ICT MINISTRY TO DISCUSS BANDWIDTH WITH CAT TELECOM
The Information and Communications Technology Ministry will discuss with CAT Telecom its plan to return 5 megahertz of bandwidth but retain its idle 20MHz, both from the 1800MHz frequency.
CAT will return the 5MHZ to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission for auction on the condition that it is allowed by the government to keep the 20MHz that is being held by Total Access Communication until 2025.
The NBTC plans to auction two 1800MHz licences, each with 15 MHz, at a starting bid of Bt15.91 billion.
However, if CAT fails to hand over the 5MHz by September 25, the NBTC will auction two licences, each with 12.5MHz, at a starting bid of Bt13.26 billion.
EXPO DRAWS SALES
The Commerce Ministry’s Top Thai Brands Exhibition has successfully generated more than Bt300 million in immediate sales, while drawing 100,000 visitors.
With greater accomplishment in organising the event in Chiang Mai from August 26-30, the ministry will hold the next event in the Northeast, targeting Nong Khai, to promote the country’s leading brands to international markets, particularly neighbouring countries, Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said yesterday.
Top Thai Brands is an international trade fair staged first in provinces outside Bangkok. More than 400 manufacturers of international brand-name products have exhibited at the event.
‘A MONEY’ LAUNCH
Aira & Aiful Co, a joint venture of Aira Capital, a Thai holding company, and Aiful, one of the leading Japanese consumer finance companies, has launched a consumer finance business under the “A Money” brand in Thailand, targeting loans of at least Bt1 billion in the first year.
CEO Katsuhiko Madono said yesterday that after receiving a consumer finance licence from the Bank of Thailand, A&A is fully prepared to run this business. The company plans to open 20 branches this year, starting with Silom and Lat Krabang yesterday.
Next year, A Money plans to expand to the provincial market, targeting branches in cities and industrial zones.
In three years. A&A plans to become one of the leading consumer lenders with a customer base of 500,000-1 million.
MICE COLLABORATION
Stamford International University has collaborated with IMPACT Exhibition Management to co-develop the “Event Management” programme.
The MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) industry in Thailand has an increasing need of trained staff and the programme is designed to satisfy that need and grow the MICE labour workforce to meet international standards. It has the potential to generate a national income of more than Bt1 trillion per year. The programme will also raise the quality of MICE staff in Thailand to an internationally competitive level.
Gilles Mahe, CEO of Laureate International Universities Thailand, said it was a clear direction in developing the potential of graduates. According to a survey conducted by lecturers at Stamford International University on the possibility of getting a job in the AEC, the three most crucial factors for recruitment include on-the-job skills or direct work experience of graduates, English language proficiency, which is an important factor, and technological know-how and its application on the job.
These three factors will be the main basis in the course development between the university and Impact and signifies the university’s intention to address the issues of the labour market.
