Category: The Bangkok Post

Kunlavut Vitidsarn and mixed doubles pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran advanced to the second round of the US$950,000 BWF French Open on Tuesday.

Men’s third seed Kunlavut survived a three-game test against Wang Tzu-wei of Taiwan, fighting back from a game down to win 14-21, 21-7, 21-15 in 55 minutes.

Kunlavut will face either Kodai Naraoka of Japan or Victor Lai of Canada in the last 16 of the World Tour Super 750 event on Thursday.

Mixed pair Dechapol and Supissara had a much easier opening match, defeating Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien of Malaysia in two games, 21-17, 21-17, to earn their berth in the last 16 round.

Dechapol and Supissara will play Jafar Hidayatullah and Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu of Indonesia on Thursday.

However, Busanan Ongbamrung­- phan made an early exit fter being forced to retire due to injury at 2-11 in the second game against Chinese fifth seed Chen Yufei. Busanan dropped the opening game 9-21.

Chen goes on to face Neslihan Arin of Turkey in the second round.

Another mixed pair, Phuwanat Horbanluekit and Benyapa Aimsaard, also exited the tournament after losing to Marvin Seidel and Nguyen Thuc Phuong of Germany 15-21, 12-21.

Dechapol was due to play his men’s doubles opener with Kittinupong Kedren later on Tuesday.

Ratchanok Intanon will face Natsuki Nidaira of Japan in her opening match on Wednesday.

The Commerce Ministry wants to finalise the upgraded free trade agreement (FTA) between Thailand and Peru by the end of this year.

On Monday, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun met with Cecilia Zunilda Galarreta Bazán, Peru’s ambassador to Thailand, to discuss enhancing economic, trade and investment collaboration between the two nations.

She said both sides are committed to expediting the negotiations for the upgraded FTA, aiming to conclude significant details by year-end.

Mrs Suphajee said modernising the existing FTA, which has been effective for more than 20 years, will unlock new trade and investment opportunities for entrepreneurs in sectors such as agricultural products, processed food, automotive, machinery and the creative industry.

The upgraded agreement is expected to bolster supply chain connections and enhance the movement of goods between Asia and South America.

The ambassador noted Peru’s readiness for foreign investment, citing the opening of Chancay Port in November 2024, which is expected to become a logistics hub along the Pacific Ocean for South America, supporting increased trade between Asia and South America.

Ms Bazán said this development will facilitate Thai entrepreneurs’ market expansion into South America.

Both sides have agreed to extend their collaborations through trade and investment promotion activities, which include participation in major international fairs in Thailand such as Bangkok Gems and Jewelry, Thaifex-Anuga Asia, Thaifex-Horec Asia and other business matching activities.

Furthermore, Mrs Suphajee said Thailand intends to promote tourism, culture, food and fashion, aiming to create closer ties between people of both countries.

From January to August, bilateral trade reached US$362 million, with Thailand’s exports to Peru totalling $276 million.

Key exports are automotive, peripherals and auto parts; canned seafood and processed seafood; and washing machines and parts.

Imports were valued at $86.3 million, with key products including fresh, chilled, frozen, processed and semi-finished seafood; metal ore and scrap metal; and vegetable and fruit products.

Half of Asia-Pacific businesses have been forced to urgently re-evaluate their tech infrastructure following a wave of high-profile IT outages, according to Expereo, a multinational provider of managed networks as a service.

Network instability is taking a serious toll on businesses in the region, with over 50% reporting revenue losses of $5 million or more due to network outages or poor performance. The findings come from an IDC InfoBrief commissioned by Expereo, titled “Enterprise Horizons 2025: Technology Leaders Priorities: Achieving Digital Agility”.

In light of the challenges seen over the past year, ranging from cybersecurity breaches to connectivity failures, 40% of tech leaders in the region now report that networking and connectivity have risen higher on the C-suite agenda.

The broader impact is that networking/connectivity and cybersecurity now top the list of investment priorities for Asia-Pacific businesses over the next 12 months: 48% for networking/connectivity, 46% for cybersecurity, followed by AI at 38%.

Last year, AI took the top spot in the survey at 43%, followed by cybersecurity (39%) and networking/connectivity (37%). This highlights that AI is no longer the most urgent technology priority.

The urgency is well-founded. More than one in four Asia-Pacific organisations (30.7%) say that inadequate network and connectivity performance is actively threatening their growth plans for the coming year.

At the same time, 44% report that network limitations are holding back their ability to support large-scale data and AI initiatives. Alarmingly, just 8% of businesses in the region believe their networks are fully prepared to support AI without any barriers.

“To drive a sustainable competitive advantage, connectivity is no longer an IT concern — it is a strategic business imperative,” said Ben Elms, CEO of Amsterdam-headquartered Expereo.

“The research confirms what many technology leaders are already experiencing firsthand: connectivity is now the backbone of business. As organisations race to adopt new AI solutions, the C-suite must treat network performance with the same urgency as cybersecurity and AI itself, because without it, businesses simply cannot succeed.”

Eric Wong, Expereo president for Asia Pacific, said there is now a direct correlation between network performance and bottom-line success.

With nearly a third (28.7%) of businesses in Asia Pacific experiencing revenue losses exceeding $5 million from network outages, the financial stakes are higher than ever — and it is no surprise that businesses are now prioritising investment in networking and cybersecurity more than anything else.

“This strategic shift is critical for building the robust digital foundation needed to not only support large-scale data and AI initiatives but also to drive resilient, sustainable growth across the region,” said Mr Wong.

Having the right talent in place is also critical for building and maintaining the robust network and connectivity infrastructure that businesses need to thrive. However, the research suggests this may be easier said than done.

Networking tops the list of areas where organisations in Asia Pacific struggle to find or retain skilled professionals (37.5%), closely followed by cybersecurity (31.6%).

One in four (23%) Asia Pacific businesses say they plan to increase their reliance on external partners, such as vendors or managed service providers, to help bridge this skills gap, the survey found.

SCX Corporation, the recurring-income asset management arm of SET-listed developer SC Asset Corporation, plans to invest 2 billion baht to develop a second hotel in Pattaya, and is seeking a joint venture partner for the project.

Rachod Nantakwang, chief executive of SCX, said the hotel will be developed on a leasehold plot in Pattaya city, with the company working on a high-rise tower design.

“Recurring-income assets are capital-intensive,” he said. “We plan to co-invest with partners for all projects of that type, and eventually exit by selling the asset to a real estate investment trust [REIT].”

For hotels, the optimal time for a REIT sale is after three years of operation, once occupancy reaches around 80%, while warehouses typically mature for sale within a year as occupancy fills faster, said Mr Rachod.

The new Pattaya hotel will be announced next year and is scheduled for completion between 2029 and 2030, he said.

The company’s first hotel, The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien, opened on Tuesday and is a joint venture with SET-listed contractor Syntec Construction, which holds a 55% stake, with a total investment of 1.3 billion baht. SCX holds a 45% stake.

The 161-room property is located on a beachfront leasehold plot under a 30-year contract.

The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien features a ballroom and meeting facilities, targeting 70% independent travellers and 30% corporate guests.

“The tourism market has evolved,” said Mr Rachod. “Travellers now seek unique and stylish hotels rather than traditional ones. The Standard Pattaya is enjoying over 91% occupancy on weekends through the end of the year.

“Although Chinese travellers have been slower to return, Pattaya continues to attract visitors from Europe, Malaysia and Singapore. When Chinese tourists come back, they may be fewer in number but spend more, which aligns with our target market.”

He said Phuket and Bangkok are SCX’s next target destinations, with plans for 2-3 more hotels, each with at least 200 rooms.

Projects could be greenfield and also brownfield, with developments completed faster.

The parent firm SC also holds a plot in Hua Hin, but will wait for road construction to finish before developing a hotel there. Chiang Mai, however, is not on the company’s radar.

Mr Rachod said SCX will co-invest with a partner in VOCO Bangkok Siam, a new 350-room hotel in the Siam area, with a 2.2-billion-baht investment, scheduled to open by 2029.

The hotel will be SCX’s fourth, following the 78-room YANH Ratchawat, wholly owned by SCX and opened in 2023, and the 306-room Kromo Bangkok, Curio Collection by Hilton, opened last month in a joint venture with Japanese property firm Daiwa House.

“This year, 17–18% of SC’s revenue is expected to come from SCX, faster than projected, with a 2030 target of 25% –half from hotels, half from warehouses and offices,” he said.

SCX Corporation, the recurring-income asset management arm of SET-listed developer SC Asset Corporation, plans to invest 2 billion baht to develop a second hotel in Pattaya, and is seeking a joint venture partner for the project.

Rachod Nantakwang, chief executive of SCX, said the hotel will be developed on a leasehold plot in Pattaya city, with the company working on a high-rise tower design.

“Recurring-income assets are capital-intensive,” he said. “We plan to co-invest with partners for all projects of that type, and eventually exit by selling the asset to a real estate investment trust [REIT].”

For hotels, the optimal time for a REIT sale is after three years of operation, once occupancy reaches around 80%, while warehouses typically mature for sale within a year as occupancy fills faster, said Mr Rachod.

The new Pattaya hotel will be announced next year and is scheduled for completion between 2029 and 2030, he said.

The company’s first hotel, The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien, opened on Tuesday and is a joint venture with SET-listed contractor Syntec Construction, which holds a 55% stake, with a total investment of 1.3 billion baht. SCX holds a 45% stake.

The 161-room property is located on a beachfront leasehold plot under a 30-year contract.

The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien features a ballroom and meeting facilities, targeting 70% independent travellers and 30% corporate guests.

“The tourism market has evolved,” said Mr Rachod. “Travellers now seek unique and stylish hotels rather than traditional ones. The Standard Pattaya is enjoying over 91% occupancy on weekends through the end of the year.

“Although Chinese travellers have been slower to return, Pattaya continues to attract visitors from Europe, Malaysia and Singapore. When Chinese tourists come back, they may be fewer in number but spend more, which aligns with our target market.”

He said Phuket and Bangkok are SCX’s next target destinations, with plans for 2-3 more hotels, each with at least 200 rooms.

Projects could be greenfield and also brownfield, with developments completed faster.

The parent firm SC also holds a plot in Hua Hin, but will wait for road construction to finish before developing a hotel there. Chiang Mai, however, is not on the company’s radar.

Mr Rachod said SCX will co-invest with a partner in VOCO Bangkok Siam, a new 350-room hotel in the Siam area, with a 2.2-billion-baht investment, scheduled to open by 2029.

The hotel will be SCX’s fourth, following the 78-room YANH Ratchawat, wholly owned by SCX and opened in 2023, and the 306-room Kromo Bangkok, Curio Collection by Hilton, opened last month in a joint venture with Japanese property firm Daiwa House.

“This year, 17–18% of SC’s revenue is expected to come from SCX, faster than projected, with a 2030 target of 25% –half from hotels, half from warehouses and offices,” he said.

Re: “Populism takes priority”, (BP, Oct 18).

Sadly, by choosing populism, the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) missed a major opportunity to show that it can deliver solid benefits both during its fleeting tenure and the longer term. It should have pivoted its signature Khon La Khrueng Plus cost-sharing programme to focus on productivity-increasing goods and services rather than consumption for consumption’s sake.

For instance, farmers are 30% of our labour force, yet their incomes account for only 8%-9% of our GDP. Worse, 90% of farm households have debt loads so heavy that, on average, 48% of their already meagre H/H income goes to repay debt principal and interest.

So what does BJT do but tell them, “Go on a vacation, and we’ll pay half of your hotel bills!” Worse, there’ll be zero financial multiplier effect, for nobody will hire more staff or expand production capacity for a one-shot government cash injection.

BJT should have shown its vision and creativity by learning from Lao Tze, who taught, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

For farmers, Mr Anutin should have co-paid costs of walk-behind tillers, harvest machines, or high-yielding seeds, which could show concrete gains even in one season. For those in our vital tourism industry, halving the costs of intensive language training would have empowered Thai guides to demand more for their skills and save tour firms from having to import foreign guides.

Show vision, Mr Anutin.

Burin Kantabutra

Polling can help

Re: “Parties jostle over charter rewrite path”, (Opinion, Oct 18).

Post columnist Chairith Yonpiam identifies a chronic symptom of Thailand’s dysfunctional politics. He neither identifies the disease nor offers any treatment. The disease is the usual white elephant rampaging unchecked. The treatment is to facilitate Thais knowing what their fellow Thai citizens think.

If a poll were done to discover what the nation’s voters think about, for example, whether or not chapters 1 and 2 of the latest permanent constitution are being rewritten, that would send a salutary signal to Bhumjaithai, the People’s Party, and other institutions. For some reason, no such pertinent polls are done.

Surely each and every Thai deserves to know what their fellow citizens actually think on such issues, do they not?

At the very least, a few such polls of public opinion would inform much healthier political discussion and law-making.

Felix Qui

The Thai Chamber of Commerce has proposed “Quick Big Win” measures to enhance labour management.

After a meeting with Labour Minister Treenuch Thienthong, Poj Aramwattananont, chairman of the chamber, said it has proposed six measures to address labour challenges, aiming for tangible results within four months.

The proposals include opposing amendments to the draft Labour Protection Act. He said the private sector should have an opportunity to express balanced and fair opinions for both employers and employees. Any amendment should not adversely affect national competitiveness, the investment climate or overall economic conditions.

The chamber also proposed the minimum wage adjustments should use a tripartite wage committee mechanism that considers the cost of living, production costs, labour productivity and local economic conditions to ensure fairness and balance for both employers and employees.

The ministry agreed to present this proposal to the national wage committee.

The chamber urged the government to review the foreign worker security deposit regulations by following the 2016 Ministerial Regulation on the issuance, renewal and security deposit requirements for foreign labour importation (Clause 22) to reduce cost burdens for businesses currently hiring migrant workers.

The private sector also called for labour skill enhancement by establishing a government-private-academic partnership to develop skills in line with industrial needs.

He said the chamber urged the government to establish a one-stop service centre for labour to facilitate visa and work permit processing for foreign investors and provide legal and regulatory consultations.

The centre would include agencies such as the Immigration Bureau, the Board of Investment and the Department of Foreign Trade, while also reducing costs and procedures for importing workers in labour-intensive industries.

Another proposal is establishing a joint public-private committee on labour to serve as a central mechanism to integrate labour policy proposals between the public and private sectors and achieve concrete outcomes within four months.

Mr Poj said the minister accepted all six proposals, which would be integrated with the ministry’s labour policy framework.

Ms Treenuch also endorsed the establishment of the joint public-private labour committee and directed the ministry to hold detailed talks with relevant agencies urgently.

The government intends to reduce power prices to ease the cost of living and introduce energy measures for the country’s targeted industries.

Speaking after an economic ministers’ meeting on Monday, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the talks had considered power-related measures under the Energy Ministry’s “Quick Big Win” plan. The aim is to finalise guidelines and implement methods to lower the cost of living for citizens, generate income for local communities, and prepare energy readiness for targeted industries that plan to invest in Thailand.

Such energy measures will continue from the “Khon La Khrueng Plus” co-payment scheme launched last week as part of the government’s ongoing economic stimulus efforts, which have received significant public interest.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said he had discussed with the Board of Investment the idea of introducing measures to accelerate the establishment of factories in Thailand by foreign companies receiving investment incentives, emphasising that energy supply is a crucial factor in this process.

Government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said economic ministers would propose measures to help the public save on energy costs to the cabinet meeting scheduled for Oct 28.

The government expects to push forward three energy projects to completion by the end of this year. They are the community solar cell project, the solar cell project for farmers, and the electricity purchase project from citizens’ solar cells.

Mr Siripong said the community solar cell project would help reduce electricity costs for participating citizens to 3.10 baht a unit, down from the current 4.90 baht a unit.

On the economic stimulus project set to be considered by the cabinet on Tuesday, Mr Siripong said it would be a tourism stimulus project for secondary citites. The main principle of this project is that individuals would be allowed to claim tax deductions for their travel expenses, while hotel operators would also be able to deduct renovation expenses for their hotels from their taxable income.

As for the measures to reduce the cost of living for the public in the energy sector, previous governments implemented several initiatives, such as capping the diesel price at no more than 30 baht a litre through the use of excise tax mechanisms and the Fuel Oil Fund, fixing the price of liquefied petroleum gas at 423 baht per 15-kilogramme cylinder, and reducing the electricity tariff rate per unit.

The energy measures of Mr Anutin’s administration that have already been announced include the community solar cell installation project, among others.

Earlier, Mr Ekniti said the core of this government’s economic policy is to revive the economy quickly — to be Quick, Big and Win — or in other words, “short-term recovery with long-term goals”. The aim is to enhance the capabilities of the Thai people, increase their income-generating potential, and ensure balanced economic development across the country. This forms the main framework of Mr Anutin’s economic policy that has been assigned for implementation.

The Finance Ministry will consider opening a new round of registration for the “Khon La Khrueng Plus” co-payment scheme, after the first day of registration saw all 20 million available slots filled.

Responding to growing calls for the government to increase the number of participants in the scheme, Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithaprapas said while the first phase of the programme is unlikely to be expanded due to budget constraints, the government will consider increasing the quota for the next phase, possibly in December this year.

He said approved participants must make their first purchase by Nov 11 to retain their rights, noting those who fail to spend the stimulus before the required period may see their slot reallocated to other registrants.

When asked to explain why some taxpayers will receive 2,000 baht instead of 2,400 baht, Mr Ekniti said the amount is determined based on the recipient’s latest tax filing with the Revenue Department.

The minister said more than 300,000 shops have already registered to join the programme, and additional identity checks for participating merchants have been introduced to protect against abuses and fraud.

Mr Ekniti said the government was pleased with the overwhelming response and that the Pao Tang mobile application operated smoothly despite heavy traffic.

According to figures released by Krungthai Care on its Facebook page, about 5 million people registered within the first 30 minutes of the registration opening at 6am on Monday.

Government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat later reported that more than 13 million people signed up within two hours.

By 4pm, the official website www.?????????????.com announced that all 20 million slots had been filled.

The first day of registration saw long queues outside many Krungthai Bank branches as many people sought help with identity verification, especially those who have recently changed mobile phone numbers or forgotten their passwords since the last co-payment scheme.

A 63-year-old songtaew driver identified only as Sommai said it took her half an hour to register successfully due to high traffic. She said it was a pity that the scheme does not cover fuel expenses, as it would have saved her a lot of money.

When asked if the government is planning to launch the second phase of the scheme soon, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is also the interior minister, said the government will quickly implement projects which benefit the public.

The scheme will cover orders on food delivery services from Nov 7 to Dec 31.

Delivery platform Grab on Monday announced support for the co-payment scheme, saying it will reduce commission fees for restaurants that register on Nov 3 — the first day of registration for food delivery services — to 7%.

Chantsuda Thananitayaudom, country head of Grab Thailand, said that those who register on the following days will be charged a 9% commission.

Under the co-payment scheme, welfare cardholders will receive an additional 1,700 baht on top of their existing 300-baht monthly allowance, totalling 2,000 baht.

About 9 million people outside the tax system will receive 2,000 baht each, with spending capped at 200 baht per day. Another 11 million taxpayers will be entitled to 2,400 baht each under the same conditions.

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD is asking the government to extend its EV incentive scheme to help boost the country’s sluggish automotive industry.

The request was made as the National EV Policy Committee is about to be set up under the Anutin Charnvirakul government.

The ongoing scheme, widely known as EV3.5, is aimed at propelling EV industry growth between 2024 and 2027. EV manufacturers are granted tax cuts and subsidies to import vehicles for sale in Thailand in exchange for their investment in EV assembly plants here.

“If EV3.5 comes to an end, we want to see an extension. Authorities may launch EV4.0,” said Xiao Haiping, administrative director of BYD Auto Thailand’s Office of the Group President.

BYD urged the government to introduce new measures to stimulate domestic car sales and expressed hope for continued support of Thailand’s automotive industry and supply chains.

Having the potential to be a key hub for battery electric vehicle (BEV) investment in Southeast Asia, Thailand plays a vital role in the region’s clean mobility future.

This status could be achieved if the new National EV Policy Committee continues to promote BEV production and export through its EV incentive programmes.

“Thailand’s domestic car sales declined to 572,000 units in 2024, placing the country third in Asean behind Indonesia and Malaysia,” said Mr Xiao.

However, Thailand ranks first in car production capacity within Asean, with an average output of 1 million units a year. Indonesia follows in second place, producing roughly 800,000 units a year.

According to Mr Xiao, BYD continues to pursue a price war strategy in Thailand, viewing it as essential for attracting customers and driving sales amid increasing competition in the country’s growing BEV market.

Nava Chantanasurakon, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, urged BYD to support local auto parts manufacturers as they transition from producing components for internal combustion engines to EV systems.

“Though sourcing EV parts from Thailand may be more expensive than importing from China, local companies are actively transitioning to new technologies,” he said.

“BYD can help support this shift by increasing local content to over 45%, in line with Thai government policy.”