Energy business operators say the use of natural gas for electricity generation should be cut even lower than the 60%planned under the revised power development plan (PDP), saying the risk of dependence on gas is still too high.
Policymakers' plans to revise down natural gas use in the power sector to 60% from the current 74% are still not enough to limit the risk of blackouts in the future, said Suvit Limvattanakul,chairman of the Power Producer Industry Club of the Federation of Thai Industries.
In addition to reducing gas usage,the 15-year PDP ending in 2022 aims to maintain lignite and imported coal usage at 20-21% and increase hydropower purchases from neighbouring countries to 10% from 1%. Nuclear power would account for 5% of the total.
"They should have cut natural gas more to as low as 50% to assure our power users that serious disruptions will not happen. Power blackouts are one of the major concerns - once one happens it causes very severe damage," he said.
A gas pipeline leak in Kanchanaburi last month resulted in blackouts and also forced the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to lift output from a hydroelectric plant, which resulted in flooding in nearby communities.
Mr Suwit said rising gas prices were another risk for Thailand.
"You can see the prices of imported gas from Burma and liquefied natural gas from Qatar are both higher than gas from the Gulf of Thailand by 20% and 40%, respectively. We have less bargaining power than suppliers if we still depend on them too much and we are even more disadvantaged," he said.
Manoon Siriwan, an independent energy expert, agreed that fuel usage should be adjusted as Thailand's proven gas reserves are very limited, expected to serve domestic demand only for another seven years.
Power producers will need to import more natural gas unless the country discovers more reserves.
"In the long term, energy policymakers should rethink importing gas only. Coal and nuclear fuels should be taken into consideration. In doing so, fuel costs can be better balanced," said Mr Manoon.
In Malaysia, for instance, gas reserves are high but gas accounts for just 45% of power generation. The country imports high volumes of lower-priced coal while exporting gas at good prices instead.Malaysia is also studying nuclear power plants, said Mr Manoon.
Indonesia, on the other hand, is an example of a poor fuel mix. It has large crude reserves but subsidises oil for domestic consumption and became a net importer last year.
Wirash Kanchanapibul, an Egat deputy governor, admitted that Thailand's fuel usage needs to be better balanced, saying that in developed countries, different types of fuel have been used in almost equal amounts.
"We also cannot guarantee that the gas shortage that happened last month will not happen again," he said.
"To tackle the immediate crisis, we may cut power transmission in some areas to save fuel supplies for the areas where shortages exist."
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Germans seek Thai CDM partners
EnBW, the third-largest German energy utility, is searching for Thai partners to jointly develop a dozen clean development mechanism (CDM) projects in Thailand, its first such foray overseas.
Each 10-megawatt biomass power plant would cost 12.5 million (about 600 million baht), and EnBW will invest both equity and project financing if required.
"Thailand is among the world's top potential locations for CDM projects because you have a lot of supplies of biomass, as well as a stable business environment," said Boris Dossmann,who is in charge of EnBW CDM projects in Southeast Asia.
The German utility, which has installed generating capacity of 15,000 MW, will buy all credits from CDM projects for its own consumption, which amounts to 2.5 million certified emission reduction (CERs) per year.
CDM is a concept that allows developing countries such as Thailand to sell carbon credits to industrialised nations that have emission reduction obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.
Thailand is among the 10 focus countries of EnBW's climate programme alongside Vietnam, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda and others in Central and South America, with planned equity investment of $700 million.
EnBW is among six German firms at a three-day business matchmaking seminar organised by the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce from yesterday.
In a presentation at the forum, EnBW is looking for Thai partners who can supply biomass of at least 10,000 tonnes per month, or large amounts of waste water from starch, ethanol, palm oil or food and beverage production.
The first CDM project of EnBW in Thailand is expected to be set up within this year, said Mr Dossmann.
Kurujit Nakornthap, director-general of the Department of Mineral Fuels at the Energy Ministry, said Thailand was interested in and looking forward to producing biogas from biomass such as rice straw, palm leaves, bagasse or animal feed, common raw materials for the fuel.
But despite the abundant supply of biomass, Thailand still faces some obstacles to developing renewable energy, including in vast, open agricultural areas.
"In some areas where there is an abundant supply of biomass, the increasing number of renewable energy power plants, especially those using biomass, has intensified competition for the supply. This has driven up the prices of fuel crops to unreasonable levels," said Mr Kurujit.
Also, finding the right balance between the increasingly conflicting demands for using land for energy crops and for food crops is a challenge.
"The idea of developing renewable energy is not to switch the use of land from food crops to energy crops, but to find unused or wasted area to plant energy crops and leave the original foodcrop areas unharmed," he added.
Mr Kurujit said biomass would have a significant share in Thailand's energy consumption in 2022 when the use of renewable energy sources is targeted to rise to 20% from only 6% at present.
Each 10-megawatt biomass power plant would cost 12.5 million (about 600 million baht), and EnBW will invest both equity and project financing if required.
"Thailand is among the world's top potential locations for CDM projects because you have a lot of supplies of biomass, as well as a stable business environment," said Boris Dossmann,who is in charge of EnBW CDM projects in Southeast Asia.
The German utility, which has installed generating capacity of 15,000 MW, will buy all credits from CDM projects for its own consumption, which amounts to 2.5 million certified emission reduction (CERs) per year.
CDM is a concept that allows developing countries such as Thailand to sell carbon credits to industrialised nations that have emission reduction obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.
Thailand is among the 10 focus countries of EnBW's climate programme alongside Vietnam, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda and others in Central and South America, with planned equity investment of $700 million.
EnBW is among six German firms at a three-day business matchmaking seminar organised by the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce from yesterday.
In a presentation at the forum, EnBW is looking for Thai partners who can supply biomass of at least 10,000 tonnes per month, or large amounts of waste water from starch, ethanol, palm oil or food and beverage production.
The first CDM project of EnBW in Thailand is expected to be set up within this year, said Mr Dossmann.
Kurujit Nakornthap, director-general of the Department of Mineral Fuels at the Energy Ministry, said Thailand was interested in and looking forward to producing biogas from biomass such as rice straw, palm leaves, bagasse or animal feed, common raw materials for the fuel.
But despite the abundant supply of biomass, Thailand still faces some obstacles to developing renewable energy, including in vast, open agricultural areas.
"In some areas where there is an abundant supply of biomass, the increasing number of renewable energy power plants, especially those using biomass, has intensified competition for the supply. This has driven up the prices of fuel crops to unreasonable levels," said Mr Kurujit.
Also, finding the right balance between the increasingly conflicting demands for using land for energy crops and for food crops is a challenge.
"The idea of developing renewable energy is not to switch the use of land from food crops to energy crops, but to find unused or wasted area to plant energy crops and leave the original foodcrop areas unharmed," he added.
Mr Kurujit said biomass would have a significant share in Thailand's energy consumption in 2022 when the use of renewable energy sources is targeted to rise to 20% from only 6% at present.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Glow Energy price hits 3-month high
Glow Energy, a local power producer controlled by Paris-based Suez, gained its most in more than three months in Bangkok trading on speculation a plan to increase capacity would boost profit.
The stock jumped 5.6 per cent to close at Bt33 on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), its steepest climb since May 19.
The benchmark SET Index gained 2.1 per cent.
Glow Energy may raise as much as Bt17 billion over the next two years to fund expansion. The funds, to come from bank loans and the sale of bonds, will help the Bangkok-based company increase its power-generation capacity 67 per cent, said CEO Esa Heiskanen.
Glow has a very strong outlook, with its clear strategy to expand its power production with new power plants, Songklod Wongchai, an analyst at Finansia Syrus Securities, which has a "buy" recom-mendation on the stock, said by telephone yesterday.
"Higher production of domestic manufacturers will also boost sales of its power and steam," he said.
Glow's Heiskanen was not immediately available for comment, because he was in a meeting, said a person who answered his office phone.
Thailand's economy, the second biggest in Southeast Asia, may grow as much as 3 per cent next year, rebounding from a contraction this year, the government said on August 24.
The stock jumped 5.6 per cent to close at Bt33 on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), its steepest climb since May 19.
The benchmark SET Index gained 2.1 per cent.
Glow Energy may raise as much as Bt17 billion over the next two years to fund expansion. The funds, to come from bank loans and the sale of bonds, will help the Bangkok-based company increase its power-generation capacity 67 per cent, said CEO Esa Heiskanen.
Glow has a very strong outlook, with its clear strategy to expand its power production with new power plants, Songklod Wongchai, an analyst at Finansia Syrus Securities, which has a "buy" recom-mendation on the stock, said by telephone yesterday.
"Higher production of domestic manufacturers will also boost sales of its power and steam," he said.
Glow's Heiskanen was not immediately available for comment, because he was in a meeting, said a person who answered his office phone.
Thailand's economy, the second biggest in Southeast Asia, may grow as much as 3 per cent next year, rebounding from a contraction this year, the government said on August 24.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Green fuels to make up 20%
The share of alternative fuels in Thailand's total energy consumption is expected to rise sharply in the next 15 years, allowing the country to cut greenhouse gas emissions by nearly fourfold.
Under Thailand's 15-year alternative energy master plan, alternative sources will account for 20.4% of all energy consumed in 2023, compared with 6% this year, according to the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE).
The sources covered include ethanol,biodiesel, compressed natural gas, hydropower, biogas, biomass, wind power and solar cells.
"Some of those projects will apply to the UN carbon-trading scheme. We expect that greenhouse gas emissions will be cut to 42 million tonnes per year once the plan is fulfilled," said Krairit Nilkuha, the newly appointed directorgeneral of the DEDE.
The DEDE expects that by 2023, solar cells will generate 650 megawatts of electricity, biogas 270 MW, biomass 9,720 MW, community waste 368 MW, hydropower 770 MW, and wind turbines 1,300 MW.
Mr Krairit said that because some alternative energy sources were more costly than traditional ones, the agency would offer attractive rates, known as adder tariffs, for power purchased from such projects.
The adder rates are 3.50 baht per unit (kilowatt.hour) for wind turbine power,2.50 baht for community waste, 0.30 baht for biomass and biogas. The incentives would be offered for the first seven years of operation.
For solar power, an adder of eight baht a unit would be offered for 10 years,he added.
Rangsan Sarochawikasit, executive director of the Bureau of Energy Research,said the Energy Ministry would support the plan through Board of Investment privileges and soft loans to encourage energy services companies to apply to the United Nations for carbon credit trading.
At present, utilities are buying 4.1 MW of electricity from 47 solar cell operators,20.5 MW from 25 biogas operators,244 MW from 46 biomass operators,2.4 MW from three power-from-waste projects, 0.06 MW from 2 minihydropower plants, and 0.08 MW from a wind turbine operator.
In the transport sector, the use of ethanol is expected to rise to 9 million litres per day from 1.3 million, methyl ester (B100) to 4.5 million litres from 1.4 million, and compressed natural gas to 690 million standard cubic feet (mmscfd)from 108 mmscfd.
Under Thailand's 15-year alternative energy master plan, alternative sources will account for 20.4% of all energy consumed in 2023, compared with 6% this year, according to the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE).
The sources covered include ethanol,biodiesel, compressed natural gas, hydropower, biogas, biomass, wind power and solar cells.
"Some of those projects will apply to the UN carbon-trading scheme. We expect that greenhouse gas emissions will be cut to 42 million tonnes per year once the plan is fulfilled," said Krairit Nilkuha, the newly appointed directorgeneral of the DEDE.
The DEDE expects that by 2023, solar cells will generate 650 megawatts of electricity, biogas 270 MW, biomass 9,720 MW, community waste 368 MW, hydropower 770 MW, and wind turbines 1,300 MW.
Mr Krairit said that because some alternative energy sources were more costly than traditional ones, the agency would offer attractive rates, known as adder tariffs, for power purchased from such projects.
The adder rates are 3.50 baht per unit (kilowatt.hour) for wind turbine power,2.50 baht for community waste, 0.30 baht for biomass and biogas. The incentives would be offered for the first seven years of operation.
For solar power, an adder of eight baht a unit would be offered for 10 years,he added.
Rangsan Sarochawikasit, executive director of the Bureau of Energy Research,said the Energy Ministry would support the plan through Board of Investment privileges and soft loans to encourage energy services companies to apply to the United Nations for carbon credit trading.
At present, utilities are buying 4.1 MW of electricity from 47 solar cell operators,20.5 MW from 25 biogas operators,244 MW from 46 biomass operators,2.4 MW from three power-from-waste projects, 0.06 MW from 2 minihydropower plants, and 0.08 MW from a wind turbine operator.
In the transport sector, the use of ethanol is expected to rise to 9 million litres per day from 1.3 million, methyl ester (B100) to 4.5 million litres from 1.4 million, and compressed natural gas to 690 million standard cubic feet (mmscfd)from 108 mmscfd.
CROWDS SWAMP GERMANY'S BIGGEST ELECTRONICS TRADE FAIR
Dominated by flat-panel televisions in every variation, the IFA consumer electronics trade fair began on Friday in Berlin, offering hundreds of thousands of European fans a look at the world's newest audio and video gadgets.
Chancellor ANgela Merkel ceremonially opened IFA at a Thursday evening reception at the city fairgrounds, where an industry leader told her the booming sector was all but recession-proof.
"Our sector is defying the crisis," said Rainer Kecker, head of the GFU German consumer electronics trade association that runs the event.
A total of 1,164 manufacturers from 60 nations are axhibiting at the event, which runs until September 9.
Many products are being promoted with claims of green technology inside through reduced use of heavy metals and other pollutants.
Cutting power use by plasma and liquid-crystal-display (LCD) television sets is a key aim of the industry.
LCD sets with light-emitting diode (LED) backlights are centrepieces at this year's show.
Backlights shine through the screens to create an image.
Makers say thatg converting backlights to LED light sources, instead of using fluorescent tubes, reduces electricity use by up to 40 per cent.
Merkel said many products introduced at IFA quickly become big sellers but she chided German broadcasters for their long delay in introducing high-definition television, which is only now starting in Germany.
"It was first demonstrated at IFA 24 years ago, she said.
Two big Japanese-based electronics groups, Sony and Panasonic, have said this week they are on the verge of launching home televisions that play three-dimensional (3D) recordings and broadcasts.
The illusion requires viewers to wear special spectacles.
But the two company's systems are currently incompatible, raising fears of a new format war in the industry.
Crowds of consumer-electronics fans swarmeld trough the fairground on Friday.
Europe's biggest annual gadgets event features 1,164 brands from 60 nations.
Temporary cinemas demonstrated big-screen 3D movies, whihc manufacturers Sony and Panasonic hope to introduce on home television screens next year.
However some executives grumbled that too much talk of the future was distracting the public from the new products that are actually on display, including high-definition televisions and DVD players.
Unlike trade-only events such as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, IFA encourages crowd attendance, with masses of leaflets and plenty of products to try out, mostly held by steel cables to deter thieves.
"Would you like me to demonstrate our new television?" says one smiling hostess to anyone who will listen.
"Have you heard about our new coffee maker?" warbles another.
At IFA, nobody goes home without having accepted several free cups of hot coffee from the hostesses.
Celebrity chefs from German television food shows were manning many of the home-appliance booths, demonstrating labour-saving kitchen gear and handing out titbits.
Chancellor ANgela Merkel ceremonially opened IFA at a Thursday evening reception at the city fairgrounds, where an industry leader told her the booming sector was all but recession-proof.
"Our sector is defying the crisis," said Rainer Kecker, head of the GFU German consumer electronics trade association that runs the event.
A total of 1,164 manufacturers from 60 nations are axhibiting at the event, which runs until September 9.
Many products are being promoted with claims of green technology inside through reduced use of heavy metals and other pollutants.
Cutting power use by plasma and liquid-crystal-display (LCD) television sets is a key aim of the industry.
LCD sets with light-emitting diode (LED) backlights are centrepieces at this year's show.
Backlights shine through the screens to create an image.
Makers say thatg converting backlights to LED light sources, instead of using fluorescent tubes, reduces electricity use by up to 40 per cent.
Merkel said many products introduced at IFA quickly become big sellers but she chided German broadcasters for their long delay in introducing high-definition television, which is only now starting in Germany.
"It was first demonstrated at IFA 24 years ago, she said.
Two big Japanese-based electronics groups, Sony and Panasonic, have said this week they are on the verge of launching home televisions that play three-dimensional (3D) recordings and broadcasts.
The illusion requires viewers to wear special spectacles.
But the two company's systems are currently incompatible, raising fears of a new format war in the industry.
Crowds of consumer-electronics fans swarmeld trough the fairground on Friday.
Europe's biggest annual gadgets event features 1,164 brands from 60 nations.
Temporary cinemas demonstrated big-screen 3D movies, whihc manufacturers Sony and Panasonic hope to introduce on home television screens next year.
However some executives grumbled that too much talk of the future was distracting the public from the new products that are actually on display, including high-definition televisions and DVD players.
Unlike trade-only events such as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, IFA encourages crowd attendance, with masses of leaflets and plenty of products to try out, mostly held by steel cables to deter thieves.
"Would you like me to demonstrate our new television?" says one smiling hostess to anyone who will listen.
"Have you heard about our new coffee maker?" warbles another.
At IFA, nobody goes home without having accepted several free cups of hot coffee from the hostesses.
Celebrity chefs from German television food shows were manning many of the home-appliance booths, demonstrating labour-saving kitchen gear and handing out titbits.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Serving the nation
Your CAT board of directors gave an ultimatum to the underwhelming team in charge of the CDMA yuppiephone service available and widely ignored in 51 provinces, and currently along with Hutch ranked as No 4 in the nation: Give us 500,000 customers by the end of the year, or you will be revamped; board spokesman Krisada Kaweeyarn refused todefine "revamped," but it can't be good; the CAT board noted that the managers are adding about 5,000 users a month to the claimed 350,000 subscribers, when the three leading services are gaining that many subscribers in a typical day;meanwhile Hutch, available in 25 provinces in and around Bangkok, claims to have about 900,000 users.
Your CAT Telecom announced it will try to push Hutchison Group out of the Bangkok-area CDMA service by New Year's Eve; the ever-rancorous Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia firm known as Hutch is 75 percent owned by the Hong Kong firm, but CAT has wanted it all for some time.
No 1 yuppiephone network Advanced Info Service of Shingapore gave yet more gloomy news to its shareholders;managers revised revenue growth and planned expenditures downward again,given a horrible first quarter; Pornrat Janejarassakul, president for vice, said it had reduced total costs in a companywide belt-tightening, and still expected to make its target of 15 percent rise in free cash flow; but profit was down 33.7 percent year on year in the second quarter to 4.2 billion baht, and revenue fell 6.5 percent to 23.5 billion; it that was bad, Mr Pornrat saved the worst for last:"The 43 percent reduction in our international roaming revenue in the second quarter plunged to a record low." No 3 yuppiephone firm True Move of Thailand reported that revenue in the second quarter grew 2.4 percent year on year to 5.6 billion baht; interconnection charges were down, the company ordered in-house belttightening, and non-voice revenue grew by a healthy 7.3 percent.
Also smiling was Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) governor Sombat Sarntijaree; electricity usage in August was up by two percent,the first rise in almost a year; Mr Sombat believes that is a sign the economy is coming back; the country burned up almost 8.3 billion kilowatt/hours in the first 20 days of August; that was higher than consumption last October, when electricity use began to fall each month,year on year; annual economic growth is still well below zero.
Four seats are coming vacant on the National Telecommunications Commission, and the frantically busy Information and Communications Technology Minister Ranongruk Suwanchawee was working hard to fill them; until she does, the NTC will continue its hard work with just three members; three of the original Magnificent Seven drew short straws to see who would be first to end their terms, and a fourth seat was left vacant when board member Artorn Chantvimol resigned; at the moment,35 people have applied to serve the nation selflessly as NTC members.The National Telecommunications Commission managed to register 4,500 community radio stations in its scheme to control the airwaves; the NTC convinced almost all owners of stations that if they did not register, they would be deemed illegal; the NTC has decreed that the stations can continue to broadcast for a year without any sort of licence,although the commission also claims the right to close any station for broadcasting bad stuff; it is not known how many stations rejected the NTC control,although the voice of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) flatly refused to register.
Asia Books , a success story in the 20th century, blamed a drop in tourists for flat sales so far this year; sales to foreigners have dropped 30 percent since January, with sales to Thais up by 10 percent, although managing director Phumate Manuphibul said prospects for the second half of the year look brighter; some wonder, however,whether Asia Books' reluctance to get into the e-book business has some effect.Electronics manufacturers reported their sales were rising again, and collectively they are using 80 percent of capacity as third-quarter performance built on the recovery in the second quarter; big firms like Cal-Comp Electronics (Thailand)and Western Digital saw surging profits in the second quarter, and are taking on staff again to keep up with demand,especially from overseas.
Kodak (Thailand), which can hardly sell a camera any more, said it expects 2009 revenue to at least match last year's mark, by stressing printing of photos;the company is pushing Kodak Kiosk and Kodak Express Digital Online, and claims customers love the convenience;by next month, Kodak should have kiosks in post offices. Photos flourish on paper, and so does advertising;Thailand Post said actual mail delivery rose from 1.05 billion letters in 2005 to 1.3 billion last year; but the type of letter has changed;"The number of letters has increased over the past four years,but most of them are business letters,"said Wiboon Sereechaiporn, assistant president for vice; most letters these days are company mail and advertising,as people move to the computer for their correspondence.
Your CAT Telecom announced it will try to push Hutchison Group out of the Bangkok-area CDMA service by New Year's Eve; the ever-rancorous Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia firm known as Hutch is 75 percent owned by the Hong Kong firm, but CAT has wanted it all for some time.
No 1 yuppiephone network Advanced Info Service of Shingapore gave yet more gloomy news to its shareholders;managers revised revenue growth and planned expenditures downward again,given a horrible first quarter; Pornrat Janejarassakul, president for vice, said it had reduced total costs in a companywide belt-tightening, and still expected to make its target of 15 percent rise in free cash flow; but profit was down 33.7 percent year on year in the second quarter to 4.2 billion baht, and revenue fell 6.5 percent to 23.5 billion; it that was bad, Mr Pornrat saved the worst for last:"The 43 percent reduction in our international roaming revenue in the second quarter plunged to a record low." No 3 yuppiephone firm True Move of Thailand reported that revenue in the second quarter grew 2.4 percent year on year to 5.6 billion baht; interconnection charges were down, the company ordered in-house belttightening, and non-voice revenue grew by a healthy 7.3 percent.
Also smiling was Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) governor Sombat Sarntijaree; electricity usage in August was up by two percent,the first rise in almost a year; Mr Sombat believes that is a sign the economy is coming back; the country burned up almost 8.3 billion kilowatt/hours in the first 20 days of August; that was higher than consumption last October, when electricity use began to fall each month,year on year; annual economic growth is still well below zero.
Four seats are coming vacant on the National Telecommunications Commission, and the frantically busy Information and Communications Technology Minister Ranongruk Suwanchawee was working hard to fill them; until she does, the NTC will continue its hard work with just three members; three of the original Magnificent Seven drew short straws to see who would be first to end their terms, and a fourth seat was left vacant when board member Artorn Chantvimol resigned; at the moment,35 people have applied to serve the nation selflessly as NTC members.The National Telecommunications Commission managed to register 4,500 community radio stations in its scheme to control the airwaves; the NTC convinced almost all owners of stations that if they did not register, they would be deemed illegal; the NTC has decreed that the stations can continue to broadcast for a year without any sort of licence,although the commission also claims the right to close any station for broadcasting bad stuff; it is not known how many stations rejected the NTC control,although the voice of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) flatly refused to register.
Asia Books , a success story in the 20th century, blamed a drop in tourists for flat sales so far this year; sales to foreigners have dropped 30 percent since January, with sales to Thais up by 10 percent, although managing director Phumate Manuphibul said prospects for the second half of the year look brighter; some wonder, however,whether Asia Books' reluctance to get into the e-book business has some effect.Electronics manufacturers reported their sales were rising again, and collectively they are using 80 percent of capacity as third-quarter performance built on the recovery in the second quarter; big firms like Cal-Comp Electronics (Thailand)and Western Digital saw surging profits in the second quarter, and are taking on staff again to keep up with demand,especially from overseas.
Kodak (Thailand), which can hardly sell a camera any more, said it expects 2009 revenue to at least match last year's mark, by stressing printing of photos;the company is pushing Kodak Kiosk and Kodak Express Digital Online, and claims customers love the convenience;by next month, Kodak should have kiosks in post offices. Photos flourish on paper, and so does advertising;Thailand Post said actual mail delivery rose from 1.05 billion letters in 2005 to 1.3 billion last year; but the type of letter has changed;"The number of letters has increased over the past four years,but most of them are business letters,"said Wiboon Sereechaiporn, assistant president for vice; most letters these days are company mail and advertising,as people move to the computer for their correspondence.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A RETURN TO "RIGHT VALUES" URGED
Thai business leaders joined a vice dean of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School to give their views on leadership in challenging times at a conference last week, hosted by the Siam Cement Group. The Nation's Pichaya Changsorn reports.
The world that is waiting for us is new and strange. Things have changed too far and too fast for anyone to fully comprehend those changes.
So says Thomas Colligan, vice dean of Wharton School's Aresty Institute of Executive Education.
"We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist using technologies that haven't been invented in order to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet," he said.
Speaking on the topic "Leadership in a Changing World" at a Thailand Top Leaders' Forum hosted by the Siam Cement Group last week, Colligan drew on advice recently delivered to Wharton students by Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
Schmidt said that very soon all of the world's information would be translated into all of the world's languages, so we will be able to find out what everybody really thinks. Moreover, we will be able to develop new insights into what other people care about, and they will be able to do the same with us.
According to Colligan, Schmidt said that within 10 years, people would be able to have the equivalent of an iPod in their purse or on their belt holding 85 years of video.
"This means that if it's given to you at birth, you're going to be frustrated all the time, because you'll never be done watching all the videos. That's how profound this technological revolution is."
Still, in a world where everything is remembered and everything is kept forever, Schmidt told the Wharton students they should live for the future and the things they really cared about.
"And in order to know that," Colligan said, continuing Schmidt's advice, "even the chief executive of Google said: 'You're going to have to turn off your computer. You're actually going to have to turn off your phone and discover all that is human around you'."
To navigate change in this challenging period, the Wharton vice dean suggested business leaders get down to basics and attain the right values and right attitudes, such as keeping one's word, transparency, basic honesty and the courage to do the right thing.
Leaders must seek points of view horizontally and vertically within their organisations and from outsiders, including customers, vendors and competitors, to help them make better decisions.
"Don't forget that Tiger Woods has three coaches," he said.
Human-resources professionals have a duty to provide the right leaders, with the right skills, at the right time, holding the right values and attitudes, and working much faster than before, he said. And in a changing world, executives should have "peripheral vision", with expertise in negotiation, persuasion and winning others over.
Speaking at the same forum, Siam Cement Group (SCG) president and CEO Kan Trakulhoon said agility, or an ability to move rapidly and effectively, was a major challenge for leaders in current times because the strength of an organisation no longer guaranteed its survival.
SCG is sticking to its four core business values - fairness, dedication to excellence, a belief in the value of the individual, and concern for social responsibility - even though it is embracing a more open and challenging culture in an effort to become an innovative organisation, he said.
Kan urged Thai business leaders to prepare for "Asia rising" and adjust their pay scales in bid to tap talent from Western nations that would soon be moving to the region.
Toyota Motor Thailand chairman Pramon Suthivong said his company had succeeded in its cost-reduction initiatives, introduced after the emergence of the global economic crisis late last year, mainly because of its ability to communicate and engage participation of staff at all levels.
Last November, the company initiated a "Challenge the Change" campaign, encouraging staff to join forces in cutting costs. Among its first directions was that every department and unit explore redundant jobs, dissolve those functions and either move staff to newly established units that did jobs of more benefit and value or send them for retraining, he said.
"SCG has succeeded because it has blended the good elements of the Western, Thai and Japanese cultures," Pramon said.
Siam Commercial Bank's president Kannikar Chalitaporn said a "Change Programme" introduced by SCB eight years ago had made its staff familiar with change, so they were able to adjust well.
Unlike SCG, which had a policy of "promoting and developing from within", Kannikar said it was sometimes necessary for SCB to take in veterans with "hands-on" experience in particular areas into which the bank was moving, rather than training novices from inside the bank.
"Before hiring, we tell them straight: 'We're hiring you because you have something new the bank does not have. You must deliver on that point. If you don't, you're not worth the wage, and we would rather hire existing staff'," she said.
Federation of Thai Industries chairman Santi Vilassakdanont, who is also a senior executive of the Saha Group, said people were a very important factor. The Saha Group has grown because its people trust one another.
The world that is waiting for us is new and strange. Things have changed too far and too fast for anyone to fully comprehend those changes.
So says Thomas Colligan, vice dean of Wharton School's Aresty Institute of Executive Education.
"We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist using technologies that haven't been invented in order to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet," he said.
Speaking on the topic "Leadership in a Changing World" at a Thailand Top Leaders' Forum hosted by the Siam Cement Group last week, Colligan drew on advice recently delivered to Wharton students by Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
Schmidt said that very soon all of the world's information would be translated into all of the world's languages, so we will be able to find out what everybody really thinks. Moreover, we will be able to develop new insights into what other people care about, and they will be able to do the same with us.
According to Colligan, Schmidt said that within 10 years, people would be able to have the equivalent of an iPod in their purse or on their belt holding 85 years of video.
"This means that if it's given to you at birth, you're going to be frustrated all the time, because you'll never be done watching all the videos. That's how profound this technological revolution is."
Still, in a world where everything is remembered and everything is kept forever, Schmidt told the Wharton students they should live for the future and the things they really cared about.
"And in order to know that," Colligan said, continuing Schmidt's advice, "even the chief executive of Google said: 'You're going to have to turn off your computer. You're actually going to have to turn off your phone and discover all that is human around you'."
To navigate change in this challenging period, the Wharton vice dean suggested business leaders get down to basics and attain the right values and right attitudes, such as keeping one's word, transparency, basic honesty and the courage to do the right thing.
Leaders must seek points of view horizontally and vertically within their organisations and from outsiders, including customers, vendors and competitors, to help them make better decisions.
"Don't forget that Tiger Woods has three coaches," he said.
Human-resources professionals have a duty to provide the right leaders, with the right skills, at the right time, holding the right values and attitudes, and working much faster than before, he said. And in a changing world, executives should have "peripheral vision", with expertise in negotiation, persuasion and winning others over.
Speaking at the same forum, Siam Cement Group (SCG) president and CEO Kan Trakulhoon said agility, or an ability to move rapidly and effectively, was a major challenge for leaders in current times because the strength of an organisation no longer guaranteed its survival.
SCG is sticking to its four core business values - fairness, dedication to excellence, a belief in the value of the individual, and concern for social responsibility - even though it is embracing a more open and challenging culture in an effort to become an innovative organisation, he said.
Kan urged Thai business leaders to prepare for "Asia rising" and adjust their pay scales in bid to tap talent from Western nations that would soon be moving to the region.
Toyota Motor Thailand chairman Pramon Suthivong said his company had succeeded in its cost-reduction initiatives, introduced after the emergence of the global economic crisis late last year, mainly because of its ability to communicate and engage participation of staff at all levels.
Last November, the company initiated a "Challenge the Change" campaign, encouraging staff to join forces in cutting costs. Among its first directions was that every department and unit explore redundant jobs, dissolve those functions and either move staff to newly established units that did jobs of more benefit and value or send them for retraining, he said.
"SCG has succeeded because it has blended the good elements of the Western, Thai and Japanese cultures," Pramon said.
Siam Commercial Bank's president Kannikar Chalitaporn said a "Change Programme" introduced by SCB eight years ago had made its staff familiar with change, so they were able to adjust well.
Unlike SCG, which had a policy of "promoting and developing from within", Kannikar said it was sometimes necessary for SCB to take in veterans with "hands-on" experience in particular areas into which the bank was moving, rather than training novices from inside the bank.
"Before hiring, we tell them straight: 'We're hiring you because you have something new the bank does not have. You must deliver on that point. If you don't, you're not worth the wage, and we would rather hire existing staff'," she said.
Federation of Thai Industries chairman Santi Vilassakdanont, who is also a senior executive of the Saha Group, said people were a very important factor. The Saha Group has grown because its people trust one another.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)