Biz Buzz

It’s not often that small Thai businesses are featured on international TV news media. That being the case, Trawut Luangsomboon, CEO and co-founder of Jitta.com, deserves to be delight that his online investment tool website was mentioned by Mary Buffet, the best-selling author of Value Investment books, on CNBC on July 8.
Buffet was speaking on CNBC’s “Street Signs” programme on the topic of “How to invest like Warren Buffet” during which she told the audience: “There’s a little company called Jitta.com which i”m going to introduce to everyone who goes online.”

FRANCHISEE ALL FRIED UP
The fried chicken market is heating up not only because of the arrival of the Texas Chicken franchise to be run by the Thai energy giant PTT, but also because of the arrival of a second KFC franchisee, the name of which will be revealed shortly.
The parent firm, Yum Restaurants International (Thailand), said it wants the second franchise to help it to archive its target of expanding its KFC branches from 532 to 800 outlets by 2020. Currently, Central Restaurants Group (CRG) is the only KFC franchisee in the Kingdom.
“The size is now too big to have just one franchise,” one source told Biz Buzz.
The second franchisee will have the right to operate between 120 to 150 existing KFC branches initially and will be able to open new outlets later. Sources said Yum might also eventually franchise out all its operations here. At present, Yum operates 330 KFC outlets here and 202 are handled by CRG.

‘INDIANA JONES’ ON A BIKE
Kris Ruyaporn, who calls himself the “Indiana Jones of Leadership Development”, is known for his technique of using adventurous activities to train executives.
He was still wearing his signature cowboy hat when he was interviewed on a recent TV 3 Family programme.
But on the cover of his latest pocket book, “Unlock DNA of Leadership Happiness,” the Thai “Indiana Jones” has a red bike and is wearing a yellow bicycle suit. Kris organised a small bicycle trip to Koh Kret, Nonthaburi, with his guests for the launch of the book last month.
Nevertheless, his friends know Kris is a real fan of the two-wheelers. He sometimes invites guests to join his bicycle trips to the mountain bike track at his Rai Jai Yim leadership bootcamp in Kanchanaburi.

Contributed by Pichaya Changsorn