Nokia Siemens Networks helps operator improve 3G mobile broadband, prepare for LTE

TOT, Thailand’s state-owned telecom operator, has selected Nokia Siemens Networks to upgrade its 3G network to HSPA+. This upgrade will improve mobile broadband services for the 7.2 million TOT customers and increase download speeds to even 42 megabits per second (Mbps) compared to the current 7.2 Mbps. The upgrade will be ready by April 2012.

“The Thai mobile market is extremely competitive, so we always need to ensure we are well ahead of the curve. With demand for data skyrocketing and operators looking to venture into the 3G space, we knew this was the right time to upgrade our 3G network,” said Monchai Noosong, acting president at TOT. “Nokia Siemens Networks has helped us scale up quickly enabling us to ride the mobile broadband wave sweeping the country. In addition, the company’s solution ensures an easy migration to LTE once that becomes topical for us.”

“As smartphones become more common also in Thailand and people start using data heavy applications on them, it is important that the mobile broadband networks can manage the capacity needs and provide enjoyable customer experience, said Krittika Mahattanakul, head of Asia North, Asia Pacific region at Nokia Siemens Networks. “TOT is ensuring this by upgrading its network to HSPA+ early on.”

Nokia Siemens Networks’ all-IP ready HSPA+ solution is based on the Dual Carrier HSDPA technology, Flexi Multiradio Base Station and the 3G Radio Network Multicontroller (RNC).The company will also deploy its Liquid Core’s COTS ATCA*-based Open Mobile Switching Server (MSS), which together with the Flexi Multiradio Base Station enables a smooth transition to LTE.

The TOT network, including GSM and 3G, will be monitored and optimized by the Nokia Siemens Networks NetAct network management system. Nokia Siemens Networks will also provide its Location Based Services solution enabling TOT to offer Value Added Services (VAS), such as localized advertising.

Nokia Siemens Networks will provide TOT network planning, implementation and optimization services, as well as services for operations support and training.

“Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean basin,” the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The US Geological Survey said an 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra at 2:38 pm (0838 GMT, 4.38pm Singapore time) at a depth of 33 kilometers (20.5 miles). USGS had initially reported it as an 8.9-magnitude quake.

The tsunami warning center said it had not yet ascertained whether a tidal wave had been generated but that one was likely given the strength of the temblor, and advised local authorities to take “appropriate action.”

Meanwhile India has also issued a tsunami warning for the Andaman and Nicobars islands located in the Indian Ocean.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service issued a red high-level warning for the islands, and also put out lower alerts for the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states in the southeast of the country.

On December 26, 2004 a 9.2-magnitude earthquake off Sumatra generated a catastrophic tsunami that wrought devastation across southern Asia, killing an estimated 220,000 people.

Last year, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan, killing some 19,000 people.

Ms Atchaka said the special tax offer is aimed to restore and promote the industrial activities of the two provinces after they were brought to a standstill by the floods. Investors wishing to receive the privileges must submit their applications by the end of this year.

The tax incentives include the exemption of corporate income tax for 8 years. The maximum value of tax exemption is set at 150% of the investment capital. For those investing in Ayutthaya, after the 8-year period, they will be entitled to corporate income tax reduction by 50% for another 3 years.

A major automaker has officially resumed its production work, which had been halted because of the flood crisis in late 2011.

Mr. Hiroshi Kobayashi, President and CEO of Asian Honda Motor, chaired the official resumption of the company’s assembly line in the Rojana Industrial Park on Saturday.

Honda’s assembly line had been halted since last November and the company had spent the last 3 months restoring its plants.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Kobayashi stated that Honda is determined to produce as many as 240,000 cars this year, even though there are only 9 months left before the year’s end.

Out of this target, he said 150,000 units will be for domestic sales while the rest will be for exports.

Mr. Kobayashi also affirmed that Honda will not move its production base to other countries as the company is confident in the Thai government’s flood prevention and water management plans.

Meanwhile, Honda Automobile (Thailand)’s Executive Vice President Pitak Pruittisarikorn added that the company still has around 60,000 cars to deliver to its customers. Therefore, Honda is putting all its 6,400 employees into the 2-shift schedule to produce as many as 1,000 cars each day to fulfill its promises with buyers as soon as possible.

Mr. Pitak said that he expects the company’s full assembly line will be operational within 3 months.

The governor of the Bank of Thailand (BoT) opposes measures to weaken the baht currency while confirming that the baht value now accords with the market mechanism.

BoT Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said on Thursday he disagreed with Deputy PM and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-ranong who wanted the central bank to manipulate the exchange rate to make the baht lower in value. He said the BoT now used a managed floating exchange rate which fluctuated in line with the market and believed this regime posed no harm to trade and investment of the business sector.

As for an idea to use a current account deficit to weaken the baht, the governor said it was not a tool for monetary policy and voiced his support for the current account surplus which Thailand is enjoying and is reflecting the country’s prosperity.

On the policy interest rate of 3%, Mr.Prasarn deemed it suitable and sufficient for economic revival. During the past two months, there were signs of economic recovery in the consumption, tourism and industrial sectors. He also forecasted that the Thai economy would gradually pick up in full force by the third quarter of 2012 but high oil price, increasing minimum wage and government spending would continue to affect inflation.

Deputy Director-General of the Department of Business Development Ittipol Changlum said there was an increase of 39% in the number of approved foreign businesses in March, compared with the same period last year. The 32 newly-authorized foreign businesses had a combined investment fund of 547 million baht and created 951 jobs for Thai people.

Most of the 32 foreign businesses are service providers, followed by representative offices, agents, retailers and wholesalers. The service sector accounts for the largest investment capital of 394 million baht.

Compared quarter to quarter, the number of approved foreign businesses in the first quarter of 2012 is higher by 49% than the same period last year with a total investment fund of over 1.6 billion baht.

EGAT, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, recently signed a 7-Year Service Agreement (Multi-year Maintenance Program) with GE Energy to provide maintenance services for GE gas turbines at EGAT’sNorth Bangkokpower plant (700MW Power Plant). GE will provide parts, repairs and technical expertise for the 2 units of 9FA+e DLN2.0+; in addition to the two existing 9FA units currently under GE service contracts.     EGAT and GE Energy have a long history of partnership since the first GE’s Frame 5 gas turbine was supplied in the 1970s for the LanKrabue Power Plant.    This contract further affirms the trust EGAT has in GE’s products and services and will forge a closer partnership between the two parties.

Picture shown from left: Mr. Nat Hutanuwatr, Country Executive for Thailand and Mr. PithsanuTongveerakul, EGAT Deputy Governor, Business Development 

The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce has joined hands with eight private entities, all of which are national and international organizations, as part of its strategy to speed up expansion efforts and the organization of proactive initiatives for its Thaitrade.com E-Marketplace project. The Thaitrade.com project incorporates and utilizes information technologies that are widely used in the international markets in order to add value to DITP’s array of services.  As a result, the Thaitrade.com E-Marketplace project will enable qualified Thai exporters and traders to reach out to international buyers from all regions in the world in a fast and cost-efficient manner. On the other hand, global buyers can be assured of quality and reliability of seller members of Thaitrade.com since all of them are screened by the DITP.

While Thaitrade.com is a means of enhancing the competitive edge of Thai products, it also lays the foundation for Thailand to become a leader in the regional and global E-Marketplaces through the signing of agreements with Alibaba.com, a world class B2B E-Marketplace, Thailand Post Company Limited and Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited, the great supporters in logistics and finance, along with other suitable, high-potential producers in the international market that will culminate in the creation of a trial group of Thai products to be introduced through Thaitrade.com.   This joining of hands will enable Thaitrade.com members to benefit from the respective strengths of each participating organization, while also leading to expand markets for Thai products.

The signing of the alliance agreement (MOU) took place between the Department of International Trade Promotion, the world class B2B E-Marketplace Alibaba.com, and seven alliance partners, namely the Thailand Post Company Limited; Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited; Pantavanij Company Limited; The Gems, Jewelry and Precious Metal Confederation of Thailand (GJPCT); The National Federation of Thai Textile Industries (N.F.T.T.I); The Associations of Thai Lifestyle Products Federation (TLPF); and Thai Frozen Foods Association (TFFA) on 9 February 2012 at the Design Pavilion Trend, Impact Muang Thong Thani. The signing of the MOU underscores the alliance’s commitment to jointly developing Thaitrade.com, with the intention of developing it to become a world class Thailand B2B E-Marketplace.

Mrs. Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce revealed that as it currently stands, Thaitrade.com carries tremendous potential and readiness to evolve into a full-fledged trade and business negotiations arena.  In laying the groundwork for this, the DITP has established the basic infrastructures of an E-Marketplace in order to provide support to online business negotiations in a comprehensive manner.  In conjunction with its business development plan for continued business negotiation activities both online and offline, Thaitrade.com can in the future fully support the expansion of its membership, both in terms of ‘Buyers’ and ‘Sellers’.  In 2012 the DITP aims to increase the membership of Thaitrade.com to at least 4,000 Sellers and 10,000 Buyers. 

“In signing this MOU at this juncture, the DITP aims to enhance cooperation in expanding both our business bases and networks.  In terms of products to be traded, an emphasis will be placed on those product groups that are already strong and carry the potential to act as a “pioneering” group of products from Thailand. Efforts will also be put into the PR and promotion of Thaitrade.com so that it will be widely recognized abroad. As well, Buyers in the target markets will be invited to come together and conduct business negotiation activities, both online and offline. The E-Marketplace, therefore, is a way of both increasing opportunities in sales and of facilitating processes so that global buyers may conveniently source Thai products and services through Thailand’s B2B E-Marketplace.”

“Following the signing of the MOU, there will be further discussions on activities that have been planned — these will be jointly undertaken by the alliance partners in order to promote and PR the website, making Thaitrade.com more widely-known and recognized.  There will also be exchanges of ‘links’ on the main websites to allow viewers of each website to readily access information about our partners. The launch of this alliance between Thaitrade.com and the eight alliance organizations means that Buyers from around the world will now be able to access this information with great ease. Moreover, business matching initiatives for trading general products, as well as for specific groups of products, will be organized both online and offline.”

Through the partnership with Alibaba.com, there will be opportunities to share and exchange ‘links’.  Alibaba.com will also provide the promotional and PR space for Thaitrade.com on its ‘Thailand Channel’ webpage so that people who visit its website can simultaneously access information about Thaitrade.com. High potential Thaitrade.com ‘Seller’ members will be selected to participate in a business matching activity with foreign ‘Buyers’ who are similarly seeking fruitful partnerships. This initiative will be organized by Alibaba.com, which will also offer added services to Thaitrade.com members in the way of information and guidance to be provided by speakers who can impart practical knowledge about online trade business and other activities of the DEP.

As an alliance member, Thailand Post Company Limited will provide specific support to Thaitrade.com members regarding the transportation and distribution of products both domestically and internationally, offering relevant information and providing international transport services at special rates.

Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited has prepared consultation services and will offer comprehensive and appropriate financial services regarding international business for the purposes of accommodating exporters and traders’ business needs.  The Bank will also provide financial and other relevant services both domestically and internationally and will offer privileges in receiving financial services through special rates for Thaitrade.com members. Furthermore, the project will be promoted through websites, documents, journals and printed materials, as well as via other PR tools of the Bank.
Pantavanij Company Limited is Thailand’s local B2B E-marketplace, having operated for more than 10 years and grown at a rapid pace.  At present, the company has expanded its branches to various countries including Vietnam, Indonesia, and Turkey.  The company will collaborate on PR news relating to buyer demand through Thaitrade.com via its Pantavanij.com website, as well as disseminate news about the needs and wants of various large-scale Thai buyers to the members of Thaitrade.com.

The remaining alliance members — The Gems, Jewelry and Precious Metal Confederation of Thailand (GJPCT); The National Federation of Thai Textile Industries (N.F.T.T.I); The Associations of Thai Lifestyle Products Federation (TLPF); and Thai Frozen Foods Association (TFFA)– collectively provide a pool of traders and leading exporters of Thailand who have attained international standards of production. These exporters and traders have consistently demonstrated their ability to produce high quality standards of products, have an expertise in manufacturing, and carry the potential to export goods abroad.  They have joined the alliance in order to provide support and to drive forward the progress of Thaitrade.com so that it can become a truly world class Thailand B2B E-Marketplace.  Notable cooperative efforts include recruiting and selecting members of organizations through the alliance – those that are highly experienced and have the capacity to sell products for exports — to participate in the Thaitrade.com project.

All eight alliance members are determined and committed to working together in the PR and dissemination of news relating to the Traitrade.com E-Commerce marketplace and to providing information and updates on market demand and supply, as well as sharing the strengths and weaknesses of each organization and ultimately encouraging business trading through Thaitrade.com.

Currently, 3,201 traders have been selected to become members of Thaitrade.com comprising 42 groups of products; 64,498 items of products; and 447,703 visitors from more than 200 countries worldwide.  The countries that account for the highest number of visitors are: China, the Republic of Korea, India, the United States, Taiwan, the ASEAN countries, Australia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and Japan.  Of this group of visitors, 10,166 have already registered and joined Thaitrade.com as ‘Buyers’.  Additionally, Thaitrade.com has seen a large number of inquiries and exchanges between Buyers and Sellers.

The signing of the alliance agreement (MOU) between the Department of International Trade Promotion and the eight alliance entities is expected to culminate in meetings and further negotiations between Buyers and Sellers, thereby boosting the value of exports and expanding the market for Thai products across various regions around the globe.  With an increasing volume of Buyer members — all of who have been screened, selected, and endorsed by various federations and associations — as well as extending invitations to international buyers from the Thai Trade Centers all around the world to register as “qualified” Buyers, Thaitrade.com has become a credible and reputable B2B E-Marketplace.  Thaitrade.com thus represents another trading alternative that will help Thai traders to venture confidently into the realm of conducting business in the global market.

Interested Thai traders and exporters can join the Thaitrade.com project free of charge through several channels, such as through the project website www.thaitrade.com, via e-mail to: ecommerce@ditp.go.th, ecommerce.dep@gmail.com, through www.facebook.com/ThaitradeDotCom or in person at the Thaitrade.com booth at various trade exhibitions organized by the DEP.  For further information, please contact the DITP International Business Consulting Center at its hotline number 1169, or by facsimile number 02 547 5683-4.

Dar es Salaam -  Efforts to improve the productivity of vegetables to feed and enhance the nutrition of people in Africa and Asia have received a major boost with the release of a €1.2 million (about US$1.6 million) research grant from the German government. The grant will be used for an international initiative that will develop environment-friendly and sustainable solutions to pests and diseases of economically important vegetable crops, increase their production, and improve the livelihoods of smallholder growers.

The financial package was provided through the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The project  will cover selected vegetable-growing coastal and urban communities in Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, and Thailand.

The research will develop and promote ecologically sensitive but economically viable systems to manage key pests and diseases of tomato and pepper – two of the most important vegetable crops in these countries – thereby increasing production. The project will also introduce interventions that will significantly lessen reliance on chemical pesticides in vegetable farms, consequently reducing hazards to farmers’ health and the environment.

The initiative will be led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and implemented in partnership with the World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC). Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany, Kenyatta University in Kenya, and Kasetsart University in Thailand, as well as the national agricultural research services, NGOs, private sector, and vegetable farmers’ groups in the four countries, will also take part.

Dr Danny Coyne, IITA Soil Health Specialist based in Tanzania, will coordinate the project. He says that the urban and peri-urban production of perishable fresh vegetables is being increasingly intensified to meet rising demand, especially from urban areas. This leads to increased incidences of pests and diseases. Growers, in turn, apply more pesticides to counter the threats and maintain production.

“We will look for ways to help urban and peri-urban vegetable farmers raise their production and profits without increasing the use of chemical pesticides,” he said.

Specifically, researchers will focus on developing accurate pest and disease diagnosis and identifying durable resistance against bacterial wilt disease, nematodes – small worm-like pests, and viruses. The project will also train farmer groups in assessing new varieties for suitability, and develop more efficient seedling production and dissemination systems.

“Most infection of vegetables takes place in the seedling nursery. Farmers who buy infected seedlings unknowingly transfer the pests and diseases to their farms. To address this, we will also establish pilot clean-seedling nurseries and train farmers on pest and disease detection, proper seed production, grafting, and nursery management,” Coyne adds.

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Dr. Worapatr Todhanakasem, Pantavanij’s Chairman of the Board, together with senior executives from Bangkok Bank, Thailand Post, The National Federation of Thai Textile Industries, The Gems Jewelry & Precious Metal Confederation of Thailand, Thai Frozen Foods Association, Thai Lifestyle Products Federation, and Alibaba.com, from China, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Thaitrade.com project operated by the Department of International Trade Promotion. The MOU signing ceremony was held in the 49th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair on February 9^th, 2012.

Dr. Worapatr stated that “It is with great pleasure that Pantavanij gets involve in driving Thaitrade.com into the world-class B2B e-Marketplace. The company will exercise our knowledge and experience from operating Pantavanij.com, B2B e-Marketplace, to support the growth of Thaitrade.com.” Scopes of collaboration include broadcasting buying demands from both domestic and international buyers and participating in Thaitrade.com promoting activities. These join-force actions will create new business opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs in the global market.

Pantavanij has introduced the information technology to improve the corporate procurement process for Thai market 11 years ago. Our first missions are to enhance the efficiency of procurement operations and to lower the total spending of procurement function for corporate buyers. From our experience in providing e-Procurement solutions, the company has then developed the B2B e-Marketplace named Pantavanij.com, which aims to ease the sourcing process for both buyers and suppliers. At present, Pantavanij.com lists over 20,000 supplier members.

For more information, Please contact:

Suppata  Bua-Aim

Marketing Communications Executive

Pantavanij Co., Ltd.

Tel: 0 2689 4228   Fax: 02-679-7474   e-Mail: Suppata_b@pantavanij.com