UPDATE Q1/2021: Biotechnology

FROM THE EDITOR Dear readers, Biotechnology is one of Thailand’s 10 targeted S-curve industries under the “Thailand 4.0” economic model. The country has been developing a biotechnology industry during the past three decades, thus enhancing its secure position as one of the world’s top food exporters and Asia’s medical hub.

Currently, there are more than 600 bio-business companies and organisations in Thailand, according to Thailand Biotech Guide 2019.

The foundation of Thailand’s biotechnology industry was laid in 1983 by the establishment of the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). BIOTEC has been playing a vital role in supporting and transferring technology for the development of the Thai biotechnology industry.

The alliances between laboratories/universities and the industry, created through BIOTEC and its collaboration with companies, link biotechnological innovations to businesses and contribute to the strong growth of the industry. Among the collaborators, there are a number of German organisations such as the Fraunhofer Centre for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes (CBP), which co-operates on biorefinery; and the Institute for Bio- and Geosciences Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Julich, which collaborates on plant phenomics. Collaboration in biotechnology is a driver of innovation in the pharmaceutical industry as well. Leading German pharma companies such as Boehringer Ingelheim and Bayer are members of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PReMA), a non-profit innovative organisation which has represented the research-based pharmaceutical industry in Thailand for 50 years.

Fostered by its richness in biodiversity, a solid agricultural industry, advancing biotechnology, a wellestablished service sector and growing concerns over environmental impacts, Thailand is embracing the Bio-, Circular and Green Economy (BCG) model as a path towards sustainable growth and economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the value of activities in a BCG economy could grow to one-fourth of the Thailand’s gross domestic products, accounting for US$ 137 billion by 2025.

In this regard, Thailand’s economic growth will be driven by increasing competitiveness in four key industries: food and agriculture; bioenergy and biochemicals; medical and wellness; and tourism and creative economy, which will lead to more employment, higher income for Thai people and an eco-friendly society. Thailand also foresees a potential to become the leader in the BCG economy with the goal of achieving “Bio Hub” status among the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations by 2027.

I trust you will enjoy and interesting and informative read.

Dr. Roland Wein UPDATE is published quarterly by the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) and distributed through an electronic platform to members and qualified non-members in Thailand and abroad. It is also available on our website: thailand.ahk.de/en/publications.

Any opinions expressed in ar ticles in this e-magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the Chamber.

UPDATE welcomes story and photo contributions from members and non-members alike. Ar ticles may be reproduced with acknowledgement, except for those taken from other sources.

For inquiries, please contact: communications@gtcc.org.

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Roland Wein

Editor & Communications Director: Chadaphan Maliphan

Design & Layout: Sorapol Liengboonlertchai

Sub-Editor: Tony Oliver

CONTENTS

BIOTECHNOLOGY

GTDEE INSIGHT

04 Thailand – A hub for green biotechnology

31 PAL examination (part 2) in electronics

06 Thailand is gearing up to become Asia’s

biotechnology centre

08 Q&A with PReMA: Focus areas and responses to

Covid-19

10 Interview: National Center for Genetic Engineering

and Biotechnology (BIOTEC)

BUSINESS BRIEFS 34 ARBURG providing electrical ALLROUNDER for

TGI training classes

35 Siemens Energy Thailand – Name change and

coal exit decision

13 Biopolis

MEMBERS’ CORNER CHAMBER ACTIVITIES 14 Physical events 21 Virtual webinar 21 Virtual conference

36 New GTCC Members

TRADE FAIRS 38 ISPO MUNICH 2021 39 EuroTier and EnergyDecentral 2021

GTDEE INSIGHT

40 BIOFACH and VIVANESS

28 Meeting on co-operation on mechatronics

41 ITB Berlin NOW: The Digital

project-based learning

29 PAL examination (part 2) in electronics

42 Spielwarenmesse 2021

04 BIOTECHNOLOGY

Thailand – A hub for green biotechnology Thomas Hundt

Green biotechnology is a par ticular ly impor tant applied science in Thailand. It supports significantly economic development, especially the progress of agriculture and food industr y. The agr iculture sector contributes a massive 8 per cent to the gross domestic product and the food industry is the largest industry in the country.

The country has earned a reputation as the “kitchen of the world” because food is a leading product. Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of corn, starch and canned pineapple and was ranked second largest in exports of rice and sugar in 2019.

Agriculture and biotechnology are therefore among the 10 sectors that receive particular promotion as part of the long-term Thailand 4.0 strategy that was adopted in 2017. The investment promotion agency Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) awards generous grants to investor s. It exempts biotechnology companies from corporate tax and import duties for 8 to 13 years, depending on the technology used and their own development activities, and grants simplified work permits to foreigners employed in this sector.

Leading the agro-food industry into the future In 2004, the Ministry of Science established a political Biotechnology framework with the National Biotechnology Policy Framework strategy paper, which it has continuously updated since then. The strategic goals are to

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improve competitiveness as well as strengthen innovations in biotechnology and in the downstream industries.

The Ministry of Agriculture has banned the commercial cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) since 2003. Genetically modified seeds may be used for research purposes.

However, according to experts, there have been no field tests with GMOs since 2003.

A law on biosafety is discussed since 2007. It is intended to put green biotechnology, genetic engineering, research and commercialization of biotech products on a legal basis. The Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment is responsible for drafting the law.

Biotechnology therefore works with methods from conventional plant breeding, such as genetic engineering and marker aided selection is an indirect selection process where a trait of interest is selected based on a marker-based selection of plants with improved properties.

Biotechnology therefore provides significant support for the successes of the agricultural industry, the efficiency of processes and improved quality of agricultural products.

The Ministry of Agriculture has been running the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA) since 2003, which among other things researches new biotechnical applications.

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The National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), the research institute responsible for biotechnology, was founded in 1983. The institute is located in the nor th of Bangkok in one of the most important science parks in the country, next to the Thammasat University campus.

BIOTEC has databases of the genomes of rice, cassava, shrimp, spirulina, oil palms, rubber trees and other species which are also opened to the public with this scientific basis and its expertise on Marker-Assisted Selection Technology, BIOTEC can quickly develop new plant varieties with desirable properties to meet the market demands.

Microbial biotechnology research is one of the areas BIOTEC’s expertise lies in. BIOTEC see to that the entire value chain of innovation process from fundamental research to applied research to commercialization is in place.

Fundamental research focuses on biology of plants and microbes with the emphasis on the collection, isolation, identification and preservation of microbial cultures for BIOTEC in-house research programs and for the country’s depository. The program also seeks to explore the potential application of these microbe such as bioactive and enzyme screening. The utilization part encompasses the development of microbes and microbialderived products for different applications including development of enzyme products for food and feed production and other industrial processes.

Cooperation with foreign countries intensifying According to experts, Thailand needs more know-how and foreign technologies in order to convert agricultural products or waste into bioplastics, biochemicals and other high-valuable substances for various industrial application. BIOTEC has aggressively pursued collaboration with German partners such as Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBP and Institute of Bioand Geosciences (IBG), Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, the consumption of packaging and protective equipment made of plastics is increasing. Thailand therefore wants to develop a larger bioplastics industry.

“ Thailand needs more know-how and foreign technologies in order to convert agricultural products or waste into bioplastics, biochemicals and other high-valuable substances for various industrial application.”

The BOI has already approved 15 projects in this area for a total of US$ 530 million. And the Japanese biotechnology company, Spiber announced in February 2020 that it would build the world’s largest plant for fermentation and purification of proteins in Rayong Province.

Largest bioreactor in South-East Asia A new research and development hub and an industrial cluster for green biotechnology are currently being built in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi), Rayong Province. The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), in partnership with a European company, has been working on a project to establish a biorefinery pilot plant as a central facility to advance targeted biorefinery technologies to higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Thailand will have its first biorefinery pilot plant, with bioreactor capacity of up to 15,000 litres at Biopolis EECi for both public and private sectors to scale up and validate their laboratory prototype and perform the techno-economic feasibility study before investing on a specific production line.

The major Thai agro- and food groups CP, Betagro, Thai Union and Mitr Phol also have their own biotechnological research and development departments.

Contact details: Thomas Hundt Interested companies can use the database Director Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, at Biotechthailand.com to search further for Laos more industry companies and organisations.

GERMANY TRADE & INVEST The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce www.gtai.com offers its service for your market entry and usiness matchmaking.

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06 BIOTECHNOLOGY

Thailand is gearing up to become Asia’s biotechnology centre Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) Defining biotechnology

Global scale, universally significant

At its simplest, biotechnology is technology based on biology. Biotechnology harnesses cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet. We have used the biological processes of microorganisms for more than 6,000 years to make useful food products, such as bread and cheese, and to preserve dairy products.

Based on its applications, the global biotechnology mar ket is divided into the bio-phar maceutical, bio-ser vices, bio-agriculture, bio-industrial segments. In 2015, the entire market was valued at approximately baht 11.56 trillion (US$ 330.3 billion), and was expected to reach baht 14.5 trillion (US$ 414.5 billion) by the end of 2017, and upwards of baht 27 trillion (US$ 775.2 billion) by 2024, which was an average annual growth rate well into double-digits, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.

Modern biotechnology provides breakthrough products and technologies to combat debilitating and rare diseases, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, use less and cleaner energy, and have safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes.

Currently, there are more than 250 biotechnology health-care products and vaccines available to patients, many for previously untreatable diseases. More than 13.3 million farmers around the world use agricultural biotechnology to increase yields, prevent damage from insects and pests, and reduce the impact of farming on the environment.

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Increasing demand for agricultural and food products due to the growing population is having a positive impact on the growth of the industry. Factors such as limited availability of agricultural land, water shortages, low-yielding crops, and pest invasions are encouraging researchers to develop innovative agricultural technologies through extensive research and development (R&D) activities. According to BCC Research, the global mar ket for agricultural biotechnology was expected to reach baht 1.6 trillion (US$ 46.8 billion) by 2019, with a five-year compound annual

growth rate of 11 per cent. The biotechnology tools category, the fastest growing segment of the market, is growing at a phenomenal 49.9 per cent CAGR. An increase in government funding and widespread technological advancements has allowed Thailand’s biotechnology industry to experience a high growth rate in recent years. According to Mr. Rutjawate Taharnklaew, Vice-President of the Betagro Research and Development Centre, there are three major segments of this industry in Thailand which have been growing significantly and still have

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considerable potential for future growth – medical biotechnology, agriculture-biotechnology and cosmetic-biotechnology.

Government efforts to make Thailand the biotechnology centre of Asia The Government of Thailand has been aggressively promoting growth and fostering developments in biotechnology, in an effort to transform Thailand into the centre of biotechnology in Asia. The Government established the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), thereby laying a solid foundation for future biotech developments.

T h e Gove r n m en t a l s o l a u n ch e d t h e B iotec h n o lo gy D e ve l op m e n t Po l i cy Framework 2012-2021, a collaboration between the National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI) and BIOTEC. The aim of this multi-billion-baht plan is to promote sustainable growth in the biotechnology industr y through research funding, strategy mapping and investment incentives. Under this policy framework, strong emphasis has been placed on enhancing research and development (R&D) in the private sector and on utilizing the intellectual capital created from the biotech revolution to st r en gth e n th e cou n t r y’s ove r a l l competitiveness.

The preferred destination for biotech companies Biotechnology companies in Thailand enjoy a variety of competitive advantages, including intellectual property protection and a robust and technically-equipped workforce. Currently, 24 universities across the country have the combined capacity to supply approximately 7,000 students with a biotechnology background each year.

Thailand is located in the hot and humid climatic zone, which suppor ts a variety of tropical ecosystems and provides wider niches for the survival of organisms. The country is able to support a much larger variety of plant, animal and microbe species. Thailand has approximately 15,000 species of plants that account for approximately 10 per cent of estimated total number of plant species

“ In 2015, the entire market was valued at approximately baht 11.56 trillion (US$ 330.3 billion), and was expected to reach baht 14.5 trillion (US$ 414.5 billion) by the end of 2017, and upwards of baht 27 trillion (US$ 775.2 billion) by 2024…” found globally, according to the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (OEPP). This is an advantage for the country in its efforts to become a research hub for this growing biotechnology field.

In addition, a well-established infrastructure that includes various pilot plants in Thailand, such as one at the Fermentation Technology Research and Service Center (FTC) located at the Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, which operates with a capacity of 500 litres, collaboration of both private and public sectors, i.e., Betagro, the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA) under the Ministr y of Agr iculture , and Kasetsart University. Several more pilot plants located at Mahidol University, King Mongkut’s Univer sity of Technology Thonburi and Chulalongkorn University with a greater capacity scale of 1,000-3,000 litres. These pilot plants allow companies and even startups to scale up their research before commercializing their innovations.

A network of 1,600 full-time researchers and technicians, of whom around 400 hold doctorate degrees, can be found at TSP. TMC also provides important support in biotechnology through its Technology Licensing Office (TLO), which is responsible for the licensing of intellectual property.

Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) is doing its part to support the growth and development of the biotechnology sector.

BOI investment incentives for biotechnology companies in Thailand include a tax exemption on import duties on machinery, an eight-year exemption of corporate income tax, an additional five-year 50 per cent reduction of corporate income tax on net profit, a 10-year double deduction on transportation, electricity and water supply costs, and a deduction from net profit of 25 per cent of investment in infrastructure installation and construction costs.

Government and organisational support is also provided through the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), which is home to four national research centres (BIOTEC, MTEC, NANOTEC and NECTEC) and one technology management centre (TMC). NSTDA acts as a bridge between the requirements of academic research and innovation in the industry.

The Thailand Science Park (TSP), the first technology and innovation hub of Thailand, serves as a one-stop service centre to assist both foreign and local companies engaged in scientific and technological research. TSP is a key hub for research and development where specialists and researchers from industry, academia and NSTDA collaborate to further inspire and stimulate the formation and growth of knowledge-based businesses.

For further details about privileges, conditionality and the application process, please visit www.boi.go.th.

Source: Thailand Investment Review, vol. 27, No. 2, February 2017; available at https://www.boi.go.th/ upload/content/TIR_Feb17_vF_93086.pdf.

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08 BIOTECHNOLOGY

PReMA Office and Board Leadership team.

Q&A with PReMA Focus areas and responses to Covid-19 Dr. Armin Wiesler and Dr. Thavirap Tantiwongse In this article, Dr. Armin Wiesler, Vice-President of PReMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association) and General Manager of Boehringer Ingelheim Thailand, and Dr. Thavirap Tantiwongse, CEO of PReMA, outline the strategic focus areas of PReMA, how pharmaceutical companies are dealing with Covid-19 and what could come next for the health-care sector in Thailand.

What are the key focus areas of PReMA? PReMA, a non-profit organization, has represented the research-based pharmaceutical industry in Thailand for 50 years. Currently, we have 32 member companies and four associate members. Our strategy focuses on three pillars: innovation, access and care. We aim to educate on the value of true medical innovation that brings meaningful benefits to patients and health-care providers. In this context, we outline the important guardrails to foster innovation, such as the protection of intellectual property.

Another key pillar is increasing access by Thai patients to new medications and vaccines.

For this, PReMA collaborates with other health-care stakeholders, such as university hospitals, to develop potential improvement opportunities. The key pillar, care, underlines the fact that patients need to be the centre

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of the health-care system; patients should be aware of, and involved in health-care decisions.

The PReMA member companies support more than 50,000 jobs across the Thai economy, mostly highly-skilled employees.

We are collaborating with other stakeholders in the health-care area, such as hospitals, scientific exper ts, academia and the Thai government. The joint objective is to strengthen the role of Thailand as the centre for innovation and leading medical hub in the region, driven by strong medical tourism and excellence in running clinical trials.

How does PReMA suppor t the innovation ecosystem in Thailand?

In alignment with our innovation pillar, we have started a number of initiatives to educate on what medical innovation really means and what value it has. We initiated this approach with a dinner dialogue in November 2019, in which government agencies, the private sector and academics joined to discuss how to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Thailand.

In this context, PReMA has launched a blog called Crack the Mindset, which seeks to create a wide-ranging debate on the value of innovation. We started the blog with posts that conveyed basic knowledge on innovation

and the value of innovative medicines. After several posts, we gained positive traction from health-care personnel, particularly young millennials who are highly engaged with our blog.

To amplify our gravitas, trust and to reach to target audiences, we have organised a webinar series in collaboration with TCELS (Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences; founded in 2004 by the Government of Thailand), titled “The Evolution in Healthcare: Digital Transformation in Thailand Post-Covid-19�. The series has been received positively, and panelists from public and private organizations joined us on Crack the Mindset.

Covid-19 has profoundly affected all sectors of health care, and the pharmaceutical industry is certainly no exception. How has the industry responded to Covid-19?

Our admiration goes out to all doctors, nurses and public health personnel who have worked tirelessly to control Covid-19 and who have made Thailand one of the best countries in limiting the coronavirus impact.

PReMA member companies have taken comprehensive safety measures, such as

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“ The current situation shows the strengths of Thailand’s health-care system. This provides a strong basis for Thailand to further enhance its role as a leading medical hub in the region in the mid-term, and to revitalize the strong role of medical tourism for the health-care sector and overall economy.”

Dr. Armin Wiesler at the Innovation Dinner Dialogue

defining guardrails for customer interactions.

Moreover, our members have ensured a hyper-focus on supply chain systems to ensure that patients can get the medications they need. Although the closure of countries has had an impact on transportation systems globally, the pharmaceutical industr y has maintained its ability to deliver medicines to patients without interruption.

In addition, we have all learned from this crisis – not only for today, but also for the future.

Amid this crisis, we are able to interact with our customers, although not in the traditional way. We have refined and applied new techniques, such as conducting remote seminars and arranging virtual conferences.

We are open-minded towards these changes and are adopting new technologies to engage with our customers. We have learned many things during the crisis. Challenges make us stronger and make us grow. Our industry will apply these learnings for the years to come.

outlining the importance of innovation and collaboration globally. We also see the high value of collaboration when looking at Thailand specifically. The Thai Ministry of Public Health, AstraZeneca, Siam Bioscience and SCG recently announced their intent to manufacture the University of Oxford’s potential Covid-19 vaccine in Thailand.

The current situation shows the strengths of Thailand’s health-care system. This provides a strong basis for Thailand to further enhance its role as a leading medical hub in the region in the mid-term, and to revitalize the strong role of medical tourism for the health-care sector and over all economy. For the pharmaceutical industr y, innovation and collaboration remain the key — delivering innovation that addresses unmet medical needs and improves the lives of patients,

investing in clinical trials for the innovation of tomorrow, and collaborating with the different stakeholders in the public and private sectors to support access of patients to innovation.

Contact details: Dr. Armin Wiesler Vice-President of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PReMA) and General Manager of Boehringer Ingelheim Thailand http://www.prema.or.th Dr. Thavirap Tantiwongse MB BChir (Cantab) CEO of PReMA http://www.prema.or.th

Where does the health-care sector in Thailand stand today? What factors will lead to the road of recovery?

Many sectors have been hit very hard in Thailand, e.g., the tourism and hospitality sector. The health-care sector has also been negatively impacted, but to varying degrees.

We see a stronger contraction in the private health-care sector, driven by the lack of medical tourism, while the impact on the public health-care sector has been less.

All of us have read about the significant progress in developing safe and effective vaccines to protect against Covid-19, thereby

PReMA Crack the Mindset webinar series with TCELS – ‘Healthcare at speed: What’s next for Thailand’.

From left: Asst. Prof. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, Dr. Thavirap Tantiwongse, Prof. Piyamit Sritara and Dr. Nares Damrongchai.

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BIOTEC: Playing a central role in Thailand’s biotech development

Dr. Wonnop Visessanguan, Executive Director of the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) Biotechnology in Thailand has been undergone more than three decades of development with the advantage of a well-equipped infrastructure, and many tech labs and pharma companies situated in Thailand. Bioeconomy is one of the country’s 10 targeted growth-engine industries under the “Thailand 4.0” economic model.

The National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) plays an important role in supporting and transferring technology for the development of industry, agriculture, natural resources, the environment and, consequently, the social and economic well-being of Thai people. It is one of four national research centres operating under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) which acts as a bridge between academia and industry.

UPDATE inter viewed the new BIOTEC Executive Director, Dr. Wonnop Visessanguan, one of Thailand’s renowned researchers who has led BIOTEC for six months. He recently received the “Outstanding Scientist in Food Science and Technology 2020” award from the Foundation for the Promotion of Science

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and Technology under the Patronage of His Majesty the King.

What was the need for the establishment of BIOTEC in Thailand in 1983?

The term “biotechnology” was very new in Thailand at that time. It was started in 1982 with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), a project of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), which was looking for a biotech laboratory in Asia.

Therefore, the Government of Thailand tendered a bid to host a UNIDO international centre for genetic engineer ing and biotechnology. Despite the unsuccessful attempt, the potential of biotechnology was recognised, and the National Center for

Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NCGB) was established under Thailand’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Energy on 20 September 1983 with the objective of supporting biotechnology research in various public organisations. “NCGB” was later renamed “BIOTEC”.

To what extent has BIOTEC fulfilled the mission and commitment to support and transfer technology for the development of industry, agriculture, natural resources, the environment, and the social and economic well-being of Thai people?

The roles of BIOTEC have evolved during three decades, from building infrastructure and core competency to making policies, collaborating with business sectors and under taking its own research. In the first decade (1983-1992), BIOTEC’s role was to establish the basic infrastr ucture for biotechnology in Thailand. Apart from granting projects/studies by researchers who had academic excellence, we built up a network of biotech exper ts and suppor ted the

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development of laboratories in academic institutions such as Mahidol University and Chulalongkorn University.

Our second decade (1993-2002) focused on collaboration with several leading institutions in Thailand to achieve biotechnology excellence. We played key roles in developing Thailand’s biotechnology policy, intellectual property management, biosafety guidelines, raising public awareness as well as educating the public about biotech and its applications.

People started to recognise BIOTEC when our research had impacts on them and we had our own laboratory in 1996.

Our office moved to the Thailand Science Park (TSP) in Pathum Thani in 2002, which was the first technology and innovation hub of Thailand, where we served as a one-stop service centre to assist both foreign and local companies engaged in scientific and technological research. We had our own research units there, focusing on the necessary biotechnological aspects such as genetic improvement and the first transgenic papaya resistant to ringspot virus, which was plant biotechnology collaborated with Kasetsar t University. After 20 years, certain researchers who received our grants had become heads of research labs and the public started to become aware of our work once our projects had impacts on their lives.

Thus, in our third decade (2003-2013), we implemented Thailand’s National Biotechnology Policy Fr am ewo r k w i t h e m p h a s i s on health-care services, modern biotechnology, education, training, biotechnology business and intellectual property rights. For example, our research team discovered the cr ystal structures of a primary malarial drug target, dihydrofolate reductase, providing new approaches for anti-malarial drug design. In 2011, the Chimeric dengue vaccine candidate, which was co-developed by BIOTEC ,

C h i a n g Mai U nive r s ity and Mahid o l University was licensed to BioNet-Asia Co., Ltd. in order to fur ther develop it into a commercial product. BIOTEC has aggressively pursued collaboration with our strategic overseas par tners. We learned from our par tners, adapt the knowledge to local context which served as a base for further development. New technologies and discoveries have been transferred to the private sector.

What is Thailand’s competitive advantage in the biotech industry, and which countries are our main competitors?

Thailand’s prime strength is biodiversity. We just have not utilised it to the fullest potential.

We have a unique culture, while our human resources and infrastructure are getting better in quality. In the past, our researchers were proficient at the laboratory scale R&D only, but now they are equipped and capable to enhance their core competency at the transnational research. Therefore, we compete with ourselves. I don’t see other countries as our competitors, but as our alliances, as each country has its own strength and we can suppor t each other. BIOTEC has a Human Resource Development Program in Biotechnology where scholarships were awarded to researchers from neighboring countries, especially Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), to spend up to 6 months in BIOTEC labs.

When we talk about biotechnology industry in Thailand, such as food science, agriculture and pharma, which area is dominant?

Food science, agriculture and pharma are all outstanding areas for Thailand; all are essential.

Agriculture involves a massive number of people and stakeholders, but it has not gained much value-added in terms of industrial product development. Food and

microorganisms could be largely enhanced as industrial products, while pharma is also one of the four requisites.

BIOTEC’s research and development (R&D) covers a wide range of topics. For plant biotechnology, we focus on rice, cassava, and oil palm. For animal biotechnology, we focus on shrimp and dair y cows, whereas food biotechnology aims to improve and upgrade the processing and quality of fermented food in areas that include food safety, food chemistry, and star ter culture technology.

Medical biotechnology focuses on research on tropical and emerging diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever and influenza. On environment, BIOTEC places an emphasis to the study of microbial diversity, and the preservation, utilisation and conservation of bioresources. We have carried out comprehensive research and focused on the use of microorganisms and natural compounds derived from microorganisms as sources for innovative medicines. We have a National Biobank of Thailand to classify and preserve various microorganisms found in Thailand.

What are the main biotechnology products made in Thailand or businesses that were originally owned by Thai companies? Do we have our “global brands”?

In the biotechnology industry, we have not had our own global brands. Biotechnology is a niche, but diverse at the same time.

P l e a s e s h a re t h e o u t l o o k f o r t h e biotechnology industry in Thailand in 20212022 The government is adapting the so-called “BCG Model”, or Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model, for economic development to reach its ambitious goal of raising the country’s GDP by 1 trillion Thai Baht within

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the next 5 years. Products will be more bio-based, thus the production process must be improved accordingly. Microorganisms will be the key for the transition towards more sustainable modes of production and product development. Despite the current economic downturns, the impor tance of bio-based products will increase because they are essential. In terms of the industr y’s key challenges, there are climate change, Covid-19 and technology disruption. Climate change strongly affects animal, plant and bioscience, while Covid-19 disrupts our health and day-to-day activities. Last, the technology disruption accelerates a product’s lifecycle.

Many things that used to work, don’t work anymore. Talking about Covid-19, on the other hand, it actually helps to change people’s mindsets that innovation is indeed important.

In the past, they thought about marketable products rather than innovation. From now on, biopharma will be therapeutic and locally-made vaccines will be necessary to enable us to be more ready to handle pandemics in the future.

For the future direction of Thailand’s biotechnology industry, what will be the focus area in the Biotechnology Development Policy Framework, 2022-2031?

We will definitely focus on BCG, which is the integration of bioeconomy, circular economy and green economy as a path towards more sustainable growth. In summary, bioeconomy involves the production of renewable biological resources and the conversion of those resources into value-added products. Circular economy aims at reusing and recycling resources, while green economy keeps economy, society and the environment in balance – leading to sustainable development.

“ We will definitely focus on BCG, which is the integration of bioeconomy, circular economy and green economy as a path towards more sustainable growth…At the heart of BCG Model is BIOTEC as we spearhead the development of the country’s biotechnology sector.”

In fact, BCG has replaced the Biotechnology Development Policy Framework. All plans are led by BCG, which focuses on food and agriculture; medicine and wellness; energy, material and biochemical aspects; and tourism and a creative economy. At the hear t of BCG Model is BIOTEC as we spearhead the development of the country’s biotechnology sector.

collaboration to overcome traditional barriers between labs and commercial applications such as biorefinery pilot plants, plant factory and phenomics greenhouse . We have collaborated with the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes (CBP), Germany, on biorefinery and Institute for Bio- and Geosciences Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Julich on plant phenomics.

What is the importance of “Biopolis” in the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi) to Thailand? How would German companies benefit from the Biopolis?

Please share with us some success stories about how the research/innovations by Thai scientists/inventors have supported the growth of Thailand’s biotechnology industry and reduced the need for know-how technology imports from overseas.

Biopolis is the infrastructure in the EECi in Rayong for providing facilities for biotechnology research and services. Its objective is to suppor t the development of Thailand’s targeted industries. Biopolis aims to be fully operational in 2022. In the first phase will focus on strategic areas such as innovative agriculture, functional ingredients, and chemical and bioprocess technology for the product development by the bio-based industr y.

Biopolis also provides comprehensive assistance to entrepreneurs such as prototype production, incubation, business scale-up, start-up exchange program and training. There will be state-of-the-art facilities for industrial

Although researchers tend to have their topics of interests, which, in some cases, are not align with market demands, there are a number of our research works which are through to commercial launch. For example, BIOTEC has collaborated with KEEEN Limited in the production of a small-scale mobile microbial reactor for on-site bioremediation in the treatment of oil-contaminated wastewater. My research on feed enzyme technology was licensed to Asia Star Animal Health Co., Ltd. for commercial production.

In the past, all feed enzyme had been imported.

Currently, local R&D and production can help reduce the import by 20%. BIOTEC has been collaborating with start-ups, SMEs and large enterprises in terms of R&D and human resource development. Different mechanisms to facilitate partnership with the industries have been established. These include collabor ative and contr act research, consultancy service and in-house and on-site training. All of which can be customized to meet specific demands from the industry.

Interview by Chadaphan Maliphan, GTCC Publications and Communications Manager

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BIOTECHNOLOGY 13

Biopolis complex offers world-class facilities for biotechnology innovation Seetala Jamrerkjang

Situated at the heart of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) in Wangchan District, Rayong Province, the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi) is one of ASEAN’s leading innovation hubs. It has a complete research and development infrastructure to enable support for translational research in an effort to streamline the country’s economy through bioeconomy, circular economy and green economy (BCG).

platform, allows users to re-configure the equipment line-up arrangement as well as adjust process parameters to the extreme values in order to find the optimal process conditions. This unique platform allows clients to scale up and validate their laborator y scale prototype and to perform the technoeconomic feasibility study before investing in a specific, dedicated industrial production line.

“ The Biopolis complex features world-class facilities designed for industrial collaboration to overcome traditional barriers between the laboratory and commercial application.”

EECi houses the Biopolis compound, which is designed to offer an integrated ecosystem for innovations and business development in biotechnology. Biopolis will also foster partnerships with national and international enterprises to promote academic-to-business and business-to-business relationships.

The Biopolis complex features world-class facilities designed for industrial collaboration to overcome traditional barriers between the laboratory and commercial application.

Among the many facilities is ASEAN’s first bio-refinery pilot plant. The multipurpose bio-refinery infrastructure, which is a ‘non-proprietar y (generic) equipment’

The infrastructure will consist of two main pilot plants – a non-GMP and a GMP facility.

The non-GMP facility will serve the bio-based industr y that is active in biochemicals, biomaterials and other relevant bioproducts, while the GMP facility will focus on applications in food, feed, cosmetics and neutraceuticals.

Through a bio-refining process, waste will be transformed into a resource to produce high-value products. The bio-refinery pilot plant will be fully operational in 2022.

The Biopolis complex will also accommodate infrastructure, such as smart greenhouses and plant factories. Smart greenhouses feature the advanced phenomics technology that

characterize the crop performance through integration of image analysis, digital technology and automation. Phenomics offers a suite of new technologies to monitor plant function in response to different environmental conditions or under controlled conditions such as a greenhouse. This will help to reduce time, space, cost and waste as the sampling employs non-invasive methods.

Plant factories comprise an indoor crop production system involving the integration of multiple technologies such as big data analytics, robotics, and lighting and water filtration which maximize plant quality and yield.

EECi is managed by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA).

Contact details: Seetala Jamrerkjang Director of the International Cooperation and Public Relations Division, National Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) Tel: +66 2 564 6700, ext. 3325 seetala.jam@biotec.or.th. www.biotec.or.th https://www.eeci.or.th/en/home

www.thailand.ahk.de

14 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES From 25 September to 16 December 2020, the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) organised 16 physical events and two virtual events.

1. Physical events

GTCC meets Thailand’s Minister of Industry GTCC President, Vice President, Board Members and Executive Director had a meeting with Thailand’s Minister of Industry H.E. Suriya Jungrungreangkit on 15 November 2020 at the Ministr y of Industr y. They discussed German-Thai trade and investment and GTCC activities such as the Clean Air Initiative.

GTCC Round Table: “Solutions for sustainable construction projects in Thailand” The topic of energy efficiency, especially in buildings, is becoming increasingly important for Thailand. At a GTCC Round Table on “Solutions for sustainable construction projects in Thailand” organised at the GTCC office on 29 September 2020, GTCC member s exchanged information and perspectives on solutions for sustainable construction projects in Thailand, and discussed future cooperation. Dr. Rober t Himmler, Managing Director of EGS-plan (Bangkok) Co., Ltd. and Mr. Elmar Kleiner, founder and director of OIA (Office for Interior & Architecture Co., Ltd.) shared their insights and collaborative green projects.

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GTCC Business Women Networking “Essential mindsets/skills in the future” A GTCC business women networking event on “essential mindsets/ skills in the future” turned out to be an uplifting gathering with fruitful peer-to-peer exchanges by business women on 30 September 2020.

GTCC is grateful to Event Par tner APRIL Assistance (Thailand), Beverage Partner Serenity Wines, Venue Partner Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, and In-kind Sponsor Bumrungrad International Hospital/ VitalLife Scientific Wellness Centre for their great support.

GTCC meets the German Ambassador German Ambassador to Thailand H. E. Georg Schmidt’s shared his assessment and insights with GTCC members on many unprecedented developments and challenges happening in 2020 at the Chamber members-only platform, “GTCC meets the German Ambassador”, on 6 October 2020. The event, which was held at the Carlton Bangkok Hotel Sukhumvit, was very well-received.

The chamber thanks Mr. Tom Felix Joehnk, writer at The Economist for his contribution to the discussion. Special thanks also to the Event Partners Mazars in Thailand, Luther, RIS Swiss SectionDeutschsprachige Schuler Bangkok as well as Beverage Partner Serenity Wines Asia for supporting the event.

www.thailand.ahk.de

16 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

GTCC Young Professionals Network Evening What we should know about renewable energy GTCC Young Professionals’ first meetup of 2020 took place on 8 October 2020. It was an honour to have Dr. h.c. Harald Link, Chairman of B.Grimm Power PCL, as speaker on renewable energy. The chamber is most grateful to Dr. Link for sharing with the audience B.Grimm’s success stories since 1878 and fast-growing B.Grimm Power’s green business development as well as the unique vision, philosophy and corporate culture that are the key factors behind the company’s continuing success.

GTCC is grateful to the Event Par tners BayWa r.e., Constant Energy, Hansa Meyer Global, Mahanakorn PartnersGroup (MPG), Office for Interior & Architecture (OIA), RLC Recruitment and Thai Switchboard and Metal Work (TAMCO) for making the event happen as well as to GTCC’s Venue Partner Bangkok Marriott Hotel Surawongse for the wonderful venue.

GTCC members exclusive site visit to Häfele Distribution Centre GTCC members had a excellent site visit experience at Hafele Distribution Centre on 15 October 2020.

The chamber thanks Häfele (Thailand) Limited Managing Director Mr. Volker Hellstern, Director of Operations Mr. Frank Heyer and the team for the warm welcome and the greatly appreciated opportunity to explore the company’s warehouse extension.

The visit included a tour of various production areas with extensive storage capacity and effective material handling with safety, productivity, flexibility and efficiency as well as the chance to learn extensive useful information. The extension has been built based on consideration of energy savings, such as the installation of 964 solar panels on the roof. It is not surprising that that Häfele (Thailand) has been awarded the Silver DGNB 2020 for this environmentally-friendly and sustainable project.

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GTCC Stammtisch Bangkok at Sixty-Four GTCC members, guests and friends enjoyed the unique vibes of the GTCC Stammtisch at the Sixty-Four restaurant on 15 October 2020, with delicious food and good drinks.

The chamber thanks Häfele (Thailand) Ltd. Managing Director Mr. Volker Hellstern and his team, for arranging the pleasing venue and lucky draw support.

GTCC Executive Breakfast Talk “Structuring trading activities from Thailand into Myanmar” Mr. Fabian Lorenz, Luther Attorney at Law, underlined the investment law framework in Myanmar, including taxation, employment of foreigners and FX-restrictions as well as investment concerns, at the GTCC Executive Breakfast Talk on “Structuring trading activities from Thailand into Myanmar” on 5 November 2020. The participants engaged in a discussion with the Luther team in the Q&A session.

www.thailand.ahk.de

18 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

GTCC members exclusive site visit to WE-EF LIGHTING

GTCC members experienced superb light shows and high-quality, in-house production lines at the GTCC Site Visit to WE-EF LIGHTING on 12 November 2020. It was an excellent opportunity to get to know a specialist lighting manufacturer that supplies high-performance and outdoor architectural lighting fixtures. Established in Thailand in 1982 as a subsidiary of WE-EF LEUCHTEN GmbH, the company is behind the prominence of various spectacular luminous showcases in Thailand, Asia Pacific and Europe. The chamber appreciated the warm welcome and the impressive site visit experience provided

by Mr. John Mclaren Hart, Managing Director of WE-EF LIGHTING, and his team.

GTCC Stammtisch Bangkok “Tri-Nation Night” GTCC organised its annual Stammtisch to strengthen the German-speaking business community in Thailand. The GTCC Stammtisch Bangkok “Tri-Nation Night”, held on 12 November 2020, welcomed more than 170 guests including members of GTCC, Advantage Austria and the

Swiss-Thai Chamber of Commerce, partners and friends as well as guests of honour German Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Georg Schmidt, Swiss Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Helene Budliger Artieda and First Secretary and Deputy Chief of Mission of the Australian Embassy in Bangkok, Ms. Judith Schildberger.

GTCC President Mr. Andreas Richter opened the event and invited Ambassador Schmidt to deliver special remarks. Thanks are given to Advantage Austria and the Swiss-Thai Chamber of Commerce for co-hosting the event. GTCC appreciates the generous support from the Event Partners Mazars in hailand and RIS Swiss Section Deutschsprachige Schule Bangkok; Food and Beverage par tners KCG Corporation, Bavarian Craft and Serenity Wines Asia; and Venue Partner Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok.

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GTCC Round Table on HR “Compensation and Benefits” GTCC’s last human resources (HR) round table of 2020, organised on 24 November 2020, was a highly informative and fruitful discussion among GTCC members in management positions/HR relevant roles. The speakers and par ticipants held dynamic exchanges on key HR topics, especially: compensation trends in Asia-Pacific; the new shape of work in Thailand; employer obligations on wages and welfare/ benefits according to the Thai labour law; and legal considerations under the Thai labour law on new ways of working. After the main session at The Box of the SO/BANGKOK Hotel, some of the participants continued with networking at the HISO Rooftop Bar. GTCC would like to thank Mr. Juckchai Boonyawat, CEO of Mercer Thailand, and Mr. Rapeesak Kesasuwan, Head of Commercial Law at Lorenz &Partners, for sharing insights, updates and perspectives on the key topics.

GTCC Inter-Chamber Young Professionals Network Evening

GTCC Inter-Chamber Young Professionals Network Evening on 27 November 2020 ser ved as an excellent oppor tunity for young professionals from various foreign communities in Thailand to get together and build a stronger network. GTCC was pleased to have Ms. Waranya Pratumtin providing support again as our Master of Ceremonies and Mr. Matthias Hoffrichter, who delivered the opening remarks.

This event would not have been possible without the generous support from the participating chambers and Venue Partner.

GTCC thanks the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT), Franco-Thai Chamber, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, the Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (AustCham Thailand), CanCham Thailand, the Irish Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Romanian-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce and the Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit for their excellent cooperation.

www.thailand.ahk.de

20 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

GTCC Business Women Networking Conquering 2021’s challenges with 2020’s lessons learned A very energetic GTCC Business Women networking event was held at Paradise Lost Bangkok, Siam@Siam Design Hotel Bangkok on 2 December 2020 during which there were many fruitful exchanges on what has been learned during this year and how we can thrive and achieve even more success in 2021.

The meeting also enjoyed the rooftop ambiance and the vibrant colours of Bangkok at night. The event was made even livelier with a special gift exchange session. Thanks go to all the business women who joined the gathering.

The chamber is grateful to Beverage Partner Serenity Wines Asia, Venue Partner Paradise L o s t B a n g ko k a n d I n - k i n d S p o n s o r Bumrungrad International Hospital/VitalLife Scientific Wellness Centre for their great support.

GTCC Partners and Customers Appreciation Event GTCC had great pleasure in welcoming all the special guests who par ticipated in the GTCC Partners and Customers Appreciation Event on 9 December 2020. The event was organised to express GTCC’s appreciation to partners and customers for their great support in 2020. The event was took place at the Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok.

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CHAMBER ACTIVITIES 21

2. Virtual webinar The Chamber organised one webinar, “ASEAN Cross Border Projects – legal and tax challenges for companies doing business in South-East Asia” in co-operation with WTS Global and the German-Indonesian Chamber of Industr y and Commerce (EKONID/AHK Indonesia), Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC/AHK Malaysia), German-Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GPCCI/AHK Philippines), Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce/AHK Singapore, and German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam) on 10 November 2020. The topic of legal and tax challenges was comprehensively presented and discussed by the Managing Partner of GTCC member Lorenz & Partners (L&P) Mr. Till Morstadt, together with experts from law firms in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Viet Nam.

3. Virtual conference

German-Thai Digital Conference on “Smart City” GTCC organised a German-Thai digital conference on “Smar t City” on 3 November 2020 within the framework of the Foreign Market Entry Programme for SMEs that is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). The event provided valuable insights from the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), Germany Trade & Invest

(GTAI), the Office of Transport and

Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) and

eight presentations from German

companies with a focus on three

pillars: Smart Mobility, Smart Energy

and IT Software Solutions.

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22 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

GTCC Bavarian Beer Fest Inspired by the famous Oktoberfest, “GTCC Bavarian Beer Fest 2020� was organised on 30 and 31 October 2020 with special care to ensure guests could enjoy the celebration of Bavarian culture at ease by limiting the number guests to 350 per night. GTCC President Mr. Andreas Richter delivered the welcoming remarks on Day 1, while Vice-President Mr. Michael Welser opened the fest on Day 2.

GTCC highly appreciates the great support given by Event Partners Conrad Bangkok and Paulaner (Flow Inter), Sponsors [Gold] BMW (Thailand); [Silver] Mazars Thailand and ROBINSON Club as well as [In-kind] Bumrungrad Hospital, and Robert Bosch Limited, which made this event possible and very successful.

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www.thailand.ahk.de

24 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

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26 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

GTCC Family Christmas Party The GTCC Family Christmas Par ty 2020 was held on 16 December at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel. GTCC members and their families as well as friends of the chamber enjoyed delicious food and drinks — including warm Glühwein — in a festive atmosphere.

GTCC also offered fun activities for the children, while Santa Claus greeted the children and provided special gifts for them during the evening’s festivities. The event would not have been possible without the suppor t of Food and Beverage Par tners KCG Corporation and Paulaner (Flow Inter); Venue Par tner Anantara Siam Bangkok; and in-kind par tners Asian Tigers Group, Guidecraft, Majorette Thailand, RIS Swiss Section Deutschsprachige Schule Bangkok, Samitivej Hospital, and Serenity Wines Asia.

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www.thailand.ahk.de

28 GTDEE INSIGHT

Meeting on co-operation on mechatronics project-based learning On 14 August 2020, GTDEE members, CIM Integrated Expert and GTDEE Programme Director Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Senior Manager Dr. Kamonsak Suradom participated in a meeting with the Ministry of Education’s Secretary to Minister Mr. Anucha Burapachaisri and representatives of the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC).

The meeting was held to discuss co-operation on mechatronics project-based learning, which will be implemented in public vocational colleges in Thailand in the future. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Education.

Meeting on future co-operation on mechatronics development On 20 August 2020, Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Dr. Kamonsak Suradom participated in a meeting with Siam Technology College’s Dire c to r, A s s o c . P ro f. Dr. J om pong Mongkolvanich and college management team to discuss future co-operation on mechatronics development. The meeting was held at Siam Technology College.

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PAL examination (part 1) in mechatronics From 24 to 27 August 2020, Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Dr. Kamonsak Suradom hosted the PAL examination (part 1) in mechatronics at Eastern Technological College (E-TECH), Chon Buri. The practical examination focused on the project works of the students, which is separated into several stations as follows:

PAL examination (part 1)

Station 1: Mechanical installation Station 2: Electrical installation Station 3: PLC programming Station 4: Pneumatic installation

PAL examination (part 2)

Station 5: Hydraulic installation Station 6: Device start-up Station 7: Documentation of changes Station 8: Product delivery The PAL examination (par t 1) involves stations 1 to 4, in which a total of 26 students of Eastern Technological College underwent cer tain tasks and rotated between stations.

Fur thermore, PAL examination (part 2), comprising stations 5 to 8, will be held for the students towards the end of their apprenticeship.

GTCC final examination 2020 in mechatronics From 8 to 9 September 2020, GTDEE team members, Mr. Markus Hoffmann, Dr. Kamonsak Suradom and GTDEE Manager Mr. Katiphot Kanoknorrasade organised the GTCC intensive course and GTCC final examination 2020 in mechatronics for apprentices from the Thai-Austrian Technical College and Eastern Technological College, who were trained at Rober t Bosch Automotive Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Plant and Grohe Siam Limited. The activities were held at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Nor th Bangkok (KMUTNB) on 8 and 9 September 2020. Furthermore, the following qualified faculty members from the Faculty of Technical Education, KMUTNB, were appointed as the examination committee: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Watcharin Pho-ngoen; Ms. Sureeporn Numsumlee; and Mr. Songkran U-thathong.

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30 GTDEE INSIGHT

GTDEE workshop for BMW apprentices Batch 2019, Year 2

On 14 September 2020, Mr. Katiphot Kanoknorrasade supervised the GTDEE workshop for 31 second-year apprentices of BMW Group (Thailand) Batch 2019 from Don Bosco Technological College, Eastern Technological College and Chitralada Technology Institute. The topics for the workshop included the PAL examination structure introduction, examination scores configuration and specific topics related to the examination. This group of apprentices participated in the practical PAL final examination (part 1) in December 2020 and will undergo the theoretical examination in January 2021.

GTCC final examination 2020 in Logistics On 25 September 2020, Mr. Markus Hoffmann, Dr. Kamonsak Suradom and Mr. Katiphot Kanoknorrasade organised the GTCC final examination 2020 in logistics at the Logistics Department of KMUTNB Rayong campus.

The examination was held for apprentices Batch 2018 of Robert Bosch Automotive Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Furthermore, Asst. Prof. Dr. Thitirat Thawornsujaritkul, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, KMUTNB Rayong campus, was invited to act as the head of logistics examination.

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Online platform learning workshop for teaching plan development During 28-30 September 2020, the GTDEE team arranged a workshop on the topic of “Online platform learning workshop for teaching plan development” at Eastern Technological College. The participants of the workshop were mainly the trainers and practical teachers from GTDEE’s company and college partners, such as BMW Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Don Bosco Technological College and Eastern Technological College.

The workshop comprised the following topics; 1. What is “online teaching and learning”?

How does an online learning platform work?

2. New approaches to teaching and learning.

3. H ow to perform online teaching (the principles of good teaching).

4. Resources for online teaching and learning tools.

5. Benefits of online teaching and learning.

PAL examination (part 2) in electronics On 17 and 19 October 2020, the GTDEE team organised the PAL final examination (part 2) in electronics for four apprentices from Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd. The examination, held at Don Bosco Technological College, comprised the theoretical and practical parts.

The theoretical part consists of three main areas – electrical system: general knowledge; electrical system: diagnostics; and economics and social studies. The practical part consists of the following three procedures – electrical wiring; systematical diagnostics; and project presentation.

www.thailand.ahk.de

32 GTDEE INSIGHT

Knowledge-sharing on the topic “Mechatronics Development under Project-Based Learning” On 27 October 2020, the GTDEE team led

by Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Dr. Kamonsak Suradom attended a meeting at Eastern Technological College on a knowledge-sharing session under the topic “Mechatronics Development under Project-Based Learning”.

They were joined by representatives from various institutions including the Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (TPQI), Thai-Austrian Technical College, KMUTNB, Thai-German Institute (TGI) and Rajamangala University of Technology.

PAL final examination preparation meeting on sharing automotive mechatronics technological advancement On 2 November 2020, GTDEE invited teachers from college par tners namely Don Bosco Technological College, Eastern Technological College and Chitralada Technology Institute to join the meeting and share their knowledge on BMW technological advancement. The main purpose of the meeting was to assist teachers from the college partners in gaining new knowledge that could be transferred to apprentices.

The information gained during the meeting will be included in the PAL final examination (part 1 and part 2). The meeting was held at the BMW Group Thailand Training Centre.

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Four-party meeting for Bosch Automotive Apprenticeship Development On 5 November 2020, Mr. Markus Hoffmann and Dr. Kamonsak Suradom represented GTDEE at a four-par ty meeting on co-certification and curriculum development for level “C” of Rober t Bosch Automotive (HmjP) Apprenticeship Development. The other representatives at the meeting were from TPQI, TGI and the Thai-Austrian Technical College. The meeting was held at the Thai-Austrian Technical College.

GTCC certificate handover ceremony for Mercedes-Benz apprentices Batch 2018 On 25 November 2020, Mr. Markus Hoffmann, Dr. Kamonsak Suradom and Mr. Katiphot Kanoknor r asade par ticipated in the Mercedes-Benz Graduation Day 2020 held to present DIHK certificates to Mercedes-Benz apprentices Batch 2018 at the Mercedes-Benz Competency Centre (MBCC).

Mr. Putthi Tulayathun, Vice-President of After-Sales Ser vice at Mercedes-Benz (Thailand), delivered a congratulatory speech to the 50 graduating automotive mechatronics apprentice. The graduates had achieved a Level A cer tificate for “German dual vocational education and training abroad” and a Level B certificate “Local dual vocational education and training in line with the German model” from the AHK-IHK-DIHK network of Germany under the German-Thai Dual Excellence Education Programme (GTDEE) and Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) and followed by the congratulatory speeches by Mr. Jan Scheer, Head of Mission and Head of Economic Affairs at the German Embassy in

Bangkok and Mr. Marius Mehner, Deputy Director of German-Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The graduates attended the Automotive Mechatronics Technician Dual Training Programme offered by Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) under a partnership between the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Mercedes-Benz dealerships, the Eastern Technological College (E.Tech), Don Bosco Technological College Bangkok, Don Bosco Technological College Ban Pong and Samutprakan Technical Colle

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34 BUSINESS BRIEFS

ARBURG providing electrical ALLROUNDER for TGI training classes ARBURG (Thailand) Co., Ltd. recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Foundation for Industrial Development, which supervises the Thai-German Institute (TGI), to further strengthen their long-term par tnership. ARBURG will also provide a brand-new ALLROUNDER 470 E with MULTILIFT SELECT 6 to TGI. The aim of this co-operation project is to deepen TGI’s capabilities in the emerging areas of plastic injection moulding technology and applications. These capabilities and specialist skills will, in turn, be used to train and develop the trainees of TGI. It will also upgrade the capabilities of the staff and promote this technology among per sonnel from the industry through seminars and workshops.

TGI will conduct customized training courses for technical personnel from the industry based on their needs.

by upgrading manufacturing technology, innovation in automation and robotics, machinery and mould and dies to drive competitiveness capacity in the age of Industry 4.0.” He added: “We are excited to co-operate with ARBURG, as they are one of leading companies focusing on Industry 4.0 and the innovative transferring of technology in plastic injection moulding. This partnership will enable us to utilise the ARBURG ALLROUNDER injection moulding machine to get excellent training, while the industry will benefit from a skilled workforce.”

ARBURG’s Mr. Ruben Sander, Director Operations ASEAN Region, said: “One of our company’s missions is to be a technology transfer leader for Industry 4.0 (smart factory), par ticularly when it comes to plastics processing. Therefore, we are very proud to suppor t TGI to becoming a major development centre to suppor t Thai manufacturers in implementing Industry 4.0.

The collaboration between ARBURG and TGI will enhance innovation technology development towards the plastics industry in Thailand.

The MoU was signed in the presence of TGI President, Mr. Somwang Boonrakcharoen, at the TGI head office in Amata Nakhorn Industrial Estate. “We aim to be a leading organization for enhancing productivity development of manufacturing industr y

TOOTEN opens new studio and office space at Sukhumvit Soi 49 The commercial photography company TOOTEN photography Co., Ltd., which was founded in 2003, now welcomes clients who are interested and in need of professional photography solutions, at their new Studio Space for photo production or pre-production meetings.

The Tooten Photography production service covers architecture, interior, lifestyle, corporate, industrial, business portraits, product photography, pack shots, fashion, food, camera drone, studio photography, location scouting, live casting, high end retouching - post production, graphic design and social media.

Led by German award-winning master photographer Ralf Tooten, the company consists of an integral team of highly skilled and experienced producers, digital technicians and lighting assistants. On-site and in the studio, “the Team Tooten” will ensure smooth co-ordination and technical aspects of all the shooting management. The creative digital darkroom at, Tooten Photography’s post- production office in Bangkok is specialized in high-end retouching. Please feel free to discuss your projects. Contact the company’s producer, Khun Tao, with any special request or for package offers by telephone at 080 234 2000 or by e-mail at tao@tooten.com.

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Siemens Energy Thailand – Name change and coal exit decision In late-2019 multinational conglomerate Siemens AG star ted the expansion of its energy businesses worldwide to create a pure-play energy company. At the end of September 2020, the new company – Siemens Energy AG – was successfully listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange.

In Thailand, a reverse carve-out has taken place due to the significance of the energy businesses in Thailand. The energy business remained with Siemens Limited and was renamed Siemens Energy Limited (Thailand), which also acts as the head office for the Siemens businesses in Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Myanmar.

With one of the main goals being “Shaping the Energy of Tomorrow”, Siemens Energy has taken another bold step towards this goal with the executive board’s announcement that Siemens Energy will no longer participate in tenders for new purely coal-fired power generation projects, effective from 10 November 2020.

According to Mr. Markus Lorenzini, President and CEO of Siemens Energy Limited (Thailand), “we have to act now to meet the rising demand for energy worldwide, while protecting the climate in ways that are economically sensible and technologically feasible. Our promise and purpose are that #WeEnergizeSociety# and enable successful and sustainable growth.”

Sustainable Office Tower revealed The Sustainable Office Tower project was revealed at the first GTCC roundtable for sustainable construction on 29 September 2020. The research project is an initiative of Thomas Fritzsche architects tfa based in Shanghai (architecture) and EGS-plan (Bangkok) Co., Ltd. (sustainability).

The Sustainable Office Tower provides modern office space on a gross floor area of 57,000 m2 and 32 floors. The high-performance façade is fully shaded by an externally fixed shading system that blocks direct solar radiation but provides sufficient daylight and views. Core of the technical concept of the building are the chilled ceilings that are designed as elegant sails, hovering over the office workplaces, and providing noiseless and comfortable cooling.

The building was designed with circular economy aspects in mind, and the environmental footprint was optimized with a life-cycle assessment of the materials. The life-cycle costs are significantly lower compared with other green buildings in Bangkok, due to the higher space efficiency and thus higher rental revenue. An elaborate ar ticle about the project was released in Intelligent Glass Solutions magazine (pages 38-46) (https://bit.ly/3nRYUXr).

www.thailand.ahk.de

36 MEMBERS’ CORNER

New GTCC members up to 31 December 2020

German-Thai Chamber of Commerce warmly welcomes 11 new members

Bavarian Craft Co., Ltd.

Mr. Mathias Reindl

Mr. Matthias Breitenfellner Owner / Customer Service Manager sales@bavariancraft.co.th www.bavariancraft.co.th Agents involved in the sale of food, beverages and tobacco | Wholesale of beverages | Beverage serving activities

Co-Founder and Director of Hansen Beck mathias.reindl@hansenbeck.com

INDYON (THAILAND) Co., Ltd.

Neotech AMT GmbH

Mr. Hermann Feigl CTO & MD for Thailand Khun Chulalak Meechokchaimongkol Managing Director hermann.feigl@indyon.de www.indyon.com Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products | Warehousing and support activities for transportation | Computer programming, consultancy and related activities

Mr. Douglas Parton Sales Director - Asia Khun Isaree Shahramnejad Administrative Assistant https://www.neotech-amt.com Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products | Manufacture of electrical equipment | Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.

Lufthansa Services (Thailand) Ltd.

Siemens Limited

Dr. Ruediger Munzert Managing Director Khun Supanat Wattanakamolchai Manager Strategy & Business Development info@lst-thai.com www.lst-thailand.com Air transport | Warehousing and support activities for transportation | Office administrative, office support and other business support activities

Khun Suwannee Singluedej President & CEO Khun Supreeya Mokaramanee CFO https://new.siemens.com/th/en.html Repair and installation of machinery and equipment | Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | Architectural and engineering activities; t echnical testing and analysis

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Siemens Mobility Limited

Tooten Photography Co., Ltd.

Mr. Tomasz Mazur CEO Mr. Mathias Merta CFO mobility.th@siemens.com www.siemens.co.th/mobility Manufacture of railway locomotives and rolling stock | Repair and installation of machinery and equipment | Land transport and transport via pipelines

Khun Nutthanan Tooten Managing Director Mr. Ralf Tooten Director of Photography producer@tooten.com www.tootenphotographer.com Photographic activities

Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok

We Do Asia Co. Ltd.

Mr. Thaddaeus Weiss Executive Assistant Manager Ms. Aaishah Bohari Director of Sales & Marketing info.sindhorn@kempinski.com www.kempinski.com/sindhorn Hotels and similar accommodation | Food and beverage service activities

Mr. Jonas Lenz Koblin Managing Director Mr. Karl von Luckwald Head of Business Development / Thailand Head Smart Air http://wedo.asia/ Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles

Solectric Asia Company Limited Mr. Vincent Pena CEO Khun Tanate Duangpatra info@solectricasia.com https://solectricasia.com/ Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | Computer programming, consultancy and related activities | Other education

www.thailand.ahk.de

38 TRADE FAIRS

ISPO MUNICH 2021 to be held online 1-5 February 2021, Munich

In 2021, ISPO Munich will take place from 1 to 5 February, completely online. In close co-operation with the branch and with consideration for the current development of Covid-19, Messe München has decided to conduct the event completely digitally. By doing so, the world’s leading sports business platform will be beneficial for all participants, regardless of international travel restrictions.

The event format will build upon the positive results of the virtual ISPO Re.Start Days in summer 2020 that showed digital formats offer an added value and are important for the industry. It will offer opportunities for brand and product presentation, for discussions and networking as well as maintenance of international business relationships.

The key topics of creativity and digitization, health and sustainability will be at the centre of the five-day digital event. The ISPO Munich

UPDATE 1/2021

Online conference programme will offer numerous opportunities for discussions and interaction. In particular, the importance of spor ts and outdoor activities, and their connection to health, has been on the rise since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. In turn, this has increased the need for a platform where the core brands, key players and top athletes can connect and garner inspiration.

ISPO Munich Online will offer the wellestablished benefits as well as additional ones, i.e., finding new products, brands and business contacts, networking with exhibitors, visitors, media and influencers, and participation in forums and discussions via live streaming and chat rooms.

For the first time, end-consumers will have an opportunity to experience something that was formerly reserved for industry members

– the opportunity to participate digitally and conduct a direct dialogue with the industry.

In brand rooms for product presentations, workshops and master classes, brands and companies will have the oppor tunity to present themselves and engage with sport and outdoor fans throughout the world. ISPO Open Innovation has already shown this integration works. The approximately 80,000 end-consumers from around 70 countries bring their know-how to the crowdsourcing and market research campaigns – delivering valuable insights and inspiration for new products and ideas to companies all year.

More details on ISPO MUNICH are available at https://www.ispo.com/en. For fur ther information, please contact German-Thai Chamber of Commerce’s official representative for Messe München GmbH in Thailand, Ms. Patamaporn Wasuwat, by telephone at +66 2 055 0641 or by e-mail at muenchen@ gtcc.org.

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EuroTier and EnergyDecentral 2021 will take place digitally 9-12 February 2021

In view of the continuing uncer tain international situation in conjunction with the Covid-19 pandemic, EuroTier, the world’s leading trade fair for animal production, and EnergyDecentral, the international trade fair for innovative energy supply, will be held from 9 to 12 February 2021 as a digital version.

The trade fair will not take place physically in Hanover, Germany. This decision was reached by the Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft - German Agricultural Society (DLG) as the organiser of these two leading trade fairs, ollowing extensive meetings with industry representatives, the advisor y board and partners.

The “EuroTier/EnergyDecentral digital” events will offer exhibitors maximum flexibility with digital business packages, while providing visitors with an extensive technical programme and attractive networking opportunities. For 2021, DLG will also offer additional events and trade fairs on all aspects of the topics of animal husbandry and decentralized energy supply.

With digital company profiles, live events including chat and meeting functions, “EuroTier/EnergyDecentral digital” will offer

a broad r ange of communication and interaction opportunities for exhibitors and visitors. The digital technical programme with DLG spotlights the key trade fair topics of dairy, pig, poultry, energy, emission control and direct farm sales as well as live discussions from the DLG Studio, which provide the perfect setting for planning investments.

After a one-time online registration, visitors

can obtain information on the products and services of the exhibitors, contact them directly, and actively participate in numerous events and discussions on the technical programme.

For more details please contact Mr. Nupat Khusribanchong, German-Thai Chamber of Commerce by telephone at +66 2 055 0643 or by e-mail at hannover@gtcc.org.

www.thailand.ahk.de

40 TRADE FAIRS

BIOFACH and VIVANESS Joint trade fair goes digital in 2021 17-19 February 2021

In 2021, BIOFACH and VIVANESS will take place in a purely digital format. The World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food and the International Trade Fair for Natural and Organic Personal Care will be held as a BIOFACH/VIVANESS eSpecial. In making this decision, organiser NürnbergMesse is responding to the altered circumstances created by the dynamically evolving Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on the global organic food and natural and organic cosmetics community. At the same time, this move will allow secure planning for the entire globallyconnected sector. The dates for the BIOFACH/ VIVANESS 2021 eSpecial are 17 to 19 February.

This event will provide a comprehensive range of innovative options, such as corporate and product presentations, discussions and dialogue formats like round tables, and other formats for networking with industry experts.

Sophisticated matchmaking functions that help interested parties to find the right exhibitors, and vice versa, are another integral part of the eSpecial format.

BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2021 also offers the organic food, and natural and organic cosmetics community extensive access to

UPDATE 1/2021

knowledge transfer at the BIOFACH and VIVANESS Congress, which has a global reach.

The main congress theme in 2021 will be “Shaping Transformation. Stronger. Together”.

for all of us. However, before we all meet again on-site in Nuremberg in 2022, the BIOFACH/ VIVANESS eSpecial will offer an ideal platform for professional dialogue in 2021.”

Petra Wolf, a member of the NürnbergMesse management board, recently had this to say: “The numerous conversations and in-depth dialogue we have had in recent weeks and months have made one thing clear to us.

Within the organic food, and natural and organic cosmetics sector, the desire for interaction, networking and knowledge transfer with experts, and to discover trends and innovations, remains huge and unabated, especially in these exceptional times. Even in this era of the coronavirus, the entire sector is absolutely determined to come together to discuss the latest issues, even if only in the digital sphere.”

For more details please contact Mr. Nupat Khusr ibanchong, official Ger man-Thai Chamber of Commerce representative for NürnbergMesse GmbH in Thailand, by telephone at +66 2 055 0643 or by e-mail at nuernberg@gtcc.org.

However, she said, “in the light of the pandemic and based on our ongoing dialogue with the community and a comprehensive survey of exhibitors and visitors, we trust that our decision to host a digital event will now enable all players from the sector to plan ahead in good time. I very much regret that the physical trade fair cannot take place, and stress that this decision was an extremely difficult one

TRADE FAIRS 41

ITB Berlin NOW The Digital Meet-up for the Travel Industry 9-12 March 2021, Berlin

The Covid-19 pandemic situation remains very difficult, especially for the travel industry.

As a result of this problem, ITB Berlin will hold the world’s leading travel trade show as an entirely virtual event in 2021, with the name ITB Berlin NOW – ‘The Digital Meet-up for the Travel Industry’. ITB Berlin NOW will take place as a purely digital B2B event over four days, on 9-12 March 2021, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This global virtual event format is aimed at the B2B community, i.e., exhibitors, trade visitors and buyers from every segment of the global tourism value chain as well as journalists and travel bloggers.

The concept of ITB Berlin NOW includes intelligent matching, a digital exhibition area and a top-class conference programme. Many of the offerings can be used 24/7 during the event days, so that participants can attend regardless of their location and time zone.

ITB Berlin NOW will open its virtual doors to registered participants in early February 2021. Travel professionals will then be able to set up their profiles, prepare for the live event and get accustomed to the functionalities of ITB Berlin NOW. From 9 to 12 March 2021, the entire industry will then meet live at ITB Berlin NOW. During the live event phase, all

participants will then be able to use the many available services, including contact matching, exhibitor profiles, conference content and industr y news. After the event, registered participants can continue to visit the platform until 31 May 2021. During that period, the entire range of content will remain available on demand.

As in previous year s, the ITB Ber lin Convention will take place as a parallel virtual

event and bring invited high-profile experts on stage to discuss the latest tourism industry topics.

More information about ITB Berlin NOW can be found at https://www.itb.com/now or by contacting German-Thai Chamber of Commerce’s official representative for Messe Berlin GmbH in Thailand, Ms. Patamaporn Wasuwat, by telephone at +66 2 055 0641 or by e-mail at berlin@gtcc.org.

www.thailand.ahk.de

42 TRADE FAIRS

Spielwarenmesse 2021 Changed to first-time summer event 20-24 July 2021

the number of Covid-19 infections, leading to new travel restrictions in major European cities. These developments have cast doubt among exhibitors and visitors over whether they should be taking part in an international trade fair. This uncertainty has been voiced in intensive discussions with the Spielwarenmesse team.

Spielwarenmesse at Nuremberg’s exhibition centre traditionally opens its doors at the beginning of the year. Scheduled to run from 27 to 31 January 2021, the event has been called off in good time as a direct result of the persisting Covid-19 pandemic. For the first time in its long history, the world’s leading toy fair has been postponed until 20-24 July 2021 by organiser Spielwarenmesse eG. The decision was made by the supervisory board on 24 September and comes in the face of rising infection rates and further restrictions on travel.

A shor t-term solution to the global challenge posed by Covid-19 is not yet in sight. The change in circumstances as well as concern over the health of the participants make it almost impossible to stage Spielwarenmesse and guarantee the customary level of quality at the end of January. Many countries around the world are currently experiencing a dramatic increase in

UPDATE 1/2021

Mr. Ernst Kick, CEO of Spielwarenmesse eG, stated: “We very much regret the decision to postpone Spielwarenmesse 2021.”

Preparations for the 72nd event in January were already well under way. Based on the guidelines of the Bavarian State Government, the Health and Hygiene Concept drawn up in collaboration with the local health authorities and venue operator NürnbergMesse, was well received by all participants. “I’d like to thank everyone who joined us on this path, and I feel sure that the improvements we have made will benefit all future events and appearances,” concluded Mr. Kick.

For more details please contact Mr. Nupat Khusribanchong, official German-Thai Chamber of Commerce representative for Spielwarenmesse eG in Thailand, by telephone at +66 2 055 0643 or by e-mail at nuernberg@gtcc.org.