BizBuzz

Prior to pioneering the first solar farm in Thailand, Solar Power Company Group chief executive Wandee Khunchornyakong had taken early retirement out of the |fear that she would age too quickly if she continued working too hard.
Wandee came out of re-|tirement after learning nobody had submitted a bid to build |a solar power plant in the |country, following the government’s introduction of the very small power plant scheme in 2009.
But she soon discovered her solar dream would not be easily obtained, with the first 10 banks she approached for finance turning her down before she got lucky.
The bank, however, placed many conditions on the loan, including insisting she hire the country’s most expensive law firm.
“I used the most expensive legal adviser whose fee was US$1,000 per hour [Bt31,000]. So we did not even have time to say hello,” she said.
Wandee said her life had totally changed over the last five years since she came out of retirement.
“I lost my beauty, I’ve gained weight, and I have less time to sleep,” she said.
The solar queen did not say how much her net worth has also changed, but an official stock market report puts her net worth at more than Bt11 billion based on her holding of 395 million SPCG shares at around Bt28 apiece.

NEW ERA OF DIGITAL |COMMERENCE
Siwat Chawareewong, the boss of GroupM’s digital unit Minteraction, recently told reporters he was sure Thailand was following the path of China that leads to a boom in electronic commerce.
He displayed a Google search results page that showed a saleswoman at a Ford showroom in Rattanathibet placing an advertisement on Google targeting people looking to buy a new car.
“When a Ford salesperson in Rattanathibet pours her own money into buying a Google Adwords, the Internet has become a sales tool, not just an advertising [platform] anymore,” he said, explaining that the |phenomenon will usher in a new era in digital commerce in Thailand.
Furthermore, Siwat pointed to the emergence of “new user” groups, including senior citizens, who have different Internet usage behaviour that is easily distinguishable from experienced Internet users.
For example, he said senior citizens usually like to post some nice flowers or other nice photos on their Line groups or Facebook timelines.
“Senior users use Facebook |to read news. They are only |sharing posts from others, and hardly update their status,” he said.

Contributed by Pichaya Changsorn