Briefs

Thailand’s 2016 economic growth forecast was raised to 3.2 per cent from 3.1 per cent on improvements in private consumption, public consumption and public |investment in projects as targeted, according to the Government Savings Bank’s Grass-roots Economic Research Centre. 
Chatchai Payuhanaveechai, president of GSB, said yesterday that the latter half of this year’s growth is projected at 3.1 per cent on gradual improvement of household purchasing power, boom in tourism and consistent expansion of the government’s investment and spending.
However, exports continued slowing down on the deceleration in trading partners, he said. 
The next US president Donald Trump’s policies are expected to affect international trade and finance to a certain extent. 

THAICOM PAVES WAY TO SERVICES IN AFRICA 

Satellite operator Thaicom has signed a contract with iSAT Africa – a fast growing broadcasting, data and Internet service provider with teleports in Africa and Europe — to expand its broadcast platform and service into Africa. 
The service will facilitate distribution of TV channels on the Thaicom 6 satellite using C-band multi-channel per carrier technology.
The MCPC broadcast platform enables Thaicom to expand its broadcast services in Africa from the Thaicom 5 to the Thaicom 6 satellite at the company’s 78.5-degree East prime video neighbourhood. 
The platform is a cost-effective solution for African and international broadcasters requiring to develop their content distribution across Sub-Saharan Africa. 
Teleport operator iSAT Africa will provide ground and uplink services for the MCPC broadcast platform from its facility in Nairobi, East Africa.

TOT PLANS BROADBAND FOR 50 VILLAGES BY YEAR-END 

State telecom enterprise TOT plans to install broadband Internet connectivity in 50 villages by the end of this year.
The Bt13 billion project is still waiting to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval.
Morakot Thienmontree, senior executive vice president for marketing and product development, said yesterday that TOT expects to complete the rollout to all 24,700 villages next year.

UTCC BECOMES ALIBABA E-COMMERCE TRAINING HUB

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Asia’s leading business university based in Thailand, has become an authorised Alibaba.com e-commerce training centre, following its recent partnership with Alibaba.com, a leading B2B marketplace for global trade. 
Both organisations have come together in their mission to accelerate e-commerce growth in Thailand and help Thai SMEs position themselves in the global market, UTCC president Sauwanee Thairungroj said yesterday.
In August, UTCC and Alibaba.com agreed on several educational collaborations. 
Besides the “Training the Trainers” programme, UTCC and Alibaba.com are working together to offer interested Thai SMEs “Alibaba dream trips” to Alibaba.com’s home city of Hangzhou in China. 
UTCC is the first Thai university to sign a memorandum of understanding with Alibaba.com.