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Dusit Thani Pattaya
appoints a new Director
of Sales and Marketing
Maintaining a secure and strong grip in various markets is essential to any
hotel business. With this taken into account, Dusit Thani Pattaya general
manager Chatchawal Supachayanont recently appointed its new Director of
Sales and Marketing who brings more than 20 years of experience in Sales,
Marketing, Promotions and Public Relations.
 Dorrothy
SC Kam, the new Director of Sales and Marketing at Dusit Thani Pattaya.
Dorrothy SC Kam began her hospitality career in Malaysia where she comes
from. There was no turning back since then as she pursued her chosen field
with aplomb and expertise working with several international chain hotels.
With her new appointment, Ms Kam will be responsible for the full spectrum
of the resort’s Sales and Marketing strategies putting all its initiatives
into place to generate revenue, yield improvement as well as occupancy while
enhancing guest experience through product development and implementation.
Prior to her appointment, Ms Kam worked at different five-star international
hotels in Asia. She held the same position in Vietnam before moving to
Beijing and Shanghai in China with focus on managing key market segments
including leisure, business and MICE.
Failing probation: What an employer
needs to know about giving prior notice
David Tan
Most businesses, big or small, employ people to work for them. To reduce
the chance of having employed someone unsuitable, the employer has an agreement
with the employee that he/she will have to undergo a probation period or the
employer’s working rules require the employee to undergo probation.
At the end of the probation period, the employee will be evaluated on whether
the employee passed the probation. If the employee passed the probation, he/she
can continue to work for the employer.
If the employee failed the probation, the employer will inform the employee on
this and he/she cannot continue to work. In most cases, the employee who does
not pass probation is legally entitled to a minimum prior notice period
on his/hers employment termination. How long is this minimum prior notice
period?
For example: XZZ Company Limited employed Khun A to work for the company as a
sales executive. In the employment contract it is stated that there is a 119
days probation period. Wages will be paid to Khun A on a monthly basis.
If XZZ Company Limited decided on September 20, 2008 that Khun A will not pass
his probation due to poor work performance, XZZ Company Limited shall notify
(written notice) Khun A of this on September 20 and Khun A’s last day of
employment is October 30, not October 19. Termination must take effect at the
following time of wages payment. Under labor laws, this is the minimum prior
notice period on termination which XZZ Company Limited must provide to Khun A.
If the XZZ Company Limited thinks that it will be better for the business if the
Khun A leaves immediately, then the XZZ must compensate Khun A for all wages
which he/she is entitled to up until his/her last employment day i.e. October 30
and ask Khun A to leave immediately.
New amendments to the labor protection law have expressly stipulated that a
probation period is not an employment contract with a fixed employment period.
An employment contract with a fixed employment period would deem that there is
no need to provide prior notice on termination. The employment would just end on
the last day of the employment period. A probation period is not considered an
employment contract with a fixed employment period because if the employee
passed the probation, the employee will be able to continue working.
Final Tip
The employer should provide proper prior notice of termination to the
employee (i.e. adhering to the minimum legal requirement). Also, prior to
entering into an employment contract with an employee, the employer should
consider the contractual conditions carefully. Especially conditions on the
nature of work and wages payment.
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David is a Lecturer of Business
Law at Asian University and author of the book “A Primer of Thai
Business Law”, available online at www.chulabook.com or call 038 233
490 to order. Any questions or comments to David should be sent to
[email protected] |
AIG Group affirms continued
business operations in Thailand
The American insurance giant AIG Group in Thailand last week affirmed that
companies under its umbrella had a sound financial position and would
continue operating in the country.
The group comprising American International Assurance (AIA), AIG Retail
Bank, and New Hampshire Insurance reiterated its stance despite an
announcement by the United States-based AIG Group, its parent company, that
it would dispose of some stakes in AIA Holding Company in New York as part
of a plan to seek new strategic business partners and restructure its
shareholding.
Thomas James White, AIA Thailand’s executive vice president, said the
company remains confident that it will retain its leadership in the life
insurance business in Thailand and is ready to serve its clientele as usual.
The financial difficulties its parent firm is experiencing from the US
economic crisis has not impacted its competence in serving customers and
payment of claims under terms and conditions stated in its insurance
policies, he said.
Although there were news reports about the US financial crisis, White said,
over 99 per cent of AIA’s customers in Thailand remain confident in
continuing to hold the company’s insurance policies. As of the end of July,
the company had total assets of about Bt383 billion.
However, he conceded that AIG needs to seek new strategic business partners
to strengthen its stability.
Charly Madan, president of AIG Retail Bank (Thailand), said the
restructuring of its parent company’s shareholdings would have no impact on
the bank’s performance.
“We can give our customers assurances for their deposits with us,” he said.
(TNA)
Lending tougher: More Asian currencies used to settle trade
Thai financial institutions are expected to become more
cautious lenders, and Asian countries are likely to make greater use of regional
currencies rather than the US dollar in making payments following the US
financial crisis, according to Narongchai Akrasanee, executive chairman of the
Export-Import Bank of Thailand.
Narongchai, a former commerce minister, said that the demand for Thailand’s baht
currency is rising as banks have become reluctant to extend dollar loans to
finance investment projects in Thailand, causing a decline in the normally
plentiful liquidity of the baht in the system.
The higher demand for the Thai baht will force local financial institutions to
become more wary in granting loans and will eventually tighten liquidity, he
said.
As it is still unclear how the US$700 billion rescue package could help the US
financial institutions to weather the crisis and to what extent, Narongchai said
businesses in Asia would likely turn to major regional currencies like the
Japanese yen, the Chinese yuan and the South Korean won for trade and investment
transactions among them.
In future, the Asian bond could become a reality, he said.
The Asian bond is aimed at creating a source of funds for long-term investment
in Asia by promoting development of the regional bond market. (TNA)
AFG growing up
By Dr Iain Corness
The Automotive Focus Group (AFG) is an eclectic collection of people,
but with the common ground of an interest in the automotive industry which is
concentrated on the Eastern Seaboard. In its charter, the AFG states that it
will act as a forum for gathering and sharing information related to Thailand’s
auto industry particularly, but not restricted to, the Industrial Estates in the
Eastern Seaboard region.
The group began under the aegis of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in
Thailand (AustCham), as a fairly informal gathering of people in similar
industries, who might enjoy networking together. These meetings were held in
conjunction with the AustCham Seaboard Sundowners.
In October, with AustCham meeting in Phuket, rather than Pattaya, the AFG
committee decided that the local automotive group was now sufficiently mature to
be able to hold its own independent meetings when necessary, and in addition, to
formalize its structure and have its own charter document (currently a draft).
This has been the result of much work put in by the AFG President Mike Diamente
(Dana) and secretary Maurice Bromley (GoIndustry).
The venue for the AFG’s first ‘solo’ meeting was provided by the Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya in the conference area on the top floor of its Dermatology and
Beauty Center, and around 40 of the AFG members turned out for the meeting.
President Mike Diamente began his address by saying he was pleased to be in the
hospital’s conference room, rather than the CCU where he had been recently! He
also brought the members up to date with discussions that have been held with
the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) which is looking at revamping its Auto
Council.
Judy Benn from AmCham was also present and outlined the AmCham direction for
their Auto Council, stressing that its emphasis was mainly Ford and GM and one
of its functions was lobbying the Thai government.
Mike Diamente also stressed that he believed that the AFG could serve as a venue
for what is going on in the auto industry by being less formal than the average
committee or group. There are no topics or industry off-limits and he welcomed
AFG members to suggest speakers and topics.
At the meeting, Tom Sorensen from Grant Thornton addressed the members on
interviewing techniques, as an attempt to assist the members find the right
person for their jobs on offer. He began with the concept that if you toss a
coin in the air, you have a 50 percent chance of getting the right person!
However, it soon became evident that ‘head hunting’ is a little more scientific
than that.
The evening finished with snacks and refreshments of the alcoholic kind and much
lively debate and networking.
The next meeting will be held in conjunction with the AustCham Seaboard
Sundowners in November.
MBMG Group launches new insurance division in Thailand
New insurance company under MBMG Group
set to keep abreast of changes
MBMG Group, a specialist provider of financial planning,
investment, accounting and legal advice to foreign individuals and businesses in
Asia, has this month introduced its new insurance division MLG Insurance Broker
Co. Ltd.
 Graham
Macdonald.
Offices in Thailand have now been set up in response to growing client demand
for bespoke solutions and value added insurance services.
MLG Insurance Broker offers a fully comprehensive package of services that cater
for all needs. These include cover for personal requisites such as health, car
and house and contents insurance. They even do golfer insurance!
All corporate, industrial and business requirements are provided for; amongst
others these include public liability, product liability and even contractor’s
all risks insurance.
Graham Macdonald, Managing Director of the MBMG Group, said, “MLG Insurance
Broker promises to be a success and, in the current climate, is likely to expand
very quickly. More than ever, companies and individuals are looking for
tailor-made reliable insurance packages. As such, the new MLG Insurance Broker
customizes an insurance strategy, and provides flexibility in its protection
arrangements, specifically for the needs of each client.”
MLG Insurance Broker is now established in Bangkok, Samui and Pattaya. The
Bangkok office is situated in new premises at Somkid Place. Samui is covered via
the address at Bo Phut and the Pattaya centre is located just off South Pattaya
Road in Pattaya.
To find out more about MLG Insurance Broker, or to set up an appointment,
corporations and individuals are invited to contact Jack Levy at
[email protected].
Thailand’s vehicle exports look unfavourable next year: KRC
Thailand’s vehicle exports look likely next year to be hit by
the global economic slowdown arising from the US financial crisis and the
continued fluctuation of oil prices, according to Kasikorn Research Center.
The leading think tank projected the country’s vehicle exports would grow around
8 per cent in terms of volume in 2009 compared with 14 per cent expected for
this year.
The export value is also forecast to expand about 9.9 per cent this year
compared to the 17 per cent earlier projected.
The expected decline in exports could now dampen the government’s ambition to
boost annual vehicle production to 2 million units in 2011 under the
second-phase auto industry master plan (2007-2011).
In the first eight months of this year, Thailand produced 944,893 vehicles, up
15.8 per cent from the same period last year.
Of this, 529,530 units are for export and 415,363 units for local sales. The
country’s imports of vehicles in the period amounted US$627.7 million, up 56.8
per cent from the corresponding period the year before. (TNA)
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