UPDATE Q2/2022: Education and Skill Development

EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT

FROM THE EDITOR Dear readers, Thailand has adopted a new economic model, “Thailand 4.0”, with a focus on new S-curve industries and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) to accelerate investment and economic growth in order to become a high-income economy by 2037.

However, Thailand needs to build a high-quality workforce to realise the plan. The Thai government promotes the idea of "vocation creates the nation" under the EEC Development Plan as part of “Thailand 4.0” to increase manpower with vocational qualifications in the industrial sector. The EEC Office estimates that more than 475,000 skilled workers would be needed for the targeted industries, mostly in digital, logistics and smart electronics, during 2019-2023. Among them, there are 53.2 per cent of vocational education-level workers and 46.8 per cent of higher education-level workers.

Thailand’s strategies for elevating the skills of its human resources have been driven by collaboration between the public and private sectors and academic institutes. The German-Thai Dual Excellence Education (GTDEE) project implemented by GTCC provides support to Thailand’s vocational education system in collaboration with the private sector. Apprentices in the GTDEE apprenticeship programme spend less than 30 per cent of the time at partner vocational colleges and at least 70 per cent in partner companies. It is based on the German dual system of vocational training which has become a successful model in combining theory and practice with knowledge and skills to improve the school-to-work transition process. GTCC also recently published a Thai Mechatronics textbook translated from the Europa-Lehrmittel’s Fachkunde Mechatronik, which covers all the content relevant to "Industry 4.0".

The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) provides attractive incentives to investors in human resources development. It currently allows companies to add investment in training or internships to develop the skills, technology and innovation of their human resources into the calculation of corporate income tax (CIT) exemption eligibility with no set minimum amount. The BOI is offering five-year incentives of CIT exemption and non-tax incentives to entities that establish educational and training institutions for developing highly-skilled professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Companies in the EEC can enjoy additional tax benefits such as a tax holiday for 2 years and a 50% reduction of CIT for 3 years for their investment projects in human resource development.

I trust you will enjoy an 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 articles 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. Articles 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

Mechatronics Textbook Mechatronics is the Thai translation of the Fachkunde Mechatronik textbook published by the Europa-Lehrmittel publishing company in German in 2019.

The translation has been done by a KMUTNB team of experts.

Mechatronics is geared toward the professional needs of mechatronic technicians. It has all of the necessary materials across all learning domains and courses and it contains content required for Industry 4.0.

Mechatronics is one of Thailand’s most comprehensive mechatronics textbooks which can be used for efficient teaching and learning management, suitable for students both at the vocational level and university level especially those who work in the mechatronics industry. It includes basic and advanced concepts in metal technology, electrical engineering, electronics, and information processing.

If you are interested to purchase the textbook, please fill out an order form and send it to the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce, e-mail: gtdee@gtcc.org.

The order form can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/3xT54xS Item type Language Publication date Publisher ISBN Page Price

Textbook Thai December 2021 German-Thai Chamber of Commerce 978-3-8085-4529-4 678 THB 740

CONTENTS

EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT 04 Implementing the German dualvocational education and training system in Thailand

06 Vocational education development for Thailand 4.0 09 Growing together: Developing valuable workforce for the industrial sector’s future

10 Collaboration project encouraging improvement of

33 GTCC Tourism and Hospitality Committee Webinar 34 Site visit to Brose (Thailand) Co. Ltd. 35 Thailand Economic Outlook 2022: New S-curve opportunities

36 German business delegation on “Energy Generation and Energy Infrastructure in Cities”

technical and vocational education and training

12 From Thai-German Technical School to KMUTNB: Perspectives on the cooperation with the German industrial sector

14 Developing the mechatronics technicians based on the project-based learning standard

16 A student’s viewpoint on the success of GTDEE

GTDEE INSIGHT 41 Visiting Europa-Lehrmittel 42 PAL Final Examination Part 1, theoretical and practical parts, in Automotive Mechatronics for Mercedes-Benz Apprenticeship Programme batch 2020

18 First female apprentices of the BMW Group Thailand 19 The pilot Pathumthani Brewery Apprenticeship Programme 2021: Trainer and teacher perspectives

20 Meeting the challenge of upskilling human resources 22 Upskilling Thailand’s human resources for the future world of business

BUSINESS BRIEFS 44 Siemens Energy appoints new Managing Director for its entities in Thailand and the Philippines

44 BRAINFORCE Group appoints new Country Manager for Thailand

24 There’s nothing wrong with having a gap between jobs

26 Preparing to attract, develop and retain talent for a New Normal and business growth – a golden opportunity for human resources

CHAMBER ACTIVITIES 29 GTCC connects: Welcome New Year 2022 30 Meeting with the Prime Minister of Thailand 32 Lunch meeting with newly appointed Ambassador of Thailand to Germany

MEMBERS’ CORNER 46 New GTCC members

TRADE FAIRS 48 IFAT Munich 2022 49 INTERSCHUTZ 2022 50 ILA 2022 51 BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022 53 Insights-X 2022

04 EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Implementing the German dual vocational education and training system in Thailand Dr. Kamonsak Suradom Germany's dual vocational education and training system is one of the best and most effective systems in the world, as evidenced by the fact that Germany has the lowest youth unemployment rate in the EU. Nowadays, technology advances related to Industrial 4.0 are enhancing the need to develop the young generation to support the industrial sector. Therefore, the German dual vocational education and training system is now being implemented in many countries in the development of young people as qualified skills workers.

workshop training under the supervision of German experts each week.

With the support of the German government, Thailand established the Thai-German Technical School in 1959. The school used the German education paradigm, known as the “dual system,” to teach and develop students with the skills required by the industrial sector. The vocational study programme consisted of two days of theoretical study and three days of practical

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The Department of Vocational Education established a vocational education system for technical institutions called “SchoolFactory” in 1984, with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). Later on, in 1995, the “School-Factory” programme was renamed “Dual Vocational Training” (DVT).

Thailand's dual vocational training policy went into operation in 2008.

The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) / AHK Thailand and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) launched the German-Thai Dual Excellence Education (GTDEE) project in 2013 in cooperation with partner companies

B.Grimm Group, BMW Group Thailand, and Robert Bosch Packaging Limited Thailand, as well as vocational schools, with the support of the Thai Ministry of Education.

Until September 2018, GTDEE was a part of the Vocational Education and Training Network (VETnet), supported by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). This network aimed to integrate dual elements into local vocational training systems in eleven AHK locations, including China, Greece, India, Italy, Russia, and the United States of America.

Dual training is a popular style of education in Germany, and has gained international recognition. A company's practical training combines theoretical classroom knowledge with professional practice inside the training company. Through practical applications at the training company, trainees deepen their theoretical knowledge gained at vocational schools. The trainees spend 70% of their time at the company and 30% at a vocational school during their training. They learn about the situations that they will face in their working life right from the start. This is a

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“ Dual training is a popular style of education in Germany, and has gained international recognition.” valuable experience that inspires a sense of responsibility and independence in the trainees.

Companies benefit from dual training since it allows them to retain their own skilled workers.

GTCC serves as the facilitator, providing all necessary support to partner companies and vocational colleges during the programme. The cooperation is built on the foundation of curriculum and a general training plan that are inextricably linked. The GTCC has brought the PAL examination to Thailand based on this vocational training policy. PAL is Germany's examination questions development center for technical professions. To get a GTCC certificate, apprentices must acquire all job-related qualifications. Trainees who get this certificate become highly qualified specialists in high demand by companies.

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In cooperation with partner industries and vocational colleges, the GTCC continues to provide training in the following technical professions: industrial mechanic technician, mechatronics technician, industrial electronics technician, motor vehicle mechatronics technician – specialising in motorcycle technology, warehouse logistics specialist, and machine and plant operator with a focus on metal and plastics technology.

• GTCC currently works with German companies BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Robert Bosch Automotive Technologies, Bosch Automotive, Grohe, and local companies Amata B.Grimm Power, Boon Rawd Brewery (Singha Cooperation), and their subsidiaries, as well as a new SME named Thai Technic Electric.

GTCC has been organising and coordinating central final examinations Part 1 and Part 2 in the professions provided since 2016. 948 trainees have completed their final examinations and received DIHK - AHK certificates by 2021. At King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, GTCC advises and supports the implementation of Meister training.

10 highlights of GTDEE activities:

College (E.Tech) and Mönchengladbach's Vocational College for Technology and Media since 2020 The Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (TPQI) has officially recognised the DIHK and GTCC credentials since 2020 Establishment and implementation of technical teacher training - additional professional development for vocational school teachers since 2021 “Mechatronics” textbook, “Examination P r e pa rat i o n”, a n d “ Ex a m i n at i o n Preparation with Solutions” of the EuropaLehrmittel publishing company have been translated into Thai. Translation from German to English for mechatronics instruction, action-oriented guiding textbooks on handling devices, electrical engineering, and control technology was completed in 2021. From 2022, the “Mechatronics” textbook will be available for the Thai VET market.

The Don Bosco Technological College has been providing mechatronics VET regarding German standard since 2021

Contact details: Dr. Kamonsak Suradom GTDEE Senior Manager German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) kamonsak@gtcc.org

• Establishment of a quality analysis for vocational training institutions since 2017 • Implementation of international trainer training since 2018 • With BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Boon Rawd Brewery (Singha Cooperation), the DIHK quality category “German dual vocational training abroad” has been achieved since 2018 • Thai Ministry of Education’s official recognition for the implementation and certification of German dual vocational training, trainer training, and quality analyses in Thai vocational training institutions as of 2019 • Chonburi's Eastern Technological College (E.Tech) developed and launched a vocational training programme for mechatronics technician in 2019 • Coordination of school collaborations between Chonburi's Eastern Technological

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06 INTERVIEW

Vocational education development for Thailand 4.0 Wichit Tangwongchuensuk, Qualification and Training Manager of BMW Group Thailand Vocational education plays a vital role in the realisation of Thailand 4.0 as it is always linked with the industrial development. In this issue of UPDATE Mr. Wichit Tangwongchuensuk, Qualification and Training Manager, BMW Group Thailand, shares with the Chamber details of BMW’s active participation in enhancing the skills of vocational students in order to foster human resource development and economic growth in Thailand. Mr. WIchit is responsible for supervising the skill and knowledge training of people at BMW dealerships and the BMW network throughout Thailand. He also collaborates with colleagues in this region, including Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Japan and Australia for human resources development, especially on how to manage and improve each function of the BMW dealer network.

He has been working with BMW since 2012.

and good teachers, then the outcome will definitely be good.

Could you please share with us a brief overview of vocational education and vocational students’ quality in Thailand?

The overall quality of Thai students regarding knowledge is quite impressive, but the knowledge depends on the mentors and the curricula. If a school has a good curriculum

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Based on my experience, private technical colleges outperform government-owned institutions in terms of student quality.

Currently, we have four technical colleges in our BMW Service Apprentice Programme.

Three of them are private, while one is government-owned. The student quality of private colleges is above average while the government-owned ones are still below average.

How has BMW developed the human resources in mechatronics since the company started its operation in Thailand?

When did it feel that there was a need for dual vocational education?

In 1998, the year that BMW AG established the BMW Group Thailand and BMW Manufacturing Thailand in Rayong, there was not much progress during the millennium year 1999-2000. BMW Group is a relatively new company in Thailand, operating only for about 20 years. However, BMW vehicles

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actually entered the Thai market much earlier, through our sole distributors more than 50 years ago.

Before I joined BMW in 2012, the sales volume per year in Thailand was nearly 3,000 cars; however, it reached more than 12,000 cars in 2021. From the beginning, our dealers managed their own human resources by recruiting technicians based on agreements with technical schools. Then in 2012, we began acting as a supporter for our dealers.

In 2012-2014, we had one technical college as our partner and we recruited and supplied 18-20 students to our dealer network, without the support of German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC). BMW just added technical knowledge or a technical training programme to the curriculum they had. However, we changed considerably in 2013 when we started the BMW Service Apprentice Programme in partnership with GTDEE/GTCC. We changed the curriculum to our current level, in which the students will spend 70% of their time studying es at the dealership and only 30% at their school to gain some foundational knowledge.

We always ask our dealership “how many students would you like to recruit this year under your people development scheme?”

We carry out a “Workshop Capacities Analysis (WOCA)” quite often on aspects such as work-based efficiency, productivity and network expansion. The objective is to find the number of students that dealerships need and to provide support for their business. Once we have the result, we discuss the subject with our colleagues – both in GTCC and technical colleges – how the need can be met.

learning, such as digital training materials, the quality of which must be high, no matter whether it is face-to-face or online learning.

This has created much work on the trainer's side, as that means all printed materials and activities must be converted to digital files or even videos. However, this approach has not yet been introduced in the BMW service apprentice programme because our students are not yet ready. However, we plan to recruit our next group this year and will provide a virtual classroom for them.

the students cannot apply that knowledge yet because electric vehicle use has only just started. BMW started to introduce plug-in hybrids to the Thai market for the first time in December 2015. For the next two years we started providing this knowledge to our technicians at dealerships as the first group, then to the second group of our apprentices.

Up to now the GTDEE programme students have medium- or high-voltage technical knowledge. Once the market requires BEV skills, they will be ready.

How does the Electric Vehicle (EV) technology trend affect current dual vocational education and training in Thailand? How must we prepare for that area of learning?

Are any new skill sets required in vocational education for the younger generation in Thailand during and after Covid-19?

First, EVs in Thailand is a growing trend, but only for battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

What is not a trend yet are plug-in hybrid or hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Thus, the curriculum will have to be changed as the combustion engine, gearbox or even transmission will no longer exist in BEV cars.

What I’m worried about is the learning curve that has to be adapted and expanded little by little. While the BEV trend will grow exponentially in the next few years, the learning curve will be more linear and take longer to grow.

We started transferring knowledge of high voltage batteries to our students around 2018, as a foundation for them. However,

When we look at vocational education, there is no English or international vocational school at all in Thailand. Thus, students choosing a vocational curriculum have no other option but a Thai school, while choosing an academic curriculum they will always have a choice of either a Thai or English school.

In BMW, every training programme starts with the German language because our headquarters is in Germany. Then it is translated into English. Each year BMW needs to spend more than 5 million baht for translation which takes at least a month, depending on the contents. Every month we are lost waiting for the translation that we also lost our opportunity cost.

Are there any differences between preCovid-19 and post-Covid-19 in the way vocational education is conducted? How is BMW adapting to those changes?

We have to separate this perspective into two main areas. The first area concerns pure knowledge, in which there is not much change. What has been changed considerably is the way to deliver results as well as the way students receive knowledge.

The second area is the curriculum preparation involves much more than just face-to-face

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08 INTERVIEW

Apart from English, we need proper devices for effective learning, such as a wide-screen device with good resolution, software or headphones. Another point is the curriculum.

You can’t have a six-hour, face-to-face programme on screen per day. We can’t bombard those difficult contents to audiences who are on the other side of the camera. It would be great to consider splitting it into many small sessions.

In your opinion, what is the “Sustainability Culture of BMW” and what makes BMW unique in terms of people development?

For us it is something like rethink, reduce, reuse and recycle. In our culture, these four words are always part of our daily work.

For the uniqueness in terms of people development, the first one is our approach.

The GTDEE project is always a three-party involvement programme with each own role and responsibility: the technical college, the private company and GTCC who calibrates the curriculum, quality and standard. We are unique because we have the support of the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The second uniqueness is every student in our programme applies to level A. For BMW we have had only A level as a Germany standard since 2017 (Graduated in 2019).

I don’t think there are any companies in Thailand that approach dual education programmes with only A level comparable to German standards like BMW. Due to BMW’s high success in 2021, the turnover rate of technicians has become almost zero per cent. Does BMW Group Thailand see that as a success in achieving sustainability?

We have established sustainability in our technical function at the dealerships, and the rate of turnover is decreasing. We had zero turnover in master technician and senior technician positions last year. We are the only company that invests in employee voices. There are several voices we should listen to – the first is the voice of the customer (VOC), which is our highest priority; the second is the voice of the learner (VOL), which is the area we provide after the training; and the third is the voice of employee (VOE), which we divided into two groups of

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“ We have established sustainability in our technical function at the dealerships, and the rate of turnover is decreasing” employees. Employees of the BMW Group are the first. Another one is all of the dealerships’ employees.

In your opinion how will disruption by technology and artificial intelligence (AI) affect the workforce in the automotive industry?

From my perspective, there will be more disruption, for example, the speed of 4G. There is also 5G and the Internet of things (IoT). In 2015-2016, we began thinking about digitalization and we set up a new digitalization manager position in BMW Group companies around the world.

For private companies, the disruption will generate bigger gaps between those who are ready and not yet ready. BMW is ready for all that will come. However, there is still concern for our partners, such as technical colleges, over how they can speed up or how fast they can move with, or follow us. We have to accept that AI will replace some careers and we need to find a way to use, handle and live with new technologies.

What is your perspective of “the future of work in the automotive industry”? Is it possible to do remote work by humans operating robots remotely in the case of Thailand?

Yes, the first trend that already exists is contactless, as we have introduced a contactless service last year. In the past, you would drive a car to a showroom and wait for a service advisor to come, but now you just need a BMW application to schedule services by yourself. The car will be equipped with smart software that transmits all information to the chosen service partners.

The car can use the condition based service (CBS) by diagnosing itself regularly and transmitting the information to customers who have an application and to the service partners. The second thing is digitalization.

Ever ything will go online, such as

autonomous driving, which is truly smart and can support you. You can join a meeting even if you are in your car as well as work through the digital platform wherever you are located.

Regarding the use of technology in education, are there any technologies you feel could be applied in vocational and dual vocational education?

Virtual reality is a future that excites not only me, but perhaps everyone. In any case, virtual reality begins with the entertainment industry, with education taking a much longer time to consider because it is not as pleasant or enjoyable as entertainment.

We have a virtual certification training programme, named Unit 18, the R&D for the digital training world, in the BMW group in Munich for generating digital content and thinking about using virtual reality technology. We're introducing this to our Thai apprentice programmes. One advantage is that Thais are quite open to change and adapt easily to new situations. We can introduce products around the same time as other Western countries, whereas in the past, when new products were launched in Germany, it could take up to two years for them to be launched in Thailand. I am definitely very optimistic about Thailand's future education programme success because we have excellent resources that include our people.

Interviewed by Chanikan Kengluecha, GTCC Membership, Events and Communication trainee Contact details: Wichit Tangwongchuensuk Qualification and Training Manager BMW Group Thailand +66 85 488 0781 wichit.tangwongcheunsuk@bmw.co.th https://www.bmw.co.th/th/home.html

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Growing together: Developing valuable workforce for the industrial sector’s future Mr. Prawit Muang-Im, Senior Training Manager of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) and Mr. Jumpol Swadiluksa, Engineering Division Manager of Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd. Since the GTDEE programme was officially launched in 2013, it has grown rapidly with many college and company partners as well as participating students. UPDATE interviewed Mr. Prawit Muang-Im, Senior Training Manager of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) and Mr. Jumpol Swadiluksa, Engineering Division Manager of Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd., on their participation in the German-Thai Dual Excellence Education (GTDEE) programme.

Mr. Prawit Muang-Im, Senior Training Manager of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Ltd., stressed that vocational education in the form of a dual system benefits all the stakeholders, including the students themselves, institutions and the businesses. For businesses, co-operation with a dual-system vocational institute is a long-term human resource planning strategy, as it results in students who have the potential to match future demands without the need for retraining. For example, the trend of electric vehicles and high-tech automobiles is expected to become more popular in the near future, so that the potential demand for the workforce in these two fields can also be expected to grow. We then need more workers who have specific knowledge, such as safety and technical knowledge, in these fields.

“Therefore, Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Ltd. is developing the necessary curriculum for students to have potential expertise in order to cope with upcoming technological advancements.

Currently, we are working with the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce to develop programmes to support electric vehicles and advanced technology training, both of which will grow in popularity in the future, so that students can develop the necessary expertise and continue working in such a business.”

“ For businesses, co-operation with a dual-system vocational institute is a long-term human resource planning strategy…”

Mr. Jumpol Swadiluksa, Engineering Division Manager at Pathumthani Brewery Co. Ltd., pointed out that many students today are seeking standard work experience in the private sector in order to hone their skills and prepare for future career opportunities. This aligns with the production line's vision at Boon Rawd Brewery, the parent company of Pathumthani Brewery, which believes in the potential of youths to become a valuable workforce for the industrial sector in the future if they have received the proper systematic training.

“Therefore, we participate in the GTDEE programme with the aim of contributing to the advancement of apprentices, increasing students’ access to the job pool, and achieving maximum efficiency for their desired goal. We have prepared several dimensions in accordance with international standards. With that preparation, we were confident about the apprentice standard that has been built with the advice from the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce, and formed the “Pathumthani Apprenticeship Programme”, with the cooperation

of the Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd., Don Bosco Technological College which accepted the first student batch in the electrical power profession in 2018.”

Mr. Jumpol believes that having highly motivated vocational students to study and gain working experience in the company is very beneficial for them. This is because they are able to obtain knowledge from the trainers, learn the reality of a working life, gain experience about the machinery in the production process and encounter actual problems. “Thanks to the cooperation from all sectors involved. These remarkable results demonstrated to the company executives that the apprenticeship programme contributes to their skills advancement, apprenticeship progression to vocational education, and labour replacement that is quick and efficient. As a result, they agreed to accept the second batch students in 2021, despite the Covid-19 scenario. I am very pleased to be a part of this project and witnessing our employees’ skills improvement as well as the trainees’ progress until they receive good career opportunities. With everything we have accomplished, I am even more confident that the Boon Rawd Group will continue to contribute to the development of human resources as well as provide sustainable support for the industrial system.”

Interviewed by GTCC team

Contact details: Mr. Prawit Muang-Im Senior Training Manager, Mercedes-Benz Competence Centre Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) prawit.muang-im@daimler.com Mr. Jumpol Swadiluksa, Engineering -Maintenance Division Manager Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd. jumpol@boonrawd.co.th

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Collaboration project encouraging improvement of technical and vocational education and training Siriporn Parvikam, Programme Component Manager, GIZ From equal access to education, to poverty reduction and climate change mitigation, digital innovations are more important than ever in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improving people's living conditions, changing the framework conditions, providing cross-border networking and opening up new avenues for action.

With the Germany-ASEAN co-operation on vocational education development, the Standard for In-Company Trainers in ASEAN Countries is certainly one of GIZ's most notable prior accomplishments in this field. In the case of Thailand, it has been put into actual practice as national professional standard by the Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (public organisation) in cooperation with other organisations. GTCC plays a key role in supporting in-company trainers and the dual vocational education and training.

As for the current outstanding outcome among the technological changes in industry which lead to Industry 4.0, the Regional TVET Teacher Standard for ASEAN and TVET teachers training are essential in ensuring that new knowledge acquisition of instructors is consistent with the industrial context.

UPDATE interviewed Ms. Siriporn Parvikam, Programme Component Manager, Regional Cooperation Programme for TVET in ASEAN (GIZ/RECOTVET) on the potential for a better technical and vocational education and training system in Thailand and close collaboration with GTDEE in assisting young students to develop specialised knowledge, skills and managerial competence.

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What is the background of the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) personnel development project, the TVET personnel as part of the co-operation between Germany-Thailand and ASEAN? The co-operation between Germany and Thailand on vocational education is the first collaborative project to be established in Thailand. Germany places a strong focus on vocational education and recently prioritised regional co-operation initiatives, particularly

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in ASEAN. As a result, RECOTVET received financial assistance from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development in the project's third phase.

The project’s objectives are to (a) promote human resource development and regional organisation development, (b) strengthen partners’ capacities to use labour market information for evidence-based TVET policy, and (c) enhance the efficiency of the vocational education system and ASEAN regional training in order to cope with technological transition in the digital era (d) strengthen the involvement of the private sector in TVET. As an expert, from your perspective, how will the TVET personnel and approaches to ASEAN connectivity for the standardised competencies of TVET teachers and in-company trainers help to reduce the knowledge gap? In other words, what is the current status of the operation and execution of teacher upskilling in vocational education?

TVET teachers and in-company trainers both play a critical roles in technical and vocational education and training in connection with the labour market demands and rapidly changing technology. To raise the competence of personnel in vocational education is consequently an urgent necessity for ASEAN countries.

As a result, the project has been extended to design with partners up-to-date and high-demand short term trainings for TVET personnel in ASEAN countries in the Industry 4.0 era on the development and exploration

“ Germany places a strong focus on vocational education and recently prioritised regional co-operation initiatives, particularly in ASEAN.” of necessary digital competence and other skills that are required to keep up with fast-paced technological progress in the digital world. We coordinate with technical and vocational training institutions, universities, and regional and international cooperation organisations in improving existing trainings, and share their experience, knowledge, and current demand for professional skills and digital competencies in their respective countries.

The initiative also welcomes technical and vocational training specialists from Germany

and SEAMEO VOCTECH to discuss their knowledge and experience of vocational personnel competency in professional fields connected to digital transformation in both Germany and the ASEAN region.

For those who are interested in joining the TVET personnel programme, how could they find more information and contact?

Interested vocational personnel can ask for details about participating in the project at https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/ th/regional-cooperation-for-the-development -of-technical-and-vocational-education-andtraining-recotvet-iii/ Interviewed by GTCC Team

Contact details: Siriporn Parvikam Programme Component Manager Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Tel: +66 2 943 2912 siriporn.parvikam@giz.de https://www.thai-german-cooperation .info/th/ “TVET stakeholders attended the virtual technical workshop for enhancing digital competencies and professional skills for TVET personnel in ASEAN.”

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From Thai-German Technical School to KMUTNB: Perspectives on the cooperation with the German industrial sector Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Suchart Siengchin, President of King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok UPDATE interviewed Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Suchart Siengchin, President of King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB) on the cooperation in vocational education and training between Thailand’s education sector and Germany’s industrial sector. Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Suchart had been studying at five universities in several states of Germany, starting from his basic education to PhD level. He is the first Thai person who completed a habilitation in Mechanical Engineering and received a title Privatdozent (associate professor) from Chemnitz University, Germany. Recently, he received the national outstanding researcher award in material engineering by conducting research and development studies in composite materials with a focus in eco-friendly materials or the alternative materials for industrial application. Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Suchart is culturally-bounded and has discovered various aspects in education, culture, and identity of the Germans through his living in Germany for more than 17 years. This experience influences his style of learning and working management. He, in turn, brought it to administrate the KMUTNB, which was also developed from Thai-German Technical School under the cooperation between Thai government and German government in 1959, providing education in the form of a German system that focuses on practice and real-life experience.

From the Thai-German Technical School in the past to the university education at present, could you please tell us about the background of KMUTNB, also on the strength and identity of KMUTNB? It started in 1959 when people were familiar with the name “Thai-German Technical School”, which founded under the cooperation between the Thai government and the German government. It had German style of teaching because the founders were Prof. Dr. Boonyasak Jaijongkit and Dipl. Ing Karl Stützle, the German principal. Both of them attempted to produce technician students with practical knowledge who could respond to the industrial sector. After 1959, the Thai-German Technical School had continued to grow and became a college, then an institute, and today, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, which has been consecutively developed. Starting from our personnel, technician instructors are trained by German experts in the practical field from either German professional

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school (Berufschule) or vocational school (Fachschule). We have continually maintained a close partnership, despite the fact that the pattern of cooperation shifted from college level to university level. KMUTNB has grown from 50 personnel to over 2,000 along with the expansion into 3 campuses in Bangkok, Prachinburi, and Rayong. We have been consistently passing on knowledge from Germany through the personnel who graduated from German universities, such as myself and other faculty and institute staff.

The collaboration we have with German universities also increases and becomes more diverse. It can be said that we have inter-university cooperation in almost every state in Germany because our staff have graduated from many places. Other than that, we cooperate with German companies as well. This is the overall journey from the beginning until the present of KMUTNB, which is now celebrating 63 years of founding.

As the word “Leader in University Industry Cooperation” is one of KMUTNB’s goals, could you explain how you will lead KMUTNB to achieve the goal? Also, what level of cooperation does KMUTNB have with German industry? What do you expect from the cooperation?

The initial objective of the Thai-German Technical School was to prepare graduates for practical employment, and we continue to strive towards that goal until today with our KMUTNB’s identity. Our identity is that KMUTNB is a leading university in science and technology with a strong relationship with stakeholders, particularly the private sector, which will deliver our students and the knowledge obtained from our research to the industrial sector in the future. We still have a notable strength that we are proud of: the graduates who are able to think and conduct practical work, known as “handson engineer”, from the pre-engineering certificate through the doctoral level. This is what we emphasize and correspond with German education that highlights practical learning through teaching and industrial research. We can observe that science and technology education accounts for almost 90% of KMUTNB's curriculum. As a result, the stakeholder we must not overlook is the industrial sector, which is crucial in the utilization of knowledge and graduates. This is a strong model of the industrial sector in which we are following the German education model. From my experience, KMUTNB’s

“Despite the fact that we have a different educational system, we still have the identity of Thai-German Technical School, which prepares students for future engineering studies.” policy attempts to reduce the gap between industrial sector and university education, both in personnel and research at all levels, from pre-engineering school to doctorate degree. Our staff tries to get tasks from the industry in order to conduct research and involve the students, so that they may use their academic expertise to their project development.

Since KMUTNB began and grew from Thai-German Technical School, does the school system still operate these days?

How do you maintain the system?

Today we have Thai - German Pre-Engineering School that originated from the pioneer Thai-German Technical School. Despite the fact that we have a different educational system, we still have the identity of ThaiGerman Technical School, which prepares students for future engineering studies. We provide them with a German-style curriculum that emphasizes practical skills like filing, flat plaining, turning, and welding, as well as physics and mathematics, which are essential for engineering students. This includes the personnel development that we have in cooperation with GTCC, encouraging every old and new technician instructor’s to train in the AdA International (Ausbildung der Ausbilder International) in order to master the German style practice guidelines. In the future, we have a plan to support our personnel in the Pre-Engineering School to advance their careers. It would be beneficial if they attained the Meister level and we had Meister competence in electronics and mechanics engage in our training.

On behalf of the cooperation between KMUTNB and GTCC/GTDEE, which industrial sector has human resource development at present?

As I mentioned before, we emphasize the cooperation with the industrial sector, having GTCC as a center of the German industrial companies in Thailand. Transferring technology these days, whether it is railway

systems, robotics, or mechatronics, all are the continuity policy in which we must try to build competent personnel to pass on the college knowledge to the industrial sector as well as to be capable to fix or modify the transferred technology and to deal with future changes. The cooperation between KMUTNB staff and GTCC through the GTDEE program, including the KMUTNB training team will continue to be consistent in the future.

In today’s world, we are facing rapid changes in many dimensions as some d i m e n s i o n g e t s d i s r u pt e d . H o w will KMUTNB adjust itself with this circumstance, in your opinion?

In the policy aspect, we already have the way to cope with changes by preparing our personnel for research. Everyone needs to have fundamental research skills. This implies that tasks from the industrial sector will be in the center of our disruption planning. Therefore, to work with the industry on a regular basis is a great support for dealing with changes. It is where we take the difficult tasks, develop them, collaborate with the sector to solve them, and then bring the outcomes back to our teaching.

These are the preparations that KMUTNB has been making for a long time under the collaboration with industry and German-style education.

Interviewed by Dr. Kamonsak Suradom, GTDEE Senior Manager, GTCC

Contact details: Phimvalanch Moosikaphan Director of International Cooperation Centre (ICC) King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB) +66 2 555 2000 Ext. 1026, 1023, 1024 phimvalanch.m@op.kmutnb.ac.th www.kmutnb.ac.th

www.thailand.ahk.de

14 INTERVIEW

Developing the mechatronics technicians based on the project-based learning standard Markus Hoffmann, Director of the German-Thai Dual Excellent Education (GTDEE), GIZ Business Scouts for Development on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Dual vocational training is a special way of learning a profession in Germany. The dual training consists of a lot of practical work. It usually lasts between two and three and a half years depend on the profession. The combination of approximately 30% in theory and 70% in professional practice prepares trainees particularly well for what companies expect of them: not only specialist knowledge, but also practical experience in applying this knowledge.

The idea of training mechatronics technicians in Thailand based on German vocational education and training standard began in a discussion between Mr. Markus Hoffmann, GIZ Business Scouts and Programme Director of the German-Thai Dual Excellent Education (GTDEE) and the Eastern Technological College (E-TECH) on 11 November 2018. The first Thai edition of the Mechatronics textbook was further developed and finally launched last year.

UPDATE interviewed Mr. Hoffmann about GTDEE, which is a programme developed by the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC), on the development of German mechatronics technicians under the project-based learning standard and the Thai mechatronics textbook.

Please explain how the German Mechatronics Technician under Project-Based Learning Standard has been developed in Thailand and what kind of reference books are available for mechatronics technician development in Germany?

The discussion with E-Tech on 11 November 2018 centred on how best to develop the competence of mechatronics students at the vocational education level. Initially, in accordance with German vocational standards and guidelines, attention was given to general academic knowledge and practical skills under project-based learning as a key part of the programme.

The programme was partially funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) from November 2019 to September 2020.

UPDATE 2/2022

Importantly, the education of German mechatronic technicians under project-based learning standards places great emphasis on the students' ability to produce their own workpieces. This involves them in the following tasks: planning the work; producing machine parts; producing technical drawings of workpieces and devices; assembling mechatronic parts; customizing workpieces; m a chi ne ope rat i on prog ramming; maintaining a written work manual; formulating maintenance guidelines; and organising delivery of customers' orders.

Work safety regulations and environmental responsibilities are taught and complied with at every stage of the programme.

We held consultations with an international team of experts from the public and commercial sectors about which German quality literature is most suitable for the Thai education market. We selected one of the largest German publishers, Europa-Lehrmittel Nourney, Vollmer GmbH & Co. KG, based in Haan near Düsseldorf.

GTCC then acquired the licences for the “Mechatronics textbook”, “Mechatronics Examination Preparation” and “Mechatronics

INTERVIEW 15

Examination Preparation with Solutions” in order to make these books available in Thai language for the local education market.

Unlike other textbooks, the Mechatronics textbook teaches different levels of metal technology, electrical engineering, electronics and information processing. It provides the mechatronics technicians with all the interdisciplinary information needed for the job, and is the latest (sixth) edition from 2019.

It covers all the content relevant to the field of "Industry 4.0" based on the longstanding experience and best-practice of Germany.

From your experience, what are the challenges to implementing this programme in Thailand?

Achieving a successful mechatronic vocational education essentially depends on the ability of the VET education personnel ability to innovate, communicate, collaborate and integrate. Another important aspect is the very close co-operation between vocational schools and the private sector.

The private sector actually plays a key role in dual vocational training.

Mechatronics VET demands a diversity of teaching objectives. Students should not only

acquire professional skills in the classroom.

They must also have the opportunity to develop their interests, to strengthen their social and emotional competencies, and to practice self-reliant, self-reflective and democratic thinking and acting. It is not so much the surface structure that determines the quality of the mechatronics lessons, such as the school's financial resources, class size or school types. It depends rather on the depth structures. This includes, for example, the credibility of teachers, a learning-friendly climate, the comprehensibility of the teacher's language, a feedback culture, the art of encouraging students to reflect, and joint thinking about their own learning, and moreover the right educational equipment of all learning venues. Frontal lessons, group work and individual work should complement each other and not be separated from each other. A holistic approach with action-oriented project tasks should therefore be the focus of any mechatronics training.

From your idea, how do we take the next step to success in mechatronics development in Thailand?

Our goal is to achieve the German quality requirements for dual vocational education and training by implementing systemic and

“ Unlike other textbooks, the Mechatronics textbook teaches different levels of metal technology, electrical engineering, electronics and information processing.

It provides the mechatronics technicians with all the interdisciplinary information needed for the job, and is the latest (sixth) edition from 2019. It covers all the content relevant to the field of "Industry 4.0" based on the longstanding experience and best-practice of Germany.”

content-related standards, and integrating them as effectively as possible into the Thai education market. We intend to establish a future training structure with Don Bosco Technological College, in which learning and training content from the German training framework plan and framework curriculum are integrated into the Thai vocational certificate and diploma certificate levels.

Dual vocational education and training based on German standards will be developed in collaboration with Don Bosco Technological College partner companies.

In addition, the GTCC will offer courses approved by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce to improve the quality of teachers in vocational schools and training personnel in companies to produce vocational education workforce to supporting the growth of educational institutions and new sources of learning.

I would like to express my gratitude to all of the experts from the Faculty of Technical Education, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB), the Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (public organization), Thai-German Institute (TGI), all partner companies and colleges who have helped us achieve our goal.

Interviewed by GTCC Team

Contact details: Markus Hoffmann Programme Director German-Thai Dual Excellent Education (GTDEE) hoffmann@gtcc.org https://thailand.ahk.de/gtdee

www.thailand.ahk.de

16 INTERVIEW

Mr. Phongpak Sritulanon studied Mechatronics, and his projects included the construction and design of mechatronic equipment. One of his projects was called ‘Pick and Place Devices.’

A student’s viewpoint on the success of GTDEE Phongpak Sritulanon, co-practical instructor at the Eastern College of Technology (E.Tech) The Thai-German Technical College was founded in 1959 to meet Thailand's large need for technicians and skilled workers as a result of the country's industrialisation efforts. More than 300 projects have been completed since then, as has the link that incorporates all areas of achieving sustainable development through capacitybuilding and transformation processes.

The primary purpose of German-Thai Dual Excellence Education (GTDEE) is to produce brilliant individuals with flexible qualifications who are mobile and capable of working in their chosen areas. It was in Germany that the dual vocational training approach, in which students are taught both theory and practical technical abilities, was developed. Later, collaboration efforts shifted to higher academic levels and more specialized training needs, particularly in the field of engineering, in conjunction with B.Grimm, BMW Thailand, Robert Bosch, GTCC and the German International Corporation (GIZ), with the establishment of the dual vocational eduationa and training (DVET) programme for Thailand in 2013.

Recently, the Chamber had an exclusive interview with Mr. Phongpak Sritulanon, a 20-yearold student currently studying at the College of Advanced Manufacturing Innovation at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL). He is now a co-practical instructor at the Eastern College of Technology (E.Tech). In student batch 2019, he studied Mechatronics at E.Tech through Project-Based Learning under the GTDEE Programme, which was funded

by GIZ. He was a first-generation student to graduate in Mechatronics under the GTDEE Programme in 2021.

How did you become involved in the Project-Based Learning pilot programme in Mechatronics?

I was informed by the institution's public relations that there would be a new style of teaching and learning in accordance with German standards, referred to as project-based learning.

As a result, I was certain that now was an excellent time to give it a shot.

UPDATE 2/2022

How did you find your experience with Project-Based Learning in Mechatronics?

How does it vary from a normal Thai education? Could you elaborate on the areas in which you are studying?

In comparison to the Thai learning standard, instructors advise students on what they need to accomplish, and they help to create the complete process of learning and work, which will later be the final goal of the courses. Students have considerable latitude

INTERVIEW 17

“ A project-based learning system with the German standard allows students to do practical learning, not just learning theories and concepts in the classroom, as it also allows students to truly understand the work processes.” in creating their methods for working on their own when learning under the GTDEE curriculum with German standards.

Could you explain about your Pick and Place Devices project during your study?

Students have to construct mechatronic systems for pick and place devices. This project asks students to work in groups of two for this assignment. Each group will link their equipment with the other groups, thereby allowing the devices to function automatically based on the conditions for choosing metal and non-metal workpieces.

What, in your opinion, are the tasks of the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce in strengthening the education system for future development?

Timeline of Mr. Phongpak Sritulanon’s studies

The GTCC is an institution that promotes personal and Thai industry growth to be on par with international standards, which leads to the Thai economy's continuous development.

Furthermore, it serves as a vehicle for cultural interchange between Germans and Thais.

• May 2019 to April 2021: Study at the Por-wor-sor level in collaboration with the GTDEE Programme under Mechatronics programme supported by GIZ. • May 2021: Received an E.Tech Scholarship to study for a Bachelor's Degree at the College of Advanced Manufacturing Innovation at KMITL. • In the middle of 2021, obtained a TPQI Mechatronics Certificate at level 4 level (under co-operation on Mechatronics Co-Certificate in the Pilot Programme with GTCC).

• Became a co-practical instructor in charge of training the Mechatronics Student Batch 2021 in June 2021.

Is Basic Skills Training vital in today's world for the younger generation?

In my opinion, basic skills training is still necessary. I liken it to the foundation of a structure.

If the building's foundations are strong and solid, the structure will be tall and stable. In contrast, if the bases are incorrectly constructed or are not the strongest, the structure will eventually collapse due to its own base.

What are the differences and similarities between the project-based learning system and the German standard and general education programme?

A project-based learning system with the German standard allows students to do practical learning, not just learning theories and concepts in the classroom, as it also allows students to truly understand the work processes. The work processes start from planning and end with the evaluation of their own work. Studying in general courses would make students follow the format customized by the teachers throughout the courses, from the first day until the final day of the studies. This way of learning would result in the students’ lack of skills. For example, planning, making decisions, and expressing an interest in learning are actually essential for life and work.

What is your point of view with regard to the importance of safety and the environment in the Thai vocational system?

These aspects are important because of their relationship to the lives of students – safety and the environment are elements that our vocational schools need to focus on first.

Interviewed by GTCC team

Contact details: Phongpak Sritulanon Co-practical instructor The Eastern College of Technology (E.Tech) phongpak.sritulanon@e-tech.ac.th

www.thailand.ahk.de

18 INTERVIEW

First female apprentices of the BMW Group Thailand Dusita Kitjadtanee and Ratree Sriparch, Bangkaewfa Industrial and Community Education College BMW Group Thailand creates the groundwork for Thai students interested working in Automotive mechatronics technician through the dual vocational education and training under “BMW Service Apprentice Program” launched in 2012 which aims to train and develop apprentices in the real working area.

This year marks the first time that has two female students joining the program, to support “gender equality” and empower women in the working society. It reflects on German-Thai Dual Excellence Education program (GTDEE)’s commitment to creating professional learning possibilities for Thai students at the vocational level, as well as improving the efficiency of Thailand’s vocational education system in parallel with BMW Group Thailand, and encouraging Thai automotive employees to have potential comparable to international standards under cooperation with local education institute in Thailand. UPDATE is pleased to interview the two students from Bangkaewfa Industrial and Community Education College Khun Dusita Kitjadtanee (Fang) and Khun Ratree Sriparch (Mei) on their experiences as the first females working under the BMW Group Thailand.

engines. We love the aesthetics and efficiency of European automobiles. Thus, we were attentive to join this program’s batch 10 in 2020. This is the first time in 10 years that the program has women joining. We are pleased to be the first female students of the program in which we could show our potential in doing jobs and tasks on the same level as men’s. Generally, women are more meticulous and careful to complete tasks with quality. Our experiences of joining the program is great. We could do many things related to car engines and components, also learned about the use of new technology in engine at the same time.

As being the first females of the BMW Service Apprentice Program, what are your experiences during the program and what was your expectation?

What are the strengths of training in the German standard vocational education system?

We are generally interested in cars and

Fang: After participating in the BMW Group Thailand Apprenticeship Program, everything was beyond my expectations, surprisingly with so many teachings and technology practices.

Mei: Before starting the program, I expected it would teach me simply the fundamental knowledge of automobiles and engines, but there was a lot about complex technological research applied to real-life situations.

With German standard, the education system allows us to do actual works with real

“ For us, gender does not limit anything especially our potential to learn, work, and develop ourselves.” cars and engines. Moreover, it introduces advanced technology to the lessons. We got practical experiences and learnt about the theory related to our study fields. This is essential because they give us more in-depth understanding. It is different from the general education in terms of the practical parts that we get to do the actual work by ourselves at the dealer’s training.

In your point of view, to what extent does gender affect the development of Thai youth?

For us, gender does not limit anything especially our potential to learn, work, and develop ourselves. In our experiences, we are alleged that women would not be able to learn and work within this field of study.

But we have shown that gender is not an obstacle and we could effectively learn and work in the automobile industry.

What is your dream for a future career?

Both of us wish to continue and work within BMW Group Thailand, while Fang aspires to be one of the trainers at BMW group in the future.

Interviewed by GTCC team

Dusita Kitjadtanee (Fang)

Ratree Sriparch (Mei)

Training venue: BMW German Auto Chaengwattana Study: Bangkaewfa Industrial And Community Education College

Training venue: BMW Platino Motor, Nakhon Pathom Study: Bangkaewfa Industrial And Community Education College

UPDATE 2/2022

Contact details: Bangkaewfa Industrial and Community Education College akekk1512@gmail.com www.bkf.ac.th

INTERVIEW 19

The pilot Pathumthani Brewery Apprenticeship Programme 2021: Trainer and teacher perspectives Sorathorn Sainak, Don Bosco Technological College, and Anucha Chooputpong, Pathumthani Brewery The German-Thai Dual Excellence Education (GTDEE) programme has been focusing on the development of standard German vocational education in partnership with participating companies and colleges for over a decade. In the programme, the apprentice will be trained in practical skills along with theoretical study in order to be able to work immediately after completing the course.

In 2021, the GTDEE launched a pilot adaptation to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and consequently integrated this content into Pathumthani Brewery Apprenticeship Programme 2021.

To have the apprentice educated on a total of 17 goals, formulated by the United Nations in 2015 and aimed to achieve by 2030, is a good start, although it is merely a movement by the small agencies to encourage the apprentice to have knowledge, analytical skills and mindset that facilitate the application of essential SDGs knowledge and awareness of sustainable development in the aspects relevant to these goals.

Today, we had the opportunity to interview Mr. Sorathorn Sainak, a participating teacher, and Mr. Anucha Chooputpong, a participating in-company trainer, on the programme's content adaptation to promote sustainable development.

Mr. Sorathorn Sainak, Head of DVET Programme, Don Bosco Technological College Educational institutions must provide theoretical education while also actively fostering practical learning through in-class or outdoor activities in order to achieve Thailand's Sustainable Development Goals.

To raise the students’ awareness on social, economic, and environmental issues is therefore essential. It can begin with something that students are capable of and familiar with, such as activities to promote environmental values, which require

“ In the industrial sector, current manufacturing processes are also performed in a sustainable manner.” collaboration from all parties in educational institutions. Campaigns such as 3R (ReduceReuse-Recycle), plastic waste reduction, public transportations and travels are all must-do activities. Meanwhile, educational institutions also have to manage the ecosystem to ensure its hygiene as I believe that a healthy atmosphere reflects the health and well-being of all students.

Mr. Anucha Chooputpong, In-Company Tr a i n e r, Pa t h u m t h a n i B r e w e r y Apprenticeship Programme 2021: When people first hear about education for sustainable development, they think it maybe a broad topic, but in fact, this kind of knowledge has long been present in Thai society, such as the use of local materials to make food containers, the subsistence that ensures long-term food supply, and community's interdependence between humans and nature.

In the industrial sector, current manufacturing processes are also performed in a sustainable manner. As an in-company trainer, I have discovered that it is critical to consider every element of the profession while training the apprentice to acquire essential skills. It is especially important to consider cost-

effectiveness, durability, safety, and environmental friendliness when selecting materials or equipment for machine maintenance on the 3R also. These are the competencies that are crucial to help the company reach its sustainable development objectives.

We are very fortunate to have the partnership with Don Bosco Technological College and GTCC, which emphasizes those abilities that go beyond fundamental knowledge and skills in the technician field. It improves the quality of the youth that participates in our Pathumthani Brewery Apprenticeship Programme 2021.

Interviewed by Dr. Kamonsak Suradom, GTDEE Senior Manager, GTCC

Contact details: Sorathorn Sainak, Don Bosco Technological College chandb02@gmail.com Anucha Chooputpong, Pathumthani Brewery Co., Ltd. anucha_c@boonrawd.co.th

www.thailand.ahk.de

20 INTERVIEW

Meeting the challenge of upskilling human resources Arinya Talerngsri, Chief Capability Officer and Managing Director of SEAC

In the Covid-19 era, HR professionals have been embracing changes brought by the new normal and hybrid workplace and they must rethink of their new role and skills.

UPDATE magazine interviewed Khun Arinya Talerngsri, Chief Capability Officer and Managing Director of SEAC (formerly APMGroup) on the key challenges, “burnout” phenomenon and new skills of HR professionals. Khun Arinya has been working for about 30 years with leading Thai organisations to win global recognition for people development. She has established the first assessment centre in Thailand.

Marked as the first domestic private sector leader to conduct original research into Thai and ASEAN leadership, thereby providing ASEAN with the world’s first dual learning platform, she is also a speaker on leadership around the region and the world. As a strong believer in lifelong learning, she says “I'm in this industry because I practice what I believe, not only for myself, but also to motivate and inspire others to be lifelong learners.”

What are the biggest challenges facing human resources (HR) departments of Thai organisations, and are they different from the pre-Covid-19 period?

I have learnt three common things from talking to all types of companies and organisations, whether family-owned businesses, international firms, SMEs or even non-profit organisations like those in the government sector and state enterprises.

UPDATE 2/2022

First, the hybrid workplace has become a challenge since Covid-19 emerged, as nothing will be the same as before in terms of the way we operate our workplaces.

Basically, it’s no longer going to be a five-day working week or ‘come to the office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.’ The concept of hybrid workplaces is really of concern for organisations because if they don’t redesign their system, they are going to be faced with other issues, such as a high turnover rate. Organisations have to rethink how to organise the hybrid workforce, engage staff in the hybrid workforce model, and use the performance management process that existed before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The second challenge is about upskilling and reskilling. Ever yone that I have talked to feels strongly that Covid-19 has accelerated the speed of upskilling and reskilling. During the past two years of Covid-19, every organisation has come to believe that the same skillsets or even 50%60% of existing experience is inapplicable.

Once Covid-19 occurred, people could no longer use the same innovation. It proved that following the old processes took too long because with Covid-19 many organisations were able to iterate the innovation processes into a much faster approach. For example, they found that they could do things in 14-15 days rather than 30 days.

If Thai organisations don’t upskill or reskill in many areas or even innovate, it won’t be possible to compete with China, Germany or the United States, where the speed of business and innovation is now much faster

than before. Reskilling and upskilling will be critical for many Thai organisations because in the past it could take 5-6 years to upskill or reskill; however, now it has had to be reduced to 5-6 months. Upskilling or reskilling is not new in Thailand, but the process needs to be reframed. Thai organisations are almost at the stage of panicking about what to do, so they choose quick solutions instead of solutions that help to solve the challenges. People in my network have faced the difficulty about finding the right approach to upskilling and reskilling their workforce.

Third, the challenge is about how to design a workplace comprising many generations within the workplace. Most of experienced leaders are early Gen-X and baby-boomers as they are still the brains of the organisations in Thailand. Many organisations have tried to promote late Gen-X or early Gen-Y to lead, but only a few have been successful. Early Gen-X and baby-boomers are still critical for the Thai workforce because of their knowledge, skills and experiences.

Surprisingly, many of them are able to upskill and reskill much faster than late Gen-X or early Gen-Y. Therefore, there are many generations within organizations. Gen-Z is also crucial given their new way of thinking and approaches, while Gen-Y is important for a workhorse as they are good workers but

INTERVIEW 21

“ The great burnout is going to continue because the future path of the organisation is unpredictable.” maybe not yet the best leaders. You still need to take care of experienced Gen-X and babyboomers. The challenge is how to redesign your workforce in Thailand.

What do you think the future of work looks like, based on your experience and trends that you see?

At this moment, there is no clear trend yet. It is truly scary if organisations think that there is a trend they need to follow. During the past two years, I have found many articles, research results and insights that are all going in different directions, so identifying what will be the workforce trend is not possible. Thus, there is no trend because people are still unsure how this year is going to end.

How has working from home changed hiring, onboarding, rewarding and employee experience?

Working from home is a plus because each day you can interview people more, anytime, in different locations through an online platform such as Zoom. During the Covid-19 outbreak, recruiting has become much more effective and efficient compared to other HR areas, as there is no boundary.

With onboarding, some parts can be conducted online such as building knowledge, e-learning or sharing information about an organisation, which is much more efficient. In the past people joined an organisation and then start onboarding.

Currently, many organisations in Thailand, including SEAC, do much pre-onboarding so that candidates can learn much information before joining a company. In SEAC, they can start e-learning, study about the organisational culture, and virtually meet with some of the leaders even before they join an organisation. A platform can be set up for candidates to learn about products, skills and organisational aspects.

In terms of development, it is both a plus

and minus. It is much easier for organisations to conduct the development without having to organise supplies and other logistics for employees, unlike before. The only thing that is missing is the workshop and skill development, which still needs a face-to-face interaction. Anyway, people start working more on that. The number of hours that people had for development intervention in the past two years in Thailand were much higher. There is a growing number of online developments for virtual classes.

What is missing the most in the HR part is engagement. I used to talk with one organisation that scored the highest in employee engagement. The CEO gave talks at many events about engagement intervention within his organisation. However, In the past two years, the organisation’s score dropped from about 90% to 42% with many turnovers. What has happened during the Covid-19 pandemic? Many aspects in HR intervention have been improved, but the engagement is the key.

Are we seeing burn-out and a “Great Resignation” in Thailand?

I think that this is true, not only in Thailand, but also in many other countries. In the past two years, things have not been clear and this year, it is not possible to have a clear plan and strategy. Yet change and adjustment are needed. This situation is going to continue.

Staff need to do more than what they used to do, because you got to try this, if this doesn’t work you iterate, pivot or try a different thing.

Thus, people feel that it’s never-ending. We think plan A is good, but two weeks later things change and you have to chance to plan B. As result, burnout occurs in many organisations. Staff wonder why the boss keeps changing plans? Finally, it comes to the point where the staff do not want to work with the company anymore and they look for some other work. However, the great burnout is going to continue because the future path of the organisation is unpredictable. But you have to keep moving on by changing things. It’s a big challenge.

What new HR skills are needed?

The top three skills that HR needs in Thailand are as follows. The first skill is the mindset to learn all the new skills within the HR context.

Without the learning mindset, people cannot continue their work. Even you introduce them with a lot of the new skills they won’t learn. The second skill concerns digital surveys and the way to use survey data for the organisation. We are living in a digital world right now, so digital surveys and the ability to use the data in planning and making decisions will elevate a leading organisation to the next level. The third skill, which is very important, is the ability of HR to really understand the new landscape of the business that they are in. So the top three skills that HR must focus on are the need to have a learning mindset, the use of data from digital surveys and having a full understanding of the business landscape in which they are operating.

What are the new key metrics for HR success?

First, each organisation needs to be able to focus on different metrics, depending on the stage reached by the organisation. HR metrics should no longer focus on just HR work; instead, HR work should be linked to the business metric. For example, if HR is going to develop the organisation’s marketing team it is necessary to look at whether the team has all the right skills for marketing.

That would be the lead indicator. Second, when developing the marketing team, it is important to have a complete understanding of what work the team must do.

Interviewed by Chanikan Kengluecha and Janina Stoll, GTCC Membership, Events and Communication trainee

Contact details: James Lee. Powell Consultant SEAC (Southeast Asia Center) +66 2 028 9759 Ext. 415 james_p@seasiacenter.com https://www.seasiacenter.com/

www.thailand.ahk.de

22 EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Upskilling Thailand’s human resources for the future world of business Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) As the global value chain sends businesses and consumers worldwide scrambling to keep pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) by deploying deep technologies such as Big Data and analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and the industrial Internet of Things, Thailand is gearing up its human resources to meet the fast-evolving needs of the business world with the new skills and global mindset that will help them leverage technology-driven changes.

Thailand’s strategies for elevating the skills of its human resources have been driven by collaboration among the public and the private sectors and academic institutes, with the transformation towards a target-oriented approach to meet business demand.

Leveraging the country’s strengths as a key investment destination in the region, the Thai government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to ensure the education system reduces skill mismatching of the local human resources. Among key areas are: improving the country’s primary education curricula

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so that students have basic skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), science, technology and innovation (STI) and data; and adapting curricula in universities and vocational schools to ensure graduates meet business demand by quantity and quality.

Together with promoting the deployment of IR 4.0 technology among businesses, Thai government agencies, including the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), have implemented incentive schemes that seek to promote the private sector’s investment in training their human resources.

The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Thailand’s pilot special economic zone for high-technology industries located in industrial areas of the eastern region, have co-operated with academic institutes and industries to implement demand-driven human resource de velopment , with incentives given to industries for their scholarship scheme in universities and vocational schools, and expenditure in

arranging short courses. The government is considering easing the rules for long-term residence visas to attract international talent and professionals to use Thailand as their workstations.

Based on its survey of multinational companies across 15 industrial sectors in 26 economies, the World Economic Forum concluded in The Future of Jobs Report 2020 that the IR 4.0 technologies are bringing sweeping changes to the labour market worldwide at a faster rate than expected due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With the deployment of Cloud computing and Big Data as well as with e-commerce progressing at an unabated pace and the accelerated adoption of encryption, non-humanoid robots, and AI by businesses, the global labour market will be transformed to such an extent that the time spent by humans and machines on current tasks will be equal by 2025. The report concluded by predicting that within this timeframe, data science, artificial intelligence, content creation and Cloud computing will be the top emerging

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professions, while analytical thinking, creativity and flexibility will be among the top skills needed.

EQUIPPING THE THAI WORKFORCE WITH INDUSTRY 4.0 SKILLS The Thai government has prioritised attracting tertiary students in STEM and STI in its human resource development plan, as these fields are considered to be necessary for driving the country forward in accordance with the policies to develop 12 targeted industries as the economic driving engines.

A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that the Thai labour force recorded a sharp increase in the accumulative number of young university graduates holding degrees in the fields of engineering and manufacturing, ICT, health care and natural sciences by 70%, 40%, 10% and 35%, respectively, between 2011 and 2018.

Official data from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), show that Thailand is producing approximately 350,000 graduates annually, with graduates in the fields of biotechnology, mathematics, statistics, engineering, construction and ICT accounting for 20% of the total in 2018, a slight increase from 18% in 2012. Meanwhile, the EEC expects the demand for workforce in 10 targeted industries to stand at approximately 476,000 during the next five years, of which 54% will be from vocational schools.

The MHESI, the agency set up in 2019 and entrusted to reorganise the country’s tertiary education, uses a Cooperative and WorkIntegrated Education (CWIE) programme as the key framework in which the private sector will play an increasing role in upskilling and reskilling the local human resources to cope with constant changes, with incentives and collaboration by the public sector.

Un de r th e C WI E fram e w o r k , B O I i s collaborating with EEC, MHESI, the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education to ensure the country supports investor demand for skills, and drives forward Thailand’s technology-oriented economy.

The MHESI will also adopt a new framework of ensuring students are equipped with the

“ A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that the Thai labour force recorded a sharp increase in the accumulative number of young university graduates holding degrees in the fields of engineering and manufacturing, ICT, health care and natural sciences…” multi-skill and multi-career adaptability demanded by the global culture, and with global skills in communication, digital skill and learning.

The Thai government is also considering initiating more options that: (a) increase flexibility for vocational and university students to graduate if their skills and knowledge match demand; and (b) they receive training or participate in skill training courses and then transfer credits from these activities to the curriculum. In addition, MHESI, EEC and related agencies are creating a database that links the demand and supply of human resources in each field.

The implementation of these policies has already resulted in an overall improvement of Thailand’s labour force on international rankings. In 2021, Thailand was ranked higher on the Swiss-based Institute for Management Development’s World Competitiveness Ranking at twenty-eighth out of 64 economies, compared with twenty-ninth in 2020. Despite being weighed down by harsh economic impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic, Thailand’s score improved for several factors. They included those factors related to the labour market, such as the growth of the labour force, in-training opportunities for employees in the private sector, scientific infrastructure, increase in scientific research publications, business confidence on collaboration between academia and the private sector, and the protection of intellectual property rights.

RAMPING UP INCENTIVES FOR PRIVATE SECTOR COLLABORATION Developing the ability to upskill human resources has a central role in BOI’s promotional investment incentives. As a focus of its merit-based incentives, BOI currently allows businesses to add

investment in training or internships to develop the skills, technology and innovation of their human resources into the calculation of corporate income tax exemption (CIT) eligibility with no set minimum amount.

Eligible activities include training or internships for developing skills, technology and innovation for students who are studying in the science and technology fields, such as work-integrated learning projects, dual vocational education projects or co-operative education projects.

For more advanced skills, eligible projects must offer advanced technology training as approved by BOI or target advanced technology training as approved by MHESI or the Board of the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee in cases where the entities are located in the EEC area.

Training can be either in-house or arranged by external parties. Businesses are also allowed to submit two amounts of investment capital and job-training expenses when applying for additional CIT exemption as approved by BOI. While these training subsidies will help to address the current skill mismatch in the workforce, BOI is also offering five-year investment incentives of CIT exemption and non-tax incentives to entities that establish educational and training institutions for developing highly-skilled professionals in STEM. For further details about the privileges, conditionality and application process, please visit www.boi.go.th Source: Thailand Investment Review (TIR), Upskilling Thailand for the Future of Work, vol. 31, September 2021. Available at https://www.boi.go.th/upload/ ejournal/2021/Vol31/Sept/index.html

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There’s nothing wrong with having a gap between jobs Tom Sorensen You might find yourself between jobs because that was what you wanted, and it was your own decision to take a break – good for you. However, these days, with the world upside down because of COVID, there are many who suddenly find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The company closed, staff laid-off for costsaving reasons or senior positions made redundant. Whatever the reason, you may now face a period where you wake up to jobhunting and no longer to a permanent job.

It's understandable that some sort of panic sneaks into your life. Every day it feels like your confidence takes a beating, and as time goes by it is slowly disappearing. The stakes will feel high, particularly if you support a family.

First advice: When you approach potential employers or executive search firms, do not

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come across as too desperate. Do not stalk the hiring manager or recruiter with daily calls and emails. Do not suggest that you are prepared to take a huge salary drop just to get something. Believe me, this is a huge turnoff. Instead, focus on presenting yourself as you would have done when you were still working. Leave out personal details.

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“ If the interviewer grills you about your employment gap or seems to be trying to pry additional information from you, that's a red flag. Reconsider if this is the type of work culture and individual you want to work with.”

Second advice: I found myself between jobs 20 years ago and found solace in reading several books. The two I still fondly recall are still available: • John Gray, Mars and Venus Starting Over; and • Richard Bolles, What Color Is Your Parachute.

Let's come back to how you present yourself in a resumé and on LinkedIn when you have months or years between two jobs.

First of all, having gaps between jobs is no longer unusual. Gone are the days where you joined a company around the age of 20 and worked through to retirement at 65 – having increasingly bigger and bigger jobs.

In fact, many recruiters will not even notice a gap. By moving the work period from either the left margin or the right margin into the middle and immediately after your title or company, using a font size smaller than the other words and a grey colour, will almost make it disappear and not attract the same attention if you use any of the margins.

Stop using the month when you present the employment period. Instead of February 2017 to January 2020, write 2017 to 2020. For example, this is your three most recent jobs: • ABC Company – July 2011 to August 2015 • DEF Company – October 2015 to July 2016 • HIK Company – August 2016 - resent Leave out DEF of 10 months. This is how you write it in the resumé and LinkedIn: • ABC Company – 2011 to 2015 • HIK Company – 2016 - present If you took time off to get your MBA by studying full time, if you were a "professional" mum to your children for a while, if you volunteered to work for an NGO, if you worked on ad hoc

If you took time off to get your MBA by studying full time, if you were a "professional" mum to your children for a while, if you volunteered to work for an NGO, if you worked on ad hoc projects to help a friend or your children's school, if you were doing pro bono jobs, if you can call yourself an independent consultant because you gave advice to someone, these are all good reasons for a gap. Stay cool, a professional recruiter has bigger things to look at in your professional career.

If the interviewer grills you about your employment gap or seems to be trying to pry additional information from you, that's a red flag. Reconsider if this is the type of work culture and individual you want to work with.

Companies should be looking at your resumé to see your experience, not scrutinise your career timeline. Of course, looking to see tenure and promotions within a company is key information for recruiters, but getting hung up on dates or excessively analysing gaps in employment is a bad sign.

Contact details: Tom Sorensen Managing Partner Tom Sorensen Recruitment (Thailand) Co., Ltd. tom.s@tomsorensen.in.th www.tomsorensen.in.th

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Preparing to attract, develop and retain talent for a New Normal and business growth – a golden opportunity for human resources Mathias Reindl and Marc Deschamps HansenBeck™ observes market challenges that employees and organizations face to survive and continue to remain competitive after the global Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.

As many businesses are now coming out of Covid-19 crisis mode, they find themselves entering recovery and growth. We’ve found in our conversations with human resources (HR) experts and leaders that, in order to gain and sustain recovery and growth, it’s of the utmost importance to strategically attract, develop and retain employees. At the same time, when talking with employees attending our leadership or sales training and development initiatives, we hear that they’re concerned about the way businesses underestimate and underrate employee challenges (i.e., mental health, well-being etc.) and needs, individually and collectively. How has this happened, and what consequences can this have, both for employees and businesses?

To attract and retain talent, post-pandemic, organisations must come to the realisation that they should simultaneously address an individual’s, their business’, and the collective needs to develop more proactively.

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“ Recognising the challenges on both sides during the pandemic, and appreciating the irreversible, yet often positive changes of the transition to the New Normal, will allow a constructive dialogue and collaborative approach led by HR towards a pragmatic restart.”

There are two good reasons for this: first, increasing their company’s resilience by having a better prepared workforce, and second, to retain newly hired, as well as experienced, staff members. Not achieving either of the two will certainly come at a high cost, deterring imminent and future growth.

All HansenBeck™ locations worldwide have observed that many newly-hired or retained employees feel like survivors of the recent crisis, while companies need to focus on restructuring efforts to keep cashflows under control. Ultimately, helping to guarantee survival and to stay competitive, companies and their HR departments must recognise that now is the time for post-pandemic reconciliation. It requires a compassionate approach when interacting with their employees, before they disengage from their employers and respond to increasingly attractive job opportunities elsewhere.

The pandemic has led to a halt in most training and development initiatives. This halt in initiatives has also led to a staff perception that their company simply isn’t investing in them and their professional progress. At the same time, employees have learnt their own different ways of working and how to use collaboration tools better, allowing for a more efficient use of their time. Their expectation is to get the best of both worlds. The question is, how can businesses address these changes in expectations, while implementing a more strategic view to attract, develop and retain their workforce that effectively engages them in the business?

Recognising the challenges on both sides during the pandemic, and appreciating the irreversible, yet often positive changes of the transition to the New Normal, will allow a constructive dialogue and collaborative approach led by HR towards a pragmatic restart.

The commitment to return to investing in workforce development, in both technical and interpersonal skills, can and should be recognised as a change for the better to avoid the otherwise looming and predictable fluctuation damages as well as increase business growth.

People are a business’s power! It’s now time to return to investing in people. Employees don’t just need technical skills and knowledge about matters of compliance and security. They also need the opportunity to improve their interpersonal interaction with various stakeholders. This provides HR with a golden opportunity to lead a path forward for them, and for external providers to team up and jointly develop their teams. This collaboration shows genuine commitment by an organisation to invest in, and support an employee’s growth expertise and career development. By doing so, HR will champion the strategic steps to attract, develop, and retain quality employees.

Together, we grow!

Contact details: Mathias Reindl Managing Director Southeast Asia Hansen Beck (Thailand) Limited +66 64 604 0960 mathias.reindl@hansenbeck.com www.hansenbeck.com

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28 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

GTCC Clean Air Initiative Webinar Series with CLAAS Regional Center South East Asia Ltd.

There is no doubt that agricultural burning contributes significantly to air pollution in Thailand. However, farmers have few alternatives. CLAAS QUADRANT offers farmers the option of baling sugarcane leaves and other agricultural waste to avoid burning in the field. Some additional benefits are that power plants can sustainably source material locally, farmers can earn additional income by selling the sugarcane straw and, most importantly, the severe air pollution from burning in the fields can be avoided. The issue of air pollution caused by agricultural burning and the solution offered by CLAAS QUADRANT was the subject of the sixth webinar in the "GTCC Clean Air Initiative Series – Green Solutions from Germany". The webinar took place on 11 January 2022 with Anil Menon, Managing Director of CLAAS QUADRANT, as a speaker.

The German-Thai Railway Association (GTRA) Webinar

On 13 January 2022, the GTCC organised a webinar to provide information about the newly-launched German-Thai Railway Association (GTRA). The purpose of establishing the association is to implement the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between the Thai Ministry of Transport and the German Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, with the aim of improving German-Thai rail networking as well as co-operation. Within the scope of the webinar the GTRA’s objectives and activities were presented by GTRA top management. In addition, the possibility of collaborating on the development of Thai railway system was reviewed.

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Meeting with Director General for Asia and the Pacific of the German Federal Foreign Office Strengthening German-Thai cooperation with a focus on climate change, energy and connectivity, representatives of the GTCC Board of Directors and GTCC members joined the dinner on the occasion of the visit of Ms. Petra Sigmund, Director General for Asia and the Pacific of the German Federal Foreign Office, together with Mr. Kulit Sombatsiri, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, and M.L. Chayotid Kridakon, Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister. We highly appreciate the invitation by German Ambassador H.E. Georg Schmidt to the dinner hosted at his residence on 25 January 2022.

GTCC connects: Welcome New Year 2022 On 27 January 2022, GTCC welcomed 120 members, partners, guests, and friends again at the first prestigious networking event of 2022, GTCC connects, which provides an ideal platform for members to meet, socialize and make new contacts. The event took place under the Covid-19 safety measures in the pleasing venue of the NICHE, Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok where the guests were welcomed by Khun Waranya Pratumtin, GTCC Acting President.

Thanks are due to our Event Partners, Hansen Beck and Mazars (Thailand), for their exceptional support as well as Venue Partner Siam Kempinski Hotel for the delightful venue and delicious catering. Special thanks go to our Premium Partners, Dachser (Thailand), Häfele (Thailand), Luther, and Mazars in Thailand. Our appreciation also goes to Bumrungrad International Hospital, Glue Up, Lufthansa German Airlines, Schaeffler Manufacturing (Thailand), and Skywave Technologies as our Annual Partners.

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30 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

First GTCC Open Forum of 2022 At the first GTCC Open Forum 2022, held on 15 February 2022, representatives from 10 new GTCC member companies were welcomed and attended the introductory session. Mr. Alexander Donau, Director, GTCC Board of Directors, moderated the session and started the virtual exchange format with an overview of the supply chain situation. This was followed by polling on "Does your company consider changing supply chains/sourcing strategy 2022?” and a round of exchanges with the participants.

A poll conducted at the event found that the majority of the participating members were not considering changing their supply chain strategy, while 32 per cent of them were thinking of making a change and 26 per cent said they believed it was too early to decide.

Meeting with the Prime Minister of Thailand GTCC Acting President Khun Waranya Pratumtin paid a courtesy visit to H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand on 17 February 2022, together with Mr. Stanley Kang, Chairman of Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT), Khun Sanan Angubolkul, Chairman of Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and Board of Trade of Thailand (BOT), and presidents/chairs from other bilateral chambers of commerce.

With the Prime Minister, they further discussed several issues, including Thailand 4.0 policy, Green Policy/BCG Model and APEC 2022 hosted by Thailand. Both sides agreed on the importance of the digital transformation and sustainable development. For the mutual benefit of both parties, the delegation is ready to support the digital applications in Thailand through joint investments and the exchanges of knowledge, technology, experts and experiences with the public and private sectors in Thailand; and to foster Thailand’s sustainable development, especially the enhancement of human resources skills through training and the use of innovation. The meeting was organised by JFCCT and took place at the Government House.

(Photo credit: JFCCT)

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GTCC Multi-Chamber Executive Breakfast Talk: 10 common pitfalls in international business and how to avoid them International trade offers many opportunities for companies, but on the other hand it also involves some risks, and respectively some rules should be observed. At the GTCC Multi-Chamber Executive Breakfast Talk on 22 February 2022, a detailed description of the 10 most typical mistakes companies make when doing business abroad as well as practical suggestions on how to avoid the mistakes as a company, were given

by Till Morstadt, German lawyer and managing partner at Lorenz & Partner (L&P), a company with more than 25 years of experience in advising clients in international trading. The event was held at the prestigious SO/Bangkok Hotel, and the participants were able to combine an informative talk with a delicious breakfast.

Following the talk, they were invited to ask their questions in an engaging Q&A session. The GTCC Multi-Chamber Executive Breakfast Talk was organized in co-operation with Advantage Austria and the Swiss-Thai Chamber of Commerce. The GTCC thanks all attendees for their participation.

Stammtisch Bangkok 1/2022 @ SIXTYFOUR

The first GTCC Stammtisch Bangkok of 2022 welcomed 70 guests in the pleasant Sixty Four Restaurant on 24 February 2022. Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, the event was held under strict safety measures, including on-site ATK testing by nurses, and ensuring all guests were fully vaccinated. GTCC thanks all the guests for joining us. Thanks are also given to the Venue Partner Sixty Four Restaurant for providing the event venue as well as the food and beverage arrangement. The opening speech was given by Roland Folger of the GTCC Board of Directors. He also referred to the GTCCOGM2022 and reminded that the deadline for changing/correcting the representative name and candidate nomination was 28 February.

The rest of the evening was taken up with networking, exchange, and good atmosphere.

GTCC is already looking forward to the next GTCC Stammtisch Bangkok.

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32 CHAMBER ACTIVITIES

The launch of “160th Anniversary Thai - German Friendship Trail” The nature trail that promotes ecotourism in Khao Yai National Park and marks 160 years of Thai – German relations has been officially launched.

GTCC Acting President, Board members and members as well as Executive Director attended the inauguration ceremony of the "160th Anniversary Thai - German Friendship Trail (Pha Kluai Mai - Haew Suwat Waterfall)" in Khao Yai National Park on 2 March 2022. The ceremony was opened with speeches by Khun Vikrom Kromadit, Chairman of AMATA Foundation, German Ambassador H.E. Georg Schmidt, Dr. Harald Link, Chairman of B.Grimm Power PCL, and H.E. Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. GTCC Executive Director also introduced GTCC Mechatronics textbook to newly appointed Ambassador to Germany H.E. Nadhavathna Krishnamra at the event.

Lunch meeting with newly appointed Ambassador of Thailand to Germany

GTCC Acting President Khun Waranya Pratumtin, Board Members and Executive Director had a lunch meeting with newly appointed Ambassador of Thailand to Germany H.E. Nadhavathna Krishnamra on 10 March 2022 at Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok.

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GTCC Tourism and Hospitality Committee Webinar As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, approximately 3 million jobs have since been lost in the Thai hospitality and tourism industry, according to the Bangkok Post. As a result, many of the people who lost their jobs have moved into new industries, moved back inland with their families or started their own businesses. This has led to a shortage of skilled staff in the hospitality and tourism sector. In addition, the hospitality and tourism industry must address other issues such as the future of Thai tourism in 2022 and beyond, whether there will be new strategies to defeat other countries as competitors, and the complexity of the Thai Pass. All these concerns were addressed by Mr. Oliver Schnatz, Chair of the GTCC Tourism and Hospitality Committee, and a Director of the GTCC Board of Directors, in the GTCC Tourism and Hospitality Committee's first webinar on 2 March 2022. Some of the participants also suggested solutions to the challenges, such as easing entry to Thailand by dropping the PCR test upon arrival and making Thailand more attractive for luxury tourism, while focusing on more sustainability in tourism. GTCC thanks all participants and Mr. Oliver Schnatz for a very informative exchange of ideas, thoughts and solutions.

GTCC Business Women Networking: Voice it Out

GTCC celebrated the International Women's Month with the first GTCC Business Women Networking Event of 2022, held on 16 March 2022 on the topic of ‘Voice it Out- How to fully express who you are and what needs to be addressed’ in the delightful ambiance of the Black Cat at the Sindhorn Midtown Hotel Bangkok.

Speaker Khun Cristy Aphimonthol, Managing Director of Coachology and Pink Lotus Foundation, revealed in her speech that the secret to powerful communication is to raise your voice to get what you want and deserve. Expressing themselves with their voice is still difficult for some women, even if they are constantly expressing themselves on social media or living their lives as an outgoing personality. Therefore, there is a feeling that things remain "unspoken" in the mind. Cristy provided practical advice on how to do it, both in her inspiring speech and during the discussion with the participating women. The rest of the evening was dedicated to networking, sharing, and enjoying positive energy.

Thanks are due to Khun Cristy and our Venue Partner the Black Cat for their great support.

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Site visit to Brose (Thailand) Co. Ltd. On 18 March 2022, 35 GTCC members visited the Brose (Thailand) Co. Ltd. plant and gained an insight into various production processes. In addition to an informative company presentation given by Mr. Denis Reul, Managing Director/ President ASEAN at Brose, and a guided tour, the event was rounded off with a small snack for all participants.

As a family-owned German automotive supplier, Brose supplies mechatronic components and systems such as door and liftgate technology, seat adjuster systems, electric motors and drives to customers all over the world. GTCC would like to thank Mr. Reul, and his team for the insights and warm welcome at Brose (Thailand) Co. Ltd.

GTCC Young Professional Network Evening on “Net Carbon Zero” Participants gained some insights into the topic of "What will it take to make Thailand Net Carbon Zero (NCZ)" discussed by Dr. Tomas Koch , Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company, and enjoyed exchanging their opinions with like-minded professionals in our friendly networking ambience.

Thanks to all guests joining our first GTCC Young Professionals Network Evening of 2022 on 30 March 2022 at Latest Recipe, Le Méridien Bangkok! Our big thank you to Dr. Koch for sharing his valuable insights and experiences with us. We highly appreciate the great support by Venue Partner Le Méridien Bangkok for the striking venue, excellent food and beverage, and Event Partner Samitivej Hospital for the well-organized ATK testing service.

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Thailand Economic Outlook 2022 New S-curve opportunities

On 21 February 2022, the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce hosted the ninth GTCC Economic Outlook Luncheon at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok. The luncheon attracted around 80 people from a range of industrial sectors. They were requested to take part in a live poll to assess the problems and possibilities as well as areas of future collaboration with Germany in 2022, by discussing industry perspectives on sustainability, competitiveness and difficulties.

The keynote speaker of "Thailand Economic Outlook 2022" was M.L. Chayotid Kridakon, Thai Trade Representative and Advisor to Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Supattanapong Punmeechaow. He discussed Thailand’s new S-curve opportunities in 2022 and onwards, and addressed the need to strengthen Thailand’s competitive advantage in order to: (a) remove pain points during the economic suffering since 2020 from Covid-19 (-12%); (b) establish sector-specific priorities based on Covid-19 trends; and (c)provide tailored incentives to priority investors.

The prioritised sectors are the electronic vehicle (EV), travel and hospitality, electronics, pharmaceutical and digital industries. M.L. Chayotid Kridakon mentioned the recent law change to provide 10-year investor working visas with the objective of attracting more foreign investors to participate in Thailand's economic recovery. He said the aim was to advance the digital, agricultural, supply chain and logistics areas, and EVs as "killing two

birds with one stone." He also discussed Thailand's economic growth (gross domestic product) of 3.5% to 4.5% projected for this year, the recovery of tourism and government stimulus packages (investor's long-term visa in Thailand), as well as 2030 goal projects, including Thailand's EV 30/30 vision.

In addition, according to survey results from AHK World Business Outlook, the most significant effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses have been geopolitical tension (20%), price increases for commodities, energy and food (15%), disruption in global and regional supply chains (24%), high inflation (15%), a lack of certain products (2%), and a shortage of skilled labour (24%).

The main topic was the biggest risks to the recovery of Thailand’s economy in 2022.

Ms. Waranya Pratumtin, GTCC Acting President, chaired the panel discussion on the challenges ahead for 2022. Mr. Roland Folger, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Limited, Dr. Timo Slawinski of Convestro (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Marcus Grundke of Rieckermann (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Thomas Fernandez of Fair & Easy Co., Ltd., and Mr. CK Cheong of Fastwork Technologies Co., Ltd., were the panelists.

comprise Thailand's digital centre for sustainable development. In terms of Thailand's economic outlook, the live poll results revealed that 56% of the participants were satisfied with their company's current business situation, 33% believed that the economy would begin to recover in 2022 and 11% believed that economic recovery would take much longer in Thailand.

The panelists also agreed that, despite the key challenge to newly transformed logistics and supply chain systems as a result of the Covid-19 challenge, they were confident in the future of their respective industries in Thailand, which would return strongly when the overall situation improved from 2022 onwards. They recommended upgrading supply chains and logistics planning for long-term sustainability.

Written by Dingo Keidar (Thuta Soe), GTCC Corporate Services Trainee

The panelists discussed their companies' performances and economic outlook plans for 2022, which was followed by the "Thailand Economic Outlook 2021," but they focused on the transformation to renewable energy, logistics and the digital cloud, which

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German business delegation on “Energy Generation and Energy Infrastructure in Cities” A visit to Thailand by a GTCC hybrid business delegation with a focus on "Energy Generation and Energy Infrastructure in Cities," was organized between 14 and 17 March 2022 by the GTCC. Seven German companies participated in the delegation: ARCA Regler GmbH, GreenGate AG, K2 Systems GmbH, Krannich Solar GmbH & Co. KG, meteocontrol GmbH, SolarNext AG and Wieland Electric GmbH. The visit began with a Thailand virtual briefing session on 14 March, during which the delegation gained first-hand knowledge of Thailand's economy and political situation. The session, led by Mr. Marius Mehner, GTCC Deputy Executive Director, and guest speakers, Dr. Alexander Raubold from the German Embassy Bangkok and Mr. Thomas Hundt from

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GTAI (Germany Trade & Invest), provided information on the aforementioned topics to the visiting delegation. The discussion also covered the challenges that the country is facing as a result of the impact of COVID-19 as well as business opportunities in specific fields such as circular economy, transformation of Thailand to electric vehicle technology as well as renewable energy.

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A virtual Technology Conference on the topic of Energy Generation and Energy Infrastructure in Cities was organized on 15 March 2022, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.. The conference was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) and the GTCC in together with clarion GmbH, with the aim of further strengthening the co-operation between Thai and German companies within the framework of the German Energy Solutions Initiative. Throughout the conference, Thai and German experts discussed state-of-the-art technology solutions, explained the latest trends and policies in Germany and Thailand, and highlighted how relevant technology solutions from Germany can support stakeholders in implementing climate-friendly measures. In addition, the virtual conference featured exclusive presentations by all the participating German companies showcasing their particular products and technology solutions.

The B2B meeting days started on 16 March between the delegates and interested local Thai companies to discuss potential business prospects and partnerships. The B2B meetings were organized by GTCC.

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Online meeting with Pathumthani Brewery Apprenticeship Programme 2020

On 6 January 2022, GTDEE organised an online meeting with Trainers of Pathumthani Brewery Apprenticeship Programme batch 2021. This meeting discussed an adapt training plan between February-March 2022 related to the Electronics Programme, BIBB. At this meeting participants shared knowledge that the apprentices previously acquired and how they should summarize it and enter it in the logbook.

Online meeting with Automotive Teachers working with BMW Service Apprentices Programme On 20 January 2022, GTDEE organised an online meeting with the Head of Automotive Department in cooperation with BMW Service Apprentice Programme and BMW Group Thailand Training Center. This meeting discussed the preparation for the PAL Final Examination Part 1 for BMW Service Apprentice batch 2020.

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PAL Final Examination Part 1, theoretical and practical parts, in Automotive Mechatronics for BMW Service Apprentice batch 2020 Between 25 January to 27 January 2022, GTDEE organised the PAL Final Examination Part 1 in theoretical and practical, in Automotive Mechatronics for BMW Service Apprentice batch 2019. Dr. Kamonsak Suradom and independent examiners representing Industry, Academics and GTCC oversaw the examination, which was held at the BMW Group Thailand Training Centre.

Online meeting with Faculty of Engineering on International Mechatronics Programme On 26 January 2022, GTDEE organised an online meeting with the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, RMUTL. In May 2022, the five-year DVET International Mechatronics Programme of RMUTL’s will start at the faculty according to German standards.

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40 GTDEE INSIGHT

Examiner Board meeting on evaluation for PAL Final Examination Part 1 at KMUTNB On 1 February and 7 March 2022, GTDEE organised the evaluation for PAL Final Examination Part 1 in Automotive Mechatronics under cooperated GTDEE programme. In this meeting, the independent examiners board discussed the assessment of the theoretical part for apprentices from both companies in GTDEE programme.

Meeting with Technical University of Dortmund at TU Dortmund On 7 February 2022, Mr. Markus Hoffmann, GTDEE Project Director, discussed further steps of cooperation with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.

Thomas Schröder, UNESCO Chair on TVET and competence development for the future of work at TU Dortmund University, and his team of the “Progressing Work-based Learning of TVET System in Thailand” project (ProWoThai) in a network meeting held at the TU Dortmund University.

UPDATE 2/2022

GTDEE INSIGHT 41

Visiting Europa-Lehrmittel

On 9 February 2022, the first printed Thai version of the mechatronic textbook was presented to Mr. Wolfgang Baldauf,, Verlag Europa-Lehrmittel Sales and Advertising Manager, and Mrs. Simone Bán, Rights Manager, by Mr. Markus Hoffmann, GTDEE Project Director, as he visited the Verlag Europa-Lehrmittel. It is the first Thai licensed edition of the well-known

German mechatronics textbook “Fachkunde Mechatronik”, which was recently translated, printed and launched by GTCC as one of the most comprehensive mechatronics textbooks in Thailand to promote teaching and learning Mechatronics according to German TVET standards through the GTDEE programme.

Meeting on cooperation working between German-Thai on In-Company Trainer Development On 14 February 2022, GTDEE organised an online meeting with Ms. Siriporn Parvikam, Programme Component Manager, GIZ/ RECOTVET GIZ Thailand and TPQI (Public Organisation) on the exploration of the alignment of AdA International Standard and TPQI professional qualification for In-Company Trainer.

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42 GTDEE INSIGHT

Online meeting on Cooperation with Technical University of Dortmund and KMUTNB On 18 February 2022, GTDEE organised an online meeting on cooperation between TU Dortmund and Faculty of Technical Education, KMUTNB. This meeting discussed about cooperation in academic area such as academic knowledge exchange in Technical Teacher Development, teacher and student exchange programme for the future.

PAL Final Examination Part 1, theoretical and practical parts, in Automotive Mechatronics for Mercedes-Benz Apprenticeship Programme batch 2020 Between 21 February to 25 February 2022, GTDEE organised the PAL Final Examination Part 1 in theoretical and practical, in Automotive Mechatronics for Mercedes-Benz Apprenticeship Programme batch 2020. Dr. Kamonsak Suradom and independent examiners representing Industry, Academics and GTCC oversaw the examination, which was held at the Mercedes-Benz Competence Centre, Bangna-Trade km. 19, Samutprakarn.

UPDATE 2/2022

GTDEE INSIGHT 43

GTDEE Final Examination Part 1 in Mechatronics under “Project-Based Learning” On 27 February 2022, GTDEE organised the GTDEE Final Examination Part 1 for students studying in Mechatronics programme at E.Tech under cooperation with GTDEE. The independent examination committee comprised the following experts from representative of Industrial, Academic and GTCC.

PAL Final Examination Part 1 in Electronics Preparation On 9 March 2022, GTDEE organised an online meeting with Pathumthani Brewery Apprenticeship Programme batch 2020 and trainers, discussing the topic of guideline examination structure and preparing tools and equipment for PAL Final Examination Part 1 in Electronics. This examination will be held in June-July 2022.

44 BUSINESS BRIEFS

Siemens Energy appoints new Managing Director for its entities in Thailand and the Philippines Siemens Energy, the global powerhouse and driver of energy transition, appointed Mr. Steve Loo in November 2021 as the new Managing Director for operations in Thailand and the Philippines to forward Siemens Energy's mission.

Mr. Loo was assigned to his new, expanded role as Managing Director of Siemens Energy Limited Thailand (Cambodia and Myanmar) and Managing Director of Siemens Energy Inc. (the Philippines) in addition to his role as the Asia-Pacific Regional Hub Head for Transmission Division. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering prior to achieving his Master of Business Administration Degree. In addition, he has more than 20 years of international industry experience and previously worked in Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Malaysia in various divisions of Siemens and Siemens Energy.

About his new role, Mr. Loo commented: “Asia-Pacific remains one of the world's largest markets for energy resources, especially with the growing demands for clean energy. Thailand and the Philippines play very significance roles in the market, and it is my pleasure to be part of the team here. I am committed to Siemens Energy’s mission to support our customers in achieving their energy demand goal while transitioning to a more sustainable energy world by utilizing our innovative technologies and extensive experience.”

BRAINFORCE Group appoints new Country Manager for Thailand According to the BRAINFORCE Group, the demand for high-quality interim management and consulting services in South-East Asia will continue to increase after the current Covid-19 pandemic. To better serve its international clients in Thailand and other SouthEast Asia countries, German-born Mr. Berger will take over the role of BRAINFORCE's Country Manager in Thailand from the previous responsible Ms. Sara Vikoolrawong, who will remain as an advisor.

"We are very excited to be able to strengthen our management team with Michael," commented Mr. Martin Schneider, CEO and shareholder of the globally active BRAINFORCE Group. "With his broad international and also local experience, Michael will be able to competently support our clients with interim executives and high-quality consulting services for strategy and organizational development."

To further expand its market presence in South-East Asia, the internationally active BRAINFORCE Group, well-known for its high-quality interim management services and expert solutions, announced the appointment of Mr. Michael Berger as the new Country Manager for Thailand in January 2022.

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Mr. Berger's 20 years of experience, both in multinational industrial and in mid-sized companies has provided him with expertise in business services, such as telecommunications and digital media. His core competencies comprise business development, human resources and business advisory.

Prior to joining BRAINFORCE, he graduated from the Cologne Business School with a degree in Business Administration, focusing on Asian cultures and languages, including multinational language skills in English, German, Mandarin and Thai. Following this, he worked with some of the world's leading Executive Search firms and, as an HR specialist for Continental Tires, led their greenfield recruitment activities in Thailand.

BUSINESS BRIEFS 45

German Kitchen Design’s showroom now open In February this year, German Kitchen Design Co., Ltd. opened a Bangkok showroom at the River City Bangkok with a selection of chic, sophisticated and sustainable kitchens. They look forward to welcoming guests to the inspiring 171-ft2 riverfront showroom, which features bright and inviting space elements and six hand-selected kitchens.

The showroom allows visitors to experience the look and feel of Nobilia kitchens first-hand. The showroom is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., but with pre-booked appointments, clients or partners can visit the showroom on Monday.

German Kitchen Design is dedicated to delivering the premium quality and contemporary style of European interior design to customers in Thailand. The experts from German Kitchen Design will design your perfect, personalized kitchen by providing intelligent and inspiring concepts, underpinned by the distinction of German engineering.

These kitchens are designed to fit perfectly into your home, whether you live in a city apartment, suburban home or country villa. Germany is a world leader in the field of sustainability, so customers can be sure that all German Kitchen Design products have been produced according to strict environmental standards.

For more information, please visit https://www.germankitchendesign.co.th/

Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok achieves LEED Silver status By creating their own Bangkok ‘green lung’, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok has been awarded silver status by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), which certifies their sustainability levels in the famed Langsuan Hotel.

“The Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok has been built with consideration to sustainability at every corner,” according to Mr. Patrick Both, Cluster General Manager at Kimpton Maa-Lai, Bangkok and Sindhorn Midtown Hotel,

Bangkok and Sindhorn Midtown Hotel, Bangkok. “It's not just LED lighting throughout the hotel, but the triple-glazed windows ensure stable room temperatures as well as the drop-seals on the doors to remove unnecessary noise from being experienced by our guests.

Sustainability is about the human connection too, not just the aesthetics.”

Siam Sindhorn Co.'s sustainability vision is reflected in its LEED certification, and is accompanied by a green mindset and energy efficiencies that can be found in every corner of the Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. This can be seen, for example, in small details, such as recycling pencils with their own seed pods, biodegradable water boxes and CRAFT's recycled cups, which became quite famous on Instagram.

For more information, please telephone +66 2 056 9999, send e-mail to kimptonmaalai bangkok@ihg.com or visit the website at https://www.kimptonmaalaibangkok.com/

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46 MEMBERS’ CORNER

New GTCC members up to 31 March 2022

German-Thai Chamber of Commerce warmly welcomes 16 new members Amazon Global Selling

Berlitz Bangkok Limited

Ms. Jamie Brennan Head of Thailand Amazon Global Selling Mr. Max Anujorbhand Business Development https://sell.amazon.co.th Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet | Other professional, scientific and technical activities | Other education n.e.c.

Mr. Won Suk Kim Managing Director Khun Narongchan Boontam Country Manager berlitzthailand@berlitz.co.th www.berlitzthailandonline.com Education

ANCA Manufacturing (Thailand) Ltd.

DeeMoney

Mr. Glenn Durkin Supply Chain Manager Khun Nutthapol Rintakul Procurement Manager www.anca.com Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.

Khun Rasmegh Srisethi Managing Director Mr. Deepak Suresh Panjabi Business Development Head https://www.deemoney.com/ Financial and insurance activities

ARC Pacific Siam Limited

Exyne Asia Technology Co., Ltd

Mr. Andreas Krause General Manager Mr. Ulf Reinhardt Chairman https://www.arcfoshan.cn/ Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. | Repair and installation of machinery and equipment

Mr. Uwe Heitzmann Director info@exyneasia.com www.exynetechnology.com Wholesale of other machinery, equipment and supplies

Mr. Atit Koirala

Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok

Partner at ANGroup GmbH koirala@angroup.ch

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Mr. Edouard Demptos General Manager Ms. Heekyung Chung Director of Sales and Marketing bangkok.grand@hyatt.com www.grandhyatterawanbangkok.com Hotels and similar accommodation | Food and beverage service activities | Event catering and other food service activities

MEMBERS’ CORNER 47

Heritage Snacks & Food Co., Ltd.

NCA DESIGN

Khun Vittavat Phonphaisan Vice President Khun Walaitip Suetrongmunkong Communication Director Contact@heritagethailand.com www.heritagethailand.com Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables | Manufacture of beverages

Mr. Bernd Clauss Managing Director Khun Rujira Saardsre Finance Director contact@nca-design.com www.nca-design.com Construction of residential and non-residential buildings | Specialised construction activities | Architectural and engineering activities and related technical consultancy

Karcher Southeast Asia Co., Ltd.

Mr. Sascha Funk

Mr. Klaus Feidrich Heinrich Puehmeyer Regional President Mr. Christopher Feidler Finanacial Regional Manager info.thailand@th.karcher.com www.karcher.com Wholesale of other machinery and equipment | Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles

Head of Mass Media Studies, Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Thammasat University funk.sascha@gmail.com

Le Méridien Bangkok

Smart Siam Consulting Limited

Mr. Dieter Ruckenbauer General Manager Mr. Yasuhiro Yoneyama Director of Sales reservations.lmbkk@lemeridien.com www.lemeridienbangkokpatpong.com Hotels and similar accommodation | Food and beverage service activities | Event catering and other food service activities

Mr. Mario Zerbe President & CEO Ms. Nutpatsorn Zerbe CMO info@smartsiam.com https://smartsiam.com/ Business and other management consultancy activities

Mr. Marcel Krueger

WOERWAG Pharma GmbH & Co. KG

mkruegerhamburg@gmx.net

Khun Supreeda Lertsuwanroj Country Manager info@woerwagpharma.co.th www.woerwagpharma.co.th Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations

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48 TRADE FAIRS

IFAT Munich 2022: Efficient solutions for the use of water, recycling and secondary raw materials 30 May-3 June 2022, Munich The sustainable use of resources – and thus, climate protection – is the major topic of IFAT Munich, which will be held from 30 May 30 to 3 June at the exhibition centre in Munich.

International interest in the world's leading Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Waste and Raw Materials Management remains strong. The global community needs environmental technologies, and this trade show brings them to life and provides the network to address the greatest challenge of our time.

Water and sewage treatment are among IFAT Munich’s largest exhibition areas. Not only at many company booths, but also in the extensive lecture and discussion programme, the circulation of water in industrial production processes – to Zero Liquid Discharge – will be among the core topics.

The water management adaptation of cities and municipalities to climate change is also one of the core topics of IFAT Munich. Partner institutions of the show, such as the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment, the DWA and the

German Federal Environment Foundation (DBU), will organize matching events in the fair’s conference programme. Furthermore, the German Association of Local Utilities (VKU) plans to organise trade fair tours to present specific solutions for heavy rain and flood prevention.

KEY SECTORS The key sectors covered by the event include: • Waste and secondary raw material: Waste management and recycling, generating energy from secondary raw and waste materials, street cleaning, maintenance and winter road services, management of hazardous substances, flue-gas scrubbing and air extraction, air-pollution control, sustainability in road construction • Water and sewage: Hydraulic engineering and well construction, construction of water and wastewater treatment plants, water supply and sewerage systems, mechanical engineering and plant engineering in water management, water

and recycling services, and analysis and laboratory techniques for water and recycling Preparations for IFAT Munich are running at full speed, with all 18 exhibition halls and a large part of the outdoor area occupied.

This is a very strong development, even compared with the record-breaking edition in 2018. Some 2,500 exhibitors from more than 50 countries have already registered.

In addition, there will be international joint pavilions from Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Canada, the Netherlands, Austria, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary and the United States. There will also be exhibitors from Egypt, Australia, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine.

In terms of visitors, there are already inquiries about delegations from Egypt, Brazil, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and many other European countries.

More details about IFAT Munich are available at https://ifat.de/en/. For further information, please contact the 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.

UPDATE 2/2022

TRADE FAIRS 49

INTERSCHUTZ 2022 Ready for an outstanding comeback 20-25 June 2022, Hannover Preparations to re-start the world’s leading trade fair for fire-fighting, rescue and emergency ser vices, civil protection, safety and security are well under way.

INTERSCHUTZ will take place from 20 to 25 June 2022 as a live physical event and, for the first time, will be supplemented by an online component, thus considerably extending its outreach. The core of the event will remain the face-to-face interaction between exhibitors and visitors from every sector, including opportunities to meet in the exhibition halls, on the open-air site and in the city centre of Hannover. The event offers attendees the chance to personally experience a diverse range of products and equipment.

"We are really looking forward to this INTERSCHUTZ reunion with exhibitors, business friends and visitors in Hannover.

The keen anticipation and palpable interest in this long-awaited event across the entire sector are overwhelming," according to Dr. Jochen Köckler, chairman of Deutsche Messe AG. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was necessary to postpone the trade fair twice. As a result of this difficult but nonetheless unavoidable decision, the anticipation of the event in June is now all the greater. Hannover will once again offer a central platform for countless innovations

for the rescue and fire-fighting services, civil protection, security and safety."

The INTERSCHUTZ exhibition portfolio is structured in six different keynote themes. In addition to the large category dedicated to the fire services, the programme features the rescue and emergency services, civil protection, communication and control centre technology as well as protective equipment. Fire prevention and protection will be featured for the first time as a separate display category in its own right. Suppliers of fire extinguishing equipment and extinguishing agents will exhibit there, alongside exhibitors from the construction, technical fire prevention and building protection sectors.

Visitors can expect to find a varied programme comprising congresses, workshops and training sessions as well as live demonstrations and exciting competitions. The programme will boast a total of more than 70 separate events.

For more details, please contact Mr. Nupat Khusribanchong, the official German-Thai Chamber of Commerce representative for Deutsche Messe AG Thailand, by telephone at +66 2 055 0643 or by e-mail at hannover@gtcc.org.

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50 TRADE FAIRS

ILA 2022: Pioneering innovation, new technologies and sustainability 22-26 June 2022, Berlin “Pioneering aerospace” is the slogan of ILA 2022, the European Union’s largest aerospace show, which offers a close-up experience of the future of aerospace. From 22 to 26 June, ILA will take place for the first time at the newly opened Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) in the heart of Europe. The German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI), as ILA brand owner, and Messe Berlin GmbH, as the organizer, are expecting trade visitors from all over the world as well as highranking guests from European and German politics and, of course, numerous international visitors during the public days at the event which is to be held in Berlin for the first time in four years.

With its Aviation, Space, Defence and Support and Supplier segments, ILA covers the industry’s entire value chain. Its focus is on climate-neutral aviation, new forms of mobility and security in space. As a public trade show, it opens its doors on two visitor days during the weekend of June 25 and 26, following attendance by trade professionals from June 22. The main topics of ILA 2022 are innovations in the areas of climate-neutral flying, new mobility and safety in space.

The newly created Digital Platform will pursue the goal of sharing future-oriented topics in aviation and aerospace with as many people as possible. It will feature an exhibitor service for product presentation,

UPDATE 2/2022

communication, matchmaking, lead generation as well as modern streaming technology.

Other special features of ILA 2022 will be the so-called STAGES, which will be placed directly in the four halls. Whether at ILA Future Lab or Advanced Air Mobility, a total of five live STAGES will present the future topics of aerospace.

ILA22 will also highlight the transformation of civil aviation towards climate neutrality.

Technologies and sustainable aviation fuel research, aircraft and their propulsion devices as well as the digitalization of the industry will be covered. The flight programme will also focus on innovation and integrated into the flight operations of the BER with selected demonstrations.

The most visited space exhibition in Europe highlights the benefits of discoveries made in space for the benefit of the Earth. The focus of space travel is makes indispensable contributions to a modern, sustainable, secure and digital future – it is a key to climate protection and prevention, for example through satellite communication and Earth observation. A special highlight will be the Space Pavilion of the European Space Agency (ESA), the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the companies of the German space industry represented in the BDLI. More information about ILA can be found at https://www.ila-berlin.de/en. For further information, please contact the 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.

TRADE FAIRS 51

BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022 Optimistic organic food, and natural and organic cosmetics sector eagerly awaits reuniting 26-29 July 2022, Nuremberg In 2022, BIOFACH and VIVANESS will take place as a ‘summer edition’ from 26 to 29 July.

In close consultation with representatives from the sector, it was decided to postpone the combined trade fair and accompanying BIOFACH and VIVANESS Congress this year on a one-off basis. Danila Brunner, Director, Exhibitions BIOFACH and VIVANESS at NürnbergMesse, explains what that means, what opportunities it offers, and what exhibitors, visitors and the media can look forward to at this one-time summer edition.

When did you decide to postpone the event?

On 14 January 2022 it was decided to postpone BIOFACH and VIVANESS until July this year on a one-off basis. How did this decision come about? Due to the dynamics of the pandemic, we contacted our customers in December and offered to postpone the combined trade fair to a later date in 2022. To determine an alternative date, we weighed a range of factors in consultation with our customers and, of course, also considered the constraints of the trade fair calendar. After evaluating the results of our exhibitor poll (votes received by 12 January 2022), we were able to make a decision, which was communicated to our customers on 14 January 2022. We then informed the press accordingly.

Why did you opt to hold a vote on this issue?

Our experience from the 2021 autumn trade fair season showed that on-site events can be held safely and successfully, based on the hygiene and access concept we developed in conjunction with the Bavarian Government. However, towards the end of the year there was growing uncertainty among our exhibitors due to the way the pandemic was evolving. This was a challenging situation for all trade fair participants, as planning certainty and reliable frameworks are crucial to a successful event. The voting process ensured that all exhibitors could be involved in the decision.

How would you describe the sentiment within the sector about the decision?

Naturally, in the kind of situation we are in now, there are many different opinions, and our exhibitors also have vastly different requirements. However, throughout the entire voting process, and in conversations with our customers, the mood was dominated by the yearning for this special platform to take place on-site and with plenty of space and time for personal encounters! As passionate trade fair organisers, this is precisely our feeling, too. We are incredibly grateful for the close bond with us and the considerable commitment to BIOFACH and VIVANESS that have been demonstrated.

How would you summarize the feedback from exhibitors on the various scheduling options?

From the numerous personal conversations that we had we identified varied reasons for or against the postponement, depending on a company's individual perspective. Those that were initially sceptical about the July

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52 TRADE FAIRS

effective, and was successfully implemented and adopted at all events held on the grounds of NürnbergMesse. Visitors can look forward to tasting food and beverages as well as trying out cosmetics based on the kinds of rules that we are all familiar with meanwhile from the food service and retail sectors.

Finally, a personal question: What especially motivated you in the last few weeks until the decision was made to postpone?

date were influenced by market-specific reasons such as harvest times, the seasonal availability of certain products and, to some extent, holiday periods. Those in favour of postponing the February date were mainly concerned about the uncertainties associated with the pandemic.

us more optimistic about being able to welcome as many people as possible, in person, to Nuremberg in the summer.

How are you now going to handle those exhibitors who were against the postponement?

Exhibitors, visitors and media representatives can look forward to the key elements of BIOFACH and VIVANESS. We are confident that the summer edition from 26 to 29 July 2022 will map the entire supply chain on the exhibition floors, and will offer an unparalleled range of rigorously organic food and personal care products – both on site and in the digital add-ons. Naturally, we also want to leverage the opportunities offered by holding an event during the summer months, although these are still at the planning stage.

We will seek personal contact with them and will try to emphasize all the opportunities and potential offered by the summer edition of BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022. We are confident that the new schedule, while not ‘normal’, will be able to convince even those who voted in our poll to keep the February date. Ultimately, there is one thing we have all had to learn over the past two years; the term ‘normal’ has been completely redefined, so that we have had to work together flexibly and we need to continue to do so.

What are your expectations of the July date?

The main expectation is the one we share with the entire sector – to have a face-to-face reunion of the organic food and natural and organic cosmetics community in Nuremberg as a live, multi-sensory, on-site event with all the facets that make BIOFACH and VIVANESS so special. But more specifically, we naturally hope, above all, that the postponement until July will provide even more planning certainty. In addition, the new date makes

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Can you give us an idea of what to expect at the summer edition of BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2022?

Are we going to be able to experience organic food, and natural and organic cosmetics with all our senses?

Absolutely. You need to be able to feel, smell and taste organic food, and natural and organic cosmetic products. Regardless of the date of the event, our hygiene and access concept pro vides a framework to ensure that trade fairs held at the Nuremberg exhibition venue are both safe and successful. The hygiene plan for BIOFACH and VIVANESS is based on the Bavarian Government’s Infection Control Measures, Regulation and Framework Hygiene Concept for Trade Fairs and Exhibitions. Since September 2021, this hygiene concept has already proved highly

Naturally, it was the need to find the best possible solution for our customers, in an overall situation characterized by a wide range of opinions and sentiments. But it was also the fervent desire to soon be able to organise trade fairs with the necessary planning lead time again, in the interests of all participants. Moreover, I was also very touched by the close consultation and frank exchanges with our exhibitors and the associated trust that they placed in us.

What are you personally looking forward to the most?

Without doubt the personal reunion with the sector, the chance encounters, the surprises and the moments of inspiration that only an on-site trade fair can offer. This is why we all love trade fairs and what makes them special, quite apart from the purely material and economic function that they undoubtedly perform for the companies involved.

For more details about BIOFACH, please contact Mr. Nupat Khusribanchong, official German-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

TRADE FAIRS 53

Insights-X 2022: A new networking platform for the worldwide stationery sector 5-7 October 2022, Nuremberg Planning for the seventh Insights-X trade fair is in full swing. After a two-year 'pandemic break', the event organised by Spielwaren messe eG will be back at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre this autumn, the ideal time for ordering. Between 5 and 7 October 2022, Insights-X – the only independent trade fair in Germany for the international stationery industry – is going live again. At the event, qualifying trade visitors will be able to meet with leading brand manufacturers and suppliers to discover innovations and trends.

What participants value above all is the relaxed atmosphere, which makes networking easier and creates the space in which inspiration and new knowledge-sharing can thrive. For the forthcoming edition, the organisers will be adding a new platform to complement the physical fair – Insights-X Digital. This platform is aimed specifically at the needs of industry and trade, and combines a wide range of product and company presentations with interactive networking opportunities.

PRODUCT PRESENTATION AND INTERACTION For trade visitors, access to Insights-X Digital is included in the ticket to the fair. All

exhibitors are listed on the platform with their own company profile. Alongside information about suppliers, it will also include entries on brands and licences as well as product presentations in text, images and video. In addition, Insights-X Digital will provide a number of networking functions.

Participants at the fair will be included on the platform with a personal profile. Based on the interests recorded there, relevant business contacts will be suggested with whom they can network quickly and easily.

With a wide range of communication tools such as private chats, group chats, audio calls and video meetings, Insights-X Digital provides the facility for extensive discussion across the international stationery industry even before the event itself takes place.

Appointments can be made in advance for meetings with business partners at the fair.

fair have the option of participating on a purely digital basis. “With Insights-X Digital, we are bringing the worldwide stationery community together on an innovative networking platform,” according to Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG. “With the wideranging presentation options, we are creating better reach for exhibitors in the virtual sphere and thus providing them with the opportunity to participate even more efficiently in the Nuremberg fair.”

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.

EFFICIENT PARTICIPATION AT THE FAIR For exhibitors at the physical fair, the use of Insights-X Digital is already included in their media package. By upgrading to either the ‘Connect’ or ‘Premium’ packages, they can further expand their digital company profile.

In addition, companies that cannot be present in person at the physical Insights-X

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