Tourism Minister Pitak seeks longer night life in parts of Bangkok

Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office Pitak Intaravittayanan said he would work with the Interior Ministry to sort out the possibility of extending nightlife in particular parts of Bangkok, which include Kaosarn and Patpong areas, to promote tourism. He said New Yorkers have been proud to say their city has never slept.

Patpong, which is part of Silom Road, has been known to foreign tourists for a long time for its rich nightlife. Restaurants and entertainment complexes in the area, which now must close at 02:00 a.m. in accordance with laws, are seeking longer service hours, said Mr. Pitak.

There are about 100 bars and about 200 shops in the Patpong area. A 24-hour service in selling beer and shopping was highly possible, said Mr. Pitak. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has fully supported the zoning idea, in a plan to make parts of Bangkok areas which would never sleep, said Mr. Pitak.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s development plans on the Ratanakosin Island would highly benefit from opening Kaosarn Road at night, as the area is just a few blocks away from the Grand Palace.

The minister said the 24-hour service in parts of the capital city would help create jobs and the government has nothing to lose.

Battles between rivals start again to control beer market

Boon Rawd Brewery Co. started running its first TV commercial series to promote sales of Super Leo beer after the sister brand of the company’s Leo was introduced to the market last week. Boon Rawd said its Super Leo, which is stronger than its elder sister Leo in taste, will suit drinkers in the low-scale market.

The launch of Super Leo beer by Boon Rawd comes amid rumors in the industry that Leo beer had failed to win the market from Chang (elephant) beer, after its launching in mid-1998. Boon Rawd, however, said Leo was doing well and Super Leo would penetrate into the lower market, aiming specially at those who leave white whiskies for beer.

Industry experts said Leo beer had missed its prime target - the mass market - as it turned out that its customers have been mostly working people and starters who tried beer for the first time. But Chang beer has done far beyond that. The beer clearly and cleanly led in northeastern Thailand, the country’s largest beer market, said industry sources.

Leo was available in can for the first time this week, at Baht 20 each; fierce competition between the two rivals expected to last until the third quarter; brewer of Chang beer, Thai Beer (1999) said the beer has controlled Nakorn Ratchasima, the largest province in the northeast.

Ministry to push forward controversial double-track railway projects

The State Railway of Thailand and Transport and Communication Ministry will push for the approval of double-track railway projects despite protests by a ministry committee over high costs. Assistant Secretary to Minister of Transport and Communication Charnchai Issarasenarak said the show must go on or face another 2-year delay.

According to SRT’s managing director Sarawuth Thammasiri, the economic crisis had delayed the implementation of the projects as contractors were not be able to calculate construction costs due to fluctuations of baht value. An appreciating baht had made costs of the projects fall 10%, from Baht 10.2 billion to Baht 9 billion, he said.

Mr. Charnchai said the construction costs of the project were not too high as noted by the ministry committee chaired by a ministry’s inspector-general. He insists that the per-kilometer cost of the double-track railway project is relatively lower than any other railway construction projects by the SRT.

The first 3 double-track routes are to connect Bangkok and Nakorn Pathom, Ban Pachi-Mab Kabao and Ban Pachi-Lopburi. OECF loans have been sought by ministry to support the projects. Transport and Communications Minister Suthep Thuagsuban is expected to forward the project for a cabinet nod this month.

Thailand becomes regional base of Warner-Lambert

US-based Warner-Lambert has made Thailand its production base for the Asia-Pacific region for production of medicated drops and chewing gum. The company, with Thai subsidiary Adams (Thailand), will use the Thai plant in Samut Prakarn to produce products for export as well as for the domestic market.

Adams (Thailand), with products Halls, Chiclets, Clorets and Dentine as market leaders, will increase exports to 50% of production, leaving the rest for the domestic market. About 30-40% of Adam’s products had been sent to Indochinese countries in 1998, said Mr. Vorathep Rangchaikul, the company’s marketing director for Thailand and Indochina.

Warner-Lambert has already spent Baht 300-400 million in relocating hardware to Thailand, and the company would invest several million baht more to complete setting up the new production base in early 2000, said Mr. Vorathep. Adams (Thailand) earned Baht 2.3 billion last year from selling candies and chewing gum, about the same number of that in 1997.

Halls shares 45 percent of the Baht 1.4 billion sweets market, while Chiclets controls 52% of the chewing gum market, worth Baht 1.1 billion. Clorets and Dentine have a 62% combined share in the mouth hygiene product market worth Baht 1 billion.

Taiwanese airline flies chartered flights to Udorn Thani

Trans Asia Airway has been given permission to fly special flights from Taipei to the northeastern province of Udorn Thani for 2 months to carry Thai workers in Taiwan home during the Songkran traditional New Year festival. Authorities have sought a longer flying period for the airline in order to promote tourism.

The privately-own airline, with the help of Udorn Thani local administrations, has been successful in negotiating with the Department of Aviation to extend its flying period for another month, to the end of May. Udorn Thani governor Vichai Tassanasret said the extension of the flying period would help promote tourism in Udorn Thani, home of the 4,500-year old pre-historical Ban Chiang culture.

Trans Asia started taking the first 160 Thai workers back home from Taiwan April 5. Three more flights would continue to the end of the month, said Mr. Sanoh Srisamran, director of Udorn Thani Airport. All is ready for more flights into June and beyond, said Mr. Sanoh.

Several thousands of workers in Udorn Thani and its neighboring provinces have been working in Taiwan. Udorn Thani Province, where the ancient Ban Chiang pottery is found, is now connected to Chiang Mai by BP Air services. Udorn Thani Airport is ready to be an international airport.

TA cooperation vital to the country’s audiotext services

Audiotext services in Thailand cannot be developed without cooperation from TelecomAsia Corporation Plc,, which has 1.3 million numbers in its telephone network in Bangkok and vicinity. TA recently launched its own audiotext service to boost the use of telephones.

According to sources in the Telephone Organization of Thailand, licenses have been granted to 4 privately-own businesses to start audiotext services in the Kingdom, but none of them have signed an agreement with TOT. A revenue sharing regime in audiotext service must be agreed upon by TA first, they said.

Without TA cooperation it would be almost impossible for other parties to start the service in Thailand, said the sources. TA recently launched sales promotion campaigns to promote the use of phone calls. The ‘TA Phone Club’ and ‘TA Family Club’ projects have already increased calls by 20%, they said.

TA is reported to have 700,000 home users and 600,000 corporate and organization users in Bangkok and vicinity. A TA user spends about Baht 700 a month for calls. TA is using an audiotext system supplied by its South African business partner, MIS. The Phone Club and the Family Club projects were seen as an experiment in audiotext service.

Thai Senior Government Officials complete studies abroad at Hawaii’s Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

by Jason Holm

Asia-Pacific Center, Honolulu, Hawaii - Col. Chamnong Saisopa (Supreme Command Headquarters), Wing Cmdr. Somchai Pratanee (Royal Thai Air Force), and Soravij Bhirombhakdi (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), were recognized April 8 for completion of the 12-week College of Security Studies course at the Hawaii-based Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. H. C. Stackpole, president of the Asia-Pacific Center, presented the officials with a diploma for their participation in the Jan 19 - April 8 course.

The Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) is a regional study, research and conference center, actively contributing to stability and security in the region. It is designed to enhance cooperation and build relationships through mutual understanding and study of comprehensive security issues among military and civilian representatives of the US and other Asia-Pacific nations.

Chamnong, Somchai, and Soravij were three of 44 senior military and civilian representatives representing 22 countries in the College of Security Studies course. The three-phase curriculum focuses on defining the roles and missions of security forces, exploring regional security issues, historical and contemporary, and identifying indicators of potential security concerns in the region.

To date, the APCSS has conducted seven Executive Courses, with 257 participants from 35 countries.

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