informa june 2013
DESCRIPTION
The magazine of the Thai Italian Chamber of Commerce. "Automotive and Machinery Industry in Thailand"TRANSCRIPT
A BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF THAI – ITALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
JUNE 2013
Automotive and Machinery Industry in Thailand
An Italian Niche Market
“La Felicità è Donare”
International Legal Counsellors Thailand Ltd. 18th Floor, Sathorn City Tower
175 South Sathorn Road Tungmahamek, Sathorn
Bangkok 10120, THAILAND Tel. (66 2) 679-6005, Fax. (66 2) 679-6041
www.ilct.co.th e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
PRESIDENTMr. Giacomo Mauri – River of East-West Harmony Co., Ltd.Tel: +66 81 814 5160Email: [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENTSMs. Tiziana Sucharitkul – Tilleke & Gibbins International Ltd.Tel: +66 2 653 5555 Fax: +66 2 653 5678Email: [email protected]
Mr. Paolo Tavolato – TMF (Thailand) Ltd.Tel: +66 2 613 4900 Fax: +66 2 613 4999Email: [email protected]
HONORARY TREASURERMr. Chakrit Benedetti - Italasia Electro Co., Ltd.Tel: +66 2 261 7990-9 Fax: +66 2 261 8700E-mail: [email protected]
DIRECTORSFr. Giovanni Contarin – Camillian HospitalTel: +66 2 185 1444 Fax: +66 2 185 1403Email: [email protected]
Mr. Sawang Pracharktam – Thai Optical Group Plc.Tel: +66 2 440 0506-8 Fax: +66 2 440 0509Email: [email protected]
Mr. Yongyudh Teeravithayapinyo – Jewelry Network Co., Ltd.Tel: +66 2 610 9378-9 Fax: +66 2 610 9379Email: [email protected]
Mr. Rene Okanovic – Berli Jucker Public Co., Ltd.Tel: +66 2 367 1092 Fax: +66 2 381 4541E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Mr. Pierre Nicou – Eurofood – The Commercial Company of Siam Ltd.Tel: +66 2 261 0245 Fax: +66 2 261 0243Email: [email protected]
Mr. Luca Vianelli – MDA Consulting SEA Co., Ltd.Tel: +66 2 652 2447 Fax: +66 2 652 2448Email: [email protected]
Mr. Romeo Romei – Quick Pack Pacific Co., Ltd.Tel: +66 2 367 1092 Fax: +66 2 531 6425Email: [email protected]
Mr. Federico Cardini – F. Infinity Chalon Co., Ltd.Tel: +66 2 207 8614 Fax: +66 2 207 2626Email: [email protected]
Dr. Francesco Pensato – WorldPharma Co., Ltd.Tel: +66 7 6 263 923 Fax: +66 7 6 367 153Email: [email protected]
Mr. Andrea Gallucci – DIGITHAI Software Group Co., Ltd. Tel: +66 2 610 3925 Email: [email protected]
Mr. Sandro Zanello – Savino Del Bene (Thailand) Ltd.Tel: +66 2 714 3700-3 Fax: +66 2 714 3515Email: [email protected]
SECRETARY GENERAL Mr. Giovanni QuaratesiThai-Italian Chamber of Commerce.1126/2 Vanit Building II, Room 1601B16th Floor, New Petchburi Rd., Makkasan, Rajdhevee, BangkokTel: +66 2 253 9909, +66 2 255 8695 Fax: +66 2 253 9896E-mail: [email protected]
The Informa is the magazine of the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce, covering all business activities and social news of interest to the members of the Thai-Italian community and others active in the expanding Thai-Italian bilateral relations. EDITOR: Thai-Italian Chamber of CommerceTel: +66 2 255 8695 Fax: +66 2 253 9896E-mail: [email protected]
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: Thai-Italian Chamber of CommerceChairman: Mr. Sandro Zanello Directors: Mr. Giacomo Mauri Mr. Sawang Pracharktham
Secretary General: Mr. Giovanni QuaratesiItalian Embassy Representative: Ms. Somsri PobpipugtraItalian Trade Commission Representative: Mr. Vincenzo Calì Dante Alighieri Association Representative: Mr. Alessandro UrsicScand-Media Representative: Mr. Gregers MollerTICC Staff: Ms. Supat Kuanpradit Marketing Executive Mr. Marco Del Sie Fellowship/Researcher Mr. Enrico Boccato Fellowship/Researcher Ms. Tiffany Ma Journalist/English Editor
PUBLISHER:Scand-Media Corp., Ltd. 211 Soi Prasert-Manukitch, Prasert-Manukitch Road, Chorakaebua, Ladprao, Bangkok 10230 Tel: +66 2 943 7166-8 Fax: +66 2 943 7169Design: Disraporn Yatprom / Email: [email protected]
ADVERTISING CONTACT:
Ms. Supat Kuanpradit Marketing ExecutiveThai-Italian Chamber of CommerceTel: +66 2 255 8695 Ext: 103 Fax: +66 2 253 9896E-mail: [email protected] www.thaitch.org
Mr. Finn Balslev, Marketing Director Scand-Media Corp., Ltd.Tel: +66 2 943 7166 Ext: 116 Fax: +66 2 943 7169 Mobile: +66 81 866 2577Email: [email protected] - www.scandmedia.com
Giacomo MauriPresidentThai-Italian Chamber of Commerce
President's MessageThai-Italian Chamber of Commerce
Dear Members,
This issue of Informa magazine is the first issue where I have the honor of addressing you as new president of the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC), on behalf of the new TICC Board of Directors as well as my own.
Let me start by acknowledging the tremendous work done by our past president, Lino Geretto, and his Board of Directors. It was hard work and true dedication that lead to their achievements, such as a TICC membership increase from about 120 to over 160 members during their two year tenure. Also critically important was their development of new initiatives and services to generate new revenue for TICC, as needed to offset greatly reduced Italian government funding in face of severe economic difficulties in Italy. Thank you, Lino, and thank you all, Board Members! Your act will be a tough one to follow.
The new TICC Board – that fortunately include several experienced members from the past Board-- will strive to make further progress toward meeting the needs and expectations of all of you, our members. We will keep clear in mind that our organization’s mission is to provide members with services and initiatives that facilitate Italian business operations in Thailand, Thai business interests in Italy and trade between Italy and Thailand.
The present number of Informa is entirely focused on automotive products and industrial machinery, two very different business sectors. High-performance, “sexy” automotive products from Italy --like Ferrari and Lamborghini cars and Ducati motorcycles– enjoy high visibility and appreciation in Thailand.
Industrial machinery from Italy --such as tile kilns, wood/metal-working machines, and mechanical equipment, e.g., the products handled by Italmec Siam - does not enjoy the same degree of public visibility, but is highly valued by Thai industrial managers and represents a major share of Thai imports from Italy. Also important to Thai industry are local components manufacturers with Italian roots, e.g., Cover Asia, a dye producer for ceramics and Quick Pack Pacific, a packaging materials company.
I hope you will find this Informa issue to be informative and entertaining.
Arrivederci.
Giacomo Mauri
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Contents
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2013 – 2015 TICC Board of Directors
TICC News2013 Annual General Meeting
Automotive and Machinery Industry in ThailandAn Overview of the great market for Italian-made mechines
Italian Machinaries: from Trento to ThailandExclusive interview with Mr. Federico Cellini, Managing Director
of Italmec Siam
Legal IssueSecuring Loans by Mortgage or Pledge Over Machines
and Equipment
European – ASEAN Business Centre in Thailand (EABC)The Thailand – Free Trade Area (FTA) – A partnership for growth
Dante Alighieri Association Meet the New Dante Alighieri President
Business Opportunity2013 THAIFEX World Food of Asia
The Embassy of Italy2013 Italian National Day Reception
TICC EventsOspitalita’ Italiana – Phuket Award Ceremony
TICC Events
Members Area
TICC Fairs & Upcoming Events
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2013-2015 Board of Directors of the T
PresidentMr. Giacomo Mauri
River of East-West Harmony Co., Ltd.
Vice PresidentMs. Tiziana Sucharitkul
Tilleke & Gibbins International Ltd.
Honorary TreasurerMr. Chakrit BenedettiItalasia Electro Co., Ltd.
DirectorFr. Giovanni Contarin
Camillian Hospital
DirectorMr. Rene Okanovic
Berli Jucker Plc. / Thai-Scandic steel Co., Ltd
DirectorDr. Sawang Pracharktam
Thai Optical Group Plc.
DirectorMr. Andrea Gallucci
DIGITHAI Software Group Co., Ltd.
DirectorMr. Federico CardiniF. Infinity Chalon Co., Ltd.
DirectorDr. Francesco Pensato
WorldPharma Co., Ltd.
DirectorMr. Pierre Nicou
EUROFOOD /The Commercial Company of Siam Ltd.
DirectorMr. Luca Vianelli
MDA Consulting S.E.A. Co., Ltd.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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In order to widen the scope of services offered to its members, TICC has established two regional Committees dedicated to member companies located outside Bangkok.
In view of the positive results achieved in the first year of operation by the Phuket and Southern Region Committee and its Chairman Mr. Francesco Pensato, the TICC Board of Directors has recently appointed
Mr. Salvatore Parisi as Committee Vice Chairman with specific responsibility for Phuket where an increasing number of companies are becoming TICC members.
Also the TICC Board of Directors has recently decided to establish a second regional Committee For the Eastern Seaboard and has appointed Mr.Carlo Filippo Ciambrelli as Chairman of this Committee, in order to better meet the needs of the growing number of TICC members that are located in this area.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
e Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce
Vice PresidentMr. Paolo Tavolato
TMF (Thailand) Ltd.
DirectorMr. Yongyudh Teeravithayapinyo
Jewelry Network Co., Ltd.
DirectorMr. Sandro Zanello
Savino Del Bene (Thailand) Ltd.
DirectorMr. Romeo Romei
Quick Pack Pacific Co., Ltd.
The Board of Directors has elected Mr. Giacomo Mauri as new President, and Mr. Paolo Tavolato and Mrs. Tiziana Sucharitkul as Vice-Presidents of the Thai Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC)
for the 2013--2015 term.
Mr. Giacomo Mauri, former Vice President of TICC and former President of the Dante Alighieri Association in Thailand, has been active as a real estate investor in the U.S.A and Thailand for over 20 years. His prior corporate career as an executive for Exxon Corporation, a multinational oil company, spanned over 30 years, spent mainly in the USA, Japan, and Thailand. Mr. Mauri's extensive professional background and interests will be a definite asset for TICC.
Mrs. Tiziana Sucharitkul, Partner and Managing Director of Tilleke & Gibbins -- a prominent international law firm -- and Mr. Paolo Tavolato, Managing Director of TMF Thailand -- a global accounting, payroll and legal services company -- will work together with the President, the BoD and the TICC staff to foster business involving Thailand and Italy.
Phuket and Southern Region of Thailand Committee and Eastern Seaboard Committee
Mr. Salvatore Parisi Mr. Carlo Filippo CiambrelliDr. Francesco Pensato
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2013 Annual General Meeting
On March 20, 2013, TICC organized the 2013 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Conservatory, Swissotel Nai Lert Park. TICC would like to thank all members, distinguished guests and partners for their generous participation and for making the 2013 AGM a
memorable event.
TICC NEWS
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BUSINESS FOCUS
MARCO DAL SIE is a graduate in International Busi-ness at Copenhagen Business School. With an international background and a bachelor degree obtained at Bocconi
University in Milan, he loves to travel and he has recently ended his exchange semester at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. He is currently working at the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce trying to get the most from his culturally enriching time in Asia. He has a deep passion for aviation and would love to work in the Airline Industry in the future.
With a positive business climate and a fast growing economy, Thailand has created a fertile soil for many industries operating in the region. Among them, the Machinery and the Automotive Industries have turned out to be some of the most successful realities in the country.
By Marco Del Sie
A fast growing domestic demand, a competi-tive workforce, an investor friendly environ-
ment, great infrastructures and an excellent institutional support are all factors that have boosted Thai companies operating in the Auto-motive and Machinery industries and that have increased foreign investment in the country. Thailand is nowadays confirming its role of regional hub in Southeast Asia for the above-mentioned sectors and forecasts for the future appear extremely positive.
Automotive IndustryIn 2011 Thailand became the 15th largest automobile producer in the world; a significant result for a country that nowadays is shipping automotive products to more than 170 coun-tries around the globe. Many companies have found Thailand the perfect location for their expansion and the Asiatic country can now boast 14 carmak-ers, 7 motorcycle assemblers and over 1700 auto parts suppliers. The automotive industry represents 12% of the GDP and the country is already highly competitive and technologi-cally advanced especially in the production of pickup trucks, motorcycles, passenger’s cars, SUVs, vans and busses. Asia represents the major market for Thai-made automotive products with 32% of exports directed towards the Far East and with Japan being the first destination. Given the close proximity, Japan constitutes
also the first foreign country investing in the automotive industry in Thailand. Almost every Japanese carmaker has manufacturing facilities in the country but Japanese investments do not represent an isolated case as huge investments are coming also for the US and Europe with Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and BMW already operating in the country. Thailand has now the ambitious target of becoming a top-10 automotive manufacturer by 2017. In November 2012 the country has reached the production of 2 million vehicles making its goal of 3 million units not far from becoming reality.
Machinery IndustryThailand’s machinery industry is another successful reality currently employing over 400,000 people and including more than 50,000 enterprises. Machinery and parts are among the top 5 five most imported goods representing a gold mine for international com-panies willing to invest in the Asiatic country. Thailand position as an export hub in Southeast Asia makes companies able to take advantage from the high growth of its neighbor-ing countries; this, together with the rapid de-velopment and greater integration among the ASEAN members has led to a significant rise in both imports and exports of Thai machinery and parts. Given its abundant agricultural resources, agricultural machinery represents a big part of the market. Besides them, the manufacturing and trade of industrial machinery is increasing its importance with both imports and exports
registering high growth. First position is held by printing machinery, refrigerating & freezing equipment, and air or vacuum pumps, gas compressors and fans, representing the main products traded over the past years. Finally, with over 10,000 food-processing companies operating in Thailand, a noteworthy growth is also coming from food processing and packaging machinery, a slice of the mar-ket that is gaining great importance within the country. Several different Italian-owned companies are operating in Thailand within the machinery industry highlighting the great opportunities this sector can offer also to Italian firms. Frigel for instance, headquartered in Florence and leader around the world in plastic process cooling, is an example of success operating in Thailand since 2011. Thailand-Italy Commercial TradeWhile imports have decreased during the past years, the overall level of exports from Italy to Thailand has registered great growths with an increase equal to 22% between 2011 and 2012. Machinery represents the biggest percent-age of exports with general-purpose machinery and other special-purpose machinery ranking respectively first and second among the main exported products (see table below). Exports of other general-purpose machinery and of metal forming machinery and machine tools occupy position four and seven. Exports have increased rapidly over the last decade and opportunities for Italian firms operating in the considered sector are definitely significant. As for imports, other general-purpose machinery is holding position number two among the most imported items from Thailand; motor vehicles instead detain position number eight. For both products however 2012 has registered a considerable drop as it can be seen in the table.
Automotive and Machinery Industry in Thailand
Exports/Imports in thousands of euro Source: ICE Bangkok
Product Exports from Italy to Thailand
2009 2010 2011 2012
General-purpose machinery 119.357 140.42 141.685 222.445
Other special-purpose machinery 96.75 88.942 143.469 187.237
Other general-purpose machinery 64.239 82.387 115.465 130.586
Metal forming machinery and machine tools 19.114 31.705 24.963 41.53
Product Imports from Thailand to Italy
2009 2010 2011 2012
Other general-purpose machinery 83.15 136.642 138.074 97.09
Motor vehicles 49.078 74.932 61.257 37.521
An overview of the great market for Italian-made machines
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INTERVIEW
Mr. Cellini shares his thoughts on Italian Entrepreneurship and conducting busi-
ness in Thailand.
First of all, could you please provide us with some information on your background? And the Italmec Siam’s?I moved to Singapore when I was 19 years old. In fact, that move to Asia 20 years ago actually was the real key for me. From that experience, I understood that Asia was go-ing to be “the Future”. And, at that time in Italy, no one was even thinking about Asia nor expecting Asian economies to grow to what it is at present levels. Our company has established presence in more than 30 Countries worldwide; at the moment we are strengthening our pres-ence in Asia and the Middle East, through subsidiaries and agents.
We understand that you are also very active within the Italian Chamber of Commerce communities, yes?Yes, I am actually the Vice-President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. And, also an active member of the Italian Chamber of Commerce, here in Thailand.
When and why did you decide to invest in Thailand?I moved here 2 years ago. One of the main reasons is that I’ve always wanted to explore Thailand. Thailand has very strong potential – here, we are able to find a strong mechani-cal culture, knowledge, and infrastructure. Companies such as Mercedes, Toyota, and Mitsubishi have all already considered Thai-land to be a “tier one” supplier. This is due to the fact that Thailand’s knowledge of tech-nicality runs parallel to that of Germany’s.
In this industry, Thailand does provide for a just as competitive, and if not, better market. Many people don’t understand that middle class is the real engine that drives the economy; and here, in Thailand, the middle class is booming. This situation reminds me of Italy in the 70s and 80s, with consumption soaring thanks to growing incomes. There is enormous potential in Thailand that many foreign entrepreneurs are not yet aware of.
What is the significance of Thailand in your business? For me, Thailand represents one of the most important markets and one of the mains that we will focus on. In my opinion, Thailand will be the hub for the Indo-China Region, especially for Vietnam. This is the reason why
we brought our offices here, to remain close to the core of our business.
What is your future plan in this Country? As for the future, we will continue to rein-force our presence in Thailand. My goal is to build a strong infrastructure of highly motivated and skilled people to complement our business.
What are your thoughts on the dif-ficulties that companies experience when trying to hire skilled profession-als in Thailand?Well, I must admit that, especially at the beginning, it may not be so easy to find the people you need. However, in time, you will slowly build a team of hardworking people. A staff that is diligent, technically inclined, and possesses good knowledge. Italian companies have to learn to adapt to a different culture, both mentally and theoreti-cally. Learning how to do business globally is a fundamental basic to understanding the mentality of local people. For example, I have noticed that in Thailand, people are not used to conversing loudly or using ag-gressive attitudes – two characteristics that we most commonly find prevalent in Italian business approaches.
In your opinion, are Italian firms able to compete in this market?We have brilliant people and we should be absolutely proud of our companies. Italians are highly inventive and very hard working – especially the new and future generations; they are willing to go above and beyond. Despite this fact, there are still some industries that need additional guidance. For example, some SMEs in the Italian mechanics industries may not speak English and may not have the knowledge to internationalize. But, given the right help and guidance, their unbelievable technologies could prove to be extremely competitive.
Having spoken with several Italian entrepreneurs, I’ve noticed that many are still emphasizing business in Chi-na. What are your thoughts on this?The train for China left 10 years ago. Thai-land is the place to be. If you are looking to the future and are planning to build a company for the new generation, you have to look at this part of the world.
Italian Machinery: from Trento to Thailand
By Enrico Boccato
Exclusive interview with Mr. Federico Cellini, Managing Director of Italmec Siam
TICC Secretary General, Giovanni Quaratesi, had the pleasure to interview with Mr. Federico Cellini, the Managing Director of Italmec Siam co., Ltd. Italmec Siam is part of the DALMEC group, headquartered in Cles (Trento) and Turin, with products known worldwide for their reliability and versatility. The company specializing in Industrial handling products has been based out of Bangkok since 2011.
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INTERVIEW
In that case, what would you recom-mend to an Italian entrepreneur who is looking to expand his business in Asia?I would definitely advise the entrepreneurs to not wait any further. They should start developing in Thailand immediately. Take the first flight, start the company, know the market, and know the people. There are many companies in Italy struggling, whereas here, the market is booming.
The European Union has just launched negotiations for a new free trade agreement between Europe and Thailand, to be completed in 2015. Therefore, companies will soon be able to produce in Thailand and sell both to ASEAN countries and Italy. What are your thoughts on this?Italy should take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Not only should we focus on Tourism and Italian food & beverages, but also we should focus on the machinery indus-try. The largest share in trade between Italy
and Thailand is machinery. However, the knowledge of Italians making machineries is very minimal. Italians have great strength in this area. We just have to prove it by gaining the trust of Asian people and their market here. Trust in Asia is very important, once you can prove yourself to be a good business partner, confidence will be restored.
To end this interview, what do you think about Thailand?I definitely have a strong love for Thailand; and, for many reasons. Amongst all the Asian countries I have traveled to, Thailand stood out to be the one that I felt most close in culture with. Unfortunately, I don’t spend much time here because I have to attend to business in other regions. But if I could, and had the choice to, I would choose to spend more time here. In alliance with DALMEC needs, I hope to dedicate more of my per-sonal time in this beautiful country.
ENRICO BOCCATO is a master degree student in International Management at Cà Foscari University of Venice and has obtained a bachelor degree in Market-ing from the same Univer-
sity. He is currently working at the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce as intern. He speaks Italian, English and French. He likes to travel and explore new cultures. Music and Cinema are his greatest passions.
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LEGAL ISSUE
Manufacturers or producers in Thailand require machines and equipment and,
more importantly, funds for their operations in addition to manpower. To finance such machines and equipment and purchases to raise funds, operators would typically mortgage them to the bank for loans. Why is mortgage or pledge important? A secured creditor under the Bankruptcy Act means a creditor who has a right over the property of the debtor in relation to a mortgage, a pledge, a right of retention or a preferential right to recover debt out of the debtor’s property before other unsecured creditors. A mortgage in Thai law is to solve the prob-lem where the owner of property needs funds and the property at the same time. To enable the owner to use the property whilst capitalizing on the property value, a mortgage agreement was established under Section 702 of the Civil and Commercial Code (the Code) whereby the mortgagor registers or “marks” his property to another person called the mortgagee as secu-rity for a debt without delivery of property. The property that can be mortgaged is restricted to immovable property. However, paragraph 2
of Section 703 of the Code provides that, if duly registered, the following movable property can be mortgaged:(1) boats with an unladen weight of 5 tonnes
or more;(2) rafts;(3) draught animals; and(4) certain movable property specified by law
as registrable for the purpose of mortgage.
This fourth type of property is what we will focus on in this article. Under Section 5 of the Machine Registration Act B.E.1 2514 (1971) (the Act), a machine2 that has its ownership
registered under the Act can be mortgaged under Section 703 (4) of the Code and Sec-tions 1299 to 13012 of the Code shall apply mutatis mutandis. A manufacturer and owner who wishes to mortgage his machines must therefore register them with the Central Office (or Provincial Office) for Machine Registration under the Act first by submitting inter alia an application form for machine registration, the applicant’s registration documents, in rela-tion to a company, identity documents of the authorised signatory(ies), a power of attorney (if applicable), a list of machines to be regis-tered indicating the number and price , a map showing the location of the plant or building where the machines are situated, the machine installation plan, the relevant licences and permits, a letter of consent of the owner of the property in the case of premises belonging to others, photos and evidence of ownership of the machines. The registration process includes a 5 days public notice before registration. If no objection is raised in this time, the applicant may pay the registration fee (not exceeding 500 Baht per machine exceeding 100,000 Baht, up to 10,000 Baht per plant) plus 100
Securing Loans by Mortgage or Pledge Over Machines and Equipment
Source: Italmec Siam
1 Buddhist Era, 543 years before the Common Era.2 A machine, under Section 3 of this Act, means “a piece of equipment having several parts which uses any one or a combination of hydropower, steam, fuel, wind, gas, electricity or
other power to produce energy, change or convert energy, or transmit energy, and includes flywheels, pulleys, belts, shafts, gears or other interrelated equipment.”
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3 The provisions of these sections are in relation to the requirements that transactions relating to the property must be in writing and registered with the official and that the right over the property, if not registered, shall not be enforceable against any third party who acquired such right in good faith, for value, and has registered such right in good faith.
4 Supreme Court Decision Nos. 2448/2551 (2008) and 5603/2554 (2011)
International Legal Counsellors Thailand Ltd.175 Sathorn City Tower, 18th FloorThungmahamek, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120Tel: 02-679-6005 Fax: 02-679-6041Mrs. Varangkana Suwanjutha; Email: [email protected]. Nantika Tipayamontri; Email: [email protected]. Jade Sallakanonta; Email: [email protected]
or machines to the pledgee, the transaction is still common, in particularly amongst commer-cial banks. In practice, the machines that are pledged are those used in the pledgor’s production line and is not practicable to deliver the machines to the bank (pledgee) pursuant to the intention of Section 747 of the Code. Thus, in order to avoid any legal dispute regarding the validity of the pledge, the lending bank (and pledgee) and the borrower (pledgor) agrees to appoint a third party as a “custodian” of the machines, instead of actually delivering the machines to the pledge. Such third party may be a director of the pledgor or any third party, whereby, there is no physical delivery of the machines to the pledgee. In any case, past Court precedents con-cluded that if the intention of entering into this type of custodian agreement is to enable the debtor (pledgor) to benefit from the pledged property, then it shall be regarded that the pledgee allows the pledged property to return to the possession of the pledgor, which results in the termination of the pledge pursuant to
Section 769(2) of the Code.4 Thus, although the exercise of the pledge is feasible and may be applied as a vehicle to use machines as assets, and used as collateral for indebtedness against the bank, which is more practicable and less time consuming compared to the registration of machinery mortgage, but if in fact, there was no physi-cal delivery of the machines, whereby the right of possession is still with the pledgor, dispute may arise and affecting the rights of the lending bank in enforcing the pledge. This is because the intention of the law is that the right of possession of the pledged property must be physically delivered to the pledgee. Otherwise, if the pledgor is still entitled to benefit from the pledged property, then it is considered that the pledged property is returned to the pledgor, whereby terminating the pledge and the rights of the pledgee to enforce the pledge.
SummaryMortgage and pledge of machinery has entirely different legal effect, i.e., the right of possession/ right of ownership, rights and pref-erential rights upon the machinery. As illustrated above, the pledge of machinery is more simple and less time consuming, as no registration of pledge is required, and therefore, not neces-sary to first register the machinery, which takes time. However, this type of transaction may raise disputes regarding the physical delivery of the machines to the pledgee, which in practice is not, or may not be done. On the other hand, for machinery mort-gage, the Central Office for Machinery Regis-tration has designated rules and principles for the registration of machinery mortgage. The machineries must first be registered and must be the types specified in the Ministerial Regulations in order to be eligible for mortgage registration. Rights of the parties in a machinery mortgage transaction is protected by the clarity of the documentation and procedures, type of legal agreement, which must be in the form required by law. Thus, the execution of the transaction and procedures is clearly designated, not merely the interpretation of the legal provisions as in a pledge transaction.
Baht for every registration mark, up to 1,000 Baht per plant. The Central Office or Provincial Office for Machine Registration will issue a Machine Registration Certificate to the owner of the machine(s) on its compliance with all requirements. To enforce a mortgage, the creditor is obliged under Section 728 of the Code to file a complaint with the court to seize the mortgaged property and sell it by auction. The foregoing can only take place after the creditor has given notice with an indication of a reasonable period of time for which the debtor shall pay the debt, and the debtor has failed to do so. Another means of securing debt with machines without registration is the pledge of machines. The significant action required under Section 747 of the Code is that the property, or the machine must be delivered to another person (the pledgee) to secure the debt. The right of possession upon the machine must be transferred to the pledgee. Although disputes arise regarding the execution of this type of transaction, i.e., actual delivery of the property
LEGAL ISSUE
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EABC
Bangkok, 15 May 2013 – The European business community in Thailand, through the European - ASEAN Business Centre (EABC), the quasi European Chamber of Commerce, today announced its strong support for the Thai-land - EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) process. The benefits of the FTA include direct economic gains as well as a range of significant social and developmental benefits that will advance Thailand to a higher level of national prosper-ity. The EABC encouraged both parties in the negotiations to move forward without delay in order to maximise Thailand’s benefits from a finalised agreement. The economic benefits for Thailand from a Thailand - EU FTA have been clearly articulated by the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), which published results of models that showed Thailand always achieved significantly higher GDP growth with the FTA versus if it opted out of the agreement. Further a recent study found that in the short term, EU imports from Thailand will grow 6.7% or, 950 million EUR in a year. According to another study prepared for the board of trade, additional Thai GDP growth could reach 0.56%. “The EABC represents the full range of European businesses operating in the Kingdom and we are committed to fostering growth and prosperity in Thailand,” said Rolf-Dieter Daniel, President of the EABC. “I would like to make it clear that we are very much a part of the local economy and that a peaceful, productive and prosperous Thailand is vital to the success of European companies operating here. Further, we have actively developed and published in-depth policy and regulatory recommendations based on our experience and in consultation with the government. We believe that the Thailand - EU FTA will create a true partnership for growth by facilitating trade, encouraging greater EU investments in key elements of Thailand’s service sector and driving technology and knowledge transfer that will benefit Thailand and its people.” The FTA reduces barriers to increased EU investment in Thailand’s service sector, which is a critical requirement for the country to advance to the next level of economic development. Unfortunately Thailand’s service sector has been underperforming due to low labour productivity and a lack of investment. For example, manufacturing accounts for just 21% of the labour force but generates 41% of the GDP, while services account for 41% of the labour force and generates 50% of the GDP.1 By encouraging greater EU engagement with service industries in Thailand, with concurrent knowledge transfers, the FTA can help address the labour productivity issue and grow this sector. This will have a positive impact on the wider economy because the service sector is also critical for the efficient production and
distribution of goods. The EABC highlighted the point that the FTA, rather than creating a new trade relation-ship, is reinforcing a well-established and profitable relationship for Thailand. Data from EUROSTAT show that the EU is Thailand’s third largest trading partner, and Thailand is the EU’s 3rd largest trading partner in ASEAN. The EU is also the largest investor in ASEAN.2 Further, for many years the balance of trade has been in Thailand’s favour.3 The FTA will create greater opportunities for Thai goods and services to enter the European market. “An argument that is raised against the FTA is that Thailand is not ready to compete against the EU. We do not accept this position for several reasons. In the first place the FTA facilitates joint economic development through fair trade and investment – not a winner-take-all model of competition. Two, the Thai economy has shown itself to be highly resilient, based, as it is, on a mix of manufacturing, services and agriculture. Thus, Thailand is ready to benefit from the increased market access provided by the FTA. Three, the current FTA negotiations are not taking place in a vacuum and Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam are already engaged in similar negotiations. If Thailand does not advance this process it risks being left at a disadvantage vis-à-vis its neighbours” continued Mr. Daniel.
The Thailand - EU FTA will also create a virtuous cycle in which the Thai economy will become an increasingly attractive place for businesses to invest and operate as well as being more globally competitive. By encour-aging regulatory changes related to business operations and foreign investment, the country can attract greater inflows of capital investment, which in turn will lead to technology and skills transfers that will boost the potential of domestic enterprises. “We believe that by entering this partnership for growth via the Thailand-EU FTA, Thailand will enhance its economic competitive-ness and secure its prosperity for decades to come. As the EABC’s members are intimately linked to the long-term success of Thailand, we are very pleased to see the Royal Thai Govern-ment moving forward with the FTA negotiations in a transparent and visionary manner and we will do all that we can to help ensure that the FTA process will be concluded swiftly and in a mutually beneficial way,” concluded Mr. Daniel.
The Thailand - Free Trade Area (FTA)A partnership for growth
1 “Middle Income Trap and the Thai Service Sector”, TDRI, February 2013
2 http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/regions/asean/
3 European Commission 2013
17
DANTE ALIGHIERI ASSOCIATION
Meet the New Dante Alighieri PresidentExclusive interview with Alessandro Ursic
He also notes, “At the same time, thanks to the many Italian businesses with interests here, there is a steady flow of Italian workers who are not necessarily out of university”. In the past, La Dante has cooperated closely with the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC) to share information and organize activities. In fact, La Dante uses a small office space at TICC. Ursic definitely plans to continue to seek their cooperation. While the Italian community in Bangkok is getting younger, the roots of the La Dante As-sociation in Thailand go back a long way to the late 1800’s when King Chulalongkorn invited a number of Italian artists and architects to work in the Kingdom. Their contribution to Thailand in terms of monumental construction and works of art is extensive and impressive. Not only are Italians responsible for a number of landmark buildings in Bangkok, but the nation’s premier art school Silpakorn University was founded by an Italian. In 1911 a group of these early Italian expats founded a chapter of La Dante here in Thailand. One hundred years later, La Dante Alighieri Society Bangkok is once again going strong as part of a worldwide organi-zation whose goal is to promote the study of Italian language and culture. Membership is open to all nationalities and most events are conducted in Italian and English. “One of my goals is to offer a broader range of cultural activities involving Italian art, music, movies, and to make our group a refer-ence point among the Italian community here, and also for the growing foreign population. Also, there are more and more Thais who want to study or travel to Italy, whether to tour our historic cities and beautiful countryside or enjoy world-famous Italian gastronomical specialties”, noted Ursic. “In addition we will keep offering
both group and private language courses for adults, and we plan to resume our language courses for children, which were discontinued over the past few years. And, in the future I do not rule out expanding our services to other areas in Thailand with strong Italian presence, such as Phuket”. All of these ambitious projects and other plans have been the subject of long discussions by the new thirteen-member Dante Committee that usually meets in the evening once a month at Café Buongiorno in Thong Lor FiftyFive. For-tunately the energetic new committee consists of members with diverse backgrounds: artists, Thai-Italian speakers, business people and educators. With the Songkran holiday over, the Committee has planned a number of interesting events for May and April including a dinner with music and poetry, an architectural tour of Bangkok to see important buildings built by Italians and an interview with the sister of a slain Italian photographer". Other plans include making Café Buongiorno the venue for some regular monthly La Dante get-together events. The challenge in running La Dante, accord-ing to Ursic, comes in trying to operate an organization that does not have an office with staff or even an operator to answer the phone. Unlike other foreign cultural organizations in Bangkok that are supported by government funds, La Dante only operates using the pro-ceeds from language classes and the surplus from organized events. Despite these obstacles, Ursic believes that there is strong future for La Dante because when it comes to art, culture and cuisine there seems to be an ongoing love affair between Thailand and Italy. Fortunately, La Dante has an energetic President who wants to see this relationship continue to prosper in exciting new ways.
A free-lance journalist who has lived in Thailand since 2008, Ursic first be-
came involved with the organization when he started teaching Italian language courses. Subsequently, he joined the Dante Committee and became actively involved in the society’s educational, cultural and social activities. When long-time President Giacomo Mauri stepped down last March, Ursic hesitantly agreed to take the helm. As a journalist who travels frequently in the region and a writer for publications such as La Stampa and ANSA, he had serious concerns about how much time he could devote to La Dante. After being elected, he finally agreed on the condition that by rely-ing on internet communications and the support of an active committee, he could manage to take on this volunteer position and still keep up with his demanding career. “My predecessor Giacomo Mauri worked hard to make La Dante organization much more structured; he put a lot of personal effort into ensuring that our activities were well organized, interesting and successful. He even cooked a pesto alla Genovese at his apartment at the conclusion of one of our cultural trips,” says the new President. While Ursic probably won’t be cooking pasta for La Dante members anytime soon, he does plan to stir up the pot by attracting a younger membership. He notes, “In Italy, where youth unemployment is dramatic, and many talented young people just can’t find a professional path that suits them, more and more of my generation are seeking work overseas”, he says. Ursic is meeting these new arrivals to Thailand and believes that La Dante can serve as a place for them to gain more contact with the local Italian community and network.
“The Italian community in Bangkok is definitely getting younger, thanks to the fact that Thailand offers a dynamic environment for dedicated people to emerge and grow,” says Alessandro Ursic, the new, thirty-something year-old President of Dante Alighieri Bangkok.
By Jane Puranananda
18
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
2013 THAIFEX World Food of Asia
recognizable for its shape, colour, aroma, taste
and healthful properties, obtained thanks to the
warm volcanic soils around Mount Vesuvius
and years of farmers’ expertise.
Although the Thai market is relatively
unexploited, it has high business potential for
export and internationalization of the Italian
food companies. Thailand is one of the best
performing Countries in the ASEAN area con-
cerning food trade. Italian food export reached
65,8 million Euro in 2012 (+42,3%), gaining
the second place among the most dynamic
exporting Countries in the Food&Beverage
sector. Food consumption, especially regarding
foreign food, is also growing at a fast pace in
Thailand, thanks to the rising trend of pro capita
earnings and consumers habit to eat out.
With these premises, it is no surprise that
more and more Italian companies are willing
to enter the Thai market with their products,
and this interest is mutual, saw that the Italian
Pavilion had been one of the most successful
of the 2013 THAIFEX edition.
This year, organized under the theme of
“Savor the best in Asia”, has seen for the
first time the participation of an official Italian
pavilion, with the aim of bringing the top
Made in Italy food products to the attention of
all economic players in South East Asia. The
Italian Pavilion - located in Hall2, aisles GG-
HH - was organized by Anuga and Cibus,
the two leading food trade fairs in Europe,
Federalimentare and Fiere di Parma together
with ICE and Koelnmesse.
Visitors at the Italian Pavilion, whether they
were local visitors, buyers, importers or trade
operators, had the opportunity to taste some
of the finest examples of Italian products, like
the Mozzarella di Bufala, a fresh spun cheese
produced only with Italian Water-Buffalo milk,
a very savoury and digestible milk. Mozzarella
di Bufala is the only mozzarella in the market to
have been awarded PDO (Protected Designa-
tion of Origin) by the European Union. All PDO
products are subject to a set of traditional codi-
fied rules within the framework of a detailed
production procedure, ranging from zone of
production and production techniques, to label-
ling and marketing rules. The Mozzarella was
brought at THAIFEX by the Consorzio di tutela
della Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, an as-
sociation of more than 300 enterprises born in
1981. The Consorzio is the sole organization
appointed by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural
to protect, survey and promote this cheese.
Another notable example of Mediterranean
Italian product PDO certified, Pomodoro S.
Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino, was
present as well. It is a unique variety of tomato,
THAIFEX World Food of Asia 2013, held at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center in Bangkok from May 22 to 26, celebrated this year its 10th edition. The most influential Food&Beverage industry event has grown in size and content in this milestone edition, showcased products from over 1300 exhibitors from 36 different Countries.
19
THE EMBASSY OF ITALY
In the occasion of the Italian National Day, H.E. Michelangelo Pipan, Ambassador of
Italy to Thailand and his gracious wife, Laila welcomed guests on May 31, 2013 at the ball-room of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok. The event commenced with the Anthem of both countries, followed by the welcome and celebration speech by the Ambassador. All guests truly enjoyed the great Italian cuisine as well as the fascinating ambiance.
2013 Italian National Day Reception
20
TICC EVENTS
On April 25, the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC) organized the
OSPITALITA’ ITALIANA Phuket Award Ceremony, the first event of this kind in Phuket.
The format of the evening was a seated dinner for 70 selected participants between Thai and Foreigner food lovers and professionals from F&B sector.
The venue was the beautiful Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort in Karon Beach, in a room facing the magnificent garden.
During the evening the guests had the rare opportunity to taste in the same occasion dishes prepared by five of the finest Italian restaurants in Phuket:• Acqua• Da Maurizio• Da Vinci• Maggie & Mario’s• Salvatore
Each dish was carefully matched with S.Pellegrino water and Italian wines from IWS. The event ended with the award ceremony, where the 5 chefs received the OSPITALITA’ ITALIANA golden plate sent directly to Thailand from the Italian Government, from the hands of the representatives from TICC and Project Sponsors (Auricchio and S.Pellegrino).
During the evening Francesco Pensato, TICC director and Phuket Committee Chairman, also addressed a speech to the guests and the chefs, thanking them for their participation and for their support to the Italian food culture in Thailand.
Other Italian restaurants are waiting for their award by the OSPITALITA’ ITALIANA 2013, not only in Bangkok but also in Pattaya. The Thai Italian Chamber will organize a major event in Bangkok with all the awarded chefs, cooking together for their guest. To have more information about this showcases of the Italian Food Culture in Thailand just contact us or look on our website www.thaitch.org and Facebook page.
TICC would like again to thank all the sponsors for their contribution, which made this evening possible: Auricchio, S.Pellegrino, Quick Pack Pacific, Simpson Marine, Pluto Ice Cream Independent Wine and Spirits, Sino Pacific, World Pharma, Oceanic Management and Tecnocasa.
TICC will start soon again with a new edition of OSPITALITA’ ITALIANA 2013/2014, if you would like to join the project please contact us.
OSPITALITA’ ITALIANA - Phuket Award C
21
d CeremonyTICC EVENTS
22
TICC EVENTS
Joint Chambers Breakfast Talk
During March 27-28, 2013, TICC was present at the World-
wide Symposium on Geographical indications organized by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Orga-nization) at the Centara Grand at CentralWorld. We would like to thank DIP and EABC for the orga-nization and AroyItaly, Italasia and KCG Kim Chua Group for their support of the event and for doing such great job promoting everyday authentic Italian food and beverage products in the Land of Smiles.
Understanding and Controlling Employee Turnover in Thailand: how to motivate your employees.
The Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce organized a Joint Chambers Breakfast Talk on “Under-standing and Controlling Employee Turnover in Thailand: how to motivate your employees.” at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel on Tuesday the 7th of May 2013. More than 80 participants from over 70 companies attended the seminar.
Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications
23
TICC EVENTS
Joint Chambers Luncheon with H.E. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
Annual Corporate Bowling Tournament 2013
On March 27, the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce
with the support of TICC and other Chambers organized a joint chambers luncheon with the H.E Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The event was held at The Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit and it focused on foreign investment in Thailand and on the Kingdom’s strategy towards the ASEAN liberalization in 2015.
The Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce, FTCC and GTCC organized the Corporate
Bowling Tournament 2013 at the Blu-O Rhythm & Bowl, Esplanade Ratchada on 7 May 2013. It was a great success with 20 teams competing for the title. The event was not only enjoyable, but also provides a networking opportunity to all participants.
24
MEMBERS AREA
Welcome New Members
MARGAUX CONSULTING CO., LTD.
Ms. Paphatya Poonpratin Manager Assistant
10/97 The Trendy Building 6th Floor, Sukhumvit Soi 13, Klongtoey-Nue, Wattana, Bangkok 10330 Phone: 02-646-2511 Fax: 02-168-7744E-mail: [email protected]: www.margaux.co.th
Company Background Food and Beverage imports, distribution and consulting Products & Services - Wine and Spirits.- Water and Non-Alcoholic Beverages.- Fine Foods.- Wine and Food Equipment.- Food and Beverage Consulting. Facts & Figures Year Established: 2011Registered Capital: 2,000,000 BahtAnnual Turnover: 20,000,000 Baht Total Employees: 7 Employees
MATHER & PLATT (ASIA) LTD.
Mr. Frank BerryChairman
101/1 Rama 3 Road, Bangkorlam, Bangkok 10120Phone: 0-2291-9558Fax: 0-2291-6634E-mail: [email protected]: www.mp-engineering.co.uk
Company Background Mather & Platt (Asia) Ltd. is based in Bangkok as a sales and service centre for M&P Engineer-ing products and are also able to offer a full range of packaging equipment with support and services. The Asia Office has over the past 15 years proved very successful in supporting our exist-ing customers all over Asia. Customers in Australia, Bangladesh, Indo-nesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines,
Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand have wel-comed the local support.
Products & Services Mather & Platt (Asia) Ltd. import a wide range of machinery to meet the customer requirements and provide after-sales service support. Machines supplied are from specialist manufactures that are renowned for quality and reliability.
Our ranges of equipment are as follows:- Rotary Solids & Liquid Filling Machines- Capping Machines- In Line & Rotary Labelers- Cartoning Machines- Shrink Wrapping and Wrap-Around Case
Packer- Corn and Vegetable Preparation & Processing- Rotary Cookers and Coolers- Pharmaceutical Equipment
Facts & Figures Year Established: 1998Registered Capital:2,000,000.00 BahtAnnual Turnover: 50,000,000.00 BahtTotal Employees: 10
PER ASIA CO., LTD.
Mr. Giuseppe Antonio ManciniManaging Director
29/1, Room No. 15 G, 15th Floor, Piya Place Langsuan Building (Building B), Soi Langsuan, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini,Pathumwan, BANGKOK 10330 Thailand Phone: 02-254-4105Fax: 02-254-4104E-mail: [email protected]: www.per-x.com
Company Background Established in June 2007, per s.p.a. is an acronym for Professional Engineering Restora-tion. It is the first Italian-owned company for global risk management, started by a team of managers coming from different experiences in different experiences in different multinational company of the field. per s.p.a. puts out a challenge to the resto-ration and repair world basing on two condi-tions: technical skills and global approach to the risk management.
2008 per s.p.a. contracts for assistance services with the main insurance companies, players of the real estate and of the industrial industry. Since the division attending to the services managed on the Net has started, it counts on a heavy presence on the national territory and on the internal know how. The professional restoration techniques and methodologies operate on grand-scale also in the management of frequent damages repair service, with a remarkable saving as far as regarding the good and the concerned organization safeguard (one among these is a nondestructive loss research).
2009In spite of the difficult economic and financial situation of the nation, per s.p.a. wins the chal-lenge, making a name also in other business section connected with the damage manage-ment, thanks to the flexibility and versatility of the offered solutions and to the attention to new service development.
2010Staring from the analysis of the insurance indus-try and the consulting engineers demands, the company division dealing with the purchase, the reorganization and the sale of assets and merchandise involved in an accident is expanded: per Outlet. The following spin off marks out the birth of the company per s.p.a., which today is leader of different companies of different areas. It is ambiguous to become a global company in supplying innovative services. The expected results to this new chal-lenge will follow soon.
2011In January, 2011 per Consulting is instituted: it is a consulting company born to get support the enterprises, the insurance companies, the area brokers, the agent and the insurance adjusters as far as regards the damage prevention, the emergency planning and the management of the risk. In February it is per Real Estate’s turn, the management and all the engineer team with the usual enthusiasm and initiative keeps on dedicating to its own partners as a dynamic group and an ideal interlocutor for new projects and collaborations. per Damages, per Consulting, per Outlet, per Real Estate, per Logistics are the group prin-cipal companies: all of them have in common the strong attention to how the market evolves and to client’s demand, in order to anticipate the detected necessities through an innovative service offer.
2013Per Asia established in February 2013, the market studies were taking since early 2012. The business started with consulting services to loss adjusters and insurance companies.
25
MEMBERS AREA
The goal is to expand the market throughout ASEAN.
Products & Services Per Asia guarantee high standards in the execution of operations and in the range of the services offer through a partnership with selected providers and collaborations with spe-cialized companies and research laboratories for Private damages and Company damagesWhen damages to structures and contents oc-cur, Per Asia operates to recover goods and what has been involved in order to make them available and functional again in respect of the correct security measures. All these operations are called “recovery”.T o complete this specific activity and to-gether with it, Per Asia carries on activities of planning, repair and construction in real estate, industrial and private housing estate field, of-fering the client a 360
o service.
The company organization structure is centralized and operated through a computer-ized system that coordinates the local offices I each region. This capillary presence on the national territory guarantees the intervention to be prompt and a constant presence of the project managers who follows the operations and select the local providers.
Facts & Figures Year Established: February 2013Registered Capital: 1,200,000 THB
THE CONTINENT HOTEL BANGKOK (ASSET LIFESTYLE CO., LTD)
Mr. Zaki BazGeneral Manager
413 Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Phone: 02 686 7000Fax: 02 686 7007E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.thecontinenthotel.com www.thecontinenthoteldining.com
Company Background The Continent Hotel, Bangkok is an absorbing and expressive business, leisure and lifestyle hotel. Endowed with an unbeatable address at the intersection of Sukhumvit and Asoke roads it is positioned right in the heart of Sukhumvit between Soi 21 and Soi 23. Within walk-ing distance is the BTS Asoke sky train, MRT Sukhumvit station, international shopping des-
tinations like Terminal 21, Robinson and more. The thrilling nightlife entertainment area and tourist attractions are close by. Every aspect of The Continent Hotel’s design and décor is stylish and sophisticated, from the front entrance wrought iron canopy and the lobby’s art décor chandeliers to the plush room carpeting, mo-torized louvered bathroom blinds, and spiral staircase connecting the 38th and 39th floors of Axis and Spin, the sky entertainment bar. One of the greatest city view high-rise hotels in Bangkok, The Continent Hotel offers 153 guestrooms which are designed in four differ-ent themes called Ocean, Forest, Desert and Space. All rooms and suites are well appointed and present a lifestyle of comfort and conve-nience with sophisticated in-room amenities. Additional facilities include innovative bars, a lofty restaurant, a meeting space, a sky gym with city view and an elevated swimming pool.
Products & Services Hotel, Sky bar, Italian restaurant, Swimming pool, gymFacts & Figures Year Established: 2012Total Employees: 117
THE THAI SILK CO., LTD.
V NathamethikulManaging Director
Steve M BenharCorporate Counsel
96 Soi Puengmee 29, Sukhumvit 93 Road, Bangkok 10260Phone: 66 (0) 2762 2600Fax: 66 (0) 2762 2609E-mail:[email protected]: www.jimthompson.com
Company Background Jim Thompson and a group of his Thai friends founded The Thai Silk Company in 1951 pri-marily to give Thai people employment and, in doing so, bring the village craft of Thai silk hand weaving to international attention and appreciation. The scope of the Company’s activities has broadened considerably over the past 50 years. What was initially a small Bangkok retailer of Thai silk fabrics now has a brand name and enjoys a reputation that is known and respected worldwide. The Jim Thompson Company employs 2,800 people and has wholly-owned subsid-iary companies in Singapore, Malaysia, USA and Germany. We operate a total of forty-six
Jim Thompson retail shops and six restaurants. Jim Thompson opened a restaurant in De-cember 2008 at Minden Road, Singapore. The latest edition of the prestigious Miele Guide 2011/2012 recognized our Singapore res-taurant as the best Thai restaurant in Singapore and one of Asia’s finest. Jim Thompson is a fully integrated textile company with mulberry plantations, silkworm egg and cocoon production, silk reeling (filature), yarn spinning, hank-spray and cone dyeing, chenille and fancy yarn spinning; han-dloom, electronic jacquard and velvet machine weaving; flat, rotary and digital inkjet printing and the finishing of silk, linen, cotton and vari-ous blends of these and many other fibers.
Products & Services Manufacturing, Retail, Export, Restaurants & Farming
Facts & Figures Year Established: 1951Registered Capital: Baht 200 millionAnnual Turnover: Baht 2.5 billion Total Employees: 2,900 (Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, USA and Germany)
TOPSFOODS CENTER CO., LTD.
Miss Ratree MeekhumManager Director
1461 Rimthangrodfaisaipaknam Road. Klongton Klongtoey Bangkok 10110Phone: (662) 249-9848-9Fax: (662) 671-8228E-mail: [email protected]
Company Background We import the best foods from Italy and European.
Products & Services Our Products Have: Parmaham, Salame, Pasta, Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar Cooking Wine, Cheese, And Butter For Cooking And Bakery, Mozzarella Cheese, Whipping Cream
Facts & Figures Year Established: 2011Registered Capital: 1,000,000Annual Turnover: 3,000,000Total Employees: 10 Persons
26
TICC FAIRS & UPCOMING EVENTS
International Trade Fairs in Thailand (June – September 2013) Exhibitions In Thailand Detail Date Venue/Website
Made in Thailand 2013 (MIT 2013) June 2013Challenger 1, IMPACT, Bangkokwww.madeinthailandfair.com
Thailand Health and Beauty Show (Thai HBS 2013)
Trade: 25 – 26 JulyPublic: 27 – 28 July
BITEC, Bangkok, Thailandwww.hbsfair.com
Thailand International Logistics Fair (TILOG 2013)
4 – 7 September 2013BITEC, Bangkok, ThailandWebsite: www.logisticsfair.com
52nd Bangkok Gems & Jewelry FairTrade: 6 – 9 SeptemberPublic: 10 September
Challenger Hall 1-3, IMPACT, Bangkok, www.bangkokgemsfair.com
Upcoming Events June – August 2013
Date Event Location
June
2 Italian National Day 2013 in Bangkok Post (Business Section) TICC Publication in Bangkok Post newspaper
12 SCRIPT Project Final Seminar (The project funded by the European Union) Pullman King Power Hotel Bangkok
13 Working Together Forum in Thailand (European Edition) Sofi tel So Bangkok
20 TICC and Danish Chamber Get Together @ L’Opera L’ Opera Restaurant, Sukhumvit Soi 39
26 The Grand Ospitalita’ Italiana Awards in Bangkok Crowne Plaza Hotel Bangkok
July
18 Business Luncheon with GTCC TBA
24 – 28 MOVIEMOV : Italian Film Festival 2013 SF World Cinema, Central World Plaza
August
29 Aperitivo Italiano Networking Event TBA
Exhibitions In Italy Detail Date Venue/Website
MACEF Fiera Milano 5 – 8 September 2013Fiera Milanowww.macef.it
Palakiss Vicenza - Italy Jewels 7 – 11 September 2013Vicenza (Italy)www.palakisstore.com
77th Fiera Del Levante Mediterranean Products 14 – 22 September 2013 Bari www.fi eradellevante.it
HostFiera Milano 18 – 22 October 2013
Fiera Milano www.host.fi eramilano.it
International Trade Fairs in Italy
In 2013, take your golden opportunity to display and trade your products and services in the TICC supported fairs: 3 MACEF (5-8 Sep 2013) 3 Host (18-22 October 2013)
For more information and Special conditions for BUYERS and EXHIBITORS through TICC, please contact Elia Righetti Trade and EU Project Manager at [email protected] or 02 255 8695 Ext. 104
