Quick news
Play
Unilever is Man United's 'laundry partner' in Asia
Unilever and Manchester United have forged a three-year regional partnership in Southeast Asia.
The new agreement will see Unilever become the Club’s Official Personal Care and Laundry Partner in nine countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. A number of Unilever’s most popular personal care and laundry products will now carry the Manchester United crest.
Peter ter Kulve, President of Unilever, Southeast Asia and Australasia, said the Manchester United partnership was an historic one for the company.
Manchester United is one of the world’s most iconic football clubs, with a passionate following in Southeast Asia. This is the first time Unilever has undertaken a partnership of this scale in the region, spanning nine rapidly developing markets, he added.
“Both Unilever and Manchester United share a common belief in the importance of promoting physical activity. Through this partnership we will bring Manchester United Soccer Schools to the community in order to encourage not only children, but also their parents, that ‘Dirt is Good’ and outdoor play is vital to health, wellbeing and future development,” he said.
Manchester United Group managing director Richard Arnold said this is a very exciting partnership for Manchester United. “With its great portfolio of personal care and laundry products we are confident that our partnership will bring more than 130 million followers we have across these countries closer to the club,” he said.
SET’s New York roadshow ‘a success’
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)’s “Thailand Conference” roadshow in the US on October 24-25 was a success, officials said, attracting 45 fund managers from 32 funds to attend the event.
The SET jointly held the roadshow with KT ZMICO Securities and Auerbach Grayson in New York. Eleven Thai listed firms from five sectors presented information to the fund managers, whose funds have combined global assets under management of US$2.1 trillion (Bt65.6 trillion), according to Kesara Manchusree, SET executive vice president.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong also took part in the event by presenting Thailand’s economic data, especially on the planned improvement of the country’s basic infrastructure and other measures designed to boost the export and manufacturing sectors. The participating Thai listed firms were Bangchak Petroleum, Bangkok Expressway, Central Plaza Hotel, GFPT, MCOT, MC Group, Nok Airlines, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding, Samart Corp, Sansiri and Thaicom, which had combined market capitalisation of Bt353.135 billion as of October 29.
Political instability dampening SME spirits
Political instability is the major reason keeping SMEs’ happiness at a low level, according to an ABAC Poll.
Aside from political instability, small and medium-sized enterprises are concerned with corruption, the state of the global economy condition and domestic economic conditions.
The survey, conducted last month among 274 SMEs, showed that the SME happiness was at 6.06, out of a maximum 10-point score.
They gave the government’s investment promotion a score of 5.12.
Of the 274 respondents, 57.2 per cent were convinced that the economy would worsen in the immediate term, but that the situation would improve next year.
A majority also believed that business success would be driven by good partners, business plans, sufficient funding and financial advisers.
Thailand, NZ plan to upgrade bilateral FTA
Thailand and New Zealand have agreed to strengthen their business ties through an upgrading of the free-trade agreement that has been in effect since 2005.
Somkiat Triratpan, deputy director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, said this would further expand bilateral trade, which has already shot up to US$1.16 billion (Bt36.2 billion) from $424.61 million annually since its inception.
A joint working committee will be set up to negotiate the upgrading of the FTA.
Meanwhile, Thailand is preparing for the official visit of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key during November 17-20. He will be accompanied by a group of businessmen.
Weddings, honeymoons highlighted at WTM
Promoting weddings and honeymoons is the highlight of Thailand’s participation in this year’s “World Travel Market (WTM)” – the world’s second-largest travel trade show.
The event takes place in London this week.
Taking part are a record 69 Thai tourism companies, including 57 accommodation companies and seven tour operators.
TAT to launch expanded ‘Amazing Thailand’ tagline
The Tourism Authority of Thailand will launch the new tagline “Amazing Thailand. It begins with the people…” for its new global marketing and promotion.
This complements the long-standing marketing tagline, which was simply “Amazing Thailand”.
TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni said: “This tagline speaks to the increasingly human-centric aspect of Amazing Thailand, one that allows visitors to understand Thais and Thailand on a different level. It deepens the emotional value of visiting the country, one that is linked to its people in their attitude, hospitality and spirit.”
The UK is now Thailand’s second-largest market in Europe, with 590,000 people visiting Thailand in the first eight months of this year, up 3.56 per cent over the same period of 2012.
In January-March, UK visitors had an average length of stay of about 17 days per visit, well above the 10-day average of all visitors to the Kingdom.
In the same period, they had an average daily expenditure of Bt3,800, up 6.52 per cent. This generated a total of about Bt16 billion in foreign-exchange revenue, up 8.3 per cent.
VGI Global Media eyes foreign acquisitions
The country’s leading out-of-home lifestyle media provider, VGI Global Media, is keen to take over media planning agencies overseas, especially in Asean, in order to boost revenue and profit, said CEO Marut Arthakaivalvatee.
The company will soon explore business opportunities in Malaysia, he said, while declining to elaborate.
It is, however, more interested in taking over media agencies abroad than setting up its own new businesses.
The company expects to achieve its revenue growth target of 30 per cent this fiscal year, ending next March, and growth of 17 to 20 per cent in the following year.
