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Debit card business likely to grow
considerably: KRC
Thailand’s debit card business is likely to continue its growth by as much
as 24 per cent this year, but its popularity among the public remains
limited, according to the Kasikorn Research Center.
The leading think tank said the implementation of the marketing policy for
the debit card business in Thailand had gained momentum since early last
year.
It forecast the number of debit cards this year would increase by 24 per
cent to around 22.75 million from 18.35 million last year because of a
successful marketing campaign to expand the debit card customer base.
KRC viewed that spending through debit cards would continue to grow
satisfactorily if operators were able to adopt a similar suitable marketing
strategy to stimulate cardholder spending.
In addition, an interest rate increase for credit card loans to 20 per cent
per annum might encourage customers to turn to spend more through debit
cards in the future.
It projected that spending through debt cards this year would increase by
19.7 per cent to around Bt44.9 billion from Bt37.5 billion last year.
According to a survey carried out by KRC however, most consumers did not
want to change their ATM cards into debit cards nor use the debit cards for
payments. They still preferred to use credit cards for payments as they
obtained more incentives than spending through the debit cards. (TNA)
Power bills likely to edge up this year
Electricity bills are likely to edge up further this year due
to surging oil prices and lower water levels in hydropower-producing dams,
according to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) governor
Sombat Santijaree.
He said the surge in global oil prices to US$100 per barrel would not have an
immediate effect on Thailand’s power bills as the price of natural gas, which
accounts for 70 per cent of fuel for power generation, had not instantly risen
in tandem with the oil prices.
However, Mr. Sombat conceded that a continued oil price rise would have an
impact on consumers’ electricity bills.
At the same time, the water level in Thailand’s hydropower dams this year has
fallen to just 80 per cent of their full capacity. It could result in decreased
generation of the country’s lowest cost hydro-power.
Still, he said, how much the power bills would be raised depended on the
decision of the sub-committee supervising the fuel tariff charge. EGAT is not in
a position to identify how much the FT will increase charges in the new round
starting from February to May.
Mr. Sombat said EGAT had attempted to manage power generation to ensure the
lowest cost by allowing power plants with low production costs to operate at
full capacity first. (TNA)
Kunming eases strict customs, taxes on Thai goods
The government of China’s Kunming city has eased its strict
customs procedures and value-added tax collections applied on imported Thai
products.
Speaking after visiting the city and meeting with senior officials of state
agencies there at the end of December, Thailand’s Deputy Permanent Secretary for
Commerce Pissanu Rienmahasarn said the local government of Kunming had agreed to
relax the customs rules on examination and quarantine of imported products
including vegetables, fruits and meat from Thailand.
In addition, it had reduced the value-added tax collections on various kinds of
Thai products shipped to Kunming and for trans-shipment to other Chinese
provinces.
Mr. Pissanu said the two sides would set up a sub-committee to determine a
common practical approach, which is expected to be declared in the next few
months.
The relaxation of the rules is considered a significant achievement, he said,
adding that in the past Thai exporters of products to each province of China had
experienced both a strict examination and the quarantining of their products.
Some produce, particularly fruits and vegetables, had been kept in quarantine
for such a long time that they spoiled, despite the fact that Thailand and China
had reached a free trade area agreement covering produce in 2003.
Mr. Pissanu added Thailand has a project to develop a Thai product distribution
centre in Kunming where a 20-storey building for the centre is already under
construction.
The centre is expected to be a key place for distribution of Thai products to
Chinese consumers in Kunming and other provinces of China.
Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, is China’s gateway to Southeast Asia.
Currently, the Chinese government is promoting the city as an economic zone.
“More importantly,” according to Mr. Pissanu, “Kunming people are close to Thai
merchants and know Thai products well.
“Consumers in the city have high purchasing power, making the city suitable as a
place where Thailand can distribute consumer products such as clothing, leather
and other OTOP goods,” he said. (TNA)
Dusit Thani Pattaya appoints new MarCom Manager
Ms. Vanjie Lauzon has been
appointed the new Marketing Communications Manager of the Dusit Thani Pattaya.
Chatchawal Supachayanont, General Manager of Dusit Thani
Pattaya, recently announced the appointment of Vanjie Lauzon as Marketing
Communications Manager of the resort hotel. Ms. Lauzon, who comes from the
Philippines and has been working in Thailand for more than 10 years now, has a
wealth of experience both in print and broadcast media as well as media
relations.
She will be in charge of the public relations and marketing communications
aspects of the 462-room newly renovated and re-branded Dusit Thani Pattaya.
PTT to raise number of
E-20 service stations
To meet a greater demand by vehicles using gasohol E-20,
Thailand’s top energy company PTT Plc will increase the number of service
stations where the new fuel is available to 100 by the end of April. Most
will be located in major cities.
PTT E-20 Plus is gasohol E-20 containing 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent
gasoline.
Prasert Bunsumpun, PTT president and chief executive officer, said the E20
Plus price at company service stations is 6 baht per litre lower than that
of premium gasoline.
The special price for gasohol E-20 will be offered until March 31.
At present, vehicles that could use E-20 as fuel include Honda (City-ZX
Civic Accord and CR-V), Mitsubishi (Space Wagon 4G69 MIVEC NA4 EFI), Mazda
(Mazda 3), Nissan (Teana and Tiida), Ford Focus and Ford Escape 3.0 L.
Mr. Prasert said PTT might need to further raise local retail fuel prices
soon because the oil price cost in the world market had increased
significantly.
He added the global fuel prices had surged due to unrest in the oil
producing countries and cold weather conditions in different parts of the
world. (TNA)
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