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Bartercard opens in Chiang Mai
World’s largest barter network goes north
At the recent launch of
Bartercard Chiang Mai. From left to right, Mr. Thanakorn Chamnankij,
National Sales Manager, Ms. Panada Dusitakorn, Sales & Marketing Manager,
Mr. Graham Brain, Managing Director, Ms. Lalin Chia, Brokerage Manager, and
Mr. Worawat Rojrangsee, General Manager.
Bartercard, the world’s largest business-to-business
Trade Exchange, has continued its Thailand expansion with the opening of its
newest franchise operation in Chiang Mai, throwing its doors open to new
members, the local business community, and the media.
In a superb opening event held at new member Le Crystal Restaurant Chiang
Mai on June 20, Bartercard Thailand’s General Manager Worawat Rojrangsri
joined Managing Director Graham Brain in introducing local entrepreneurs and
new Franchisees Lalin Chia and Panada Dusitakorn.
The Chiang Mai operation is off to a flying start, with 30 members already
signed up in its first month of operation. They will benefit from being part
of an existing international network of member companies, as well as the
Thailand customer base in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket.
The two women were partners in a healthcare business that joined Bartercard
in 2003. They immediately saw the benefits that being a member brought to
the business by reducing cash expenses, converting excess stock into Trade
Baht, and improving cash flow.
After watching Bartercard grow and expand into Pattaya and Phuket, they felt
that the time was right to take the local franchise both as a business
opportunity and as a way to help stimulate the slow economy by generating
more business and profits for its members.
They have initially targeted the service industry in Chiang Mai, especially
accommodation, restaurants, travel services, advertising and media, and will
gradually link to other related businesses. They expect to see at least
20-30 businesses joining every month, as Bartercard allows its members to
prosper in both good times and tough times.
“We have first-hand experience in working with Bartercard as members, and
truly understand the opportunities that exist in belonging to this network”,
said Khun Lalin, adding that, “when times get tough, this is a great system
for preserving cash flow, and exactly the kind of resource that businesses
here in the North need.”
Khun Panada feels that companies in Chiang Mai are ready for Bartercard and
will be very receptive to a cashless business system. “We already have
demands from existing members for accommodations, restaurants, OTOP products
and other services in Chiang Mai. This means that new members already have a
whole list of suppliers where they can trade their services and products
for.”
Bartercard has taken the age-old concept of barter and added flexibility,
security, accountability, confidence and a 100% satisfaction and results
guarantee. It is the largest and fastest growing barter network in the world
and operates in many major international markets and is continually opening
in new countries.
The company’s operations in Thailand began in 1998 as the local licensee of
a growing Australian company, at a time when the business community was
being ravaged by the effects of the 1997 meltdown and companies were seeking
to save cash by any means possible in order to survive.
Bartercard Thailand operates in a unit of currency known as the Trade Baht
(TB) which is recognized by the Thai government as having the equivalent
value of one baht for tax purposes.
Bartercard is a business-to-business (B2B) market place that facilitates
transactions electronically via the Internet, selected swipe card facilities
and telephone “e-commerce”, or by a transaction voucher similar to that used
with a credit card.
FTA talks with Thailand intact, says US Embassy
The United States is still intending to proceed with
negotiations for the free trade area (FTA) agreement with Thailand, according to
a press release issued by the US Embassy in Bangkok last week.
It said there had been a discrepancy in reports of an interview by US Trade
Representative Susan Schwab with the Singapore Straits Times that the US had
given up hope for an FTA with Thailand
The Straits Times had corrected the statement of Ms. Susan given in the
interview in its website.
The newspaper said Mrs. Susan actually stated that the negotiations for the FTA
with Thailand had been suspended in the wake of last year’s coup in the country.
Although the FTA talks between both countries were not currently progressing,
the US had no intention to end the negotiations with Thailand, the statement
said. (TNA)
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