Thailand Live Monday 31 Jan 2011

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Thailand Live Monday 31 January 2011

News, Bits and Tweets

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

For breaking news,national, regional and international news updates on a daily basis only, this thread is closed to commentary sothat those who wish to follow the news can find it here...

Commentary is still open for Thailand news in the relevant thread posted in News Clippings.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Saturday 29 Jan 2011

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Banharn vows to return to Thai politics after his ban

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Mama noodles maker to focus on brand

By Sucheera Pinijparakarn

The Nation

After being given responsibility for its own marketing by Saha Group, Thai President Foods, the manufacturer of Mama instant noodles, will focus on developing the concept of dynamic branding to reach all customer groups and prepare for the arrival of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.

Saha Group recently transferred marketing responsibility to Thai President Foods after handling sales and marketing of Mama for 38 years. Previously, Thai President was in charge only of manufacturing and investment for the product.

Sahapat wants its subsidiaries to diversify for growth, so its manufacturing arms should be more involved with marketing, a successful model that the company used with Lion Thailand.

Petch Paniangvait, chief of business development for Thai President Foods, said 2011 would be the first year when it would develop its own marketing plan, though for now it would rely on the former plan and apportion the same percentage of the budget to marketing.

Distribution channels have been changing with the arrival of modern trade and convenience stores, so producers need to boost the efficiency of sales and marketing, he said.

"We have to adjust all processes quickly, from manufacturing to distribution, to cash in on the changing market," he said.

"The proportion of modern trade and convenience stores is 40 per cent, and 60 per cent is traditional trade."

Saha Group sent a marketing team to work closely with Thai President's team, and the initial plan is for dynamic branding. The company will use this concept to build the existing Mama flavours as well as upcoming products under the same brand. Dynamic branding is a platform for maintaining recognition in market, and increasing sales in new markets.

The company aims to develop Mama to serve all segments, including children and premium groups. Thai President Foods earlier launched Mama Oriental Kitchen to tap the premium segment. It is also considering using the Mama brand for other consumer products besides instant noodles.

The company is preparing now for the AEC in 2015, when trade liberalisation will open the local market to foreign products, Petch said. To compete with global rivals, Thai President has decided to invest in Asean countries. It also recently announced an investment in Bangladesh by setting up an instant-noodles facility there, which is expected to go into commercial operation in the first half of this year.

The company is also talking with local partners in India on setting up an instant-noodles manufacturing plant in that country.

"The export sales proportion is 20 per cent, but the figure might change in the future when we can control overseas markets by investing there," Petch said.

He said the company should have started the marketing plan at the beginning of the year but dealing with the shortage of palm oil, a main raw material of instant noodles, was a more urgent task.

The cost of palm oil has gone up sharply, but Mama cannot adjust retail prices.

"The palm-oil price has doubled to Bt61 per kilogram from Bt29 last year. The shortage of palm oil is the biggest crisis since the founding of the company," he said.

Petch noted that if the company could not secure the raw material, daily production might be lowered from 5 million units.

He said the supply of palm oil would not face a shortage if the government managed its usage differently, reserving it for consumer products first before using it for biodiesel.

Thai President Foods this year might witness lower margins because of the shortage of palm oil, he said. However, the company is optimistic that sales revenue should grow by double digits.

The instant-noodles market is valued at Bt12 billion, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-01-31

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British border agency was wrong to deport Thai bride

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Protest to be lodged over Cambodia flag

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Yellow shirts were treated better, red-shirt leader Natthawut says

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Panel set up to probe graft at Thailand National Parks

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AIS marshalls forces to fight state bid to punish company

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Doctoral research scholarships in NZ

By The Nation

Applications for New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDRS) are ready. Those interested in getting one of this year's 10 available full scholarships for threeyear PhD research programmes in New Zealand have until July 15 to apply.

Each scholarship includes a monthly allowance of NZ$20,500 (Bt490,925), which will be granted once a year, travelling expenses of $2,000, health insurance of $600, $800 for textbooks and a travelling expense guarantee of $500, which will be paid onarriving in New Zealand.

Eligibe students must possess average academic performance of or equivalent to "A" level, must pass the required criteria of their chosen university in New Zealand and submit the document from the university's faculty as well as their research proposal to the NZIDRS committee. Those interested can get further details on the scholarships from experts at the 20 New Zealand educational centres nationwide as listed on www.newzealandeducated.com/nzsat.

-- The Nation 2011-01-31

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Sasin earns US and EU accreditation

By Nophakhun Limsamarnphun

The Nation

Chula business institute the only one with dual recognition

The Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Chulalongkorn University has become the only higherlearning institution to earn both US and European accreditation.

In December, it was accredited with EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System) on top of a seal of approval from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the world's longestserving accreditation body.

Prof Toemsakdi Krishnamra, director of Sasin, said last week that the AACSB was founded in 1916 by several top US universities such as Harvard, Columbia and Yale.

Now, it has 1,141 member institutions worldwide and has accredited 579 institutions, including 110 not from the US.

Asean has four AACSB accredited institutions, including Sasin. The others are in Singapore and the Philippines.

"The AACSB has 20 standards to ensure academic excellence. First, they look at the qualifications of lecturers and professors. If you're in academia, you must have earned your PhD no longer than five years ago," he said.

"And if your PhD is older than that, you're then required to have recently published an academic work in an internationallyrecognised journal in order to qualify as an academic lecturer.

"Or you may qualify to lecture if you're a professional manager like the CEO of a major company or have earned certain professional recognition.

"Second, they look at an institute's management system. Third, research work and, fourth, scholarships. Unfortunately, we didn't do well in the last criterion because we have very few grants for students.

"Regarding the European accreditation, the emphasis of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) is more on practicality as the EFMD consists of both business and academic interests. The EFMD is a Brusselsbased organisation committed to continuous improvement of management development.

"Based on their criteria, we're excellent in eight areas, especially in business sector involvement and special lectures by CEOs.

"Sasin applied to be a member of EFMD and requested assessment for the EQUIS standards in June 2009. It took more than one year to pass the entire process of this accreditation, covering academic quality, professional quality, curriculum, building facilities and learning facilities.

"Over the past 28 years, we've produced more than 4,000 graduates plus 1,000 who have attended our language courses.

"The business community has a relatively high level of confidence in Sasin and the quality of its graduates. We have a very selective admissions policy, with annual enrolment of only 200," he said.

Toemsakdi, 83, who has been the Sasin director for all of the past 28 years, said one of Sasin's goals is to provide a worldclass management education with an Asian perspective, so its curriculum is designed to cover all crucial global, regional as well as national development issues.

It will soon introduce a course on the Asean Economic Community (AEC), which will go into effect in 2015, to prepare executives in Thailand and other countries for both potential opportunities and threats that will emerge from the region's single market and production base.

Asean groups Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Burma (Myanmar).

On January 1 last year, most import duties between China and the 10country Asean bloc were also cut to zero, ushering in a new era of freer trade between Asean, which has a combined population of 580 million, and China, which has the world's largest population at 1.3 billion.

Besides the freer flow of trade in goods, there will also be a freer flow of trade in services and in crossborder investment within the AEC.

-- The Nation 2011-01-31

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Revered monk Luangta Maha Bua dies, aged 97

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CHALK TALK

Tax from tutorial schools should be used to improve normal schools in Thailand

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EDITORIAL

Will a marriage of convenience take place between Red and Yellow Shirts?

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Hotel sector in Hua Hin upbeat on prospects

By Suchat Sritama

The Nation

Hotels in Cha-am and Hua Hin are slowly recovering after the deep plunge in the number of tourists last year. Thiva Kesavan, general manager of the Alila Cha-am, reveals key strategies they have adopted in anticipation, in an interview with The Nation's Suchat Sritama.

What does the Cha-am and Hua Hin hotel sector look like compared to last year?

We expect a 40-per-cent growth year on year after business dropped last year due to political instability. We are hoping 60 per cent will be contributed domestically - through corporate, individual and events - with the remainder from international visitors. The last quarter of 2010 showed encouraging signs. Our outlook for the first quarter of this year has been 45 per cent on average, which is above the earlier forecast.

We also expect more direct bookings.

What are the operators considering for this year?

They are confident about the return of an upward trend. The destination is attractive enough to encourage guests to stay longer. Cha-am draws in both local and international visitors, thanks mainly to its more than seven golf courses. Also, there are several hotels offering different products and services. Plus, the widely available organic vegetables and fruits attract the health-conscious crowd.

How many new hotels are scheduled to open in Cha-am?

There are at least five hotels with more than 400 rooms that are either destined to open soon or already in operation since late last year. This would certainly provide demands brought by positive growth.

What is Alila Cha-am's business plan for this year?

In order to maintain our No 1 ranking among other Cha-am hotels on TripAdvisor.com, we have extended our promotional rates to both local and international markets.

We will also continue our relationship with direct guests as well as corporate, travel partners and potential guests to drive our revenue.

What is your long-term target?

The hotel aims to become one of the top three properties in Cha-am in terms of RevPAR (revenue per available room) by the end of 2013.

What are this year's targets for occupancy and room rates?

We intend to build our market share by increasing the number of return guests. We are confident that the recent improvement in external factors will further improve occupancy and room rates by the end of this year.

Overall, we expect a 40-per-cent increase in total revenue compared to last year.

We are aiming at both international and domestic travellers. Outside Thailand, our primary target is the Asian region, and locally we are aiming at individual travellers who either want a quick getaway or need a wedding destination.

What are your key markets?

Our main targets are Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Indonesia and Malaysia, with China showing steady growth.

We are also seeing a steady influx of expats living in Asian countries nearby who need a quick retreat or want a golfing destination.

The wedding market is gaining momentum, with more demands from the Indian market and enquiries from Europeans.

We still have some focus on Europe, who are consistently travelling to Thailand.

What is your plan for entering new markets?

We will maintain our sales and marketing plan as well as maintain our Design Hotel membership in order to gain a fair select-market share in Germany, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, UK and France.

What are the promotions and packages currently on offer?

We will soon be launching new promotions.

At present, our website provides several packages that cater to different needs, such as the spa package starting at Bt3,000.

We are also soon launching 'holistic' cuisine for those who focus on natural food. We will also launch the 'Right Mind' package next month, which will include accommodation, special cuisine and spa. Plus there are Valentine promotions aimed at every age group in February.

Does Alila have any social contribution projects?

We are supporting Baan Bangkate School through a partnership with our guests and business partners, who help us with rebuilding school facilities and donating educational tools.

This is a long-term dedication as we believe kids are our future.

-- The Nation 2011-01-31

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National Disaster Warning Center to raise awareness of disasters among citizens

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Bird Flu Fear Sparks Warning Across The Country

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Helmet Users Increased By 30%

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Energy regulators worried over Thailand's free electricity scheme

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Thai stock index opens on Monday at 965.96, down 15.87 points /MCOT

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Drinking Drug Dealer Caught in Pattayaland – 3 Arrests

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Chinese-Thais Buy Less for Chinese New Year Due to High Prices

As the Chinese New Year approaches, vendors in Chinatown are complaining about lower sales this year due to the higher prices of goods.

Now is the time in which Thais of Chinese descent buy goods that they will use as offerings during the upcoming Chinese New Year festival this week.

The most popular place to shop is Chinatown known as Yaowarat in Bangkok.

The atmosphere there is lively and filled with people shopping for goods.

However, despite the large number of people shopping, vendors have been complaining about lower sales volume this year.

They said people have been changing their purchasing habits to buy only what is necessary, as goods prices have gone up due to higher wholesale costs.

There is less supply for New Year's goods because of the recent natural disasters, as well as higher fuel prices, which have caused transportation costs to rise.

Vendors said profits are down so they want help from the government because at the same time, good prices are rising.

Shoppers admitted to buying less for the Chinese New Year, expressing concern about the economic situation.

Some said they are earning less due to the fact that consumption has gone down while others noted that they have already spent a lot of money for the New Year.

Many people complained about the higher goods and oil prices, which have forced them to buy only the necessities.

Fruit prices have gone up dramatically in Chinatown as the Chinese New Year approaches.

Imported oranges are selling for 70 baht a kilogram, up from the usual price of 60 baht while domestic oranges are selling for 100 baht as opposed to the previous price of 80 baht.

Bananas have gone from the usual 70 to 100 baht while apples range from 15 to 40 baht.

Prices are expected to go up even more until after the Chinese New Year.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-31

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4 Thais reportedly stranded at Cairo Airport

BANGKOK (NNT) - Four ace ice carvers from Thailand are reportedly left standed at Cairo Airport on their return home with several awards in ice and snow sculpture contest in France.

The coordinator of the event, Mr Anat Limjirawattana, called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help the four Thais due to arrive back since 29 January, but were thought to have been stranded at Cairo Airport which was closed because of the riots.

They represented Thailand in the name of Thailand Culinary Academy Ice &Snow Sculpture Team in France on 22 January, and won top awards in both ice and snow carving, namely the popular vote, the media choice, and third place in overall points garnered.

The four Thais were scheduled back in Bangkok at 12.00 hours on 29 January. They had to take a connecting flight at Cairo Airport, and had not been heard of ever since.

-- NNT 2011-01-31

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PM tasks ambassadors in Europe with clarifying Thailand’s situation

DAVOS, 31 January 2011 (NNT) – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has assigned Thai ambassadors in Europe to promote a good understanding about Thailand’s economic, social and political situations in a bid to revive foreign confidence.

On his last day of attendance at the 41st World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Prime Minsiter Abhisit met with Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF, who lauded Thailand for its economic excellence and was hopeful that a joint initiative would be launched to help stimulate the competitiveness of other countries.

Prof Schwab also assured close coordination with Thailand on the arrangement of the WEF on East Asia in the country next year.

To conclude his mission in Davos, Mr Abhisit chaired a meeting with Thai ambassadors stationed in Europe, during which he instructed them to clarify Thailand’s standing in economic, social and political aspects to concerned parties in their respective countries. The Thai government’s operations in accordance with the national reform plan will also be publicized to garner confidence from the world community.

Before his departure, the Thai Prime Minister confirmed that all suggestions received from representatives of other nations throughout the event would be taken into account for the country’s development.

-- NNT 2011-01-31

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PAD Defies Threat of Force to Disperse Rally

The People's Alliance for Democracy has taken a tough stance against the government, warning the prime minister that it may decide to seize the Government House if demands are not met.

Following a threat by the government to disperse the rally, core leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, Major General Chamlong Srimuang stated that protesters are not detered by the government's threat to use force against the PAD, saying the government should devote its time to devising measures to protect the nation's sovereignty instead.

He remarked, saying he has participated in nine previous rallies, and the government has never been able to disperse any of them.

He said there wouldn't be enough space in the nation's jails for all of PAD members.

He advised Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban to think twice before carrying out any violent measures against the PAD as any Thai civil group has the right, as stated in the Constitution, to express their opinions regarding the land in question.

Chamlong also stated that if the PAD storms the government house, no prime minister could remain in office, adding that the government should implement harsh penalties against those who harm the nation instead of Thais who really love the country like the PAD.

He insisted that the PAD intends to restore the nation's dignity, adding that sovereignty will be permanently protected if the government meets the three requests set forth by the PAD.

The spokesperson for the PAD, Panthep Phuaphanphong, speculated that the reason that the government refuses to follow the three proposals set forth by the PAD, and why the Foreign Affairs Ministry has not asked that a Cambodian flag be removed from a temple, is because Suthep and Abhisit have contradicting information.

He explained that Suthep regards the flag as a temple flag, whereas Abhisit believes it is the Cambodian flag and should be removed as the disputed area is not controlled by Cambodia.

He insisted that the existence of the flag is an indication of Cambodia's attempt to exhibit its control over the land in question.

Panthep added that the two sons of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen recently stated they will not take down the flag as it is on Cambodian soil.

He believes the remark implies that the flag is not merely an ordinary temple flag, but actually Cambodia's national flag.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-31

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Thai Student Uniforms Are The World’s Sexiest Student Uniforms

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80 Thais stranded at Cairo airport

About 80 Thais have been stranded at the Cairo International Airport following unrest in Egypt, the Thai Foreign Ministry announced Monday.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thani Thongphakdee said 45 of them had got tickets for flying home while 17 others want to continue their flight to Europe.

He said 17 Thai workers want to continue their journey to Libya.

Thani said the Thai embassy in Cairo has been providing foods for the stranded Thais for three days.

The embassy reported that the situation in Cairo was worrying and Thais should not travel to Egypt for now.

-- The Nation 2011-01-31

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Burmese troops clash with DKBA fighters across border in Pobphra, Tak, stray shells injure 2 Thai soldiers, 1 seriously /TAN_Network

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Traffic congestion at Chinatown as Thais of Chinese descent flock to buy goods for Chinese New Year /TAN_Network

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PAD to File Charges Against PM for Allowing 7 Thais to be Arrested on Thai Soil

The People's Alliance for Democracy has announced that today at 11 A.M. they will file charges against the prime minister, the deputy prime minister in charge of national security, the foreign minister, and the defense minister for allowing the seven Thais to be arrested by Cambodian authorities on Thai soil.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-31

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At least 14 foreigners contract Leggionaires' disease in Bali, Indonesia

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