreno@ptty2.loxinfo.co.th 

For reservations: 081 861 3446 

Trattoria Pizzeria Toscana 

Moom Talay Thai Restaurant


FOREIGN CURRENCY UPDATE 

TheU.S. Dollar dropped as 

market sentiment shifted towards a 

higher expectation that the Federal 

Reserve will start on an interest 

rate-cutting program in the U.S. 

before long. This is based on weaker 

economic data that many have 

blamed on the tariff and trade war 

escalations of late.The DXYDollar 

index, an index that measures the 

U.S. Dollar’s value against a range 

of major currencies movedfrom 

a high of 98.14 to a low of 96.56. 

Against the Thai Baht,the U.S. Dollar 

dropped quite dramatically from 

31.98 to 31.24 dipped, a fall of more 

than 2 per cent. 

The British Pound remained at 

the lows at around 1.2660 to the 

U.S. Dollar then rose to 1.2752 

mainly on Dollar weakness, not so 

much the Pound’s strength. Yet, the 

bounce was short lived. It gave up 

those gains relatively quickly dropping 

through the bottom of the recent 

range to 1.2529. Against the 

Thai Baht, the Pound fell through 

the all-important 40.00 handle to 

tradedown to 39.21, newsworthy 

because it is its lowest level since 

before the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis 

some 22 years ago. (Has it really 

been that long?). More pain could be 

in store, with increasing political uncertainty 

in the UK and still several 

more months of vagueness before 

the new Brexit deadline. Yet, some 

longer-term traders might be looking 

beyond these events and buying on 

dips, which may partly explain why 

the currency has been moving relatively 

gently. Whether or not there 

will be a watershed moment in the 

currency culminating in a steep drop 

or a steep rise remains to be seen. 

The U.S. Dollar vs. Japanese 

Yencross rate has continued to fall, 

moving from a high of 110.65 down 

to 108.18. This time the fall may not 

be so much due to the Yen’s safe 

haven status (since stock markets 

turned broadly higher in the interim), 

but mainly due to Dollar weakness. 

The Japanese Yen vs. Thai 

Baht spot rate stayed relatively flat 

at 0.2865, indicating that the Yen 

itself has not gained any significant 

strength. 

The Russian Ruble has continued 

to remain flat with the rate moving 

from 65.11 to 64.40 to the US 

Dollar after hitting a high of 65.57. 

The summit between Chinese and 

Russian leaders did little to move the 

cross rate. Against the Thai Baht,the 

Ruble moved ever so slightly from 

0.4844 to 0.4838 after hitting a temporary 

high of 0.4957. 

The Euro / U.S. Dollar cross-rate 

rose from 1.1138 to 1.1340, partly on 

comments from the ECB President 

Mario Draghi and partly on subsequent 

U.S. Dollar declines.Against 

the Thai Baht,trade was choppy 

but ultimately range bound, with the 

cross rate moving very slightly down 

from 35.49 to 35.38. 






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- You HAVE to be listed on Chinese social media! 

CHINESE F.I.T. NOW ACCOUNT FOR ALMOST 

HALF OF THE CHINESE VISITORS TO THAILAND 

FIT spending proportion 

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Facts - Chinese F.I.T. 

2017 FIT Tourist Data 

10% 

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Average spending 6,000 THB/Day 

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Sightseeing 

Accommodation 

Food & Beverage 

Local Transport 

Medical Care 

Miscellaneous 

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Accommodation 

Food & Beverage 

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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. 

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. 

PLASTIC WASTE 

PROBLEM 

WORSENING 

RAPIDLY 

There are some alarming statistics 

regarding plastic waste, its 

generation rates and how much of it 

is ending up in the marine environment. 

China produces 1.1 kg per day 

of waste for each and every person 

in the country on average. 11 per 

cent of this is plastics, and the total 

amount of plastic waste generated 

amounts to a whopping 8.82 million 

tonnes per year of which an unacceptable 

1.32 to 3.53 million tonnes 

ends up in the oceans. 

Whilst the USA nearly tops the 

bill for total waste generated at 2.58 

kilograms per person per day, a 

lesser amount of 0.04 – 0.11 million 


JUST THE STATISTICS 

tonnes of plastic waste reaches the 

ocean. Of course even this amount 

is too much. 

Thailand’s citizens produce an 

average of 1.2kg of waste per day 

each, of which 12 per cent is plastic 

waste. Some 0.15 to 0.41 million 

tonnes of plastic waste makes its 

way into the marine environment every 

year. 

Other countries polluting their 

oceans with plastic waste to a greater 

extent include the Philippines 

which dumps 0.28 to 0.75 million 

tonnes per year into its oceans, Indonesia, 

which sees 0.48 to 1.29 

million tonnes per year enter the 

oceans and Vietnam which pollutes 

its oceans with 0.28 to 0.73 million 

tonnes per year. 

The global situation regarding 

plastic waste is getting rapidly 

worse. 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic 

have been made since 1950, but 50 

per cent of that total has been produced 

in just the last 15 years. Only 

10 per cent has been recycled and 

only 12 per cent has been incinerated. 

Fully 60 per cent of all 

plastic produced in the last 70 years 

is waste and remains in landfills, 

in the open environment or in the 

oceans. 

FOREST FIRES 

INCREASING IN 

MOST ASEAN 

COUNTRIES 

In most ASEAN countries the 

number of forest fires is rising, putting 

pressure on resources, polluting 

the environment and endangering 

lives. 

The Philippines saw a tripling of 

the number of forest fires in the last 

18 years. In 2001 the country recorded 

1,448 fires. This number jumped 

to 4,723 in 2018 and already in just 

the first 5 months or so of 2019 the 

country has clocked up 5,780 forest 

fire incidents. 

Thailand has also seen an increase, 

though by a lesser amount. 

Yet the numbers overall are higher 

with 17,679 forest fires recorded in 

2018 compared to 11,965 in 2001. 

The current year has gotten off to a 

bad start with 28,201 forest fires reported 

from just January 1stthrough 

to May 7th. 

However, some countries have 

seen a reduction. Malaysia had 

7,307 forest fires in 2002 but only 

3,367 in 2018. So far this year there 

have been 2,325 forest fires. 

䘀刀伀䴀 Ⰰ 㤀㜀㔀 Ⰰ 

吀䠀䈀伀一䰀夀 ℀ 

∠ 㠀 ─ 最甀愀爀愀渀琀攀攀搀⼀礀攀愀爀 

∠ 䐀甀爀椀渀最㔀礀攀愀爀猀 

∠ ─ 戀甀礀 ⴀ 戀愀挀欀最甀愀爀愀渀琀攀攀 

∠ 伀渀氀礀㠀洀昀爀漀洀琀栀攀戀攀愀挀栀 

∠ 一漀攀砀琀爀愀 ⴀ 挀漀猀琀猀 

∠ 㔀猀琀愀爀猀猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀猀愀渀搀昀愀挀椀氀椀琀椀攀猀 

∠ ㈀㜀搀愀礀猀漀昀昀爀攀攀猀琀愀礀瀀攀爀礀攀愀爀 

䔀堀䌀䰀唀匀䤀嘀䔀伀倀倀伀刀唀一䤀吀夀 

䈀夀嘀䄀唀䈀䄀一刀䔀䄀䰀䔀匀吀䄀吀䔀 

倀䄀吀吀䄀夀䄀䀀䌀伀䴀倀䄀一夀嘀䄀唀䈀䄀一 ⸀ 䌀伀䴀 

⬀ 㘀㘀 ⠀ ⤀アパート㠀㈀㔀㜀㈀㤀 




HYPERTENSION (HTN or HT) 

Hypertension (HTN or HT), 

also known as high blood pressure 

(HBP), is a long-term medical condition 

in which the blood pressure in 

the arteries is persistently elevated. 

High blood pressure typically does 

not cause symptoms. 

What causes hypertension? 

Acute causes of high blood pressure 

include stress, but it can happen 

on its own, or it can result from 

an underlying condition, such as 

kidney disease. Unmanaged hypertension 

can lead to a heart attack, 

stroke, and other problems. Lifestyle 

factors are the best way to address 

high blood pressure. 

There are four stages of high 

blood pressure or hypertension: 

• STAGE 1 or Prehypertension is 

120/80 to 139/89. 

• STAGE 2 or 

Mild Hypertension 

is 140/90 to 

159/99. 

• STAGE 

3 or Moderate 

Hypertension 

is 160/100 to 

179/109. 

• STAGE 4 

or Severe Hypertension 

is 

180/110 or higher. 

• What causes 

your blood pressure to suddenly 

get high? 

What are the causes of high blood 

pressure? 

Overuse of stimulating drinks 

such as tea, coffee and alcohol can 

cause sudden increase in the blood 

pressure in a short period. Increased 

weight, pain and hormonal imbalance 

can also be attributed to sudden 

increase in the blood pressure. 

In some cases, pregnancy can lead 

to high blood pressures at once. 

How can hypertension be diagnosed? 

The best way to diagnose high 

blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) 

is to have your blood pressure 

measured. A blood pressure reading 

is taken with a pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer). 

During the test, the 

cuff is placed around the upper arm 

before being manually or electronically 

inflated. 

When should you be concerned 

about blood pressure? 

More than 120 over 80 and less 

than 140 over 90 (120/80-140/90): 

You have a normal blood pressure 

reading but it is a little higher than it 

should be, and you should try to lower 

it. Make healthy changes to your 

lifestyle. 

Suggest healthy lifestyle changes, 

such as eating a healthy diet 

with less salt, maintaining a healthy 

weight and limiting how much alcohol 

you drink. Make changes to your 

high blood pressure medications to 

come up with the most effective combination 

and doses. 

Initial first-line therapy for stage 

1 hypertension includes thiazide diuretics, 

CCBs, and ACE inhibitors or 

ARBs. Two first-line drugs of different 

classes are recommended with 

stage 2 hypertension and average 

BP of 20/10 mm Hg above the BP 

target. 

When should you medicate for 

high blood pressure? 

130/80 to 139/89 (stage 1 hypertension): 

You might need medication. 

These numbers qualify as high blood 

pressure and you need to take action. 

But your doctor will probably suggest 

that you try out lifestyle changes first 

before adding drugs -- unless you 

have other health problems. 

How long can you live with untreated 

high blood pressure? 

If left untreated, a blood pressure 

of 180/120 or higher results in 

an 80% chance of death within one 

year, with an average survival rate 

of ten months. Prolonged, untreated 

high blood pressure can also lead to 

heart attack, stroke, blindness, and 

kidney disease. 

Gavin Waddell 

Phyathai Sriracha 

Hospital 

HYPERTENSION PROGRAM PROGRAM 

ITEM 

TEST 

Check List 

HYPERTENSION HYPERTENSION HYPERTENSION HYPERTENSION 

(ECHO 1) (ECHO 2) (EST 1) (EST2) 

PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM 

1 Fasting Blood Sugar • • • • 

2 Lipid Profile • • • • 

3 Kidney Function Test (Creatinine) • • • • 

4 Electrolyte • • • • 

5 Urine Examination • • • • 

6 Chest X-ray • • • • 

7 Electrocaardiogram • • • • 

8 Vascular Screening • • • • 

9 Exercise Stress Test • • 

10 Echocardiogram • • 

11 CT Calcium Scoring • • 

12 Physical Examination • • • • 

Normal Price 10,390 7,390 10,390 7,390 

Package Price 6,700 4,800 6,700 4,800 




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. 

CROSSWORD 

Last months sudoku answers 

TRIVIA Quiz 

ACROSS 

1/ Fee paid for instruction (7) 

6/Relating to the moon (5) 

7/Utilise (3) 

8/Atmosphere (3) 

9/Australian Institute of Sport init. (3) 

10/Torpid (5) 

12/Computer in Space Odyssey (3) 

14/Border (4) 

15/Write a letter (3) 

DOWN 

1/Garrulous (9) 

2/Located inward (5) 

3/Annoy (8) 

4/Sustain (7) 

5/Rising warm air current (7) 

11/Electrocardiogram init (3) 

13/Beard of corn (3) 

1. How many players are there in a Gaelic football team? 

2. The Kara Sea is an arm of which ocean? 

3. In which part of the body would you find the corti? 

4. Which Canadian-born actress became a famous star in US 

silent films and changed her named from Gladys Smith? 

5. From the Jordanian port of Aqaba you can see three countries, 

what are they? 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6. Who played the role of Willy Bank in the 2007 film Ocean’s 

Thirteen? 

7. What name is given to the fruits of plants of the genus Ficus? 

6 7 

8. In what year was the English Channel Tunnel officially 

opened? 

9. Who was the first US president to visit the former Nazi concentration 

camp of Auschwitz? 

10. What nationality was the composer Sibelius? 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

Answers 

1. 15 2. Arctic 3. the ear 4. Mary Pickford 5. Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia 6. Al Pacino 7. Figs 

8. 1994 9. Gerald Ford 10. Finnish 

14 15 

CROSSWORD ANSWERS 

ACROSS 1/ Tuition 6/ Lunar 7/Use 8/Air 9/AIS 12/Inert 14/Edge 15/ Pen 

DOWN 1/Talkative 2/Inner 3/Irritate 4/Nourish 5/Thermal 11/ECG 13/Awn 

For information on the PATTAYA BUSINESS SUPPLEMENT Contact High Tower Co., Ltd. Tel: 038 411 009 - 089 249 2778 

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




THAILAND’S 

COMPETITIVE EDGE 

RANKING RISES 

BY 5 PLACES 

In keeping with the latest competitiveness 

report by the International 

Institute for Management Development 

(IMD) based in Switzerland, 

Thailand has seen its position in the 

latest international competitiveness 

ranking jump by 5 positions, indicating 

that the government’s focus on 

competitiveness has been successful. 

Thailand attained 3rd place in 

South East Asia and 25th place 

globally, up from 30th position. It 

followed Malaysia’s 2nd place in the 

region and 22nd place globally. Singapore 

scored top in the region and 

also top in the entire world. 

Hong Kong came in at second 

place globally with the United Arab 

Emirates, Switzerland and the U.S. 

making up the rest of the top 5 positions. 

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid 

Jatusripitak, was quoted as saying, 

“Thailand can beat Malaysia in the 

global competitiveness ranking in 

5-10 years if both the public and private 

sector join hands to overcome 

obstacles and continue to stimulate 

investment,” adding, “More importantly, 

we need to have no political 

problems. We should not be careless, 

because other countries such 

as Indonesia are keen for development 

progress.” 

There were calls to improve economic 

restructuring, speed up the 

tackling of the challenges of human 

resources and education and also 

plans to produce and promote new, 

innovative product manufacturing to 

replace existing product groups. 

Other things on the to-do list include 

re-educating people with new 

workplace methods and to develop 

and use the digital economy to bring 

equal access of social services to 


all, including education, banking and 

industry openings. 

The report measured competitiveness 

in 63 countries. Thailand 

has seen its ranking increase markedly 

to hit its highest in 15 years. 

Within the numbers there were 

some notable sub groups where 

success was evident. Thailand’s 

government ranks in the 20th position 

for government efficiency, up 

from 22nd place last year and the 

Kingdom as a whole ranked in 8th 

place for economic performance, up 

from 10th place last year. 

A stable currency, low inflation 

and low unemployment rate along 

with growing GDP all contributed to 

the rankings. 

Other factors that the IMD report 

takes into account are business efficiency, 

development of infrastructure 

and inward investment. 

The secretary-general of the 

National Economic and Social Development 

Council (NESDC),Thosaporn 

Sirisumphand, was quoted 

as saying. “We expect foreign direct 

investment into the country to 

improve even further after the new 

government is established,” adding, 

“Investor sentiment will be boosted, 

and we expect further inflows into 

our markets.” 



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BKK_BUS_SUP_July19

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