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Unilever Network in Singapore
Unilever Network says it is expanding into Singapore as part of its plan to cover the entire Asean market by 2020.
“We now have 500,000 members in the Thai market and 30,000 international members. The company will keep its focus on expanding its direct sales in Asean and will open a Singapore office on October 1,” Suchada Theeravachirakul, president of the unit of Unilever Thai Trading, said yesterday.
Singapore is expected to increase the network’s membership by 15 per cent.
Outside Thailand, the company was already doing business in three countries – Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos.
For next quarter, the company has laid down an aggressive marketing plan for the dietary supplement business in response to consumer trends and growth potential of 20 per cent per year.
Consumer behaviour and trends for next year will remain the same as this year. The health and beauty business will continue to perform strongly.
Bessey for top Thanachart Bank post
Thanachart Bank has appointed Peter Bessey as vice executive chairman and deputy CEO, replacing Brendan King, who is returning to Scotiabank’s corporate headquarters in Canada.
Bessey will work closely with the management team in ensuring the successful implementation of Thanachart Bank’s ongoing fundamental infrastructure and work system development in order to meet the increasing financial needs of customers, Somjate Moosirilert, president and CEO, said yesterday.
Special THAI Hajj flights
Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) arranged 10 special flights for Thai Muslims to attend the Hajj Pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. They departed from Narathiwat Airport to Medina Airport, Saudi Arabia.
THAI anticipates about 3,000 passengers will participate in the pilgrimage, ACM Siwakiat Jayema, THAI acting president, said.
The first flight departed on August 27, the first day of the pilgrimage.
From October 10-19, THAI will operate special return flights from Jeddah to Thailand.
Slow car sales dent revenue
Government revenue declined 4.2 per cent year on year to Bt1.68 trillion in the first 10 months of the fiscal year through to end-July, largely due to lower excise revenue on cars after slower auto demand amid the economic slowdown, the Finance Ministry said yesterday.
Krisada Chinavicharana, Fiscal Policy Office director-general and ministry spokesman, said budget disbursement during the period was Bt2.09 trillion, up 3.7 per cent year on year, resulting in a budget deficit of Bt416.49 billion.
To make up part of the deficit, the government borrowed Bt224.16 billion in the period, he said.
Nod to NBTC vouchers
The National Council for Peace and Order(NCPO) sent a formal letter to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday to approve the watchdog’s plan to give away vouchers each worth Bt690 to households for the purchase of either a digital-TV set-top box or a television set with a digital-system tuner.
A source at the NBTC said the agency planned to commence voucher distribution in late October, initially to 11 million households in 11 provinces.
CP All cited for innovations
CP All, the operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand, has been ranked eighth on Forbes magazine’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies 2014” list.
Forbes said that companies on its list were ranked based on their innovation premium, the difference between their market capitalisation and a net present value of cash flows from existing businesses (based on a proprietary formula from Credit Suisse HOLT).
Rice deal with Manila
The National Council for Peace and Order yesterday approved the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Thai government and that of the Philippines on the procurement of Thai white rice.
The memorandum will expire on December 31, 2016.
