AustChamThailand
A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN-THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTRALIA THAILAND BUSINESS COUNCIL www.austchamthailand.com Febuary 2011
Bridging the Gap: Charles Dickens, Cats and Skills In This Edition
Five Dysfunctions of Teams Investing in the Thai Property Market: Be Ready for the Big Changes BUSINESS BRIEF EMBASSY NEWS Investing in the Thai Property Market: Australia’s Guitar Duo Set to Be Ready for the Big Changes Dazzle Guitar Loving Audience
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AustChamThailand Advance
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COMMUNITY SERVICES Voluntary English Teaching at Baan Khao Huay Mahad School
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CHAMBER EVENTS Tri Nations BBQ with the NZTTC and SATCC
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BUSINESS BRIEF Charles Dickens, Cats and Skills 10 Five Dysfunctions of Teams 12 Investing in the Thai Property Market: Be Ready for the Big Changes, AEC 2015! 14 Latin America Leads the World in Business Optimism: Thailand Scores 39 Per Cent
18 EMBASSY NEWS 18 Australia’s Foremost Classical Guitar Duo, The Grigoryan Brothers, Set to Dazzle Guitar Loving Audience COMMUNITY SERVICES 20 Voluntary English Teaching at Baan Khao Huay Mahad School on Saturday, 15 January 2011 22 Queensland Floods Leave Thousands Devastated
PATRON His Excellency James Wise Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand
20 CHAMBER EVENTS 24 Tri Nations BBQ at The Sukhothai Bangkok on Wednesday, 19 January 2011 26 Breakfast Briefing – Bridging the Skills Gap with Bruce Wunderlich on Wednesday, 15 December 2010 26 Prospects for the Thai Property Market in 2011 on Tuesday, 18 January 2011 26 English Classes Initiative 2011 NEW MEMBERS 27 AustCham’s New Members and Changes of Member Companies MEMBERS’ OFFERS 28 AustCham Members’ Offers FROM THE CHAMBER OFFICE 30 Message from the ED
PRESIDENT Andrew Durieux Coverage Portfolio: Regional Links VICE-PRESIDENTS John Anderson Meinhardt Portfolio: Community Services M.L. Laksasubha Kridakon Baan Laksasubha Resort Hua Hin Portfolio: Alumni and Sponsorship TREASURER Nigel McKinnon Boral Thailand Portfolio: Treasury DIRECTORS Achara Boonyahansa Grant Thornton Portfolio: Marketing Amanda Canavan Energi Design Asia Portfolio: Major Events Jurairat Jammanee HASSELL Portfolio: Alumni and Sponsorship Martin Kyle Asia Biogas Leigh Scott-Kemmis DBM Portfolio: SME Belinda Skinner TopTalentAsia Portfolio: Communications Ben Yong Baker & McKenzie Portfolio: Joint Foreign Chamber of Commerce Thailand, Board of Trade and Other Links Saeed Zaki dwp Portfolio: Member Benefits
22 Cover Photo: Bridging the Gap
EX OFFICIO Maurine Lam Trade Commissioner, Austrade
FROM THE BOARD
Easing into the New Year COORDINATORS Paul Whyte ESB Coordinator Email: esb@austchamthailand.com Paul Wilkinson AGS Four Winds International Moving ESB Coordinator Email: esb@austchamthailand.com Steve Brajak Raimon Land Phuket Coordinator Email: phuket@austchamthailand.com Harry Usher Lady Pie Phuket Coordinator Email: phuket@austchamthailand.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Brett Gannaway Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce 20th Floor, Thai CC Tower 889 South Sathorn Road Bangkok 10120 Tel.: +66 2 210 0216 Fax: +66 2 675 6696 execdirector@austchamthailand.com www.austchamthailand.com
Editorial Committee Belinda Skinner, David Armstrong, Robert Taylor, Josh Hyland, Gregers Moller, Gary Woollacott Marketing & Production Scand-Media Corp. Ltd 4/41-42 Moo 3, Thanyakarn Village Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok Tel.: +66 2 943-7166/8 Fax: +66 2 943-7169 scandmedia@scandmedia.com Advertising Finn Balslev Email: finn@scandmedia.com Contributions to Advance magazine are welcome. Please submit content to josh@austchamthailand.com by the first day of the month for publication in the following month’s magazine. Opinions expressed in Advance do not necessarily reflect the views of the Chamber. AustChamThailand Advance
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trust that everyone is adjusting back to work after the end of year holidays. Now that wer’re back, many of us are contemplating the possible future for 2011. Will 2011 be the year that the Thai political issues are resolved? Will the GFC be declared finished? Will I be able to buy a kilo of eggs rather than my usual dozen? Will my maid be able to figure out how many eggs I want for breakfast if I tell her I want 100 grams? With natural disasters striking cities all over the world every year, it was tragic to see news of Australia’s “inland tsunami” and extended floods. Our thoughts go out to those families struggling to cope and recover at this time. Please see pages 22 and 23 for photographs from Queensland and details of support services and donation options. Thank you to the groups who have sent their wishes and donations back to Australia and also thanks to those who have extended these wishes to our members here in Thailand who may have had family, friends or business interests affected. Our AGM this year will be held on 2 March, prior to Sundowners. This is a chance for members to review the performance of the Chamber and Board over 2010. Did the Chamber meet your needs and expectations? I invite all of our members to come along to offer their views and comments. It is also a great way to hear about the various activities that your Chamber is involved with. At the AGM we also elect our Board of Directors for the year. It is usual for some directors to resign and not stand for various reasons. Some leave Thailand, some change jobs, and some even lose their work permits by retiring!Director of Talks and Issues, David Armstrong, is currently in this situation. After serving two years on the board, his activities with Bangkok Post have formally ended and therefore his work permit expired. I reluctantly accepted David’s resignation in December. David has contributed in many ways with his sound advice, SME activities and arranging Guest Speakers for our Breakfasts, Lunches and Key Issues dinners. Congratulations to David on reaching this
milestone and thanks for your efforts! This left us with a vacancy, and the board asked Martin Kyle to step in as a replacement. Many of you will recall that Martin was our Executive Director for four years and his experience as well as his business acumen will be beneficial to our board discussions. Welcome back Martin. I encourage any other member who has an interest in getting involved to nominate for the board to contact myself or one of our twelve Directors quickly. By now you will also have seen some e-mails concerning the Board of Trade’s proposed guidelines on Trade Practices. This is an important document that may affect the interests of many of our members, in the same way that the Trade Practices Act back in Australia sets the rules for competition between suppliers and retailers. I recommend that you take the time to read the document and send any comments or suggested changes to the Competition Committee at the Board of Trade office. The Consultation Paper can be downloaded from the AustCham homepage. More meetings have been scheduled with various government departments, and I expect to have some positive news in the coming months on changes to the many “annoyances” facing Aussie businesspeople here in Thailand.
Andrew Durieux President, AustCham Thailand www.austchamthailand.com
Febuary 2011
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BUSINESS BRIEF
Bridging the Gap: Charles Dickens, Cats and Skills At the December Breakfast Webinar held on 15 December at the AustCham office, I presented on the topic of Bridging the Gap in your Workforce. The focus of that presentation was to review and provide solutions for the very real issue facing employers (and by definition employees and potential employees) of addressing and overcoming that perennial and challenging gap between employer expectations and employee capabilities. By Bruce Wunderlich, CEO of Business Management
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n Warren Bennis’s book entitled “Managing People is like Herding Cats” his view is that “the only capital that really counts is human capital”. This is a parallel observation to that of Peter Drucker, probably the most respected business and management thinker, when he said that “No company can do better than the people it has”. The challenge for management is both in accepting Bennis’s view and realising Drucker’s by leading, developing and supporting our employees from the Board to the “shop floor”. The Employment Reality Across the ASEAN region (and more importantly for this paper within Thailand), the key issue with respect to people management is that of skills both in their development and meeting business needs. Whether we represent a Government Agency, Public Company through to a SME, we need to employ staff and we are generally obligated, if not regulated, to employ local staff. As employers we are faced with an “employee pool” of people who almost exclusively are “graduates” from the local tertiary or post secondary education system and who may or may not have some prior work experience. Therein lies a major problem and that being the quality of tertiary (or post secondary) education. UNESCO Institute of Statistics stated that whilst some 2.8 million Thais are attending tertiary institutions only one institution is ranked in the top 500 in the world. While in Thailand approximately 650,000 students graduate each year, it 6
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was recently reported by the Bangkok Post that in excess of 300,000 graduates are unemployed and have been for over six months – the overriding cause being the lack of skills. Even earlier on 1 June 2010, the same source reported the failure of the education system to develop skills to meet employment needs. On 30 November, the Post published that Thailand’s education performance ranked 47th of 58 nations, according to the Geneva-based International Institute for Management Development. Given the above, the reality is that the employee pool is lacking in business and interpersonal skills and competencies, let alone work experience. Independent studies further support this, showing decreasing levels of productivity and competitiveness. The levels of business acumen and business understanding as well as the principles, process and procedures of good management practice, problem solving and decision making are all issues that have been the subject of research, observations and/or complaint by such bodies as the World Bank, business operators, media, and even government agencies such as the Higher Education Commission of Thailand. While the ASEAN region in general, and a number of countries particularly including Thailand provide a low labour cost regime, the fundamental outcome for employers is: Low Labour Rates + Low Productivity = Low Value This, inevitably leads to: • Frustration and unfulfilled expectations for both management and employees;
• Over employment (to cover capability and productivity issues); and • Higher total labour cost to employers. The Gap of Business Needs and Employee Capabilities The concept of Bridging a Gap, implies that there exists a Gap to be bridged. Universally, business, commentators, educationalists and research agencies recognise that there exists a gap between what businesses need from employees and what employees can offer employers in terms of capabilities and performance. Simply put, this Gap can be illustrated by what each party brings to the employment scenario. What has been found in Thailand, is that the lack of skills, education and work experiences are the three fundamental issues facing employers as they seek suitable employees, with ‘lack of skills’ being the one key issue facing employees seeking suitable employment. For further discussion of this position I would direct you to the World Bank documents in their 2010 Economic Review: “Towards a Competitive Higher Education System in a Global Economy” and their February 2010 Review of Education in Thailand. Three interesting findings from their research are: • On average it takes almost six weeks to replace an employee (second only to Brazil) and the root cause is lack of skills; • Higher (tertiary) educated people on average earn almost three times that of secondary educated people; and AustChamThailand Advance
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• Employers are willing to pay a significant premium for higher educated people and even further premium for skilled staff.
What is this GAP?
The Business Response The key to resolving the Gap, improving productivity, attaining better business outcomes of financial return and business performance, is to take seriously the issue of improving your Human Capital by making training a core function of business across all levels to improve employee capabilities. There is however a challenge here and it can be summarised as follows: Just as deciding to be “green” is only a part response for a business to CSR challenges, or including Independent Directors does not fulfil a business’s Good Corporate Governance Agenda, so telling someone to do something whenever it is necessary to get something done, doesn’t solve a business’s training issues. Business Imperatives to Improving Employee Capabilities • Commit to your employees, their development and capability improvement; • Establish a training ethos across the company; • Focus on improving capabilities – knowledge, understanding, skills, application and problem solving; and • Establish a budget for training and factor it in to the cost of doing business. Finally – Don’t just give me a Problem, Give me a Solution So, you may well be asking “What has Charles Dickens got to do with this?”. Oliver’s memorable words “Please, may I have some more?” apply both to employers as well as employees. The employer asks the employee, “can you be more productive?” and “can you better meet my expectations?”. The employee asks “can you explain better what you want?”, “how can I be better valued?” and “how can I be better paid?”. There is a win-win situation founded upon the views of Bennis and Drucker called “Training and Improved Capability” that works through valuing and improving the human asset that is a company’s employees.
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Employees can become more educated, motivated, capable and productive, but it comes down to Training. Mentoring is a great method of Training and developing capabilities, but it is expensive both in time and financial cost. Traditional face to face programs, whether they are narrow vocational type programs or broader post graduate programs such as an MBA, are lengthy, expensive and more often than not ineffective and/or irrelevant to business’s needs. Certainly in most universities the fees incurred with programs such as these could be seen to outweigh the value added to students. Online training based upon contemporary Learning Management Systems (LMS) can, and will deliver outcomes that will address the employment crises of today. Such online Training must be rigorous, integrated, purposeful, best practice, affordable and based on skills and knowledge improvement and application as well as providing assessment of performance. It is undoubtedly the most efficient and effective method of developing capabilities. A number of studies, even from Thailand, can be cited to support this proposition. Indeed it is interesting that the Thai Education Department has mandated that online learning is the methodology to be followed in addressing the reforms that they themselves accept are
so vital to the Thai Education system. The BMI online approach has shown that the same learning outcomes can be achieved at a fraction of the cost of traditional face to face courses. In a review undertaken by BMI for a Thailand company, the cost of all its business support staff (in excess of 100) undertaking BMI’s International Business Management online program would add only one per cent to the annual labour budget but was assessed to improve productivity by at least 20 per cent. The technology to deliver quality, effective and efficient online learning programs is available now with Business Management (International) in partnership with Notre Dame University the programs are being released across ASEAN to deliver improved capabilities to your employees and achieve improved outcomes to your organisation. Bruce is Chairman and CEO of Business Management (International) that operates throughout Asia Pacific as an Educational and Training company. He is also a Principal of B.E. Wunderlich and Associates a Business and Management Advisory and Accounting business and a director with a number of other companies. He has held academic positions at UNSW and UTS and is an alumnus of Columbia University NY. He was previously a Director of AustCham Thailand
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Convoy for Kids and AustCham Thailand would like to thank all of the generous sponsors who supported the Convoy Day in 2010
Sponsored by:
TAIUN THAILAND CO.,LTD
www.convoyforkids.com www.austchamthailand.com
BUSINESS BRIEF
Five Dysfunctions of Teams By Brian Radomski, Executive Coach, Big Picture Inc.
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he Five Dysfunctions of a Team is a bestselling business book by Patrick Lencioni. It describes the many challenges that teams face as they seek to “row together”. This book details the primary reasons of organisational politics and team failure. All quotes in this article come from Patrick’s bestseller. It is crystal clear how these dysfunctions can negatively affect an organisations performance. I believe in Asia these dysfunctions can be magnified when we factor in local cultural behaviors such as “saving face”, “kreng jai” or even the strong belief in “fate”. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team supports a very direct approach, and although this may be easily adapted for our Western colleagues, the reserved diplomacy of the East makes this concept all the more powerful. I am sure we agree with the base concept that “If you could get all the people in an organisation rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time.” Getting the people in a team aligned and rowing in the same direction requires leaders to address the following five dysfunctions of a team.
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Dysfunction 1: Absence of Trust The first dysfunction is the absence of trust between team members. The type of trust the author is talking about here is the ability of group members to show their weaknesses, to be vulnerable and open with one another. Trust is never generated in teams when the team members are not prepared to be vulnerable. Instead they feel the need to be right, to be strong and competent, so much that they are unable to be vulnerable and open with one another. Trust requires that team members have confidence in each other intentions, that they are good and therefore have no reason to be protective and careful in the team. Leadership must create an environment where it’s safe to be vulnerable. Dysfunction 2: Fear of Conflict Trust is the base of excellent teams and its trust that makes team conflict possible. Teams become dysfunctional when they are unable to deal with conflict in a productive manner. All important relationships (both personal and professional) require positive conflict for them to grow. Positive conflict happens when people talk about the issue at hand and do so avoiding personal insults or attacks, with the goal of finding the best solution for the team. Teams tend to avoid conflict often replacing it with an artificial harmony.
“Harmony itself is good, I suppose, if it comes as a result of working through issues constantly and cycling through conflict. But if it comes only as a result of people holding back their opinions and honest concerns, then it’s a bad thing.” We put on a smiling face and try to be nice to everyone. However when we have this positive conflict, teams become truly functional allowing for meaningful dialogue where people are open to share, without feeling afraid of attacks or criticism. We must avoid having a team of “yes men” at all costs. It’s critical to learn positive conflict resolution skills so we can truly be a “team” and not just a group of individuals. Dysfunction 3: Lack of Commitment As a result of productive conflict teams can commit and truly buy-in to decisions. A lack of commitment comes from not hearing all the team’s concerns before making a decision. There can be no commitment without debate. People will not support an idea when their opinions and thoughts on the matter were not heard and discussed. “If they don’t weigh in, then they won’t buy in.” This does not mean you need consensus; it is just making sure that everyone is heard. “The point here is that most reasonable people don’t have to get their way in a
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discussion. They just need to be heard, and to know that their input was considered and responded to.” At the end of the day everyone needs to get to the point where they can say, “I may not agree with your ideas but I understand them and can support them”. “When people don’t unload their opinions and feel like they’ve been listened to, they won’t really get on board.”
the behaviors that contribute to the team’s results. It’s the responsibility of the leader to keep the teams focus on results. As we see in football, basketball, and other teams, the great challenge of any coach is to get the player to play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back. As excellent leaders we must strive for the same results in our organisations.
Executive coach BJ Radomski is a bottom line driven professional. BJ believes it is possible to “excel peacefully” and over the past 17 years he has helped many achieve this through his workshops, consulting and coaching services. Business executives in high tech, manufacturing, retail and services have been able to raise their game to a higher level with BJ in their corner. Please contact Brian at: BJR@Bigpictureinc.com
Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of Accountability Once you have achieved team commitment you are prepared to create accountability. If the team is to be accountable, everyone must have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. “People aren’t going to hold each other accountable if they haven’t clearly bought in to the same plan.”At the end of the day it’s about each team member being accountable to the team. This means that a team member never lets the team down when it comes to meeting commitments. The team needs to hold their peers responsible for achieving results and working to high standards. It’s the responsibility of each team member to hold one another accountable and accept it when others hold them accountable.
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Dysfunction 5: Inattention to Results When teams are not held accountable the team members tend to look out for their own interests, rather than the interests of the team. A healthy team places team results as the most important goal. When all team members place the team’s results first the team becomes results orientated.
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“Our job is to make the results that we need to achieve so clear to everyone in this room that no one would even consider doing something purely to enhance his or her individual status or ego. Because that would diminish our ability to achieve our collective goals. We would all lose.” Leaders need to make the teams results clear for all to see, rewarding
AustChamThailand Advance
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BUSINESS BRIEF
Investing in the Thai Property Market: Be Ready for the Big Changes, AEC 2015! Thailand’s property market is considered one of the major business sectors in Thailand which is inevitably on the boom with the economical development of the country.
By Dr. Patima Jeerapaet, MD, Colliers International
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hailand has passed its turbulences in year 2010 which is considered one of the most difficult years in the Thai history as well as for businesses in all sectors. Surprisingly, despite the political turbulence, many huge deals were closed during 2010. In fact, some property investment sales did hit the highest record. This is an indication of high confidence in the property sector as investing in a property is a long term investment.
The property market is mainly categorised into five different sectors which include industrial, commercial, residential, retail and hospitality. But when property is discussed, the general public will most likely perceive on the residential market or condominiums. So, what about the property market in Thailand? Will prices go up in 2011? Is there really scarcity of land? Is it equilibrium for the property market and what will happen in 2011? We have so many questions on our minds. There is no doubt that prices of property along the BTS or MRT lines will increase continuously because of the limited amount of land and high demand for property connected to the public rail system. This is a scarcity amongst developers because these are considered the prime locations. However in the future, should these lines expand, I believe that land along
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the extended lines would then become more attractive for developers. For the year 2011 – my recommendation would be that “Certainty is uncertainty”. We should be ready to surf the changing wave if there is any! We should plan for uncertainty and be ready to apply all strategies for each challenge and each circumstance. Judging from the Q4, 2010, I would view the Thai property marketing in each sector for below for 2011.
Industrial Many key industrial estate developers were able to achieve their targets in 2010. The overall industrial market seemed to have improved and growth is expected by 10 per cent in 2011, especially in manufacturing, automobile and parts, electronics and IT businesses. There is also more demand from foreign and local manufacturers for the expansion of industrial estates. The main concerns for the industrial sector would be Environment Impact
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BUSINESS BRIEF
Assessment (EIA) and Health Impact Assessment (HIA).
Nevertheless, there is another sector that the locals should look into as another choice of property investment. This is the agricultural sector which is rather sensitive, complex and controversial with regards to property rights and cultural rights. This is an opportunity for the local property investors and is a way for life’s sustainability as well.
Commercial The office market has improved slightly especially for Grade B office buildings because of the extended mass transit. Many office buildings outside the CBD seem to attract interest from Tenants as well. Within the CBD, many office buildings are adopting the trend of renovating their office buildings with a more modern look to retain existing tenants as well as attract new tenants. Where Regional Operating Headquarter (ROH) is concerned, no clear movement can be seen as yet but can expect to see results with 2011. This year should be a brighter year for the office market.
Another major change in the Thai property market we look towards in 2011 is the possibility of leasehold extension that will encourage and assist Thai developers, Thai investors and foreign investors in their property investment. This will also bring foreign direct investment into the country.
Residential The overall residential market in 2010 (mainly condominiums) was on the rise. In 2011, this will rather be stable. Condominium prices ranging between Baht 80,000 – 120,000 per square meter will still be available within the city while prices for condos on the outskirts would range between Baht 50,000 – 75,000 per square meter. Upper-end condominiums for foreign investment have slowed down, though because of strong Thai currency, there are still some investors who look for quality products at bargained prices. This year we can expect for developers to gear their interest to building town houses or detached houses along the new mass transit extension lines. Retail The retail market has shown continuous improvement. Local demand continues to grow strongly but for tourists, this might be a little hesitant because of the strong Thai currency. There are many newly launched retail projects, for example supporting retail space in residential projects and community malls along the new mass transit lines. Many big retailers and department stores are also adopting the trend of renovating or re-branding their stores to attract shoppers both in the capital and upcountry. There are also a number of
AustChamThailand Advance
new shopping centers which are likely to be completed in 2011. Hospitality For the hotel industry in 2011, we can expect that there will be approximately 1,662 new rooms for the upper scale and luxury hotel market. Hotel investors look for long term investment. Please do not perceive this to be an oversupply because the expected payback period for hotel investors in between 10 to 12 years. Hotel investors invest with an objective for capital gain in the future. Low labor costs, low material costs and low import cost since 2010 are striving hotel investors to seize the opportunity for construction. Like other businesses, the property market also has its life cycle. Certain properties within the main business and shopping areas are also starting to rejuvenate their assets such as properties within the Sam Yan area of Chulalongkorn University properties, Bangkok Bazaar and Langsuan of Crown Property Bureau, some old shop house projects along Sukhumvit Roads and other main roads.
Looking a little bit further ahead, the major change in 2015 would be the Asian Economic Community (AEC) which will positively impact the property market in all sectors as well as transportation and logistics. The high speed trains from China and the roads connecting countries will hugely benefit Thailand. AEC will open up businesses amongst the Asian countries. Geographically with Thailand in the center of many countries, Thailand will have a larger distribution channel. The public may be scared of an oversupply of condominiums but once AEC is introduced this will no longer be on ‘over supply’ as we will have more demand for residential properties. There will be a higher possibility and opportunities for Commercial, Industrial, Retail and Hospitality sectors as well. Some useful property investment tips are: • Aim for best price and high return with low risks; • Be well aware of the rules and regulations; and • Select carefully to ensure a good location. Use them wisely and they could make you rich! Dr. Patima Jeerapaet is the Managing Director of Colliers International Thailand. Please feel free to drop your comments or questions to: patima.jeerapaet@colliers.com
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Latin America Leads the World in Business Optimism: Thailand Scores 39 Per Cent
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onfidence levels over economic performance are higher in Latin America than any other part of the world as the region leads the way on business optimism into the New Year, according to the 2011 Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR). 2011 is the first year Latin America has led the world on optimism. Across Latin America, a balance of +75 per cent of privately held business owners are optimistic about their region’s economic performance in 2011. Elsewhere, optimism in the Asia Pacific region (excluding Japan) is at +50 per cent, whilst in North America it is just +26 per cent, with Europe the least optimistic region at +22 per cent per cent. Within Latin America, Chile (+95 per cent) scored the highest optimism of any country surveyed followed by Brazil (+79 per cent), Argentina (+70 per cent) and Mexico (+64 per cent). Ed Nusbaum, CEO of Grant Thornton International, said, “In recent years the focus for emerging economies has been on the BRIC economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. However, Latin America has come a long way. The region as a whole is expected to see GDP growth of around four per cent in 2011 and if the current business confidence translates to widespread, sustained growth, the next decade could see Latin America truly realise its potential. If the economic story of the last decade was about the BRICs, these results suggest the next decade will be about Latin America.” “The success and growth of Brazil has a big impact on its neighbours. The country’s sustained economic growth, which is forecast by the IMF to be 7.5
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per cent for 2010, is buoying the region and spreading optimism to neighbours in Chile, Argentina and Mexico. It is also impossible to ignore the knockon effects right across the region since Brazil won the right to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. These events will provide a real economic boost for all of Latin America and that has undoubtedly translated into a sense of confidence and optimism.” Optimism swings and a polarised Eurozone The 2011 IBR reveals some big swings in optimism levels in key economies. Businesses in Germany are the most optimistic in the Eurozone at +75 per cent – an optimism which has surged over the past year (2010: +38 per cent). In addition Finland (+57 per cent), Belgium (+45 per cent) and the Netherlands (+19 per cent) are all experiencing high levels of business confidence going into 2011. However, going into 2011 confidence is understandably low throughout those Eurozone economies experiencing sovereign debt troubles with Ireland (-45 per cent), Spain (-50 per cent) and Greece (-44 per cent) at the bottom of the global league table. This year’s report tells a concerning tale of two Europes. Diverging levels of business confidence across the region will put increasing strain on a Eurozone that has had a turbulent 2010. Maintaining a monetary union across nation states that are pulling in opposite directions will be increasingly difficult. The Eurozone seems likely to go through several years of tension and a period of persistent volatility in financial markets. 2011 could be a year when crucial decisions need to be taken about the euro.
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BUSINESS BRIEF
BUSINESS OPTIMISM/PESSIMISM FOR 2011 BY REGION
more expensive although the majority of the regional economies are experiencing a similar issue. In order to remain competitive, Thai businesses need to continue to invest to ensure they remain efficient. We would therefore encourage the policy maker to assist in developing a framework which would allow an easier flow of loan facilities, including working capital, from the banking system to businesses. Employment expectations
Asia Pacific, last year’s leading region for business optimism, has seen a significant fall from +64 per cent to +50 per cent as economies such as mainland China (down from +60 per cent in 2010 to +42 per cent), Australia (down from +79 per cent in 2010 to +37 per cent) and New Zealand (down from +66 per cent to +35 per cent) showed large negative swings in optimism. In Thailand, business executives were also asked whether they were optimistic with regard to the economy over the next 12 months would be. Following a strong recovery in 2010, this year (2011) IBR survey results reflect that the level of optimism continues to increase from 12 per cent last year to 39 per cent this year. Ian Pascoe, Managing Partner of Grant Thornton Thailand, comments, “We hope this continued optimism can be turned into reality in the Kingdom’s complex political environment. Given a general election is to be called in 2011, economic confidence should remain strong provided that there is not a resurgence in political unrest.” Businesses around the world expect weak investment in 2011 The IBR reveals that business owners expect to see only moderate levels of investment in 2011. 35 per cent more businesses expect to see increases in
AustChamThailand Advance
investment in plant and machinery and only 24 per cent more expect to see an increase in research and development (R and D). A notable exception to this trend is mainland China where +47 per cent of businesses expect to increase investment in plant and machinery, and +61 per cent expect to increase their R and D. Ian Pascoe, said, “Sooner or later businesses will need to invest if they want to continue to grow. Governments in these economies need to create environments that encourage business investment. But with interest rates already at historic lows in many mature economies the option to reduce them further and stimulate investment is not available. Therefore they will need to be creative. Some of this creativity might be directed towards the banks where lending activity to businesses in a number of economies has been low as they seek to rebuild their balance sheets in the wake of the financial crisis.” In contrast to many other countries, Thai business respondents remain more positive than last year on all business trends, with a balance of +59 per cent optimism for revenue increases, +49 per cent optimism for plant and machinery investment and +47 per cent optimism for profit increases. Ian Pascoe comments, “The strength of the Thai Baht will make Thai exports
When asked about employment expectations in 2011, European businesses were less optimistic than their counterparts elsewhere in the world; a positive balance of 16 per cent in Europe compared to balances of +35 per cent and +56 per cent in Asia Pacific and Latin America respectively. At +42 per cent positive, Thailand stands ahead of the world average (+29 per cent) for employment expectations but somewhat behind the ASEAN average of +45 per cent. About Grant Thornton Thailand Grant Thornton Thailand is well recognised by the business community as one of the leading professional service firms in Thailand since 1991. We have helped many clients successfully navigate the Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s, applying a mixture of techniques including debt restructuring, cost cutting and business plan revision. We have also helped many clients grow through acquisition and look into expansion opportunities. Our services include business consulting, external and internal auditing service, domestic and international tax planning, corporate finance advisory, restructuring and reorganisation, merger and acquisition, forensic/investigation, risk management, finance and tax due diligence, transaction support, valuation, exit strategies, executive recruitment, succession planning and remuneration planning. To learn more about our firm, please visit: www.grantthornton.co.th Further enquiries, please contact Ian Pascoe at: ian.pascoe@gt-thai.com
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EMBASSY NEWS
Australia’s Foremost Classical Guitar Duo, The Grigoryan Brothers, Set to Dazzle Guitar Loving Audience
commissions from contemporary composers. Their performances include an eclectic repertoire including Latin, jazz, classical and contemporary music. Fuelling this diversity is the Brothers’ joy of improvisation, which when combined with their technical brilliance, adds a new and exciting dimension to concerts.
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he Australian Embassy, Bangkok proudly presents a guitar concert by Australia’s foremost classical guitarists: The GRIGORYAN Brothers – SLAVA and LEONARD. The concert will be held at the Small Hall of the Thailand Cultural Centre on Saturday, 26 February 2011 at 19:30 hour. The concert is presented as part of The Bangkok Guitar Fiesta that will run over three days from 25-27 February. The Grigoryan Brothers will also give a workshop that will be held at the Conference Room 1 of the Thailand Cultural Center on Sunday, 27 February 2011 from 12:30 to 14:30 hours. Slava and Leonard Grigoryan were born in Kazakhstan and now live in Australia. Individually and together they have been featured with many of
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the world’s leading orchestras such as The London Philharmonic, BBC Concert orchestra, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra as well as numerous tours with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and all of the Australian Symphony Orchestras. The Grigoryan Brothers are constantly expanding the boundaries of guitar performance through new arrangements, their own compositions and
As part of The Bangkok Guitar Fiesta, the Grigoryan Brothers are set to dazzle audiences in Bangkok with the skill and virtuosity that has earned them a devoted international following. The Grigoryan Brothers will travel to Vietnam as part of the Asia tour. More information: www.bangkokguitarfiesta. com Concert tickets: Baht 600,1,200 and 1,600. Three concert package: Baht 3,600, 2,700 and 1,400. Workshop tickets: Baht 500. Three workshops package: Baht 1,200. Notice: workshop ticket/s can only be purchased in conjunction with concert tickets Tickets are available at: www.thaiticketmajor.com Tel 02-262 345
AustChamThailand Advance
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Voluntary English Teaching at Baan Khao Huay Mahad School on Saturday, 15 January 2011 Volunteers headed down to the Eastern Seaboard to teach at one of AustCham’s three selected schools to improve their English program. It was great again to see the children and volunteers have such an enjoyable day. Thanks go again to Bangkok hospital for providing use of one of their vans and a special thanks to Gina and Lynn, who provided a pencil case and bag of treats for each of the students. If you are interested in joining the English teaching program, please contact: varin@austchamthailand.com or call the AustCham office.
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COMMUNITY SERVICES
Agricultural machinery is seen on an isolated island surrounded by flood waters near the town of Emerald in Australia’s state of Queensland 2 January 2011. (REUTERS/Daniel Munoz)
Queensland Floods Leave Thousands Devastated Our thoughts are with all those who are facing difficulty and loss from the recent tragedy. As most of you are already aware, over 75 per cent of Queensland has been devastated by severe flooding. Many have been left stranded, lost their homes, personal affects and tragically lost their loved ones. With serious concerns that further bad weather is to come we watch closely and hope that recovery efforts will progress quickly and without further distress.
Rodney Dowton ferries a boatload of kangaroos through floodwaters near Wellington, Australia. (AP Photo/Lake Burrendong Sport and Recreation Centre, Tracy Woods)
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Rising floodwaters spread through the low-lying suburb of Depot Hill in Rockhampton, in eastern Queensland on 2 January 2011. (MECHIELSEN LYNDON/AFP/Getty Images)
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COMMUNITY SERVICES
With natural disasters striking cities all over the world every year, it was tragic to see news of Australia’s “inland tsunami” and extended floods. Many have lost their houses and businesses, and tragically a number of lives have been lost. Our thoughts go out to those families struggling to cope and recover at this time. First, ten years of drought, then huge bushfires, and now almost the entirety of the East coast of Australia has been inundated for weeks. I suspect there will be some major follow-on effects once these areas have dried out. Food and energy prices are likely to increase everywhere as a result, given the significant portion of the world’s supply contributed by these areas. Thank you to the groups who have sent their wishes and donations back to Australia and also thanks to those who have extended these wishes to our members here in Thailand who may have had family, friends or business interests affected. – Andrew Durieux, AustCham President On behalf of the New Zealand Thai Chamber of Commerce I would like to offer my condolences to AustCham and the people of Australia for the terrible tragedy that is unfolding in Queensland. We sincerely hope that those that are missing are found safely and that by the swift action of your government in evacuating and warning people in affected areas, future casualties are minimised. We also hope that any of your members with family and friends in the affected areas find them safe and unharmed. This must be a distressing time for them and they have our sympathy and support.
– Nikki Cox, New Zealand Chamber President
If you would like to help make a difference, you can by donating to the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal. HOTLINE Relatives and friends who are concerned about people affected by the flooding in these areas can call +61 1300 993 191. DONATIONS At this time, the Queensland Government is inviting financial donations only. Unfortunately this appeal cannot accept donations of goods or services. Donate Online Make a donation to the Premier’s Disaster relief appeal using this secure payment form: telethon.smartservice. qld.gov.au Donate by Phone Please call +61 1800 219 028 between the hours of 06.00 and 10.00 Australian time. International Bank Transfer The account details international for donations are:
Account Name: Premiers Disaster Relief Appeal BSB: 064 013 Account number: 1000 6800 SWIFT code: CTBAAU2S
Once your transaction is complete, you should record the receipt number for your transaction. If you do not receive a receipt number, contact your financial institution. If you would like a receipt for tax purposes, please forward a request, with proof of donation to:
Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal C/O Department of the Premier and Cabinet PO Box 15185 City East QLD 4002
MORE INFORMATION For further details and links to the news about the floods, follow, please see: www.qld.gov.au/floods SCAMwatch is warning consumers to thoroughly check the legitimacy of charities when donating to help flood victims in central and south east Queensland. www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/ itemId/818735
An emergency personnel boat motors past a street sign partially covered by floodwaters 6km south of Rockhampton on 3 January 2011. (REUTERS/Daniel Munoz)
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CHAMBER EVENTS
Tri Nations BBQ at The Sukhothai Bangkok on Wednesday, 19 January 2011 AustCham Thailand together with the South African-Thai Chamber of Commerce and the New Zealand-Thai Chamber of Commerce held their fifth annual Braai (Barbecue) with lots of wonderful food as well as Australian, New Zealand and South African beverages. On behalf of the chambers and over 300 who attended, we would like to thank all the sponsors for a wonderful event.
1) Khun Ratthapat Srepisit - Bangkok Home Plus; Raymond W Manzini - South African Embassy; Ronelle Stossel - Romax International; Mmamasa Anna Mokoka - South African Embassy. 2) Khun Kannigar Prasert - K.K.P. International; Simon P. Davies - Jardine Shipping Services; Cecilia Brinch Sand - Veritas Graphics; Nicholas Henty - Talent Technologies. 3) Khun Vasita Kiatrengsuk - Bangkok Bank; Khun Benjawan Vichitthanarurk - Bangkok Bank; Paul Gregory - DRFS. 4) Larry Jackson - Arun Chaiseri Consulting Engineers; June
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CHAMBER EVENTS
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Chua Unland - Advanced ID; Simon Philipp - Cycle Tours. 5) Khun Rinlapat Chaipipat - RSM; Khun Sureeporn Thumvachiraporn - RSM; Khun Rujirake Sakdapipanich - Meinhardt. 6) Tami K Humalo - Face and Book; Brian Overly - Caterpilliar; Paul Gregory - DRFS; Khun Katherine Aphaivongs - CIGNA; Lillian Sheard - KPMG. 7) David Cole; Anne Lewinski - AL Consultancy. 8) Mike Spencer - Spencer Creative; Liz Mortensen - New Zealand Society President; Grant Signal - IAG Insurance.
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CHAMBER EVENTS
Breakfast Briefing – Bridging the Skills Gap with Bruce Wunderlich on Wednesday, 15 December 2010 On 15 December, CEO and Chairman of Business Management, Bruce Wunderlich, gave a presentation on management solutions to progress human recourse management and further business success. Please see Bruce’s article on page 6 which gives insight to closing the gap between employer expectations and employee capabilities.
Prospects for the Thai Property Market in 2011 on Tuesday, 18 January 2011 Executive Director of CB Richard Ellis, James Pitchon, presented an assessment of previous property trends in Thailand and gave a detailed outlook for 2011 at Grand Millennium. Thanks must go to James for another exceptional presentation.
English Classes Initiative 2011
Australian Ambassador to Thailand, James Wise, hosted the Free Sample English Classes Initiative 2011 Press Conference at the Australian Embassy. The Sample English Class Initiative 2011 is the first specific event English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) to be offered by the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) in Bangkok. It seeks to present Australian ELICOS study in a unique way by inviting prospective Thai students to experience a free trial English class.
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NEW MEMBERS AND MEMBERS’ CHANGES
Strategic Airlines 7th Floor, Vorawat Building 849 Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Tel: +66 2 267 1202 Fax: +66 2 267 1128 Email: sarinya.h@ltu-asia.com Website: www.flystrategic.com.au
• Free travel for infants • Convenient departure and arrival times • All Australian owned and operated carrier Strategic Airlines is a service oriented airline, focussed on making the journey one to remember. Strategic Business Class aims to exceed every expectation in providing a luxurious in-flight experience. Strategic Business Class features:
Mr. Raymond Honings – Managing Director Ms. Sarinya Holloway – Sales & Marketing Manager Established in 2002 and headquartered in Brisbane, Strategic Airlines is Australia’s newest international full-service carrier. It forms part of the diverse Strategic Aviation Group, which provides regular airline services, as well as contract and ad hoc charter services, aircraft brokering, and logistics and cargo handling. Considerable growth in the company’s lease and contract charter agreements over recent years has seen bases established in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Darwin, Luxembourg and London. Strategic Aviation Group currently employs more than 200 people, and expects to more than double its employee numbers worldwide over the next 12 months. Strategic Airlines is proud to announce the launch of several new services in 2011, onboard our modern Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft. Currently Strategic Airlines fly Perth to Derby, Perth to Bali, Brisbane to Townsville, Brisbane to Port Hedland, Brisbane to Bali, Brisbane to Phuket, Townsville to Bali and Melbourne to Phuket Strategic is dedicated to providing a fullservice experience, at no additional cost to our passengers. When choosing to fly Strategic, economy passengers reap the following benefits: • Use of our in-flight entertainment program • A complimentary meal and beverages, with alcoholic beverages available for purchase from the bar • 29+ inch seat pitch, and a seat width of 20 inches • A generous 23kg allowance for checked baggage, and 7kg for carryon baggage • Children’s fares for passengers aged between 2 and 11 years AustChamThailand Advance
• Superior all leather seating, with adjustable headrest and a generous recline, allowing for the ultimate in rest and relaxation. • Unlimited viewing of our in-flight entertainment program. Featuring an impressive selection of box office movies and the latest chart topping music, at no additional charge. • A sumptuous three-course menu, which includes a selection of healthy gourmet meals. • A selection of wines from Australia’s best vinyards. • The best in personalised service and professional assistance throughout the flight, courtesy of our experienced cabin crew. • Generous baggage allowances of 30kg for checked baggage, and 2x 7kg for hand baggage. INDIVIDUAL ORDINARY MEMBER Ms. Bethwyn Todd 235 Sukhumvit (Asoke) Road Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Tel: +66 2 664 4322-3 Fax: +66 2 664 1326 Email: bethwyn.todd@fmc.com Website: www.fmc.com A strong strategic leader with an outstanding track record of achieving sustainable business growth and building high performance workplaces in multinational corporations. Key Leadership Roles FMC Corporation: Asia-Pacific Development & Regulatory Manager (October 2010-current) Monsanto Australia: Managing Director (2007-2009) Revenue $90M, 100 Staff Achieved 120 per cent increase in cotton business revenue over two years General Manager, Sales & Marketing (2006-2007) Revenue $80M, 16 Staff
Grew EBIT by 46 per cent in first year of leading commercial business Corporate Affairs Director (2005) Led Government, Industry and Public Affairs, seven staff received industry leadership awards for achieving significant advocacy results for business. Key Skills & Capabilities • Strategic leadership capabilities delivering strong operational results within large complex global organisations • Experienced in driving outstanding business growth through innovative marketing programs, extensive stakeholder engagement and strong sales team leadership • Exceptional people leadership talents, highly skilled at attracting, developing, motivating and retaining top talent and building bench strength • Extensive change management experience and proven success creating and leading a high performance, highly engaged organisation • Strong track record of commercialising new technologies and securing government approvals through successful interest-based negotiation style • Experienced working in high profile roles within an issues-rich environment, confident and articulate public speaker and broad media relations experience • Deep understanding of government at all levels gained through public service career and extensive government relations experience in private sector CHANGE OF REPRESENTATIVE • Ms. Sareeya Sirichantrawong, Associate is a new representative of Opus/ Horton International. • Mr. Alexander Scheible, General Manager is a new representative of Pacific City Club. • Mr. Marvin Bemand, Business Development Director is a new representative of Pacific City Club. • Mr. Matthew Lobner, Chief Executive Officer is a new representative of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. • Mr. Worapong Padungkirtsakul, Country Manager is a new representative of G4S Security Services (Thailand) Co., Ltd. CHANGE OF COMPANY ADDRESS Mr. Geoffrey Storey Your Supply Solutions 31 Fleetwood Drive Doreen Victoria 3754 AUSTRALIA Febuary 2011
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AUSTCHAM MEMBERS’ OFFERS
Amari Orchid Pattaya Sivara Spa is offering a special two and a half hour package for only Baht 2,999. It includes a mint foot scrub, feeling fruity body scrub, aromatic oil massage and manicure or pedicure. For more information, contact sivaraspa@orchid.amari.com.
Baan Laksasubha Baan Laksasubha at Hua Hin is delighted to offer readers two nights stay in the Garden Veranda for only Baht 7,000. Set in plush landscaped gardens, spacious guestrooms are ideal for a romantic getaway or weekend retreat with the family. Enjoy dining at our Costanera Beach Restaurant and Tapas Bar which overlooks a private beach and serves a variety of culinary delights. To book this offer, kindly email rsvn@ baanlaksasubha.com or contact us on 032 514 525-31 and quote ACOO1.
Bangkok Marriott Resort & Spa Receive an extra Baht 800 of credits while booking a room with a special rate starting at Baht 4,300. Choose even greater awards of Baht 1,600 credits for a room with a special rate at Baht 4,600 or get a credit increase up to 2,400 for a room valued at Baht 4,900. This offer is available from now until 31 March 2011.For more information or reservations, please call: +66 2 477 0755 or email: reservemarriott@minornet.com.
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Clarity IT ClarITy will visit your office (Bangkok CBD area) and carry out a half day audit and review for your use of IT (based on well proven principles) and then brief on ways you can improve your overall IT. Please contact: + 66 (0) 2 650 4770 or email: enquiry@clarity.co.th
Coverage SARS, Tsunami, Bird Flu, Coup, Swine Flu, Riots, - what’s the next X for Thailand? What’s next for your business? Are you prepared? Coverage knows and understands all parts of your business and can help provide a plan, training and exercise for you and your staff in English and Thai. Andrew is offering a 20 per cent discount for all AustCham members. Call 02 261 8485.
Conrad Bangkok To celebrate Chinese New Year, Conrad is offering the following special rates from 2 - 16 February. Chinese set lunch is at Baht 999 or 1,288 per person and “Gong Hei Fat Choi” set dinner for 10 persons is available at Baht 16,800. Special a la carte and regular menus are also available. For information and reservations, please call 0 2690 9999 or email: info@ conradbangkok.com
Folies Bangkok This Valentine’s season, share a cake of love, a pie of care or some fresh cookies to warm the heart of the one you love. Savor every bite at Folie’s bakery. Promotion Period 1-15 February 2011. For more information, please contact: +66 2 818 2700
Holiday Inn Holiday Inn Silom Bangkok is offering Austcham Members a special 25 per cent discount on Food and Beverages. Enjoy their sumptuous International Buffet at The Brasserie, Northern Indian Cuisine at Tandoor, an outstanding a la carte selection of Afternoon Tea at Orchid Lounge or Relax after a long hard day of work at Hari’s Bar with tasty snack and great music. For more information please call 02 238 4300 or email: reservations@ holidayinnsilom.com
Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa Choose and enjoy between a set menu of four or seven courses on the beach that fuse the finest ingredients and most tantalizing flavors of Italian and Mediterranean specialties. Prices are Baht 1,800 per person for four courses and Baht 2,000 per person for seven courses. For more information and reservations, please call: +66 32 511 881 ext. 1804
Intrepid We would like to offer 20 per cent discount on all Intrepid Urban adventure tours worldwide. These are unique day trips ranging from three hours to full day in over 100 cities around the world. To make a booking simply go to our website: www.urbanadventures. com/ when you make a booking, enter the promotion code ‘AUSTCHAMTH’. This discount is open ended with no end date and no limit on the number of bookings.
i-Vision Solutions We are offering a ten per cent discount off all software packages for AustCham Members. For more information, please contact: +66 2 661 7899 or email: hinduja@ivision.co.th
LeMeridien We are offering a 20 per cent discount on food (only) at Latest Recipe, Bamboo Chic, Tempo and Latitude13, for one to 20 guests per bill per card. Children between 3 - 12 years old receive 50 per cent discount and below three years old dine for free. This promotion cannot be combined with any other promotions. Advanced booking is required. Please provide your member Name and card number when you make a reservation and present you card for identification at the venue. This offer is valid until 31 December 2011. For reservations, please
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AUSTCHAM MEMBERS’ OFFERS
contact 02 232 8888 or email: fbadmin.bangkok@lemeridien. com
Manohra Dining Cruises Board a Manohra Dining Cruise beautifully restored antique rice barge and take advantage of our silver selection which is now available at an incredible price of Baht 1,400 per person, promising a sumptuous variety of seven memorable courses. Our Gold set menu of nine courses is also available at Baht 1,990 per person. For further information or reservations, please call +66 2 476 0022 Ext. 1416 or email: manohra@ manohracruises.com
Millenium Hilton Thai residents can take advantage of Baht 3,000 for room and breakfast with complimentary upgrade to Executive Room or Baht 3,500 for room and breakfast with Complimentary upgrade to Executive Suite and Thai Massage for two persons. For information and reservation please call 02 442 2000.
Nai Lert Swissotel Bangkok Swissôtel Nai Lert Park, Bangkok offers a gastronomic journey package featuring Michelin star chef Dominique Gauthier from Le Beau Rivage, Switzerland. From 14 to19 February, delight your tastebuds and take advantage of our
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special rate for two persons at only Baht 8,888. To make a reservation, please call 02 253 0123.
Novotel Siam Welcoming in the year of the Rabbit, Chef Chan’s Chinese New Year Set Menus are only Baht 6,500 for 4 persons and Baht 13,000 for 10 persons, inclusive of drinks and lucky Ang Pao which gives you the chance to win many prizes. Offer expires 10 February. For reservations, please contact: +66 2 209 8888 or email: hotel@novotelbkk.com
Pacific City Club Pacific City Club is offering a special offer to AustCham Thailand members: A 100% waive the regular joining fee of Baht 130,000 (4K USD) until 31 March 2011. We will also offer the following discounted Monthly Dues payment (normally Baht 3,000 per member/per month): • 3 Months @ Baht 3,000 per member/month • 6 Months @ Baht 2,500 per member/month • 12 Months @ Baht 2,000 per member/month This is a limited and exclusive offer to the first 250 AustCham Member Representatives. For more information or to obtain an application form, please logon to the AustCham website.
Phachara Suites Strike when the deal is hot with our unbeatable exclusive deal starting at Baht 2,500.For more information or reservation please call +66 2 262 9888.
Siam Ocean World Membership Card Siam Ocean World invites you to the fantastic underwater world experience with Siam Ocean World membership card of only Baht 1,500 for adults, 1,200 for children and an even better deal for a family pack with four membership cards priced at Baht 4,000. The membership card also offers a double reward with 50per cent discount for our Glass Bottom Boat activity, 4D movies and a ten per cent discount for food and beverages and at the Shark Shop.
The Aetas Baht 2,750 is being offered to celebrate the opening of “The AETAS Bangkok”. This Superior Room offer comes with ABF and internet and will be upgraded to a Delux Room with a 20 per cent discount on food and beverages at ‘Moments’ and ‘Pause’ if staying for three consecutive nights. For more information or to make a reservation, please call: +66 2 618 9000 or email: contact@aetashotels.com.
The Sukhothai Bangkok The Business Package rates start from Baht 11,500 for single and 11,900 for double occupancy with a minimum of two consecutive nights booking in an Executive Deluxe Room including daily buffet breakfast at the Colonnade restaurant, in-room mini bar and complimentary one way airport transfer. Offer until 31 March. For reservation, please email reservations@sukhothai.com
Tiny Seeds International School We would like to offer to waive our registration fee worth Baht 40,000 for all AustCham members who enroll their child(ren) at The Tiny Seeds International Preschool. For more information, please contact: +66 2 260 2926-7 or email: thetinyseeds.pre.school@ gmail.com
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FROM THE CHAMBER OFFICE
Message from the ED
A
s this will be my last message as the AustCham Executive Director, I would like to take this opportunity to thank a number of people who have made my experience with AustCham a cherished one. First of all I would like to thank the Board and the staff for all their assistance over the past two years. As one of the most active Chambers of Commerce in Thailand, the hard work and dedication of both the office staff and the elected volunteers has made the Chamber what it is today. During my tenure we have seen a number of challenges including the global financial crisis and the political unrest. I am delighted that the Chamber’s hard work during these turbulent times has seen corporate membership holding steady, sponsorship growing and the Chamber finances remain strong. I would also like to thank the Ambassador and his team at the Embassy including Austrade and Australian Education International for their continued support to the Chamber. Our events and Sundowners on the Eastern Seaboard and Phuket could not happen without our local coordinators. Thank you to Paul Wilkinson and Paul Whyte in Pattaya for their assistance and to Steve Brajak and Harry Usher in Phuket for their efforts in coordinating the industry seminars and Sundowners on the island. Finally, thank you to all of our sponsors and members who have helped out in so many ways from attending functions, being guest speakers, contributing articles to Advance and volunteering their time on our sub-committees and English teaching programs. As we head into the AGM next month, I would like to urge members to consider standing for election of the 2010/11 Board. Being a Director of Board is both a challenging and a rewarding experience. It allows you to be closely involved with business leaders both in Thailand and the region and is a great way to give back to the commu-
Calendar of Events WEDNESDAY, 2 FEBRUARY Bangkok Sundowners
18.00 – 21.00 Venue: The British Club FRIDAY, 11 FEBRUARY Eastern Seaboard Sundowners
18.00 – 21.00 Venue: Hilton Pattaya
nity through the Chamber’s extensive charitable work. Being on the Board also allows you to have direct input on how you would like to see your Chamber grow and evolve. For those who cannot attend the meeting in person, please ensure that you appoint a proxy for this meeting and the Board of Directors elections. The agenda and nomination forms will be on their way to you shortly so keep an eye out for details..
SATURDAY, 12 FEBRUARY Voluntary English Teaching
Venue: Baan Khao Din School, Chonburi WEDNESDAY, 23 FEBRUARY Alumni Night
18.30 – 20.30 Venue: TBA FRIDAY, 25 FEBRUARY Chiang Mai Sundowners
18.00 – 21.00 Venue: PTIS International School
Looking forward, the Chamber will continue to provide its members with great events and more updates through our breakfast briefings, lunches and key issues dinners. Furthermore, this year the Chamber will be introducing the electronic membership card allowing member companies to promote their businesses whilst giving great benefits to fellow members in terms of discounts and privileges. I wish my successor all success in the ED position and I am sure you will support him as I have been privileged to have received.
Brett Gannaway Executive Director, AustCham Thailand www.austchamthailand.com
Thank you to all January sponsors
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