advance may 2014

www.austchamthailand.comA MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN-THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTRALIA THAILAND BUSINESS COUNCILMay 2014

CHAMBER EvENTSBangkok Sundownersat The Sukhothai Hotel

AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS FORUMThailand as a Platform for Launching Business in Myanmar

6 2216

EMBASSY NEWS Australia, Thailand and Lao PDR Celebrate Lasting Friendship

12

BUSINESS BRIEFThailand and the ASEAN Economic Community

Recognising the Potential of Southeast Asia

in this edition

Thailand and the Southeast Asian Region

ATS specialistmortgage

ATSspecialistmortgage

ContentsPATRONHis Excellency James WiseAustralian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand

PRESIDENTLeigh Scott-KemmisLee Hecht Harrison / DBM (Thailand) Ltd

vICE PRESIDENTSM.L. Laksasubha KridakonBaan Laksasubha Resort Hua Hin

Sam McMahon NS BlueScope Steel (Thailand) Limited

TREASURERWarwick KnealeBaker Tilly Corporate Advisory Services (Thailand) Limited

DIRECTORS Shane Burt CEVA Logistics (Thailand) Ltd

Josh Hyland AEC South East Asia

Angus Kent Macquarie Securities Thailand Limited | Macquarie Group Limited

Alan Polivnick Watson, Farley & Williams

Rananda RichBlackmores Ltd

Simon ShaleVisy Packaging (Thailand) Ltd & Visy Industries

Wayne WilliamsMinor International

Charles Wrightman Natural Ville

EX-OFFICIOGreg WallisAustralian Trade Commission

HONORARY ADvISOR TO THE BOARD David Armstrong

ADvISORS TO THE BOARD Raine Grady Capital TV

Chris Larkin CLC Asia

18

22

BUSINESS BRIEFS6 Recognising the Potential of

Southeast Asia 8 Thailand and the ASEAN

Economic Community: An Overview and Expectations

10 Behind the Scenes of Thailand’s Logistics Services

EMBASSY NEWS12 Australia, Thailand and Lao PDR

Celebrate Lasting Friendship

AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS FORUM

16 Thailand as a Platform for Launching Business in Myanmar

CHAMBER EvENTS18 Fraud-Related Crisis Seminar at

Park Plaza Hotel, Soi 1820 ESB Sundowners at Centara

Grand Pratamnak22 Bangkok Sundowners at The

Sukhothai Hotel

AUSTCHAM MEMBERS24 New Members and Updates

FROM THE CHAMBER OFFICE

26 Message from the Executive Director

6

May 2014 5AustChamThailand Advance

legal constraints; we hear that it is a Thai issue only; we hear that there is no upside only downside by getting involved. This is a shame. If we do not fight for our beliefs and values, there is a risk that those beliefs and values will be undermined or even destroyed.

Let’s all do what we can by joining the network and showing that AustCham members are prepared to support what is right and what is good governance.

As Renee has covered in her mes-sage, the Chamber is hosting a con-ference covering the challenges Thailand faces in moving to the next level of economic development. The conference will also focus on how Australia can and has helped Thailand in this challenge. Very few countries have jumped over the middle income gap challenge and there is a host of material on the subject. One recurring theme is the role of commercial clus-ters in economic development.

An example in Thailand is the hospi-tality industry, where Australians have played key roles ranging from supply chain to design services. Many Thai organizations have now taken their skills and expertise outside of Thai-land and are competitive globally. This is a great case study of what can be achieved when supporting skill sets and industry clusters become rein-forcing and lead to up skilling and higher quality outputs on all fronts.

We have a lot of events over the month so a great opportunity to escape from the heat and to support your cham-ber. Enjoy.

Leigh Scott-KemmisPresident, AustCham Thailandwww.austchamthailand.com

April and May are the holiday months for Thailand. Heat levels are rising, and that combined

with the current political disruptions only further intensify the challenges for business. Slowing growth in China will also contribute to a need for vigi-lance in the rest of 2014. During these times, Thailand needs effective Gov-ernment leadership. So let’s hope a resolution to the current impasse is found quickly.

Friday 25 April was a special day for Australians and New Zealanders as we remembered the sacrifices made by so many men and women fighting to maintain the way of life and the treasured values of our countries. Freedom cannot be taken for granted and we all must alert to the risks that lurk to our way of life. AustCham’s annual trip to Hell Fire Pass is a stark reminder of what can and does happen. Next year will be 100 years since that dreadful day at Gallipoli when so many young Australians and New Zealanders were lost and the horrors of war were forever ingrained in the psych of both nations. As Anzac day in 2015 will fall on a Saturday, we expect record attendances at Hell Fire Pass. Best to book early for next year.

In the corporate world we need to constantly work on high standards of governance. It is pleasing to see that the Thai Corporate score for governance is rapidly moving up the leagues tales in the region and in the world. The Thai Institute of Directors is playing a key role in the improvement in governance. Dr Bandit’s appeal to the Australians operating in Thailand to join the anti-corruption network should be accepted by us all.

We all know that a constant subject of conversation is the level of corruption in Thailand, but we appear to be reluctant to ion in the fight to counter the decease. We hear that HO will not let us; we hear that there are

FROM THE BOARD

COORDINATORSPaul WilkinsonCooper International Engineering & Services Co., Ltd ESB Coordinator Email: [email protected]

Trevor DickIndochine Asset ManagmenetESB CoordinatorEmail: [email protected]

Harry UsherLady PiePhuket CoordinatorEmail: [email protected]

Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce20th Floor, Thai CC Tower889 South Sathorn RoadBangkok 10120Tel.: +66 2 210 0216 Fax: +66 2 675 [email protected]

For more information on individual Board Member focus please visit www.austchamthailand.com/boardmembers

Editorial CommitteeRananda Rich, Janna De Vos, Gary Woollacott

Marketing & Production Scand-Media Corp. Ltd4/41-42 Moo 3, Thanyakarn VillageRamintra Soi 14, BangkokTel.: +66 2 943-7166/8 Fax: +66 2 [email protected]

AdvertisingFinn BalslevEmail: [email protected]

Contributions to Advance magazine are welcome. Please submit content to [email protected].

Opinions expressed in Advance do not necessarily reflect the views of the Chamber.

President’s Message

6 May 2014 AustChamThailand Advance

BUSINESS BRIEF

Recognising the Potentialof Southeast Asia

• Forbes has found that nine of the 10 fastest growing mega-cities in the world are in Asia.

• McKinsey’s research also places 63% of the world’s 440 fastest emerging cities in this region – and many of these cities were previously unheard of. This growth will add a billion new consum-ers and a total purchasing power in excess of $10 trillion to the global economy.

• Asia is drawing the attention of a broad range of industries, due to its large and young workforce, which will number around 3 billion and repre-sent 52% of the global workforce. By comparison, North America, South America and Europe combined will account for only 21% of the world’s workers.

• Income levels are rising as well, result-ing in a new consumer class that is able to participate and contribute to the new economic wealth of their nations. Incomes in emerging market countries rose on average by 96% in the 10-year period to 2010 and are forecast to rise 45% further by 2016.

Gathering Economic Steam

In the shadows of China and India, the tiger economies of Southeast Asia have been flying beneath the global radar until recently and now are etching their way into the competitive global business arena.

Singapore has held a prominent role as a regional hub and gateway into Asia for dec-ades, positioning itself firmly to create an attractive launch pad for multinational firms seeking proximity to the region from a stable and commercially sophisticated base. Now, the rest of the ASEAN is quietly but unre-lentingly gathering economic steam.

Multinational corporations (MNCs) are flourishing throughout Southeast Asia, thanks to a number of opportunities and infrastructure changes, including:

By Sylvia Vorhauser-Smith

Southeast Asia has the potential to transform talent management prac-tices. This has been my primary

discovery over the course of the past year, as I researched and wrote a book about this intriguing region and its role in shap-ing fresh practices for how we engage and manage people across the global landscape.

During my remarkable research journey, I spoke with business and HR leaders across six ASEAN countries – Singa-pore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam – to gather their insights and experiences in the region. More than 50 multinational companies from a broad cross-section of industries shared how Southeast Asia is already framing new approaches to solving prob-lems such as talent scarcity. While only scratching the surface of the depth and breadth of the region, the book – Talented Southeast Asia – shares much in terms of the region’s key challenges of developing, attracting and retaining talent.

Here is a brief look at the opportunities that are knocking in Southeast Asia.

Continuous Growth in the Region

Long recognised and envied for its rich resources, today’s Southeast Asia offers continuous and strong growth, rich diversity and a vibrant workforce. For example:

• Asia has been a shining star recently, showing resilience through the global financial crisis with consistent average annual GDP growth rates in the range of 5% to 8%.

• By 2050, the world population is esti-mated to be 11.8 billion and Asia will account for 45%, or 5.3 billion people. This is an increase of 23% over the region’s population in 2013.

• Rapid urbanization: The cities of South-east Asia will support 81 million people by 2020, creating greater affluence through high workforce participation.

• Young talent: The population in the region is bucking the global trend toward demographic aging, with almost half below 30 years of age. This will pro-vide an ongoing and steady stream of talent that will grow in experience and maturity each year.

• ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) launch: Poised to launch in 2015 under a newly accelerated roadmap for imple-mentation, the AEC is designed to increase the area’s global competitive-ness. The establishment of the AEC holds significant implications for labour mobility across the region, and member nations will benefit from the removal of trade and investment barriers and increased intra-ASEAN trade. The AEC heralds a new era of enhanced trade relations within the region.

Challenges to Be Overcome

Achieving the goal of creating a collective community, as envisioned with the estab-lishment of the AEC, is a key imperative to be competitive in the Asian region. Observers note that, “If Southeast Asian countries do not operate as a bloc, some will be severely challenged in catching up with their peers across Asia.”

To be sure, the ASEAN 6 are confronted with challenges, from differences in lan-guage and culture to variability in gov-erning ideologies and physical, legal and political infrastructure. With the excep-tion of Singapore, the region has been plagued by a history of questionable busi-ness practices, corruption, cronyism and a challenging environment for foreign enterprises.

The pace of implementation remains frus-tratingly slow; although the strong com-mitment to economic and political reform


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Bangkok Patana School1/1

Note: __________________is changing both the perception and the reality of practicing business in this region. Even with the strong growth recently and an optimistic outlook, however, the South-east Asian tigers, excepting Singapore, are still very much emerging economies. For instance, World Bank estimates that, in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, more than 80% of the population lives on $5 per day or less.

While much remains to be done in the region to battle poverty, inequity, educa-tion standards, infrastructure needs and environmental protection, most multina-tional corporations recognize that their pri-mary avenues for future business growth are in Southeast Asia and other emerg-ing regions.

Emerging Talent Management for Emerging Regions

Fundamental changes in workforce demo-graphics, attitudes and expectations of work, technology advancements, and the pace of change are driving the reinvention of talent management across the world. In Southeast Asia, the challenge of talent

management is exacerbated by economic growth, adding scale and urgency to the drive for skills and experience.

A few key findings with implications for talent management in Southeast Asia, according to my research are:

• Talent competition: Local companies headquartered in Asia have adopted and adapted many best practices intro-duced by their Western competitors and are able to present a value propo-sition to potential and current employ-ees that competes favourably with the world’s leading multinationals.

• Talent free agency: Job-hopping has become synonymous with talent man-agement in the region, and many well-educated, technology-savvy pro-fessionals consider themselves to be free agents in a buoyant labour market that cannot fulfil its quota.

• Talent deficit: Most employers in South-east Asia recognize that sourcing the quality and quantity of talent they need is hard, and projections say it will get even harder. Some researchers place the talent shortfall as high as 61% on

average in the APAC region, compared to 45% in the Americas and 31% in EMEA.

• Talent engagement: Employees in the 21st century have high expectations of their workplaces, and employees in Southeast Asia are no different. Engage-ment is fast becoming the centrepiece of a comprehensive talent management strategy and is being acknowledged as the root cause behind a multitude of organizational success factors.

A global work-in-progress, new talent management ideas and approaches are already emerging and will continue to emerge. Employers must find ways to rethink, reframe and reinvigorate talent management to evolve and thrive in this emerging world.

Sylvia Vorhauser-Smith is the Senior Vice President of Research at PageUp People. She has more than 25 years of experience in corporate and entrepreneurial business environments and recently co-authored the book “Talented Southeast Asia”. For more information, please visit www.page-uppeople.com.


BUSINESS BRIEF

Thailand and the ASEAN Economic Community: An Overview and Expectations

• Human resources development and capacity building;

• Recognition of professional qualifica-tion;

• Closer consultation on macroeconomic and financial policies;

• Trade financing measures;• Enhanced infrastructure and communi-

cations connectivity;• Development of electronic transactions

through e-ASEAN;• Integrating industries across the region

to promote regional sourcing; and• Enhancing private sector involvement

for the building of the AEC.

These areas of cooperation are intended to function similar to the European Union precursor, the European Economic Com-munity, with respect to achieving regional economic integration with effective facili-

By Matthew Christensen, Kunal Bir Singh Sachdev and Thanyaluck Thong-Rompo

Thailand and Southeast Asia are currently in the process of going through substantial changes to

meet the ASEAN Economic Community (“AEC”) framework that is expected to debut at the end of 2015. The subject has been covered extensively, but questions still linger. What is the AEC? Why is there so much hype regarding it throughout the region? And will it turn the ASEAN region into something similar to the European Union? These are just some of the ques-tions we look to answer.

As the governing bodies of the Associa-tion of Southeast Asian Nations (“ASEAN”) continue their policy preparation for the emergence of the AEC, set to debut on 31 December 2015, uncertainty exists amongst both the ASEAN citizenry as well as the broader international community as to the potential implications of the AEC for businesses. Dr. Prasarn Trairatvora-kul, the Governor of the Bank of Thailand, raised similar concerns by stating that “if we ask any of the 580 million ASEAN citi-zens what they think ASEAN will become in 2015, we are likely to get 580 million dif-ferent answers”.

It is worth noting that the formulation of an ASEAN community is based on 3 pillars: (i) Political – Security Community; (ii) Eco-nomic Community; and (iii) Socio-Cultural Community.

To achieve the AEC, ASEAN has specified eight areas of cooperation with the goal of transforming ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods, services, invest-ments, skilled labor and capital. The focus areas of cooperation are:

tation for trade and investment. How-ever, though the EU serves as the most achieved model in modern history of regional cooperation, unlike their Euro-pean counterparts, the majority of ASEAN nations are still in the developmental stages. As a community, ASEAN also lacks supranational policy making bodies such as the European Central Bank or the European Commission which are at the core of regional functionality. Lacking this infrastructure, ASEAN must forge a differ-ent path towards integration.

The full implementation of the AEC will see the ASEAN region achieve four character-istics on which the regional community will be built:

(a) A single market and production base;(b) A highly competitive economic region;


BUSINESS BRIEF

(c) A region of economic development; and

(d) A region fully integrated into the global economy.

Creating a single market and production base is considered the core characteristic of the AEC, and it is certainly where most changes have happened thus far. Effec-tive implementation of the AEC will see a free flow of goods, trade, investments, capital and labor throughout the region. This is being achieved through various regional agreements such as the ASEAN Free Trade Area Agreement, the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement and Mutual Recognition Arrangements.

As a result, the movement of goods within the region will be subject to zero tariffs and will be facilitated through harmonized and standardized trade and customs proce-dures. 2015 should also see the elimina-tion of intra-regional trade restrictions and an expansion in services in order to foster free market competition. Mutual recogni-

tion of professional qualifications for engi-neers, medical practitioners, accountants and others will enable professionals to work freely throughout the region.

Looking at the bigger picture, 2015 will see the ASEAN region move towards being a region that is fully integrated into the global economy. To achieve this goal, ASEAN has negotiated several free trade agreements with China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. This is expected and thus far has been success-ful in achieving free movement of goods, trade, investments, capital and labor between ASEAN and its trade partners.

Although it is unlikely that 100 per cent of ASEAN’s goals will be reached by 2015, a large percentage of them are expected to be achieved. Concerns were raised by the Asia Development Bank as not enough has been done to ensure that ASEAN becomes a region of economic development, especially for lower devel-oped countries such as Lao PDR, Cam-

bodia and Indonesia.

How many of the characteristics of the AEC will be seen in 2015? At this stage it seems that by the end of 2015 ASEAN would have closed in on its target of creating a single market and produc-tion base. However, more cooperation is needed between the member countries to achieve the remaining goals. Rather than viewing the AEC on a pass/fail basis, it is worth taking a step back and looking at exactly what has been achieved thus far, and how the framework calls for further development and integration of the AEC. Investors and businesses would do well to prepare themselves for the AEC so that they may reap the benefits and face the challenges to come with confidence.

The authors of this article are represent-atives of DFDL, a leading international law firm specialized in emerging markets, with legal and tax expertise in countries across Asia. For more information, please visit www.dfdl.com.


BUSINESS BRIEF

Behind the Scenes of Thailand’s Logistics Services

ensure that what you see is what you get. Contracts and permits should be double checked to ensure that all legalities are transparent and the correct licenses are in place. Speaking from experience, Mr Burt said that CEVA had signed a lease on a property that did not have a building permit and have been in a legal battle with the property agency ever since.

Once warehouse location has been estab-lished, one must turn attention to human relations. Finding and retaining qualified employees can be challenging, admits Mr Burt. With staff motivation being driven primarily by remuneration, one must be prepared to offer attractive packages to attract or retain quality workers. Mr Burt adds that quality education and manage-ment skills still lack among the general workforce. Awareness and enforcements of health and safety standards is also an area that requires further attention. “But” said Mr Burt, “we have already seen some dramatic improvements, and with further training and cooperation we expect to see many more”.

Customs is another key factor for consid-eration. The Customs Department police the boarder to prevent illegal goods from entering the country and minimise stock dumping. One of the toughest challenges however is that patrolling can be incon-sistent amongst officials. As an example, Mr Burt said that an auto manufacturer had shipped a cutting machine to Thai-land with an agreed Harmonized System

By Janna De Vos

Logistics in Thailand can appear unsafe and ineffective at first glance. Overloaded trucks and motorcycles,

and un-roadworthy vehicles are common images associated with the country. In reality however, Thailand’s logistics indus-try is both sophisticated and highly effi-cient, and boasts some of the highest service standards by several world-lead-ing companies.

Speaking at the second Australian Busi-ness Forum (ABF) in Pattaya, Shane Burt, Managing Director of CEVA Logistics in Thailand, gave us a glimpse of what it takes to set high logistics standards in a developing country. Drawing on the les-sons he has learnt as a logistics provider, Mr Burt made some pertinent points about transportation, warehousing, staff, customs and selecting appropriate part-ners.

The provision of high quality transporta-tion entails routine vehicle inspections, robust driver-safety tests, and monitoring maximum carrier loads. Although Thailand has laws relating to such factors, enforce-ment is often questionable, with ultimate responsibility falling on the logistics com-pany. “You must constantly monitor pro-cedures to ensure standards are met and reputation is upheld” said Mr Burt. This includes installing GPS tracking systems, testing drivers for drug and alcohol abuse, monitoring licenses, and regularly check-ing fuel consumption.

Warehousing is also important, with loca-tion being a key consideration. One should take into account flood plains, as well as Thai Government programs which divert water away from some areas towards others, said Mr Burt. Free trade zones can also provide certain benefits depend-ing on product origin and destination.

The actual layout, design and construc-tion of warehouses is also important and adequate research must be done to

(HS) code exempt from duty. Upon inspecting the machine, Customs iden-tified a sewing component which had not been specified in the HS code, and subsequently charged the company one million Baht to clear the urgently needed machine. “The key lessons here are get your HS codes right, keep good rela-tions, and always keep calm”, said Mr Burt.

As a final point, Mr Burt highlighted the need to understand Thailand’s trading restrictions when selecting a Thai busi-ness partner. Most ASEAN countries have foreign investment negative lists, so it is important to understand the structure of the company (e.g. preferred shares, lim-ited voting rights), and know what the repercussions are should a partner fall ill or pass away, said Mr Burt. Engage a lawyer, ask questions, and make sure you understand the answers, he says.

At the end of the day, Thailand is a logisti-cally savvy country. There are already a lot of businesses here, and as the domestic and regional markets continue to expand, the need for logistics providers will con-tinue to grow. With a sound foundation of infrastructure, opportunities for the logis-tics market are plentiful, and we expect to see considerable developments in the future. For Australian companies looking to move into the region, taking on board Mr Burt’s learnings can not only save a lot of time, but may help when breaking into the Thai market.

Learning environments for the 21st Century

www.patana.ac.th |+66 (0) 2785 2200 | [email protected] | 643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105), Bangkok

“Good Facilities do more than teach, they inspire. They aspire to shape minds both inside and beyond the classroom.”

Pit Li Phan

A good school is a place where students are stimulated to learn and grow. It is a place that prepares them for life as well-

rounded, global citizens in a future world we cannot yet imagine. Facilities certainly do not make a school; it is essential however

that students learn within a setting that supports their individual educational and pastoral needs. In modern pedagogy this learning environment is known as the Third Teacher, alongside adults and other children.

At Bangkok Patana School its mission of fulfilling the potential of every student is achieved through the excellence and expertise of the school’s teachers, curriculum and extra-curricular programme. The aim is to ensure that students aged between 2 ½ and 18 years consistently receive a diverse and engaging education both in and outside the classroom. In keeping with the third teacher philosophy, the Bangkok Patana environment also plays a key role in achieving their mission; the range of facilities are specially tailored to create an atmosphere that is safe, conducive to learning and supportive of student wellbeing.

In August 2014 the school will be unveiling its renovated Year 1 and 2 facilities. This area will be given a complete upgrade to provide a setting that stimulates and encourages children’s learning and develop-ment. Designed in consultation with the teaching staff, the remodelled facilities recognise the importance of the environment on the quality of learning. The new building will incorporate more open, collaborative work spaces for group learning and creative play as well as quiet breakout spaces. Other exciting new facilities include a physical development room, wet and dry activity room, ICT labs and a one-of-a-kind rooftop garden.

The redesign will provide Primary students with more outside play space and greater access to areas designed to foster social, behavioural and problem solving skills, that inspire imaginative play and pre-

sent unique opportunities for larger scale learning. Primary Principal Clare Sharp agrees. “Research

indicates that exposing children to many experi-ences can help build up a bank of learning styles, which they can tap into depending on the activity. This is also true for buildings and the design and flow of a building can influence how we learn. We know that the children in Year 1 and 2 will benefit immensely as they move into their new learning environment, specifically designed to promote inquiry, encourage learning through doing and to develop creativity, collaboration and independence.”

Learning environments for the 21st Century

www.patana.ac.th |+66 (0) 2785 2200 | [email protected] | 643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105), Bangkok

“Good Facilities do more than teach, they inspire. They aspire to shape minds both inside and beyond the classroom.”

Pit Li Phan

A good school is a place where students are stimulated to learn and grow. It is a place that prepares them for life as well-

rounded, global citizens in a future world we cannot yet imagine. Facilities certainly do not make a school; it is essential however

that students learn within a setting that supports their individual educational and pastoral needs. In modern pedagogy this learning environment is known as the Third Teacher, alongside adults and other children.

At Bangkok Patana School its mission of fulfilling the potential of every student is achieved through the excellence and expertise of the school’s teachers, curriculum and extra-curricular programme. The aim is to ensure that students aged between 2 ½ and 18 years consistently receive a diverse and engaging education both in and outside the classroom. In keeping with the third teacher philosophy, the Bangkok Patana environment also plays a key role in achieving their mission; the range of facilities are specially tailored to create an atmosphere that is safe, conducive to learning and supportive of student wellbeing.

In August 2014 the school will be unveiling its renovated Year 1 and 2 facilities. This area will be given a complete upgrade to provide a setting that stimulates and encourages children’s learning and develop-ment. Designed in consultation with the teaching staff, the remodelled facilities recognise the importance of the environment on the quality of learning. The new building will incorporate more open, collaborative work spaces for group learning and creative play as well as quiet breakout spaces. Other exciting new facilities include a physical development room, wet and dry activity room, ICT labs and a one-of-a-kind rooftop garden.

The redesign will provide Primary students with more outside play space and greater access to areas designed to foster social, behavioural and problem solving skills, that inspire imaginative play and pre-

sent unique opportunities for larger scale learning. Primary Principal Clare Sharp agrees. “Research

indicates that exposing children to many experi-ences can help build up a bank of learning styles, which they can tap into depending on the activity. This is also true for buildings and the design and flow of a building can influence how we learn. We know that the children in Year 1 and 2 will benefit immensely as they move into their new learning environment, specifically designed to promote inquiry, encourage learning through doing and to develop creativity, collaboration and independence.”


EMBASSY NEwS

Australia, Thailand and Lao PDR Celebrate Lasting Friendship

On 8 April 1994, HM King Bhu-mibol Adulyadej of Thailand, presided over the opening of

the first ever friendship bridge between Thailand and Lao PDR across the Mekong River.

This bridge, which was built and funded by Australia, is an enduring symbol of Australia’s commitment to its neigh-bourhood and of the ties that bind the people of Thailand, Lap PDR and Aus-tralia. This bridge has cultivated friend-ship, cooperation and networks across the Mekong and beyond.

To celebrate this anniversary, HE Mr James Wise, Australian Ambassador to Thailand, HE Mr John Williams, Aus-tralian Ambassador to Lap PDR, HE

Soukan Mahalath, Mayor of Vientiane Capital, and Mr Wirat Limsuwat, Gov-ernor of Nong Khao Province, presided over four days of events in Nong Khao Province.

“As we look forward to the ASEAN Eco-nomic Community, the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge was an important early step in building of an ASEAN com-munity and remains a demonstration of what can be achieved with goodwill and well-targeted investment in infrastruc-ture”, Ambassador Wise said.

Ambassador Wise added, “Statis-tics demonstrate just how much the bridge has contributed to the eco-nomic prosperity and security of this region. In 1994, the year in which the

bridge opened, around 105,000 people crossed the bridge. Last year, almost 6 million people crossed the bridge. In 1994, total trade over the bridge was 4.8 billion Baht. Last year, total trade over the bridge was nearly 60 million Baht. The bridge has made a marvel-lous contribution to the economy and security of this region.

We Australians are very proud and very pleased to have been associated with this project and thank the organisers of the 20th anniversary celebrations for inviting Australia to participate.”

For more information, please visit www.thailand.embassy.gov.au

Exceptional people. Outstanding opportunities. Academic excellence.

www.shrewsbury.ac.th

Shrewsbury International School helps children achieve the very highest academic success and to grow into balanced, happy, confident young people ready for the challenges of life at university and beyond.

We are currently accepting applications for Year 7 and Year 12 in August 2014. A limited number of places is available in other year groups.

Call 02 675 1888 or email [email protected]

Be part of the Shrewsbury success story.



entry into a new market. In terms of cultural and social ele-ments, Thailand is a great surrogate country with many simi-larities to Myanmar. Business people in Thailand know how to deal with the unexpected; they have learnt how to handle unusual circumstances; and have come to understand how to motivate people from point A to point B. It is these skills that are invaluable for entry into Myanmar.

People in Thailand also have access to extensive regional networks. As businesses move into Myanmar, they draw on their Thai networks for support. Meinhardt, a leading multidis-ciplinary engineering and project management consultancy, for example, used its extensive network from its Bangkok office to launch business in Myanmar. Businesses also have the opportunity to tap into the networks of other Thai corpo-rations. Thai companies have been doing business in Myan-mar for many years, and the relationships that have been established are substantial.

By Janna De Vos

Since Myanmar opened its economy to foreign invest-ment, businesses from across the world have entered the market looking for new opportunities. Here in Thai-

land, access to an open Myanmar too presents plenty of new and better opportunities for business. In fact, Thailand, as a vigorous economy in the Southeast Asian region, offers a resilient platform for launching business in Myanmar.

Surprisingly, this topic has received little attention amongst business analysts and the media. As a new and mysterious player, Myanmar is often viewed as an isolated economy rather than one that is complementary to its Thai neighbour.

It is important to remember that Thailand followed a similar development trajectory thirty to forty years ago. It dealt with similar challenges, and in its development established sound foundations for business prosperity. Today, businesses that are looking to expand into Myanmar face many of the same challenges. Having experienced these before, businesses in Thailand are well placed to leverage their knowledge and resources to mitigate difficulties and ultimately reap the ben-efits of operating in Myanmar.

Speaking at the first Myanmar focused Australian Business Forum (ABF) – an initiative supported by funding from the Australian Government – John Hancock, Chairman of John W. Hancock Associates and Myanmar Investment Counsel-lor, John Anderson, Managing Director of Meinhardt Myan-mar Co, Ltd and Thomas Kean, Editor at the Myanmar Times (English Edition), shared their expert knowledge and insight about using Thailand as platform for launching business in Myanmar.

Our speakers, together with David Armstrong, moderator and Honorary Advisor to the AustCham Board, spoke of six vital points as platform criteria.

1. Good source of the right people

In business, people drive success. Finding the right people with the right background is essential to making a positive

Thailand as a Platform for Launching Business in Myanmar



2. Good source of support services and supplies

The business environment in Myanmar is continually chang-ing. Laws are constantly evolving, the internet remains costly and unreliable, and basic infrastructure is still being devel-oped. Thailand in comparison, and particularly Bangkok,

offers extensive and reliable support services and supplies. Infrastructure is highly conducive to business, extensive road networks stretch across the country, and telecommunica-tion systems are well established. The legal infrastructure is robust, and business support such as legal, accounting and tax services are readily available and of high quality. This makes Thailand an attractive place to do business, and it also makes it an attractive base for launching business in Myanmar.

3. Reasonable cost base

Compared to many countries in the region, including Myanmar, Thailand’s cost base is reasonable. Accommo-dation, food and travel are affordable and readily availa-ble. In Myanmar however, the cost of office and residential space is incredibly high and will continue to rise as demand increases ahead of the supply that will take some time to develop.

4. Proximity and Ease of Access

It is incredibly easy to get from Thailand to Myanmar. Yangon is just over one hour flight from Bangkok, and there are sev-eral flights available every day. Thailand is also the only place from which you can reach Naypyidaw directly on a two and

Good source of right people

Good source of required support services / supplies

Reasonable cost base

Proximity

Ease of access

Quality of life

Other important items: Double Tax Agreements / Investment Protection Agreements / Arbitration Enforcement

Best Criteria for a Platform

Source:

John W. Hancock Associates



a half hour flight from Bangkok. Obtaining business visas for both Myanmar and Thailand is also straight forward. For these reasons, it is incredibly easy to commute between the two countries.

5. Quality of life

Many people who live in Thailand would agree that the qual-ity of life here is exceptional. The quality and availability of food, accommodation, health care, transportation, sports and leisure, travel, culture and entertainment, and social activities is excellent. Bangkok, in particular, offers an abun-dance of entertainment and life-style facilities. It also houses some of the best international schools in the region: a good location for families of those regularly commuting to Myan-mar. As the speakers agreed, Thailand has everything to attract businesses to use it as a platform to launch busi-ness in Myanmar.

6. Other important items

In addition to all of the above, there are a number of other benefits in using Thailand as a platform to launch business

in Myanmar. There is a double tax agreement and an invest-ment protection agreement between Thailand and Myanmar that offer incentives. Both Myanmar and Thailand are parties to the New York Convention, are amongst the very few par-ties to the Geneva Protocol and Convention on the recogni-tion and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards which has potential to be leveraged for enforcing an arbitration held in Thailand.

In each of the six criteria listed above, Thailand scores highly. It is also more appealing than other regional coun-tries, such as Singapore and Malaysia that could also be considered potential platforms. It is therefore fair to say that Thailand is currently the best platform for launching busi-ness in Myanmar.

As Myanmar develops however, this situation is likely to change. We hope and imagine people in Myanmar will con-tinue to learn new skills and develop local networks which will strengthen support services and supplies, reduce living and operating costs and improve quality of life. As these factors change, it is likely that Thailand will become a partner rather than a platform for doing business in Myanmar.


CHAMBER EVENTS

Every year, thousands of busi-nesses fall victim to fraudulent activity. Using company money

for personal gain, falsifying documents and signatures, tampering with busi-ness accounts, and leaking information to competitors are just some examples of fraudulent activity that can make organisations suffer. Many of these acts go unnoticed for long periods of time. When the cat is out of the bag, however, such activity can lead to huge organisa-tional crises.

Learning how to detect, prevent and manage fraud and fraud-related crises is essential and will help you save a great deal of time and money in the long term.

On Thursday 27 March, AustCham wel-comed members to a special seminar on fraud-related crises at the Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18 Hotel. In this interac-tive seminar, Jeremie Duthel and Charlie Warren, Senior Consultants from Con-trol Risks, addressed what fraud-related crises are, how they can be detected and why and how they should be man-aged.

Alan Polivnick, Partner in the Interna-tional Litigation Group of Watson, Farley and Williams, complemented the pres-entation by providing a legal perspective on crisis management, focusing partic-ularly on Thailand’s legal and regulatory infrastructure.

According to Control Risks, crises are “extraordinary events that require extraordinary effort and commitment to resolve them positively”. In other words, crisis management is much more than simply bringing in external legal counsel and hoping a team of public relations experts will manage communications and help minimise detrimental impacts

Jeremie, Charlie and Alan explained that effective crisis management involves

both pre-incident preparation and post-incident managements. This entails focusing on the long term recovery of the business, developing specialist skills in the crisis management team, instilling response processes that enable analy-sis and scenario planning, and ensuring that assumptions and qualified facts are clearly defined.

It also involves understanding the legal environments in which your company operates and the jurisdictions that are applicable to your company and employees. Always being prepared and

having corrective and remedial action plans in place help to prevent a crisis.

The seminar was followed by a poolside cocktail reception, hosted by the Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18 Hotel. Guests were greeted with a delicious welcome cocktail and were treated to a won-derful selection of canapés. We would like to extend a very special thank you to Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18 for their exceptional hospitality. We would also like to thank our three presenters, Jer-emie, Charlie and Alan, for engaging our members in their superb seminar.

Fraud-Related Crisis Seminarthursday 27 March at Park Plaza hotel, soi 18

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CHAMBER EVENTS

ESB SundownersFriday, 21 March at Centara Grand Phratamnak

Eastern Seaboard Sundowners was held in conjunction with the American, British and German Chambers of Commerce in Thailand. The event was held on the Rooftop of Centara Grand Phratamnak Pattaya at the beautiful Ruffino Outdoor Sunset Terrace. The evening was very well managed and guests enjoyed themselves. We would like to thank our catering and venue sponsor, Centara Grand Phatamnak Pattaya team for their delicious cuisine, spectacular venue and professional services. We would also like to extend our thanks to Central Food Retail Company limited for their marvelous wine. Lastly, Thank you all for supporting and attending the event, it would have been impossible without all of you.

Over the past decades, modern infrastructure, efficient logistics, integrated supply lines and a world class port in Laem Chabang have transformed Thailand into the world’s 9th largest automotive producer, as well as a significant player in leading industries.

With its 25-year experience, Hemaraj Land And Devel-opment Plc. – Thailand’s leading developer of Industrial Estates, Utilities, Power and Property Solutions – is in a strategic position to contribute to the country’s industrial expansion and economic growth.

Hemaraj has been particularly instrumental in the devel-opment of Thailand’s automotive cluster. Five original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) representing seven auto-motive brands – Ford, Mazda, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Suzuki and MG - are among its key customers, accounting for 25% of Thailand’s automotive production.

“The Thailand Board of Investment offers attractive incen-tives for auto manufacturers, including the Eco-car Policy which is now on its second phase. Today, Thailand’s produc-tion is in balance with one-ton pickups and passenger cars. With over 50% of its production exported, this solidifies Thailand’s position as the world’s number 8 automotive pro-ducer,” said David Nardone, President & CEO of Hemaraj.

Today, Hemaraj comprises seven industrial estates in strate-gic locations, with a combined land area of over 41,313 rai or 6,610 hectares. This represents USD 26 Billion in investments from all over the world, and the creation of rewarding and pro-ductive jobs for over 120,000 Thai people. Besides the Auto-motive sector, Hemaraj’s industrial estates provide facilities and services to other industrial clusters such as Petrochemi-cal, Steel & Metal, Power and Electronics.

For more information on Hemaraj, visit www.hemaraj.com

THAILAND: A Globally-connected Industrial HubIndustrial Estate News

AustCham Bronze Corporate Sponsor: AURECON

AustCham Bronze Corporate Sponsor: HEMARAj LAND AND DEVELOPMENT

COR_Advert_2014-03-25_Australian Chamber of Commerce in Thailand.indd 1 3/28/2014 9:48:57 AM


Bangkok Sundowners

CHAMBER EVENTS

Wednesday 2 April 2014 at the sukhothai hotel

On Wednesday 2 April, AustCham hosted its third Bangkok Sundowners networking event of 2014 at The Sukhothai Hotel in Bangkok. Situated in the buzzing heart of the city, the hotel combines traditional refinement with immaculate contemporary style. The event was a great success, with a lot of professional people attending to network with like-minded business professionals including, but not limited to, Australian business leaders. On behalf AustCham Thailand, we would like to thank all members and friends who attended the Sundowners. We would also like to thank our Corporate Sponsors, Wall Street English, for their support in holding the event. Finally, a big thank you to The Sukhothai Hotel, our Venue Sponsors for the evening, for their wonderful hospitality. We look forward to seeing you all again on Wednesday 7 May 2014 at Mode Sathorn Hotel, Bangkok.

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CHAMBER EVENTSCHAMBER EVENTS

1) Renee Bowman, AustCham Executive Director; HE Mr James Wise, Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand; Santisuk Vuttara, The Sukhothai Hotel; David Cramond, Wall Street English. 2) Pitak Thasoon, The Sukhothai Hotel; Alan Render, Gilt Edge International; Pakakrong Promloi, St Regis Bangkok; Marc Spiegel, Vinarco International. 3) Olivia Park, TICON Industrial Connection; Shane Burt, CEVA Logistics, AustCham Director; Russell Pang, CEVA Logistics, Apinya Worarach; Arthit Meemaitree, Wall Street English. 4) Gary Woollacott, Opus Recruitment; Sam McMahon, NS BlueScope, AustCham Vice President; Jacquine Page; Kit Whalley, Interval International Singapore. 5) Satita Nantasrirat, Qube Consulting; Sisi Kochakorn, Meinhardt; Sammy Yousefi, Thailia Andrews, Qube Consulting. 6) Michael Berger, Antares Group; Nannapat Sriwalai, Grant Thornton; Issraporn Narin; Francis Goh, Microsoft Singapore; Karen Hochhauser, APM Group. 7) Wall Street English Team. 8) Matt Bartlett, Wall Street English; Nicole Eisenschenk, Wall Street English. 9) Kris Krishnakan,H&E Co.Ltd; Apichaya Prawantao, Unilever Thai Trading; Kritsanapong, Royal Thai Army. 10) Graham Storah, L-TAG Technologies; Maytaporn Moungluang, Parker Bridge Recruitment

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tive coaching, assessment, accredited programmes and other necessary behav-ioural change elements to achieve the purpose.

Change of Representatives

- Mr Ian Khoo, Director is a new repre-sentative of ClasG (Thailand) Limited

- Mr David Ames, Country Manager-Thailand is a new representative of Linfox Thailand

- Mr Richard Malpeli, Vice President - Business Development is a new repre-sentative of Parker Bridge Recruitment Co., Ltd

- Mr Jason Simpson, General Manager is a new representative of Ove Arup (Thailand) Ltd.

Change of Company name

- Grand Mercure Fortune Bangkok change company name to Grand Mer-cure Bangkok Fortune

- Natural Ville & Lenotre change com-pany name to Natural Ville

Change of Company Address

Primaweld Consultants (Thailand) Ltd

V.P. Capital Assets Co.Ltd.10/95-97 6th floor., The Trendy building,Sukhumvit Road Soi 13 Klongtoey-Nua, WattanaBangkok 10110

C&C industries P/L42-44 Doyle Ave, Unanderra,New South Wales, Australia 2526Phone: +61242725344Email: [email protected]: www.ccindustries.com.au

Representative:Mr John Koenig, General Manager

Company Profile:C & C Industries is an Electro-Mechani-cal engineering and manufacturing com-pany located in the industrial and mining region of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1984 by Mr Colin Koenig, C & C Industries specialises in the following:

• Design and Manufacture of Koenigs Visual Isolators

• Manufacture of GrafLube self lubricat-ing bearings and wearslides

• CNC machining and turning• water Jet Profile cutting

Our main customer base is the heavy industrial and mining sectors, supplying to a large number of customers throughout Australia.

With the use of CNC machining technol-ogy and waterjet profile cutting capabili-ties, our team of highly skilled engineers and tradesmen ensure products are man-ufactured to the highest quality and toler-ance. With over 100 years of combined expertise in this field, C & C Industries prides itself on the quality of workmanship and ability to deliver on time.

If your application is ‘out of the ordinary’, then we can custom design a solution to conform to your requirements.

AUSTCHAM MEMBERS AND UPDATES

AustCham Welcomes new MembersProducts and Services: - Enclosures- KOENIGS Visual Isolators- Grafelube Bearings and Wear Slides

t+b solutions Co LtdNo 3081/16, Suite 211-212, 2nd Floor Piyarom Centre, Sukhumvit RoadBangjak, Pra KhanongBangkok 10260Phone: +662 743 7417-9Fax: +662 361 7119Website: www.tandbsolutions.com

Primary Representative:Mr Peter Bull, CEO

Company Profile: t+b solutions engineers solutions for cus-tomers that result in organisational perfor-mance improvement. Together with our partners we support clients across the globe.

We believe that an investment in learning and organisational development is no dif-ferent to any other investment; as such, it should have a payback period and an ROI. We believe that learning and organi-sational development are not ‘feel good’ actions but rather good business practice that results in a long-lived company.

We focus on the purpose rather than the process. Purpose is what an individual or organisation is trying to achieve as a result of their investment in learning and organi-sational development.

Products and Services: We offer engineering solutions, develop-ing and executing training plans, execu-

Buy a Return Business Class ticket to Australia and obtain a FREE Bangkok Airways ticket on your return.

Conditions – These include:

• Qantas Bangkok to Australia – ticket must be issued between 01 – 15 May 2014.• For departure before 30 June 2014.

• Ticket must be perchased at Qantas office located at 21th Floor Charn Issara Tower 1 Rama IV. • Bangkok Airways FREE Return ticket available for Bangkok to Krabi, Phuket and Chiangmai.

• Other conditons apply

Please contact us at 02 632 6611 for more detail.

AustCham Member offer: Special Qantas Promotion

TAKEN

*Price is for green fee, caddy fee, golf cart, quality Fenix Golf event shirt & cap, evening meal and beer.

All proceeds will go The Sri Sangwal School which is part of The Foundation for the Welfare for the Crippled in Thailand.

Burapha Golf Club is easily accessible from Bangkok, Pattaya and Rayong areas.

Designed by award winning designers David Graham and Gary Panks, is in a pleasant setting and recognised as one of Thailand’s great courses.

To view the course web site see http://buraphagolfthailand.com/

For a map and driving instructions click here http://buraphagolfthailand.com/location.htm

To register for the event, do so on line on the Austcham site by clicking here

We are limiting the number of players to 144. Please book now to avoid disappointment.

For more information email [email protected] or contact any of our committee members shown below.

Mike Moir +6681 908 2243 : David Mills +6683 019 4772 : Kevin Lloyd +6681 375 3064 : Kititeb Jintaworn +66818372343

Friday, 6th June 2014

Location - Burapha Golf Club, Beung, Sriracha, Chonburi 20230, Thailand.Time - Registration from 1000H shotgun start at 1230H.Format - 4 ball Texas Scramble - Flights determined by gross score.Fee - 16,000* Baht per team of 4 or 4,000 Baht per player. No increase on last year’s price!

Help us by sponsoring our event - see sponsorship benefits below

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SPONSOR

CAP SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

HOLE SPONSOR

PRIZE DONOR

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To confirm sponsorship, send mail to [email protected] or contact any of committee members.

We hope to see you there

Charity Golf day 2014

TAKEN

The 13th Volvo Truck & Bus Thailand Convoy for Kids Charity Golf Event

Proudly supported by

Volvo Truck & Bus (Thailand)

VOLVO

Other sponsorships welcome


tunities in infrastructural and green tech-nology developments.

Do we need a dynamic adjustment, not only within the public sector but across pri-vate industries as well to achieve this? With the environment constantly changing, not to mention the full formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), many will be concerned about how Thailand will fare in the international arena. Businesses can take advantage of new and changing cir-cumstances and conditions and adopt regionalised rather than localised strat-egies. We can also take learnings from countries such as Korea, Japan and Sin-gapore who embraced innovation, edu-cation, research and technology, allowing them to become high-income economies.

Whether you are a business owner or operator, a government official, or have a genuine interest in ensuring that Thai-land embraces the concept of being an innovative economy, this is an event not to be missed. This conference will inspire action, encourage businesses to be vibrant and visionary, and promote inno-vation and creative thinking. It will pro-vide information on what challenges and opportunities may need to be considered – and what tools and experience are avail-able to drive success – so that businesses here are able to survive, and thrive, in a highly competitive global market.

This is just one of our many events occurring in May and June. Given our busy calendar, AustCham has decided to host our ‘Grand Ball’ on 15 Novem-ber this year. Many of you will remem-ber how successful the 2013 BlueScope Ball was and we hope to deliver an even bigger and better event in November. Sponsorships opportunities still exist so please approach me for further details.

I look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events!

Warm Regards,

Renee BowmanExecutive Director, AustCham Thailandwww.austchamthailand.com

The middle-income trap phenomenon describes a country that has moved from being an undeveloped low-income

country but lacks the necessary innovation, education, economic vigour and technological advancements to progress to a high-income economy. This concept has significant repercussions for business, and although government policy changes are indeed needed, the private sector also has immense power to influence economic prosperity.

On 25 June 2014, AustCham, in conjunction with the Australian Embassy Bangkok, will host a conference to explore the implications of Thailand being caught in a middle income trap. Titled ‘Enabling Prosperity: moving beyond the middle income trap’, this event will take place in Bangkok.

As many of you know, Thailand has very low unemployment levels with shortages of skilled and unskilled labour across many sectors. With demand already exceeding supply, low cost labour will be unsustaina-ble, especially when competing against rapid economic prosperity in neighbouring coun-tries. As wages reach equality, foreign work-ers will naturally gravitate back to their home country.

There are many opportunities for education and training in Thailand to be developed to meet market needs. In an increasingly global market, there is greater demand for skills in information technology, communication, English language, problem solving and lead-ership. Although the Thai government exer-cises control over the education system, the private sector is well positioned to drive train-ing needs and develop human capital as a means to help launch Thailand to a high-income economy.

There is no doubt that the private sector continues to grow strongly, however with the majority of new businesses being small and medium-sized enterprises, there is a risk of under-investment in research and devel-opment, resulting in lower than desirable levels of innovation. Within the workplace, businesses can benefit from out-of-the-box entrepreneurial thinking, increase their level of investment in R&D, and maximise oppor-

FROM THE CHAMBER OFFICE

Calendar of Events

THURSDAY 1 MAYAustCham Office closed

MONDAY 5 MAYAustCham Office closed

WEDNESDAY 7 MAYBriefing on Thailand’s Private Sector Collective Action Coalition Against CorruptionTime: 17:00-17:30Venue: Mode Sathorn Hotel

Bangkok SundownersTime: 18:00-21:00 Venue: Mode Sathorn Hotel Corporate Sponsor: Baker Tilly Thailand Limited

TUESDAY 13 MAY AustCham office closed

THURSDAY 15 MAYBKK ABFTime: 12.00-14.00Venue: TBC

WEDNESDAY 21 MAYESB ABFTime: 16:30-20:30Venue: TBC

Message from the Executive Director

Sponsorship opportunities are currently available for the conference in june. Businesses can also showcase their products via trade booths at the conference. Please email Renee at [email protected] for more information.

thank you to our April sponsors

International School BangkokA leader in education and education technology

since 1951.

www.isb.ac.th

advance may 2014

Documents

challenges thailand

business briefs6

asean economic community

thai organizations

thai issue

embassy news australia

chamber office26 message

level of economic development