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Consumer confidence index continued to drop in October
According to a recent report put out by the University of
Chamber of Commerce’s Economic and Business Forecasting Center, the
consumer confidence index in October dropped for the second consecutive
month. This signals that consumers are becoming uncertain about the local
economic situation.
Thanawat Polachai, director of the center, said its
survey showed the consumer confidence index on the country’s economy,
employment opportunity and future income had declined to 82.2, 71.8 and
103.6 from 84.9, 74.2, and 154 respectively in September.
Thanawat said, “The decrease in the confidence index
for two months in a row has us worried. We believe the fall is caused by
fears of global economic uncertainty and a possible war between the United
States and Iraq, as well as lower interest rates locally and in the US.”
He said these factors have lessened people’s confidence in consumption and
caused them to spend more cautiously.
Thanawat recommended that government should try to boost
the public confidence if the war breaks out. It must also continue to adopt
monetary and fiscal policies for solving economic problems. He projected the
country’s economy will grow around 4% this year and continue to expand
around 4.2% next year.
Thailand’s export is expected to grow 4.8% this year
and 4% next year with inflation staying at 0.5% and 1.5% respectively. (TNA)
India-Thailand to expand bilateral cooperation
India and Thailand will expand bilateral cooperation in
communication and other areas. In his weekly radio program, “Premier
Thaksin Talks with the Public”, the Thai leader said he and his India
counterpart Vajpayee agreed that India and Thailand will increase flights to
facilitate passengers and tourists of both countries, as the Thai government
is planning to promote the country’s northern resort province of Chiang
Mai as a new aviation hub in the region.
The Indian leader made a recent stop over in Thailand on
route to New Delhi after attending the first ASEAN-India summit in Phnom
Penh, and met with Premier Thaksin to discuss issues on bilateral ties and
cooperation.
The two leaders also discussed a plan to build a
road-link between the two countries through Myanmar. The cross-border road
would link Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard, a major industrial estate, with
India through Kanchanaburi province of Thailand and a seaport in Myanmar.
The Indian leader also expressed his interest in the
Asian Bond initiative proposed by Premier Thaksin, saying that New Delhi
would further discuss the idea in more detail with Thai authorities. Thaksin
raised the initiative during his discussions with his Indian counterpart and
asked for New Delhi’s support for the idea. Chinese and Japanese leaders
have also expressed their interest in the Asia Bond initiative.
The Indian leader also suggested that India head task
forces devoted to communication and bio-technology of the Asian Cooperation
Dialogue (ACD). (TNA)
Buy Thai - PM urges people to purchase community products as New Year gifts
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is urging Thai people
to support the ‘One Village, One Product’ scheme by giving community
products as New Year presents. The Thai leader said that by supporting
fellow Thais, citizens would not only help expand the domestic market but
also spur economic activities. He said the people involved in these projects
need encouragement from within the nation.
Thaksin said, “Villagers who are producing various
community products under the government’s ‘One Village, One Product’
scheme need the backing of their fellow citizens. The New Year is the
perfect time to support these people by choosing their products to give as
gifts to friends and relatives. This will not only help them to develop
their small enterprises but will boost the nation’s economy at the
grass-roots level.” (TNA)
Plans being made for Thai silk, leatherwear and the tuk tuk to gain international renown
Thailand is planning to promote 3 Thai products in the
world market to gain fame. Industry Minister Somsak Thepsutin said that the
ministry has set a policy to promote Thai silk, leatherwear, and the tuk tuk
(three-wheeled taxi) under the Thai brand name to gain recognition and
popularity at the international level, and increase the value of Thai
products.
Concerned authorities have been instructed to facilitate
the plan which is expected to materialize in the next 90 days. Thailand will
import technology and human resources with an aim to boost the
competitiveness of the products in the world market.
“We will persuade the world’s best tannery to
establish its business in Thailand or buy technology from other countries so
that Thailand can produce high quality leatherwear,” said Somsak.
As for Thai silk, Somsak said that, initially, Thailand
will hire world class designers to develop patterns for Thai silk clothes
and will promote Thai silk as the world’s best silk.
Somsak added that the government will implement the plan
to export the tuk tuk, called ‘Chai Yo’ in collaboration with Toyota
Motor Co. Thailand, which has agreed to help develop technology in
manufacturing small engines for the three-wheeled vehicles. (TNA)
FedEx wins gold at Top Advertising Contest of Thailand Awards 2002
FedEx Express (FedEx), the world’s largest express
transportation company, has earned two gold awards at the Top Advertising
Contest of Thailand Awards: the “TACT Awards”, in recognition of the
company’s highly successful local advertising campaigns.
Best
Outdoor Media - the giant FedEx box
FedEx picked up gold awards in two categories: Best Print
Ad, for the “FedEx Courier Box”, which illustrates how the FedEx Box
eclipses the competition; and Best Outdoor Media, for the “FedEx Giant
Box” - the largest and most striking three-dimension billboard, created by
BBDO Bangkok Ltd.
The successful advertising campaigns were designed to
highlight FedEx’s fast and reliable express delivery services for medium
size and heavy shipments.
“Our award winning campaigns were designed to reinforce
the FedEx ‘we-live- to-deliver’ brand proposition and illustrate our
ability to express-deliver shipments of all shapes and sizes door-to-door,
to anywhere in the world,” said Kawqjai Nacaskul, Thailand regional
marketing manager.
Now in its 26th year, the TACT awards are held and
organized by academic professors and the Thailand Advertising Association.
The winning FedEx campaigns were chosen among 88 advertisement entries from
Thailand’s leading advertising agencies. The FedEx campaigns were
recognized for their excellence in creativity, art direction and production
and, importantly, their success in communicating to target customers. More
information about TACT Awards is available online at www.tac tawards.com
With annual revenues of $21 billion, FedEx Corp. is the premier global
provider of transportation, e-commerce and supply chain management services.
The company offers integrated business solutions through a network of
subsidiaries operating independently, including: FedEx Express, the
world’s largest express transportation company; FedEx Ground, North
America’s second-largest provider of small-package ground delivery
service, FedEx Freight, the largest U.S provider of regional
less-than-truckload freight services; FedEx custom critical, North
America’s largest provider of expedited time-critical shipments; and FedEx
Trade Networks, a provider of customs clearance, international freeing
forwarding and trade facilitation.
11th International Fishing Competition held in Phuket
The 11th International Fishing Competition was held
November 15 to 17 at Chalong Bay in the southern resort island of Phuket to
promote tourism in the province.
Panu Massirat, vice-president of the Phuket Tourism
Business Association and chairman of the International Fishing Competition
organizing committee disclosed that the 3-day-event was aimed to promote
tourism and to raise public awareness on river and ocean conservation.
Panu said that all previous competitions received
satisfactory responses from sport fishermen and Phuket has become a favorite
place for them to visit.
“Many tourists who are fond of fishing have visited and
rented boats for fishing along the Andaman coast, generating income to the
province,” said Panu.
Those who come to Phuket for sport fishing are mainly
from Australia, the Netherlands, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. “Even Thai
tourists are showing their interests in fishing,” he said.
Panu added that it is expected that the tourists,
fishermen and their companions who join this competition will circulate
approximately10-15 million baht to hotels, accommodations, restaurants and
rental boat business in Phuket Province. (TNA)
Air New Zealand increases capacity on international routes
This week Air New Zealand commenced its new international
flight schedule (effective November 2002 - end March 2003) with increased
capacity on several routes. The airline has increased the frequency of
flights, in particular to Los Angeles and Sydney, and increased seat
capacity on some services by up-gauging the aircraft type. This is in
addition to increases introduced for Japan earlier in the year.
Air New Zealand senior vice president sales &
distribution, Norm Thompson said the increased frequency and capacity to
these key international destinations was in response to growing demand in
some key markets with a resurgence of interest in New Zealand as a
destination.
“Air New Zealand has made some significant changes to
our schedules this year, reflecting an increased investment in the
international inbound tourism market,” Thompson said.
“A particular milestone for the airline is that we will
be operating two daily services to Los Angeles. In addition to the increased
passengers services, New Zealand exporters and importers will benefit from
the additional cargo capacity in particular on this route and the
Auckland-Hong Kong route.”
The increased international services are:
To Asia and Japan
* Auckland -Tokyo: daily services (from five per week)
introduced in April
* Auckland-Kansai: daily services (from six per week)
* Auckland - Nagoya: from three to four services per week
* Auckland-Hong Kong: daily services (from five per week)
* Auckland-Singapore: daily services
* Re-introduction of regular Japan charter flights from
27 November
To North America
* Auckland -Los Angeles: twice daily non-stop service
(from ten per week)
* Sydney-Los Angeles: from three to five flights weekly
* Auckland-Honolulu: from two to three flights weekly
To Australia
* Auckland-Sydney: from four to five flights daily
In addition, Air New Zealand’s Pacific services through
to Los Angeles are realigned as follows:
* Nadi - Los Angeles: from two to three flights weekly
* Papeete - Los Angeles: from three to four flights
weekly; and
* Rarotonga-Papeete increases from one to three flights
weekly.
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