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TUF delays construction of shrimp-processing plant
Thai Union Frozen Products has suspended the building of a shrimp-processing plant this year as a severe disease decimated supply last quarter.
Deputy general manager Wai Yat Paco Lee said yesterday that the company had planned to start shrimp processing next year, but will reconsider the plan for a new plant by next year after the shrimp situation has improved.
Without the project, the company’s capital-expenditure budget for this year can be reduced from Bt6 billion to only Bt4.5 billion. TUF has also revised its sales guidance for this year to about US$3.8 billion (Bt122 billion) from $4 billion because of the slowdown of the global economy and sluggishness in its major export markets, which has dampened demand for canned tuna.
Ceramics expo next month
“Asean Ceramics”, the region’s largest international exhibition of ceramics technology and materials, will welcome almost 200 of the world’s leading machinery, technology and material suppliers to meet Asia’s key manufacturers from more than 30 countries.
Organised by Asian Exhibition Services, the fair will be held at Bitec Bang Na from September 11-13.
Blink takes over penthouse
Hospitality concept specialist Blink Design Group is launching an all-new regional headquarters in Bangkok’s Sathorn central business district.
Led by creative director and founder Clint Nagata, the Blink office commands the entire 30th-floor penthouse of Bangkok City Tower and occupies 1,100 square metres of workspace in a 740sqm area – a feat made possible via economical use of the 8-metre-high loft ceiling and a sleek metal mezzanine structure that overlooks the open offices.
Dusit names London sales boss
Dusit International is attempting to boost its European business through its London regional sales office by appointing Maria Calvo as regional senior sales manager responsible for the Spanish, Italian and Benelux markets, besides select British accounts.
Calvo hails from the La Mancha region of Spain and started her hotel career at Choice Hotels in Brussels, Belgium.
Prize campaign for SEA Games
CMO, a major communications business in Asean, has been commissioned by Myanmar’s Hello Madam Media Group Co, with approval from the Sports Ministry, to manage the marketing campaign for the biggest sports event that country has seen in 44 years – the 27th SEA Games.
The “Lucky Cards Campaign” aims to prepare Myanmar’s people to host the SEA Games in Nay Pyi Daw at the beginning of December, CMO chief executive Sermkhun Kunawong said.
The campaign began on Friday and runs until November 30.
Thai Airways debentures rated
Tris Rating has assigned “A+” to the proposed issue of up to Bt5 billion in senior debentures of Thai Airways International and has affirmed the company rating of THAI and the ratings of its existing senior debentures at “A+”. The outlook remains “stable”.
New Energy Ministry boss looks to renewables
Suthep Liamsiricharoen, permanent secretary-designate of the Energy Ministry, will focus on implementing the policy of electricity production from biogas and the development of community solar farms. The Cabinet approved his promotion yesterday from the post of director-general of the Energy Policy and Planning Office.
One of his challenges is to deal with possible impacts from energy-price restructuring, especially the increase in the cooking-gas price this coming Sunday.
Frequency sought for high-speed rail network
The Transport Ministry, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission and other state agencies have agreed to set up a working panel to prepare for the allocation of a frequency for the communications link between the planned high-speed trains and their operations centre.
Among the options are 800-900 megahertz and 1,800MHz, Jesada Sivaraks, secretary to NBTC vice chairman Settapong Malisuwan, said yesterday.
Foreigners sell Bt33.8 billion worth of Thai bonds
Foreign investors sold Bt33.8 billion of local bonds from August 1-23, of which Bt24 billion were short-term and the rest long-term.
This resulted in the decline of net foreign holdings to Bt727 billion, according to the Thai Bond Market Association.
Asian Passion for downloadable content
Mobile Internet users in Southeast Asia are hungry for content and information, often turning to mobile advertising to fulfil these needs, according to Vserv.mobi.
Its survey found that consumers love mobile adverts that provide downloadable content (55 per cent), followed by those that help discover great deals (42 per cent). Applications and games are the most downloaded form of content, followed by videos and music.
Games and applications downloaded by mobile Internet users in Thailand (63 per cent) are less than the regional average of 67 per cent.
Product ownership for connected devices (computers 32 per cent and tablets 26 per cent), consumer durables (30 per cent), automobiles (30 per cent) and payment cards (20 per cent) in Thailand is generally lower than the Southeast Asia average.
IKEA launches new catalogue
IKEA is activating the biggest IKEA catalogue launch in Thailand, with over 1.2 milliion copies of the 2014 catalogue ready to be delivered to homes throughout Bangkok from today.
The record breaking catalogue drop is one of a number of new initiatives to support IKEA’s next phase of growth in Thailand.
“We are thrilled to activate our third annual, and biggest ever, IKEA catalogue launch in Thailand,” said Lacia Sherlock, store manager, IKEA Bang Na.
“And to reaffirm our commitment to offering a wide range of quality furnishings at very affordable prices, we will introduce more than 1,200 new products over the next 12 months.”
The new release list includes many family-friendly items. With the addition of the new items, customers will be able to choose from more than 8,500 products.
