Home builder assoc strives for upgrade in standards
The Home Builder Association aims to upgrade construction standards to ensure local competitiveness once the Asean Economic Community goes into effect in 2015, its president Dr Patchara Tantayanyong told a news conference yesterday.
She said the AEC would open up business opportunities for Thai construction companies to expand their business into other Asean countries, but it would also open Thailand up to companies from other Asean states. Therefore Thai home-builders would have to upgrade themselves to meet regional standards.
The home-building business is an integral part of the growing residential industry. As small private contractors often face problems with service, design and construction quality, the association this year is issuing a policy to revamp standards throughout the system, she said.
The strategy aims to maintain local home-builders’ acceptance by consumers in terms of quality and reliability, which will result in expansion of the industry.
It is also meant to enhance operators’ strengths in terms of knowledge and project-management capabilities, while reducing disputes between builders and consumers, as well as to promote the association to general public.
An extensive seminar to launch the project will be held on May 24 at the Grand Ballroom of The Emerald Hotel on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok.
A keynote speech on “2012 Thailand Economic Profile, AEC Adaptation and Housing Development Direction” will be delivered by a representative from the Finance Ministry.
The association also plans six in-depth professional training sessions. The training, which will run from June to September, will be conducted by leading industry gurus and specialists. It will be available to the association’s members as well as outsiders, for example small private contractors. Partici-pants will learn about efficient management of cost, time and quality, housing design and development, laws and ethics, and business and marketing strategies.
This intensive training will help home-building firms restructure their business so they can seize opportunities to expand their business in the future, Patchara said.
The value of the home-building market in metropolitan Bangkok reached Bt55 billion last year. Companies belonging to the Home Builder Association held 20 per cent of the market while independent contractors accounted for the rest.
