Issue 09 December 2009 H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in Lausanne, on his birthday in 1949. [photo: Time-Life; Dmitri Kessel, photographer] President s message STUDENT ORGANIZATION: AIESEC GERMAN AMBASSADOR VISITS RIS/DssB OSOS INVESTMENT CENTER MEMBER PROFILE: GTT GROUP 02 04 06 08 10
02 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce December 2009 STCC President s message Dear Members, As the busy month of December starts, I am sure all of you will join me in wishing H.M. the King all the best on the most auspicious occasion of his 82nd birthday on December 5th. May His Majesty make a complete recovery and reign over Thailand for many more years to come. Dr Niti Meyer President Mr Bruno Odermatt Vice President Mr Nandor von der Luehe Past President Mr Thomas Gerber Executive Director Mr Nophadol Siwabutr Director Mr Andreas Leutenegger Treasurer Mr Stefan Kuhn Membership Director Mr Daniel Reinle Stamm Father Mr Brian Sinclair-Thompson Executive Director Mr Dhira Yoonaidharma Legal Adviser Dr Rolf Ammelburg Director Mr Philip Baechtold Director Mr Christof Gasser Substitute Director SwissThai NEWSLETTER Mr Reid Nixon, Editor reid@veritasgraphics.com A bit of good news from the government is also in order: According to the Ministry of Finance, Thailand s economy grew for a second consecutive quarter, officially taking the country out of recession. The economy expanded 2.2 percent after a year of contraction in 2008 [Source: Ministry of Finance]. However, participants in a survey at the 27th annual meeting of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) held in Chiangmai on Nov. 28th and 29th believed that the economy would not grow significantly in 2010, due to several factors such as the slow global economic recovery, strong baht currency, increase in oil prices and continued political instability [Source: University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce]. At the same time, the TCC has come up with a five-year master plan to ensure the competitiveness of the Thai private sector. This plan will be implemented together with the NESDB, and details are available from TCC. JFCCT News: Our joint foreign chambers have also been very active. The various committees (taxation, customs, IT, etc.) have announced that they will summarize the progress of their respective committee on a monthly basis. The STCC intends to publish the reports in this newsletter every month, starting early next year. The tourism committee will be finalized very shortly, and a law committee will be formed with the intention to scrutinize relevant draft laws and regulations and give input before they are enacted. STCC News: On November 12th, H.E. Ambassador Christine Schraner Burgener graced our Stamm event by giving the members an interesting speech on Human Rights and the Business Environment before the dinner. This was much appreciated by the 50-plus members in attendance. As December is a month filled with all kinds of engagements, our chamber will limit its activities to the Stamm on December 17th, and which we hope will be well-attended. In January, the STCC will hold its AGM on Thursday the 28th, with the venue to be announced later. The names of the board members who will stand for re-election are listed in this issue, and any additional names of candidates for President, Vice- President or Director should be submitted to the STCC Secretary, with the written consent of the candidate, no later than three weeks before the AGM. In closing, may I wish all the Members and their families a joyful Christmas season and all the best in the New Year, 2010. Niti Meyer President, Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce
December 2009 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce 03 STCC BOARD ELECTIONS Next AGM: Thursday, 28th January 2010 The following members of the existing board will stand for re-election: Dr Niti Meyer, Novatech President Mr Bruno Odermatt, ThaiSri Insurance Vice President Dr Rolf Ammelburg, Roche (Thailand) Director Mr Thomas Gerber, Trina Management Executive Director Mr Stefan Kuhn, Gateinfo Director, Membership Mr Andreas Leutenegger, Siam City Cement Director, Treasurer Mr Daniel Reinle, Siemens Director, Stamm Mr Brian Sinclair-Thompson, Swiss Airlines Executive Director Mr Nophadol Siwabutr, Nestle (Thailand) Ltd. Director Mr Nandor Von der Luehe, Metropolitan Jewelry Director Mr Dhira Yoonaidhama, Hutter & Dhira Director, legal matters The following candidates have accepted to stand for election as new members of the board: Mr Christof Gasser, ETA (Thailand) Co. Ltd. Director Mr Thomas Von Aesch, Southeast Asia Link Co., Ltd. Director, SMEs and newsletter
04 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce December 2009 STUDENT ORGANIZATION: AIESEC AIESEC, the world s largest student-run nonprofit organization is the international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential. In partnership with business and higher education, AIESEC has over 60 years experience in global internships and is active in over 107 countries with 5,500 exchanges annually. AIESEC Thailand was founded in 1966, and many local universities and businesses are part of the program. Through the global internship program, your company can gain access to young international talent from accounting to IT to mechanical engineering to supply chain management. AIESEC s talent pool gives you access to the best and brightest, and they will contribute actively to multicultural awareness within your staff and workforce. Based on your job description/project outline, AIESEC provides you with suitable candidates for the required period (normally 2-8 months). Please note that AIESEC will take care of all logistics (student care, lodging advice, etc.), as well as all visa and work permit administration for your intern [AIESEC has arranged a special visa/work permit agreement with the Thai authorities, waiving many required conditions for obtaining them!]. The employer s approximate cost per student includes a one-time fee of 15 000 baht for AIESEC and living allowance of about 15 000 to 20 000 baht per month. To benefit from this unique opportunity to get your projects started with talented young brains, please visit AIESEC Thailand: www.aiesec.org/thailand Contact: Mr. Tom Markey, tom.markey@aiesec.or.th or Khun Chidapa Konggrassmee, chidapa.kongrassmee@aiesec.net or the STCC office secretary@ swissthai.com Text: Thomas Gerber
December 2009 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce 05 STCC MEMBER NEWS www.swissthai.com WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS member MARKETPLACE Corporate Members Ventury Co., Ltd. (industrial climate control / air control); Mr Philippe Claire, MD, www.venturyasia.com Asian Trails Ltd. (inbound and regional travel agency); Mr Laurent Kuenzle, Group Managing Director, and Mr Roger Haumueller, Managing Director, www.asiantrails.com RPDO Co. Ltd. (Italian restaurant, pizzeria and wine cellar); Mr Patrick Jacob, Managing Director; and Mrs Sudcheewin Intarasawat, Manager, www.deliziapizza.com East West Siam (custom-made travel services); Mr Thierry Rodet, General Manager, and Mr Raymond Mueller, Marketing/Key Account Manager, www.ewsiam.com [ Any changes in your company? Please inform secretary@swissthai.com ] Thai Temple House Koh Samui Verkaufe sehr schönes Thai Temple House in Koh Samui. An erhöhter Lage, nähe Lamai Beach. Für weitere Infos und Fotos wenden Sie sich an info@prisma-2000.ch Ab 9. Januar bis 31. Januar 2010 bin ich auf Koh Samui. [ For further information, please contact owner directly. ] STCC CALENDAR Thursday, 17th December 2009: Stamm @ Amari Atrium Hotel, 18:00 Thursday, 14th January 2010: Stamm @ Amari Atrium Hotel, 18:00 Thursday, 28th January 2010: AGM 2010 Thursday, 11th February 2010: Stamm @ Amari Atrium Hotel, 18:00
06 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce December 2009 Deutscher Botschafter besucht RIS / DsSB Drs Halter & Schumacher Dr Hanns Schumacher Am Freitag, den 28. August 2009, besuchte der Botschafter der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Dr. Hanns Schumacher, die Deutschsprachige Schule Bangkok. Dies war der Antrittsbesuch von Dr. Schumacher, der seit Oktober 2008 die Deutsche Botschaft in Bangkok leitet. An der DsSB informierte er sich im Gespräch mit der Schulleitung über die Schule und überbrachte die Plakette Schulen: Partner der Zukunft. Die von Bundesaußenminister Steinmeier gegründete Initiative soll weltweit bei jungen Menschen das Interesse für Deutschland und seine Gesellschaft wecken. Im Gegenzug überreichte Schulleiter Dr. Halter dem deutschen Botschafter Wimpel und Wanduhr der DsSB. Bei der Besichtigung der Schule unterhielt sich Dr. Schumacher unter anderem mit dem Leiter des Pädagogischen Qualitätsmanagements (PQM) an der DsSB, Herrn Guido Baumann (siehe Foto). Im Zuge der Inspektion aller deutschen Auslandsschulen wird auch die Deutschsprachige Schule Bangkok nach einem Kriterienkatalog inspiziert. Nach erfolgreicher Abnahme wird der Schule von (continued on Page 7) The only German speaking school in Bangkok for children from 2 to 20 years of age. www.dssb.org
December 2009 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce 07 (continued from Page 6) der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ein Gütesiegel ausgestellt, das die DsSB aufgrund ihrer pädagogischen und schulspezifischen Qualitäten in den Rang einer geprüften deutschen Auslandsschule erhebt. Während der Besichtigung hielt der Botschafter einen kurzen Vortrag über seine Arbeit als Diplomat und die Rolle der Deutschen Botschaft in Bangkok für die Schülerinnen und Schüler der Klassen 10 bis 12. Auch erzählte er den Schülern in kurzen Zügen vom Mauerfall, welcher dieses Jahr zum 20. Mal gefeiert wird. Den kurzweiligen Erzählungen von Dr. Schumacher folgte noch eine Fragerunde für Schüler und Lehrer. Im vorangegangenen Gespräch mit den Lehrern gab der Botschafter seine positive Einstellung zur Schule zu verstehen und lud zu einem Dialog zwischen Botschaft und Schule ein. Man könne ihn stets für Belange und besondere Themen im Unterricht ansprechen,er würde gerne kommen und dazu referieren. Text: Michael Rassinger Fotos: Jörgen Eklund Dr Hanns Schumacher, Herr Guido Baumann Drs Halter & Schumacher
08 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce December 2009 INVESTMENT CENTER One Start One Stop [OSOS] is open for business Thailand Offers Investors Comprehensive Services at One Location To support private sector investment, the government had to improve the investment environment for all investors. One of the urgent tasks was how to facilitate investors in dealing with multiple agencies spread all across Bangkok. The solution was the establishment of a true one-stop service center for investors. On November 23, 2009, the One Start One Stop Investment Center, or OSOS, as it is now known, was opened for business. The OSOS, which operates as part of the Board of Investment, consolidates staff from numerous investment-related agencies at a permanent location at Chamchuri Square (at Rama IV). This building has its own direct entrance from the MRT station Samyan. Agencies Represented at OSOS Ministry of Commerce Department of Business Development Ministry of Finance Customs Department, Revenue Department, Excise Department Ministry of Energy Energy Business Department, Department of Mineral Fuels Ministry of Industry Office of the Board of Investment, Department of Industrial Works, Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, Department of Primary Industries and Mines Ministry of Interior Department of Lands, Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, Provincial Waterworks Authority, Provincial Electricity Authority, Metropolitan Electricity Authority Ministry of Labor Department of Labor Protection and Welfare, Social Security Office Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning Ministry of Public Health Food and Drug Administration Ministry of Transport Department of Land Transport Ministry of Tourism and Sports Office of Tourism Development For businessmen Thai or foreign; big or small; BOI-promoted or not interested in investing in Thailand, the One Start One Stop Investment Center offers a wide range of investment-related services. To begin with, OSOS staff will help investors with various applications to make sure investors understand what is needed to register a company, obtain investment promotion privileges, obtain a foreign business license, complete an environmental impact assessment, request permission to use land for industrial operations, obtain utilities, and etc. (continued on Page 9)
December 2009 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce 09 (continued from Page 8) In addition to assisting investors with procedural matters, staff from numerous agencies will be on hand to consult with investors on a range of topics. If an investor has a question that requires an interpretation from more than one agency, the matter can be addressed by the various experts at the OSOS rather than having to go from office to office in search of answers. To remain attractive, it is necessary to provide investors with services before, during and after an application is submitted. The establishment of the OSOS is the latest step that Thailand is taking to create a better environment for investors. Where are we? 18th Floor, Chamchuri Square Building 319 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: +66 (0)2 209 1100 Email: osos@boi.go.th (Contact: Ms. Krongkanoke Managitjonggol) Please use the OSOS Center as often as you can. We are looking forward to receiving your comment and reports to secretary@swissthai.com. Also note: the One-Stop Service Center for visas and work permits will move to the same location as OSOS on January 4, 2010.
10 Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce December 2009 MEMBER PROFILE GTT GROUP INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD. Kitchen with Countertop House Entry Hotel Lobby Interested in granite or marble for your house or condo? Dear Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce Members and Friends, GTT Group is a one-stop centre for granite, marble, sandstone, limestone and laminate. GTT Group International Co., Ltd. was established in Bangkok in 1996 as Granite Centre. The company grew to become one of the major suppliers of granite and marble for the whole Kingdom of Thailand. Today, GTT Group has developed into an even more competent partner than ever before in the field of building, construction, and renovation. Our products are distributed by our highly qualified and experienced sales force and partners. Our technical experts are available to help you with your application requirements, such as planning, design and installation, to create a warm and inviting environment of elegance, character, and sophistication through the fabrication of custom-made natural stone applications. Our most valuable assets include our employees, time-proven experience, craftsmanship, and unparalleled customer service. As a result, we guarantee products of distinction and a commitment of expeditious delivery that exceed our customers expectations, from concept to reality. We are experts in fabricating and importing different kind of stones such as marble, granite, Granito and sandstone. Our strongest attributes are customer satisfaction and quality products. The modern combination of quality fabrication and classical design of granite and marble application that we offer is in demand in today s world. Granite it rocks! Granite is a coarse-grained crystalline igneous rock composed primarily of quartz and feldspar, formed from slowly-cooling magma that is subjected to extreme pressures deep beneath the earth s surface. It is known the world over for its durability and has many advantages over man-made materials. Granite is very resistant to scratching, and in most cases, a slip of a knife won t mean an imperfection to be noticed for the life of the material. Most granite is not affected by acidic foods, and hot cookware can be placed directly on the surface without lasting effects. Our strongest application fields include kitchens, countertops, staircases, tables, lobbies, bath and shower rooms, swimming pools, walkways, living rooms, offices, and hotels and condominiums. 20/3 Moo 14, Pinklao-Nakhonchaisri Rd. Chimplee, Talingchan Bangkok 10170 Tel: +66 (0)2 448 7466(-68) Mobile: +66 (0)81 846 2779 gtt_group@hotmail.com Our goal is to provide the very best service possible; our key assets to our success are our knowledge and experience in the field, as well as our strong sense of responsibility. Our dense network of sales partners throughout almost the whole country ensures focus on the customer and offers a broad spectrum of advisory and support services. GTT Group, with over 45 employees, warmly welcomes you to visit our showroom, or please contact us for an appointment. Open everyday, Monday-Sunday, 08.30h - 17.30h (we speak Swiss/German, as well). Best regards, Vilasinee Gisler
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Not just TODAY...but also TOMORROW... we help Thai people to improve their quality of life. Over the years, and across many projects, Nestlé Group Thailand has shown its care and commitment to help the Thai community achieve a better quality of life. Nestlé Group Thailand continues to initiate and maintain projects that help sustain the independence and pride of the community. Healthy Thai Kids Project is aimed at educating Thai children on nutrition and health. New Life after Tsunami Project creates new opportunities and hope for the victims. Coffee Development Project increases the productivity of coffee plantations. Many more projects are being put in place to help under-privileged people enjoy a better life. Our strategy is to build a firm future path for the community, enabling citizens to live independently and happily. www.nestle.co.th