MANILA, 30 August 2019 – The Regional Forum on the Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN was held in Manila, the Philippines on 29-30 August to strengthen awareness on the importance of sustainable consumption.
At the forum, relevant governmental bodies, businesses, as well as regional and international experts discussed the impact of changing consumer behavior and consumption patterns in driving sustainable consumption, economic and regulatory tools, as well as possible policy reforms needed as ASEAN intensifies its work on sustainable consumption.
In her remarks, Ms Ruth B Castelo, Undersecretary, Consumer Protection Group, Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, highlighted, “Increasing incomes will increase the volume of consumption that will outweigh the improvements in energy and resource efficiencies.” She added, “National economic policies are required to ensure that goods and services reflect environmental costs to stimulate more sustainable consumption and production patterns.”
On her part, Ms. Rasamee Vistaveth, Chair of the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection explained that the forum served as the second key activity under the overarching project entitled the ‘Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN”. It aims to support the development and implementation of policies for sustainable consumption, as well as to help empower consumers to be more knowledgeable about their consumption choices.
The forum also provided insights for the development of the ASEAN Sustainable Consumption Guidance Toolkit. Further, it explored possible means to strengthen cooperation in the area of sustainable consumption and looked into the importance of sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
The forum was hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines and co-organised by the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection and the ASEAN Secretariat. It was supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) under the project “Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN”.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is launching its latest promotional initiative, ‘TAT Mobile Car’, to proactively provide tourism information and promote Thailand’s attractions, events and festivals using a mobile tourist information vehicle.
The TAT Mobile Car will be stationed at various tourist enclaves around Bangkok and is available from Wednesday to Sunday, during the hours of 12.00 to 19.00, at various locations for a three-month period.
It started in July in front of Chana Songkhram Metropolitan Police Station (near Khao San Road), where over 2,600 tourists engaged TAT staff at the mobile car and received information from the service. The mobile car then moved to Tha Chang during August.
In September, the mobile car will be stationed at Chatuchak Weekend Market and Wat Pho, respectively.
TAT Mobile Car at Tha Chang
Managed by TAT’s Marketing Communications Department, the TAT Mobile Car is actually a minivan decorated with TAT’s ‘Amazing Thailand’ branding and is manned by English and Chinese speaking staff. Tourists can obtain tourism information as well as assistance from the staff, ask for brochures, or scan tourism information using QR codes.
Ultimately the project endeavours to stimulate more travel to various destinations around the kingdom, whilst also enhancing the positive image of Thailand as a tourist…
BANGKOK, 1 September 2019(NNT) – The Minister of a Digital Economy and Society has discussed with LINE Thailand, the setting up of an official account on the LINE chat platform, to address fake news. The Minister of a Digital Economy and Society, Puttipong Punnakanta has held talks with the CEO of LINE Thailand Phichet Rerkpreecha, on the creation of a LINE Official Account for the Ministry of a Digital Economy and Society as a proactive measure to address the circulation of fake news. Users can report any suspicious news item to this account, which will have a chatbox providing an interactive experience and initial communication with users. The administrative team overseeing the account will have access to a database to make verifications and identify fake news. The Ministry of a Digital Economy and Society’s LINE Official Account is expected to be ready for use in two months.
BANGKOK (NNT) – Cooperation has been established between the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (ECCO) and the Administrative Committee of Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone (ZAEZ) for the development of Thailand’s Eastern Airport City. An agreement signing took place today.
The ceremony, presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, was held to sign an agreement covering the development of the Eastern Airport City on U-Tapao Airport’s 10.4 square kilometer land, and areas within 10-kilometer radius of the airport, covering Pattaya City and Rayong Province.
The DPM said that freight transport will be promoted under the agreement as Zhengzhou is a logistic hub in China, transporting goods into the European Union, which will allow Thai companies to expand their market into the EU should the agreement materialize, while at the same time making Thailand a regional air transport hub. Further discussions will be held with Chinese authorities next month.
ECCO Secretary General Kanit Sangsubhan said the Eastern Airport City development must follow successful development models, and Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone serves as an interesting case study becaue of its fast growth.
Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone Director Ma Jian said the development of Eastern Airport City in Thailand will bring a major change to the country in 30 years, similar to the situation in China where the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone has so far served 27 million passengers in its three years of operation, with 515,000 tons of freight handled, and 1.3 billion mobile devices manufactured in 2018, including 750 million iPhones, which has helped improved the economic competitiveness of China.
Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone is divided into four areas, namely the airport area for logistics, cargo warehouses, and E-Commerce business operations; an urban area for housing, education, and medical services; industrial area for advanced technology businesses; and a transportation hub area. Special customs and duty-free areas are designated to process the import of key items such as food, livestock, and fruit.
News Analysis With the IMF’s $56 billion loan issued to Argentina less than a year ago nearing default, China’s $17 billion to Argentina and $140 billion total debt to Latin America is at risk. A team of International Monetary Fund bankers arrived in Buenos Aires on Aug. 25, with Argentina’s inflation rate at 54.4 percent; the […]
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BANGKOK, 23 August 2019(NNT) – Government Spokesperson Prof. Naruemol Phinyosinwat disclosed today that Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, is following reports on the Amazon forest fire in Brazil, which is one of the most important forests in the world. The forest fire has spread over about 3,000 square kilometers and as blazed continuously. The authorities are still unable to control the situation.
The Prime Minister expressed his regard for the government and the Brazilian people, emphasizing that the Thai government is ready to provide assistance and necessary items such as face masks if needed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to coordinate with the Brazilian government in offering assistance.
The forest fire has caused smoke and dust to cover the city of Sao Paulo and is affecting many people. The Prime Minister said we have to place importance on environmental problems wherever they occur, as it is a challenge that the world community needs to solve cooperatively, because they not only affect the economies of the world, but also directly affect humans.
BANGKOK (NNT) – Ceramics industry operators worldwide are displaying their technology and innovations at ASEAN Ceramics 2019 to promote the Thai ceramics industry and expand the market value by over 36 billion baht.
The event is being staged by the ceramics industry group, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), the Thai Ceramics Association and the Asia Exhibition Services Company Limited. There are more than 200 booths manned by companies in 36 countries worldwiden showcasing technology and innovation in the ceramics industry.
Mr David Itkin, Managing Director of Asia Exhibition Services Co., Ltd. and an organizer of ASEAN Ceramics 2019, said Thailand is one of the major Asian producers that is very successful in terms of academic conferences, technology exhibitions and providing marketing channels for ceramic manufacturers at an international level.
Mr. Wichai Thienchote, a committee member of the ceramics industry group, FTI, disclosed that the ceramics industry’s manufacturing, sales and exports in 2019 are expected to increase due to domestic demand that has started to grow thanks to the expansion of the construction sector and the real estate sector. Overall, the growth will be at least 10 percent, worth more than 36 billion baht.
ASEAN Ceramics 2019 is being held until August 30, 2019, at Impact Muang Thong Thani. Next year, Vetna Cermics 2020 will be held in Vietnam on August 26 – 27, 2020.
Bangkok, 27 August 2019 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is partnering with an innovative Thailand-based medical tourism portal to conduct its first online health and wellness roadshow (Hybrid Roadshow) in Bahrain.
More than a hundred travel trade representatives specialising in the health and wellness sector, as well as socialites, diplomats, business people, celebrities and the media from Bahrain and all over the Gulf region have been invited for the Amazing Thailand Health and Wellness Roadshow to introduce the range of services offered by the portal “Doctor A to Z” (www.doctoratoz.co).
Comprising of both B2B and B2C sessions, the roadshow in Bahrain on 17 September, 2019, will be led by Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, Deputy Governor for Europe Africa Middle East and the Americas, TAT. Joining her at the briefings and other events will be Dr. Anucha Panoi, Chief Executive Officer of Doctor A to Z.
Dr. Kanin Tripipitsiriwat, Physician at VitalLife Scientific Wellness Center, Bumrungrad International Hospital (left); Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor of International Marketing – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas (centre); and Dr. Anucha Panoi, CEO of Doctor A to Z (right).
With strong support from all partners, this Hybrid Roadshow is designed to enhance the exposure of special Thai health and wellness products and services in the Gulf and Middle East countries, broaden the source markets of health and wellness visitors to Thailand, and facilitate their communications process to link buyers with sellers, and products with suppliers.
It is the first time online communications technology has been applied for conducting such a marketing promotion.
Positioned as an online Medical Hub, Doctor A to Z amalgamates several Thai health and wellness practitioners, products and services under one website. They include JCI accredited hospitals, clinics, centres and individual doctors specialising in a wide range of disciplines.
This provides both health and wellness trade buyers as well as consumers an easy, efficient and convenient way to find the right “solution” to their specific problem or requirement.
Bahrain was chosen as the first city for the offshore launch of this service because it is still generating positive numbers of health and wellness visitors to Thailand.
Mrs Srisuda said, “Although there is fierce competition in the health and wellness sector, Thailand is still a popular destination due to the high quality of our products, services and facilities, as well as other factors; such as, value for money, personalised care and good holiday opportunities for family members.”
Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor of International Marketing – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas (left) and Dr. Anucha Panoi, CEO of Doctor A to Z (right).
According to Dr. Anucha Panoi, “Our vision is to develop Thailand as a ‘Digital Gateway on Health and Wellness with the support of TAT, the National Innovation Agency and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA).
“Our outstanding point is that we have a medical team with more than 20 years of experience. The technology developed by our team, known as “Health on Cloud” and “Healthflexi system”, makes it more cost-effective and efficient for anyone with a specific health and wellness requirement, whether it is preventive or cure, to find the right person, place or product to meet it. This saves a lot of time and money on both sides and ensures the best possible delivery of service.
“Streamlining the preparatory process can contribute to early peace of mind and enable the patients to come to Thailand in complete confidence of what they can expect. That certainly enhances the appeal of coming to Thailand for health and wellness treatments,” he said.
The B2B session will allow the trade buyers from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries to connect directly with the Thai sellers. The B2C session will include a business dinner with invited VVIPs, diplomats, business people, celebrities and the media from the same countries.
Saudi Arabian trade buyers are also being invited as Saudi citizens are allowed to come to Thailand for medical treatment. This presents a great opportunity to promote this market, as Bahrain geographically shares a land border and direct bridge connection to Saudi Arabia.
According to a report by the Global Wellness Institute, in 2017, Thailand ranked 4th on the list of Top Ten Wellness Tourism Markets in the Asia-Pacific region and 13th on the list of the Top Twenty Wellness Tourism Markets worldwide.
Health and wellness is one of a number of niche markets being promoted by TAT under the umbrella marketing concept of “Amazing Thailand: Open to the New Shades.” Some of the promising demographic segments include senior citizens, millennials and working women.
Thailand is one of the world’s most popular health and wellness tourism destinations, ranging from prevention to cure. While the numbers from the long-standing source markets in the Gulf countries are tapering off, new business is emerging from places; such as, Myanmar, Australia and Russia.
The Royal Thai Government has approved 90-day visas for patients and medical visitors from China, Cambodia, Lao PDR., Myanmar, Vietnam as well as the GCC which include the Kingdom of Bahrain, State of Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, State of Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry of Public Health has so far listed 118 hospitals and healthcare centres that are eligible to provide a confirmation letter to patients or visitors seeking medical treatment in Thailand.
Thailand has been named as one of the Top 10 Muslim friendly tourist destinations in the world by the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2015 (Ranked No. 2 for Non-OIC Destinations). It also enjoys easy accessibility with extensive connections by major airlines; such as, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Oman Air and Kuwait Airways.
In 2018, Thailand is estimated to have received 3.42 million visitors for health and wellness, generating income of 140 billion Baht. The main source markets are Myanmar, Lao PDR., Cambodia, Vietnam, China, UAE, Oman, Australia and New Zealand, with an average length of stay of 10-14 days.
The top demand categories are medical check-ups and treatment for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, joint surgery, joint replacement, dental, eye surgery, as well as cell transplant. surgery, joint replacement, dental, eye surgery and cell transplant.
