Here - The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand

Transcription

ThaiAmerican
Business
Journal of The American Chamber Of Commerce In Thailand
Volume 6/2015
Communications and PR
12 Meet AMCHAM’s 2016 Board President, Brad Middleton
16 Crisis Communication in the Social Media Fishbowl
26 How to Effectively Communicate CSR Successes
30 AMCHAM Committee Roundup
Contents
THAI-AMERICAN BUSINESS
I S S N - T- A 0 1 2 5 - 0 1 9 1
Volume 6/2015 | Covering November - December
10
12
14
16
20
AMCHAM 2016 Board of Governors
Meet AMCHAM’s 2016 Board President, Brad Middleton
Blogging as Branding in the Social Media Age
Disasters Go Digital - Crisis Communication in the Social
Media Fishbowl
20 Roll Camera… and Action! Video as an Internal
Communication Tool
22 The Art of Building Media Relations in Southeast Asia on an
SME Budget
24 Key Opinion Leaders: Who are They and Why do Brands
Need Them?
26 HowtoEffectively
Communicate CSR
Successes
28 AMCHAM Thailand
Recognizes Top
Corporate Social
Responsibility Programs
30 2015 AMCHAM
Committee Roundup
42 Legal Updates
30
R eGul a R fe at u R e S
6
44
46
48
52
53
President’s Remarks
Member Profile
Member News
AMCHAM Thailand Charitable Foundation
AMCHAM Executive Director’s Remarks
In Memoriam
46
50
54
62
65
69
70
AMCHAM Events Roundup
AMCHAM Committee Meetings
AMCHAM New Members and Changes
AMCHAM Affinity Program
AMCHAM Membership: Why Join
AMCHAM
54
Cover: The honorees at the 2015 ACE Awards on November 24 with Ambassador Glyn Davies and the AMCHAM leadership at Conrad Bangkok
4
Thai-AmericanBusiness•Volume6/2015
PRESIDENT’S REMARKS
paper on how to improve Thailand’s competitiveness, including both general and
industry-specificrecommendations.
amCHam BoaRd of GoveRnoRS 2015
PRESIDENT
Darren Buckley, Citibank
VICE PRESIDENTS
Brad Middleton,
Chevron Exploration & Production
David Carden, FedEx Express
Neil Hansen, Esso
David Nardone,
Hemaraj Land And Development
TREASURER
Christian Malherbe, Pfizer
SECRETARY
Douglas Harter de Weese, Pet Protect
GOVERNORS
Waewkanee Assoratgoon, YUM Restaurants
International
Dhanakorn Kasetrsuwan, LA-Z-BOY
Joe Mannix, United Airlines
Jeff Nygaard, Seagate Technology
Marcos Purty, General Motors
BOARD ADVISORS
David Lyman, Tilleke & Gibbins
AMCHAM President in 1975, 1986
Harold Vickery, Jr., Vickery & Worachai
AMCHAM President in 1984
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Judy Benn
Thai-American Business is published bi-monthly by
The American Chamber Of Commerce In Thailand
withofficesat:7thFloor,GPFWitthayuTowerA
93/1 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330
Tel: +66 (0)2 254-1041 Fax: +66 (0)2 251-1605
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.amchamthailand.com
Editorial Advisory Board: Judy Benn, Harold Vickery, Jr.
Communications Director & Editor:
Deanna Despodova Pajkovski
Artwork & Layout: Phaisan Nangnoi
Production: Scand-Media Corp., Ltd
Tel.:+66(0)2943-7166/8Fax:+66(0)2943-7169
Any opinions expressed in articles in this magazine do
notnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoftheChamber.
T-AB Magazine welcomes story and photo
contributions from AMCHAM members. Articles may
be reproduced with acknowledgement, except for
those taken from other sources.
6
Dear AMCHAM Members,
I hope you all enjoyed the festive season
and new year holidays, and wish you and
your families good health, happiness and
success in 2016!
The Thai economy in 2015 underperformed again due to a combination of
external and internal factors. But the measures implemented by the Thai government’s new economics team post Septemberwillhopefullyprovidesomefiscal
stimulus uplift in 2016 amidst a backdrop
of continued economic softness globally
except for the U.S., where the Fed recognizedtheU.S.economy’srecoveryandfinally lifted U.S. interest rates in December.
2016 is a momentous year for AMCHAM
as the Chamber celebrates its 60th anniversary of being the voice of American
business in Thailand. We have come a
long way since 1956 when a handful of
Americansdecidedthatthealreadyflourishing American business community in
Thailand needed an advocate. The Chamber was born out of a genuine need for
representation and has since grown to
represent over 700 American, Thai, and
multinational businesses to become one
of Thailand’s largest and most influential
foreign business chambers.
advoCatinG foR a ComPetitive
tHailand
AMCHAM invested significant effort into
advocacy in 2015. With the considerable
help of our Committees, the Chamber has
been working on a comprehensive white
In a year when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) became a reality and negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP)werefinallyconcluded,competitiveness was at the forefront of everybody’s
mind. Thailand’s neighbors are liberalizing
their markets and offering benefits beyond just cheap labor in the form of business and tax incentives. As a result, Thailand’s position as Southeast Asia’s best
investment destination has become less
clear. The ASEAN Business Outlook Survey
2016, conducted by AmChams in all 10
ASEAN countries, indicated that Thailand’s
competitiveness ranking has slipped in 14
out of the 16 key indicators.
AMCHAM’s competitiveness paper will
address general shortcomings, as well
as a number of industry-related issues in
thefollowingfields:automotive,banking,
customs, energy, food and agribusiness,
healthcare, HR, ICT, taxation, intellectual
property rights, and tourism. The paper
will be completed in the first quarter of
2016 and used as an advocacy tool in
meetings with Thai government institutionsandofficials.
memBeRSHiP SeRviCeS
Delivering high-quality and relevant services and programs to members is the
Chamber’s priority. In 2015 we continued
to serve our growing and increasingly
diverse membership body through 334
events, meetings, and programs. Here are
the membership highlights for 2015:
• While the number of AMCHAM Thailand members decreased slightly compared to last year, the total number of
Chamber members increased due to
growing interest in the Myanmar and
Lao chapters.
• Eventattendancewasverygood,with
over 3,000 members attending various
committee meetings. In addition, close
to 2,000 members were present for
the monthly luncheons and as many
gathered for the Independence Day
Picnic, while a further 400 dressed up
and danced the night away at the very
successful Governors Ball. Thank you!
(Continues on page 8)
PRESIDENT’S REMARKS
• The Corporate Partnership program continued to provide
strong support to AMCHAM with 29 companies participating
in 2015 and 27 already confirmed for 2016. If you are interested in a one-step solution to your marketing and Chamber
needs and want to support AMCHAM during the milestone
60th anniversary year, please contact the AMCHAM office
and sign up for the Corporate Partnership program.
• AMCHAM’s chapters continued to perform well. Eastern
Seaboard events grew in popularity and fostered stronger
cooperation between the foreign chambers in Thailand
while the Lao Chapter doubled in size and increased the
number and quality of events it held.
2015 also saw continuing challenges at the Chamber. While
we celebrate the fact that the Chamber grows more and more
diverse, we have noticed a decrease in the number of U.S. citizen company representatives, which is currently at 18% of the
membership. The Chamber is working to adapt and remain relevant to this diverse membership base while also continuing
to be the clear voice of American Business in Thailand.
Also notable in 2015 was a decline in the participation rate in
certain committee meetings. This might be due to event fatigue as we organized over 300 events last year, but AMCHAM
committees are the backbone of the Chamber and our committee leaders work very hard to put together interesting and
relevant meetings, so I encourage you all to try to find time to
attend more of these meetings in 2016.
One more thing, it is becoming increasingly difficult to source
and confirm speakers for monthly luncheons. We strive to
feature high profile speakers at AMCHAM’s signature monthly
luncheons and we would appreciate your help in recommending and liaising with potential speakers in 2016.
However, on a brighter note, the Chamber remains fiscally very
sound and ended the year with an over Baht 5 million surplus.
This surplus will go a long way toward supporting the AMCHAM
Thailand Charitable Foundation (ATCF) and the continued investment in Thai education. The Corporate Partnership generated revenue of more than Baht 10 million which assured the
smooth functioning of the Chamber.
CSR and community investment
AMCHAM members have fully embraced corporate social responsibility as a core value, which was evident in the record
number of companies (62) that were recognized at the ninth
AMCHAM CSR Excellence awards in November. We were particularly pleased to see the significant number of SMEs who
engaged in CSR despite their limited resources.
ATCF also hosted two scholarship student camps for 71 new
and 58 graduating students to help them make the most
out of their scholarships and ease their entry into the professional world.
The Adopt-a-School program invested more than Baht 5 million into needy schools across Thailand, with Baht 1 million of
those funds provided by ATCF as a matching donation. Baht
3.5 million was donated to the Thai-U.S. Educational Foundation (Fulbright) to support the ETAs. Most of the funds were
raised at AMCHAM events with the biggest fundraisers being
the silent auction at the Governors Ball, the charity raffle at the
Independence Day Picnic, and the sports tournaments. These
fundraising efforts were spearheaded by AMCHAM members
and volunteers through the various committees and we thank
them wholeheartedly for their engagement and dedication.
Board of Governors and Committees
The 2016 Board of Governors has a few new faces: Herman
Ehrlich from Conrad, Dale Lee from CoffeeWORKS, Parnsiree
Amatayakul from IBM, and Teera Phutrakul from JTFP. Their
varied backgrounds and experiences will provide a fresh perspective and we look forward to their participation. We say
goodbye to Jeff Nygaard and Douglas de Weese whose terms
expired in 2015. We are grateful for their leadership and will
miss the energy they brought to our 7 am meetings and many
events! You can find the composition of the 2016 Board of
Governors on page 10.
Allow me to recognize everybody who made 2015 another
successful year: the committee leaders for their unwavering
commitment (you can read about their successes on page
30), the members of the Board of Governors for their invaluable contribution and for providing direction to the Chamber,
the officers at the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Commercial Service
for their significant engagement and assistance, especially
Ambassador Glyn Davies, and all of you who make the Chamber the dynamic institution that it is.
Lastly, as my tenure as President of the AMCHAM Board of
Governors ends in 2015, I would like to thank you for your
trust and support these past two years. It was an honor and
an incredibly enriching experience to serve as AMCHAM’s
President. I now leave you in the capable and dedicated hands
of Brad Middleton who will lead the Chamber in 2016. If you
would like to learn more about Brad and his plans for the
Chamber in 2016, read the interview on page 12 or attend
one of the AMCHAM networking events in 2016 to meet him
in person.
Best Regards,
The Chamber also engaged in community initiatives through
ATCF’s programs that support and promote education. In
2015 ATCF provided scholarships to 200 deserving but underprivileged Thai university students, matched Baht 1 million in donations to the Adopt-a-School program, and sponsored 22 American English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) to
improve the English-language capabilities of Thai students.
8
Thai-American Business • Volume 6/2015
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|
Europe
Middle East
Africa
|
The Americas
|
Asia
Pacific
|
meet the board
amCHam 2016 Board of Governors
Brad Middleton, Chevron
President
David Carden, FedEx
Vice President
Herman Ehrlich, Conrad Bangkok
Governor
10
Neil Hansen, Esso
Vice President
Darren Buckley, Citibank
Vice President
Teera Phutrakul, JTFP
Secretary
Christian Malherbe, Pfizer
Treasurer
Dale Lee, CoffeeWORKS
Governor
Parnsiree Amatayakul, IBM
Governor
Dhanakorn Kasetrsuwan, LA-Z-BOY David Nardone, Hemaraj
Governor
Governor
Waewkanee Assoratgoon, YUM
Governor
Marcos Purty, GM
Vice President
Mark Kaufman, Ford
Governor
Joe Mannix, United Airlines
Governor
meet the board
Meet AMCHAM’s 2016 Board
President, Brad Middleton
B
rad Middleton is Managing Director of Chevron’s Asia South
Business Unit, a position he assumed in January 2014. He is responsible for upstream operations in four
countries: Bangladesh, China, Myanmar,
and Thailand.
Over his career with Chevron, Brad has
held a number of leadership positions of
increasing responsibility and scope across
the world. Prior to assuming his current
position, he was General Manager, Production Operations at Tengiz in Atyrau,
Kazakhstan. He has served as the General
Manager of Corporate Strategic Planning
and General Manager of Upstream Organizational Capability. Brad has also held a
number of operational leadership positions in Thailand, Nigeria, Indonesia, the
United Kingdom, and the United States.
He is married with three children.
Brad joined AMCHAM’s Board of Governors in 2014 and has been taking
on progressively responsible positions
within the Board structure since, serving
as a Vice President in 2015 and being
unanimously voted in as President for
2016. Before he assumes this position,
we sat down with Brad to ask him about
his outlook on the Thai economy, the role
of American business, and in which direction he wants to take the Chamber during his tenure.
Describe the journey that brought
you to Chevron Thailand and
AMCHAM.
I have worked for Chevron for 30 years,
spending most of my career as an expat
working outside the United States. Two
years ago, my wife, Lisa, and I moved to
Bangkok from Kazakhstan. Upon our arrival, I immediately joined the AMCHAM
Board. I have enjoyed my first two years
on the Board and look forward to serving
the Chamber as President in 2016.
12
Chevron has been operating in
Thailand for 52 years and has
invested sizably into its expanded
presence here and the Thai
economy and society. What is the
bedrock of Chevron’s continued
confidence in Thailand?
Royal Thai Government decided to bring
in foreign investors to help grow Thailand’s domestic petroleum exploration
and production industry. Our presence
in Thailand has been made possible because of government policies that support foreign investment and free trade.
Chevron’s history in Thailand can be
traced back to the early 1960s, when the
I believe Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
has been one of the keys to Thailand’s
economic growth over the last five decades. FDI not only brings much needed
investment into the Thai economy, but it
also brings in technology to strengthen
the country’s competitiveness.
What is your impression of the
current business environment
in Thailand? Do you foresee any
major changes in Thailand’s
near future from an economic
and commercial perspective?
How would the ASEAN Economic
Community and the Trans-Pacific
Partnership impact Thailand’s
competitiveness?
Although Thailand continues to be an attractive country for U.S. companies to do
business, the opening up of markets in
neighboring countries and the growing
importance of ASEAN and the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
is changing the global economic landscape. Thailand will have to continue to
do more to remain competitive.
Connectivity is now a ‘buzz word’ in all
ASEAN countries. I believe that the establishment of the AEC has and will continue to enhance ASEAN’s growing significance in the world economy.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) also
has the potential to significantly transform trade and investment flows in the
region. While we are still learning what
the TPP stipulates, I believe that what is
important at the end of the day is to support free markets and the liberalization
of trade. Historically this openness to the
world has been a key to Thailand’s success and I think it also holds the key to its
future success.
How do you see the role and impact
of American business in Thailand?
U.S. companies are among the most
competitive and innovative companies
in the world. We are recognized for our
high standards of business conduct and
principles of good corporate citizenship
wherever we operate and do business.
Here in Thailand, American companies
have invested over USD 50 billion in
the local economy and are responsible
for providing high-paying and stable
jobs for over 250,000 Thais. That is a
significant contribution to Thailand’s
prosperity.
I see great potential for Thai-U.S. relationships to continue to flourish. Over the
years, not only has American businesses
in Thailand strengthened business-tobusiness and business-to-government
relations, but, just as importantly, our
presence here has strengthened the
people-to-people ties between Thais and
Americans.
I am confident that American business
can continue to play an active role to
support Thailand’s economic growth and
competitiveness by contributing technical expertise and experience and high
standards of business practice.
Why did you feel it was important
to become an active member in,
and ultimately the President of,
AMCHAM Thailand?
I am honored to have the opportunity to
serve as President of AMCHAM Thailand. I
strongly support AMCHAM Thailand’s efforts to promote U.S. business interests
by strengthening the partnership between Thailand and the U.S. on all levels,
and advocating for improvement to the
business environment.
From my experience with AmChams
around the world (including here in Thailand), the Chamber has an important
role to play in bringing together leading
U.S. and international business leaders to facilitate business contacts and in
providing a platform that helps us share
our experiences and increase our understanding of how to navigate some of the
challenges that come with operating outside of the U.S.
I would also like to say that as a longtime
member of the Chamber, we have always
received great support from the very capable and helpful AMCHAM staff.
You will be heading AMCHAM
during its 60th anniversary year.
In which direction would you like
to take the Chamber? Are there
any particular initiatives you
would like to see take place? What
do you see as AMCHAM’s biggest
accomplishments to date?
The 60th anniversary is a great milestone! First, I want to congratulate and
recognize AMCHAM for the success it has
achieved to date. I think that the real legacy of 60 years of AMCHAM is the strong
people-to-people connections that have
been fostered by the Chamber.
As President, I will be happy to provide
any support I can for the Chamber to
continue to foster ties between Thailand
and the United States through trade and
investment and help promote the U.S.
business interests and partnerships in
Thailand, not only through business-tobusiness but also through strong and
long-lasting people-to-people connections.
I personally am quite passionate about
something that I think is a strength for
many American businesses, and that is
our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
For more than three decades, AMCHAM
members and the AMCHAM Thailand
Charitable Foundation have done a great
job demonstrating our commitment to
Thailand beyond stimulating the economy, but also enriching peoples’ lives
through a range of education, civil, and
social services projects. This is one area
of particular interest to me.
When you are not helming one
of Thailand’s biggest foreign
investors and one of Thailand’s
most dynamic foreign chambers,
how do you spend your free
time? What are your favorite
spots in Bangkok and places in
Thailand?
In my spare time, I enjoy golf, exercise
and sailing. It is hard to pick a favorite
spot in Thailand, as there are so many
wonderful places in this beautiful country, but I really enjoy camping in the
Khao Yai National Park. The jungle is
truly beautiful.
13
Communications and Public Relations
Blogging as Branding in the
Social Media Age
Written by: David Norcross
C
rafting a unique brand identity
in previous generations meant
hiring a Madison Avenue advertising agency to create TV, radio
and newspaper advertisements for your
company. The prohibitive cost of accessing these media platforms meant that
SMEs were generally excluded from the
process and had to limit their marketing
efforts to parochial activities, such as distributing flyers locally.
However, the digital revolution which has
taken place over recent years has meant
that even the smallest company can now
potentially reach a huge audience online.
Digital content marketing allows for lowcost, two-way interaction with customers
like never before, enabling you to drive
sales, articulate your company’s unique
story, build positive associations with your
brand, and differentiate from your competition. The best part is that a successful digital marketing campaign can be successfully implemented using freely available tools.
Blogging
In the internet’s salad days of the late
1990s, blogging was cool. For the first
time, individuals were able to bypass traditional media and potentially get their
message out to the whole world. While
the popularity of maintaining a personal blog declined in the early 2000s,
the practice never really went away, and
many writers with talent and unique stories have built successful careers from
humble blogging origins.
The arrival of Myspace in 2003 was
indicative of the changing nature and
potential of the internet as it allowed
people to connect and share images
and videos with friends all over the world;
this shift to greater interactivity laid the
foundations for the highly social and
interactive internet we know today. The
higher-speed internet connections which
enabled these developments also made
14
digital commerce feasible, and suddenly
a number one ranking on Google was
potentially worth millions of dollars.
Google’s algorithms determine which
websites rank well, as well as which sites
are condemned to languish in the uncharted wilderness beyond the first page
of search results. These algorithms give
favour to websites which produce new
content on a regular basis; therefore, an
unexpected by-product of the need to
rank on Google has been the return in
popularity of blogging for businesses.
There is no charge for hosting a blog on
a website. The challenge is deciding what
to write. You have full editorial control
from the comfort of your desk and, as one
of the main reasons people choose SMEs
is for the personal touch, you should use
a professional but conversational tone
in your writing. Although achieving the
ideal authoritative tone - while also appearing friendly and approachable - can
be tricky, try to imagine you are writing
as you would speak in a business meeting: a more formal register than in casual
conversation for sure, but focused on the
objective of delivering your message as
clearly and concisely as possible.
Branding
You are already an expert in your field; the
secret is to find a way to impart this expertise on your audience in a way that
defines your brand’s identity and builds
interest and hype around your product or
service. If you offer professional services,
then advise potential customers on contemporary and evergreen topics in order
to build your credibility as an industry
thought leader. It takes time for thought
leadership initiatives to bear fruit, but if
done well, people will look to you and
your firm for analysis of emerging trends,
keeping your name at the forefront of
their mind when it comes time to purchase goods and services.
Many companies choose to publicize
their key branding messages through
their CEO’s blog, and larger companies
benefit from having their executive team
blog about a variety of topics which cover
their distinct fields of expertise. SMEs can
also use this strategy to appear much
larger than they really are by having key
members of staff write thought leadership blog articles. However, it is a littleknown, but unsurprising fact that, due to
their busy schedules, a lot of executive
blog content produced by major firms is
actually ghost-written.
Employing a ghost-writer ensures a unified brand message is maintained and
that publishing deadlines are always met.
This writer can be an existing employee
or subcontracted through an outside
copywriting firm, but they must have a
thorough understanding of a brand’s
message and tone, as well as of the writing style and personality of the person
they are emulating.
The same principle applies to firms offering more light-hearted products or services. Know your audience and build positive
associations by writing about contemporary topics, such as movies, trends, songs
or events. This approach shows that you
are connected to, and care about, the
same things as your audience, and encourages them to engage with your brand
by reading, sharing and commenting on
your content.
Social Media Marketing
Now that you have your blog article written, it is time to find an audience. Facebook
is the outstanding choice for social media
marketing professionals due to its worldclass advertising system, which allows for
the kind of laser-focused audience targeting that was impossible to achieve just a
few years ago. While this system is not wellknown to the general public, it enables you
to ensure that your content is seen by your
competitions, and show the human side
of your organisation with pictures of staff
and satisfied customers.
Conclusions
SMEs can make a huge impression with a
smart content marketing strategy, and it all
starts with an on-site blog. One well-written, interesting and helpful blog post can
deliver more measurable benefits than an
expensive traditional marketing campaign
ever could. You are showing your expertise directly to your audience, while also
presenting yourself as accessible and approachable. At the same time, almost as
a fringe benefit, your Google ranks are
improving due to the new content and increase in website visits, meaning that potential clients will be able to find you more
easily when searching for your industry.
Source: iStock
target demographics, while ensuring that
every cent you spend is bringing in return
on investment: sales, downloads, engagement, etc.
Facebook’s marketing tools also provide
an abundance of data with each campaign, allowing you to analyse what is
working (and what is not) and refine your
content and target audience each time
to maximize the impact of your campaigns. The existence of this data is truly
a revolution in marketing. While previously you could only speculate as to which
campaigns brought in business, now you
can know with absolute certainty exactly
who your clients are, exactly how they
found you, and exactly what words, images and content brought them to you.
This knowledge gives you an immediate
pulse on the interests of your customers,
and saves you time and money that can
instead be spent on fine-tuning future
campaigns.
These days many companies have entire departments allocated to social
media marketing (SMM), reflecting the
importance of these social channels for
revenue generation, PR and customer
service. For the first time in history, advertising is an interactive process and audiences can now publicly comment, praise
and criticize in real time. Therefore, while
missteps can be easily amplified, negative perceptions can also be ameliorated
over time, and long-term client relationships can be kindled and grown.
While setting up an entire SMM department may be too much of a drastic first
step for an SME, if you are serious about
digital marketing then the management
of your social media channels needs to
be assigned to somebody in your firm
who speaks the language of social media
and has their finger on the pulse of your
brand identity and values. Another option
is to outsource the whole content writing and social media marketing process
to external professionals. Whatever approach you decide to take, a consistent
and coherent brand identity should be
maintained across all social platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
While both LinkedIn and Twitter allow for
advertising, neither allows for the precision targeting of Facebook and both are
significantly more expensive. Nonetheless, these channels should not be ignored. LinkedIn is an excellent tool for
networking with B2B connections, and
Twitter is an excellent way to engage in
conversations and use hashtags to keep
abreast of trending topics.
Instagram is an image-hosting website,
which has become very popular in recent
years, especially since it was acquired by
Facebook. Because of this acquisition it
is now possible to use Facebook’s audience building tool to run precision, ROIled advertising campaigns on Instagram.
You can use Instagram to extract quotes
from your blog posts, deliver core branding messages, show testimonials, run
By driving traffic to your website and social media channels, you are building up
an interactive relationship with people
who care about your product and like the
content you produce, as well as establishing an audience for your future posts and
announcements. In 1995 Bill Gates said
that the internet was going to be “a marketplace of ideas, experiences, and products,” and this declaration is truer today
than ever before.
The digital revolution has changed the
way we do business forever. While in the
1990s it was difficult to find an audience
online, the marketing possibilities available on social media today are immense,
and with a smart content marketing strategy, it is now possible for SMEs to outrank
multinational companies (MNCs) on
Google. The new business models made
possible by e-commerce have enabled
the world’s biggest taxi company to own
no cars (Uber), the biggest accommodation provider to own no real estate (Airbnb) and the most valuable retailer in the
world to maintain no inventory (Alibaba).
Now that news and commerce are data
and bytes travelling at light speed, your
blog post can travel far and help define
your brand’s identity, while increasing
your Google rankings, sales and client engagement as it goes.
David Norcross is Digital Communications Director at Lexicon Business Communications. He can be contacted at
[email protected].
15
Disasters Go Digital - Crisis
Communication in the Social
Media Fishbowl
Written by: Tom Poldre
A
round the turn of the last century, when the introduction of
a new phenomenon called the
internet was creating quite the
buzz and when social media was at best
an embryonic concept, the media consultants and trainers in the crisis communication business drew upon a wellestablished set of core principles to guide
their actions. The gospel of these tried
and true observations and best practices
included: “bad news sells” and “if it bleeds
it leads,” so expect aggression and emotional reactions; the more gruesome the
pictures (wreckage, fire, carnage, sobbing victims and families), the greater
likelihood of coverage; expect a feeding
frenzy of questions, misinformation and
rumors; have a crisis response plan in
place and test it annually; CEOs and senior
leadership need to be trained and well-rehearsed to convey clear, consistent, credible and empathetic key messages.
During these prehistoric days of ‘traditional’ media, we could fit corporate
crises into several categories: ‘external
unintentional’ included fire, flood, natural
disasters; an ‘external intentional’ crisis
featured such acts as extortion, product
tampering, terrorism and vandalism, and
‘internal intentional’ crises reflected acts
such as fraud and financial malfeasance,
and knowingly selling defective goods.
Each type of crisis generated its own
strategies and tactics to speed up recovery and the resumption of normal business operations.
Then, very quickly, crisis management
approaches needed to adapt as a convergence of technologies and access to
these technologies created a new realm
of social media engagement. Communication between audiences and corporations became known as dialogue.
16
The ubiquity of cell phone cameras and
smartphone technologies created new
armies of citizen journalists.
Suddenly, companies found themselves
operating in a social media fishbowl, with
the whole world watching. Bad behaviors,
meltdowns, inappropriate tweets, on-line
insults and transgressions were all there
for clicking, sharing, re-tweeting, re-posting and replying to.
Crisis by Keyboard
This new realm created space for an entirely new category of crisis - the social
media crisis, or on-line faux pas, a self-inflicted injury where a company manages
to offend through ignorance, carelessness or lack of sensitivity. Here are some
examples of recent on-line faux pas:
On Tumblr, American Apparel posted an
image of the Challenger space shuttle
exploding, mistaking it for a fireworks celebration.
Employees confused corporate Twitter
handles with their own personal accounts
- a KitchenAid employee tweeted out an
inappropriate message on the corporate
account about President Obama’s grandmother. Similarly, an (ex?) employee at
Chrysler’s social media agency tweeted
about how people in Detroit can’t drive.
Crisis management trainers and consultants now have a treasure trove of examples to refer to via various social media
platforms. My personal favorites include:
the office manager in Singapore slapping
an employee repeatedly - the incident
was uploaded for the world to see on
YouTube; the hotel employee in the U.S.
who recorded his resignation, complete
with a marching band, garnering over
four million views; a major pizza chain
launching its social media presence after
employees post footage of themselves
contaminating food with their bodily fluids (acknowledged as one of the earliest
examples of a social media-generated
crisis).
Content digitalization and the explosive
growth of, and access to, technology
makes it all so easy: consider the 6 billion
hours of YouTube videos watched every
month, the 55 million photos posted
daily to Instagram, the 5,700 new tweets
produced every second.
This is the new normal of operating in a
fishbowl: the prevalence, accessibility and
immediacy of social media have quickly
created a world where news breaks instantly and previous models of communication have been upended. This is
a world where traditional media turn to
social media for news; where citizen journalists armed with mobile phones upload
scenes of unfolding disaster or brutality
with the click of a button.
A Double-edged Sword Cuts
Both Ways
As if the management of a crisis was
not intense and pressurized enough in
the traditional media era, today it has
become even more so as a result of the
double-edge sword of social media. Here
is the good news: through social media,
you can reach a lot of people very quickly.
Here is the bad news: with social media,
bad news reaches a lot of people very
quickly. What you can expect is an exponential amplification and magnification
of an issue.
Social media is effective at introducing
new levels of continual dialogue with
customers and other publics to elevate
and reinforce a company’s brand profile,
but it also creates a new reality of having nowhere to hide. Old school thinking was that, in the event of a crisis or
controversy, you took the hit, waited out
the storm and the dynamics of the news
cycle would mean the story would eventually go away. Now, however, sites such
as YouTube become the repository for
company and employee misbehavior – a
permanent archive of poor service, questionable food safety, or violent abuse at
the hands of overzealous security personnel.
Imagine how this upheaval impacts the
way companies communicate during
a crisis. More complicated? Undoubtedly! Pressurized? Absolutely! It seems
that the crisis management industry
has been completely upended by the
onslaught and prevalence of social media. The way the crisis merchants and
masters of disaster have been buzzing,
you would think that everything has
changed, the rulebook has been thrown
in this strange new world of communications response.
Corporate crisis mismanagement, however, whether pre- or post social media,
echoes the same blunders: “no information,” ”slow response,” “cold, cruel, insensitive” and, perhaps worst of all, “tone deaf.”
So have the fundamentals really
changed? Has the management of crisis
communications been completely upended by the onslaught of social media?
If you strip away the complexity and added pressures from the speed, scope and
volume of social media, you’ll discover
that the strategy fundamentals remain
unchanged. Now, as always, you have got
to be quick with your timing, appropriate
and empathetic with your tone, and prepared for the worst through planning and
anticipation.
Response Fundamentals: Samesame, but different!
While social media amplifies the speed,
pressure, noise, and sheer volume of
communication, three fundamental,
old school crisis response principles still
apply: the need for speed; the need to
demonstrate the appropriate empathetic tone, and the need to plan for the
worst.
First, you have got to be quick off the
mark. Speed remains essential in responding to any crisis, but especially now
in the social media fishbowl. There is no
time to hide - no response is seldom an
option.
Compare two major disasters: the first traditional media report of the 1989 Exxon
Valdez accident emerged about 6 hours
after its occurrence. Twenty years later,
when U.S. Airways flight 1549 landed on
the river (the “Miracle on the Hudson”),
social media accounts lit up less than a
minute into the drama (see chart above).
The head of KitchenAid responded in
eight minutes to that inappropriate tweet
about the President’s grandmother,
averting a social media maelstrom.
If you do not fill the channels with some
acknowledgement or appropriate message, everyone else will fill the vacuum
with rumor, misinformation and nasty
17
CommuniCations and PubliC relations
commentary. Since social media is a dialogue with your audiences, you cannot
simply disappear in the middle of a conversation. Call this “getting out in front of
the story,” demonstrating that you are
aware of the situation, taking action, and
not frozen like a deer caught in the headlights.
to avoid comment, but the immediacy
of social media requires an acknowledgement that the team is aware of
what is happening and acting upon it:
containing the crisis, working with the
authorities, comforting victims, reviewing procedures and communicating
updates.
Next, you have to strike the right tone –
you need to demonstrate empathy. Numerous cases have shown that the inability to get the tone and messaging right is
what so often sinks the best intentions of
a company dealing with a crisis. Remember how Tony Hayward, the former head
of BP, wanted “his life back” in the midst
of the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico?
Finally, as with old school crisis management, a company must plan and prepare
- PLAN-ticipate. Work on the assumption
of ‘not if, but when.’
It is absolutely vital to quickly express
concern and empathy. Complete information will not be available during the
early stages of a crisis, hence the desire
18
Comprehensive crisis response plans
provide detailed operational and communications procedures including a
complete list of all stakeholders and important media outlets. These plans did
not get tossed out with the arrival of social media era, but are complemented
with a social media component. Ideally,
companies would invest in a social media
strategy before the crisis hits (the middle
of a crisis is NOT the time to suddenly
show up in social media!).
Thisrequirescarefulpre-planning.Youneed
smart, mature people manning your channels and creating your content; an understanding of what channels your audiences
are on; deployment of social media monitoringtoolstokeepafingeronthepulseand
actively participate in the conversations.
So yes, it is a strange new normal in crisis
management as the speed, compression,
loss of control and misinformation magnifiedbysocialmediaisnowevencreated by social media. But the fundamentals
of response are unchanged: timeliness,
tone, planning and preparation – all remain as vital as ever to surviving the digitaldisasterinthesocialmediafishbowl.
Tom Poldre is an independent communications consultant and trainer. He can
be contacted at [email protected].
Roll Camera… and Action!
Video as an Internal
Communication Tool
Written by: Drew Rowland
D
usty chalkboards, wrinkled
flip charts, illegible handwriting, old 35mm slide projectors
and monotonous PowerPoint
presentations – all these have one thing
in common: the inescapable tedium associated with the obligatory company
presentation.
Most companies are very adept at using video for marketing and advertising
purposes, but more and more companies are turning to look inward toward
video as a way to enhance their internal
communications, and just in the nick of
time.
Gone, or should be gone, are the days of a
business manager reading slides out loud
while you struggle to stay awake under
the daze-inducing flickering fluorescent
lights. Many years ago a communications
professor of mine had become somewhat notorious for frequently stating,
“The mind absorbs as much as your butt
can tolerate.” In his not so subtle way he
was expressing the idea that to gain and
keep an audience’s attention you must
keep them engaged before they start to
notice how uncomfortable they are in
that hard office chair.
Welcome to the 21st century
The digital age is exploding all around us
and video has become a key, dynamic
and relatable vehicle for all internal corporate communications.
Let us look all the way back to the oft
quoted information processing theory
from Treichler (1967): “people generally
remember 10% of what they read, 20%
percent of what they hear, 30% of what
they see and 50% of what they hear
20
Drew Rowland
and see at a time.” When we introduce
video into this equation, we can assume that the impact that is produced
through viewing a video to gain information is many times higher than the
mostly singular methods of older forms
of corporate communications. Videos
may contain text, narration, interviews,
visual stimuli, topical images with sound
and music that make the experience
much more immersive and memorable
and well, fun and enjoyable. This is not
your grandfather’s tri-fold company brochure.
With a well-produced video you can
share your business practices internally
in a concise and personal manner. Video,
in contrast to the traditional methods of
corporate communications, allows the
company to craft their message precisely and deliver it seamlessly through
their intranet or website, email links,
work stations or through large audience
presentations. Video has become ubiquitous, from our smartphones to digital
billboards. We have become conditioned
to absorb large volumes of information
through this medium. YouTube boasts
that hundreds of millions of hours of video are watched daily on their site alone.
Video has become the most popular and
influential form of communication in our
society and harnessing its power for the
success of your company only makes
sense.
Let us explore the many flavors of internal communications through video.
Training and New Hire Videos
New hires and existing employees can
benefit greatly from the ability to view
the materials in their own time and in a
variety of environments. Recent studies
have shown that the comprehension
and retention rates through the viewing of video is 50% greater than from
live presentations or written materials.
These videos can be used to cross-train
employees, provide continuing education and welcome new employees to the
company’s policies.
Gone, or should be gone, are the days of a business
manager reading slides out loud while you struggle to stay
awake under the daze-inducing flickering fluorescent lights.
Internal Branding Campaigns
Get the message out by getting the message in. Building and understanding a
company’s mission, goals and brand is
tantamount in creating the framework
for a successful team. An internal branding video is an effective way to express
the company’s values to ensure that the
employees are all on the same page in
regard to the company’s mission and
atmosphere. Well-crafted internal communication keeps employees engaged
and focused on the operation of the
company.
Company Changes
Through short video interviews company
changes can be carefully articulated in a
very personal way to communicate a shift
in a company’s structure or philosophy.
This can allow transparency and a better
understanding without creating confusion for the employees. Video can be
used to explain what changes are being
made and as importantly, why they are
being implemented. This personal touch
can help assuage any fears or uncertainty
that change can bring about.
CEO and Leadership Messaging
A personal message from the CEO or
leadership team enhances corporate
loyalty and allows upper management to
stay connected with the entire company.
It also gives an ‘open door’ feel to the
company setting by allowing employees
to feel more connected to the corporate
management team and its goals. This
has a significant impact on employee
performance and satisfaction.
Award Programs and Annual
Meeting Videos
Videos can also be used to congratulate
individuals or teams that have excelled
throughout the year, mark anniversaries, share accomplishments and establish annual objectives and goals. These
video presentations can boost morale
and provide a greater sense of teamwork
throughout the company. This can be an
entertaining way to promote the company to the employees themselves and also
affords an opportunity for an enjoyable
company-wide gathering. Internal corpo-
Source: iStock
rate communication doesn’t always have
to be boring. Sometimes patting yourself
on the back is a good thing.
cally delivered video messages or broadcasts. Several companies that I am aware
of even have their own broadcast style
intranet.
Team Building
Another fun and effective way to use video is as a tool to accelerate and enhance
cooperation between employees while
fostering an environment of teamwork.
This can include taking video of company
activities that encourage employee participation or by setting up goals or challenges that attract the employees’ attention.
Video used in this manner can also be a
strategy to introduce company departments to one another or allow multiple
or remote work sites to feel more closely
related within the corporate structure.
Health and Safety
Many work environments are subject to
very serious safety standards and healthrelated measures. By using video to communicate best practices and guidelines a
company can track, monitor and document employees’ participation without
the need of assigned staff to manage this
procedure. Due to the flexibility in the
viewing of a video or video series valuable resources are saved compared to
company-wide seminars to communicate these objectives.
They make daily announcements and
updates through a news anchor desk
to report on the day’s activities. The employees at their workstations then view
these video “reports” at a time that is
convenient for them. This is a very novel
use of video to keep employees up to
date on goals and objectives, while also
allowing for the ability to communicate
a great deal of information in a very brief
format.
Using video in your internal corporate
communications is an incredibly personal and rapid method of delivering key
messages, promoting teamwork, providing vital education and defining the company’s culture.
Video can do many positive things for
your business and using it effectively can
make all of the difference in the world
when it comes to making your company
and employees successful.
Staying Connected
So don’t keep cranking out those old
materials year after year just because it’s
what has always been done. Try something new and creative and, I promise
you, your audience will appreciate it, and
they might even bring the popcorn.
Another way to generate employee engagement is to stay on top of progress
reports and updates through electroni-
Drew Rowland is the owner and operator
of Fusion Pictures. He can be contacted
at [email protected].
21
The Art of Building Media
Relations in Southeast Asia on
an SME Budget
Written by: Felicia Moursalien
I
joined a young tech startup founded
by the ex-Ensogo Thai-American Srivorakul brothers two years ago with
the simple enough marketing task:
make it famous. Bear in mind that aCommerce is a very unsexy B2B e-commerce
solutions entrant (think trucks, warehouses and nerdy software developers)
and I myself was also new to the market
- a foreigner who had just moved to Thailand from North America. The marketing
challenge I was faced with was daunting
but I believe tantamount to what many
SME business owners face: you have a
great product or service but don’t have
the massive network or budget to get
the much-needed publicity for it. What
to do?
Why Bother Listening to Me
After three months of testing various
media marketing strategies, I was able
to take the little-known aCommerce to
having it rank a miraculous five of ten hits
on page one of Google when searching
for ‘e-commerce in Southeast Asia’ -- the
front page of the internet – as well as winning the company massive regional coverage in Tech in Asia, Tech Crunch and
even tier 1 global media such as Reuters
and the Wall Street Journal. Six months
later, aCommerce was able to raise one of
the highest Series A fundraising rounds in
Southeast Asian history, partly because of
the buzz and FOMO (fear of missing out)
that my media strategy was able to evoke
in the investor and business community.
I managed to put aCommerce on the
tech media map and I hope to share
some easily actionable tips you can resort to when you don’t have an established network of media contacts and the
resources, human or otherwise, for huge
PR campaigns. The first step begins with
building your media relations.
Step 1: Flirt. Build your press
database with relevant
journalists. When you find
them, tweet and say hello.
Small business owners often send their
press releases to generic e-mail addresses, such as [email protected], and are
disappointed and/or flabbergasted when
their press release is not published.
The solution to getting attention from
media is to make human contact. Find
a couple of writers in your desired publication, whether it be a trade journal or a
global news outlet, who write about your
industry. In my case, because I work in ecommerce in Southeast Asia, I searched
for the biggest player, Lazada, in the New
York Times. I figured that any journalist
writing about Lazada would also be interested in our company. Use this process
to create your media wish list database
and try to populate it with at least 50 con-
Before you decide to share your news
with your well-cultivated database of
writers, make sure you understand what is
newsworthy and what is not.
22
tacts. The second step is to follow them
on Twitter. Everyone says Twitter is dying,
but it is alive and well for writers and PR
professionals. Tweet to them, introducing yourself. By finding the relevant writer
and reaching out just to say hello, you are
establishing the beginnings of a relationship—the most critical part of publicity.
Step 2: Build a Relationship
Now that you have created your foundation with a database and have said
hello on Twitter, it is time to build upon
that foundation. There are many ways to
cultivate relationships, but what worked
for me, both regionally and globally, was
Twitter. My goal was to get on the writers’
radar, which I accomplished by tweeting
their articles with my insider commentary. Notice how I am not asking for anything from them. This is purely digital relationship building. To gain traction with
local Thai press, face to face meetings
work best. Come prepared with a physical
press kit that includes your company profile, press releases, a USB key with images
and logos and ready to introduce your
company. A delicious food gift is always
appreciated.
Step 3: Before the Press
Release, Warm Up the Media
Before you decide to share your news
with your well-cultivated database of
writers, make sure you understand what
is newsworthy and what is not. We have
modified Saleforce founder Adam Gross’s
Seven Types of Media to shape the angles of our press release. The seven types
of news that we have seen works best in
Asia are: controversy, acquisition/expansion news, financial/funding partnerships, metrics & insights, product launch
and hiring, listed in order of importance.
Next, before a big announcement, we
allude to the news and the rough timeline for its release without sending the
press release or giving away too much
information. For example, I would write
to one and say, “We have a fundraising
announcement coming up in a couple
weeks. Is this a story you would be interested in covering?” Writers are human,
too. It doesn’t hurt to pique their curiosity
in a story.
Step 4: Send the Press Release Customization is Key!
One of the most important things to do in
this step is to tailor your message to each
writer. PR agencies often ends up using
blind carbon copy (Bcc) for all contacts or
use mail merge to create an impression
of personalization with the writer’s name
inserted automatically. Unless you are
Apple or Uber with a recognizable brand
however, your email will be lost in the sea
of messages media outlets receive each
day. Taking the time to send an email to
each contact separately and include a
short personalized message goes a long
way.
Secondly, you should be tailoring your
media pitch as well. Do your research
and try to understand the nuances of
each publication. Who is their target audience? What do their readers want? For
example, if it is a tech media outlet then
focus on the tech innovation side of your
company’s work, such as the challenges
overcome when developing the artificial
intelligence that runs your company; if
it is consumer media, then focus on the
buzz-worthy product angle.
Step 5: Follow-Up
When the outlets publish your story, the
media relations romance does not end
there. For aCommerce, when we finally
got published in our dream publication
Tech Crunch (the media Mecca of tech
startups) we immediately shared the
news on all our social media channels
but also sent it out to our newsletter database consisting of 8,000 key business
and ecommerce stakeholders. Why? Because in the age of digital media, traffic
and page views are the writers’ main incentives and indicators of success. If you
are able to show that writing about your
small business is interesting to his or her
audience you will greatly increase your
odds of being published again.
That first publication is the hardest but
once it’s done make sure you prove it
was worth the while of the writer! Once
you have proven that their audience has
a palate for your news and industry, scaling up will be less challenging.
Some Useful Communications
Tools for Your SME
TweetDeck is your first step to world
domination and by world domination
I mean knowledge. You are able to
quickly monitor what your preferred
writers, journalists, publications, politi-
cians, thought leaders, bloggers etc. are
saying in real time. Tweetdeck is amazing because you can create lists to help
you sift through the noise of Twitter and
really focus on the channels relevant to
your brand. My lists include: ‘Tech journalists’, ‘Hong Kong tech’ (when I was
launching Jaha in HK), ‘Ardent Capital’,
‘aCommerce’ and of course ‘Reprieve’,
where you can find my indulgences
from The Atlantic’s contrarian David
Frum to Frenchie English fashion blogger Camille Charriere.
Bufferapp.com allows you to do 3-click
social media marketing across the majority of your channels. I love it because
I can instantly share content regarding
my industry across Twitter, LinkedIn,
Facebook, and even for my personal and
company pages. When you have a hectic
daily schedule saving even 10 minutes
makes a big difference, so tools like Buffer
will allow you to quickly build a consistent
brand voice across all your online channels. I recommend taking half hour of
every day to read your favorite news sites
and schedule content release across the
channels.
SEO Moz Bar is a browser plug-in that
determines the SEO value of any online
publication. The higher the domain authority, the more valuable your published
work is (particularly if you have a back link
to your website). Be aware that a website
can have a high ranking even without
high traffic. Ergo, don’t ignore the little
guys! When making a backlinking strategy to optimize your site on Google, this
is a great tool.
These strategies are in no way exhaustive,
they are simply what we have employed
on aCommerce and scaled into aCommerce Communications & PR Consultancy for other business clients. If there
is a key take away from this, it is to build
human relationships. This is made easier
in Southeast Asia, because writers want
to write as much as possible in order to
maintain healthy traffic numbers. Understanding that the media are just people
too will change everything!
Stock photo
Felicia Moursalien is Director of Research
& Strategic Communications at aCommerce. She can be contacted at: felicia@
acommerce.asia and on Twitter @LilFel.
23
Key Opinion Leaders:
Who are They and Why do
Brands Need Them?
Written by: Kittima Sethi
S
ocial media has changed the way
brands and marketers manage
their communications and marketing. While using traditional
media such as print publications, TV, and
billboards are effective to a certain extent,
many businesses and brands are utilizing
new media to reach their target audiences. These include online advertising
and streaming, social media, chatroom
forums, video and blog posts and the use
of KOLs, or Key Opinion Leaders.
Who are KOLs?
A KOL, also known as an “influencer”, is
defined as someone who not only has
considerable influence over others in their
purchasing decisions but is also able to
draw attention to and create awareness
of products and services. In other words,
KOLs have significant persuasive power.
The idea of using KOLs to increase brand
awareness and to strengthen the customer
and product relationship to fuel consumption and sales is not a new concept. Pharmaceutical companies have often used
physicians and academics as their KOLs to
provide advocacy for their medicines.
Today, KOLs are not necessarily academics or people who talk at conferences.
They could be bloggers, net idols, professionals or “gurus” in their selected field,
or just normal everyday social media users whose voice and expertise are being
shared and recognized on the internet. In
other words, they are the “brand ambassadors” for the online community. Many
of them actively engage with the target
audience via social media channels by
posting text, images or videos and have a
high degree of public trust and credibility.
There has also been a rise in celebrities, socialites and popular Twitter and
24
Instagram personalities representing
brands. Because many of them have a
large number of followers in their online
communities, their level of influence is
sometimes greater than the mass media.
Consumers are likely to trust their feedback much more than those coming via
traditional channels.
Why do brands need them?
This is why many brands today are leveraging KOLs and incorporating them into
their marketing strategy to promote their
products and services. Not only are they
effective in delivering marketing messages to their audience but they also feel
more genuine, enabling consumers to filter through all the clutter and make quick
decision on their purchases.
When Uniqlo, a well-known Japanese
casual wear brand, launched its brand
in Thailand in 2011, they used a diverse
group of KOLs ranging in ages, professions and genders as brand ambassadors
to convey their “Made for All” philosophy.
Some of their KOLs included actor and
musician Dome Pakorn Lum, illustrator/
stylist/singer/writer Hatairath Charoenchaichana (Oh Futon), dentist and television host Pauline Teng-Lamsam, and
editor of A Day magazine Wongtanong
Chainarongsingh.
Take Theetawit Setthachai, blogger of
the popular Diary of Tootsie, which has
over 600,000 fans. After participating in
the luxurious beauty brand SK-II’s online
campaign called #changedestiny, he
has become one their most successful
KOLs.
The use of hashtags (#) also maximizes
exposure for brands across online media.
It is popularly used by KOLs in their posts
with the product, brand or event’s name,
creating awareness and enabling brands
to monitor engagement.
Selecting the right KOL
Selecting the right KOL is crucial for
brands because they are also perceived
as the company’s spokesperson, playing
a proactive role in adding value to the
business. KOLs must have a thorough
understanding and knowledge of the
product and brand and appeal to the target audience. They must be emotionally
engaging, convincing and motivating or
else they will be appear inauthentic.
International watch maker Omega selects ambassadors that embody their
values, which are unparalleled class, bold
style and elegant performance. Some of
the ambassadors include star athletes,
award-winning actors, and successful
entrepreneurs such as actors George
Clooney, Nicole Kidman and swimmer
Michael Phelps.
Nike is known for focusing on the
greatness of the athletes whom they
appoint as brand ambassadors and in
building their image to sell products.
After appointing Michael Jordan as its
brand ambassador, Nike created a series of Air Jordan brand of basketball
shoes which continue to be a hit with
fans today.
Incorporating KOLs into the marketing
plan is not only measurable with analytics
tools and reporting, but is also targeted,
which is why it is important to find the
right individual whose values and expertise align with that of the brand and their
target market.
When selecting a KOL, factors to consider
include (a) number and quality of followers, (b) engagement and (c) expertise.
While a large number of followers is impressive and can make KOLs influential,
it is important to check their level of engagement and sharing as that can amplify the reach beyond just the followers.
The ability of the KOL to generate virality
is also important as it allows brands to tap
into new market segments which they
otherwise may not have contact with.
As people turn to the internet for advice, it is
important for brands to hire the right expert
in the field who can build trust and credibility and help drive awareness and sales.
If the KOL is connected with and passionate about the brand, it will resonate in what
they do and have a greater impact on the
brand. One way to discover a KOL is to track
keywords and phrases associated with your
product or brand online and see who is
talking about you. They don’t have to be a
big star or personality but could turn out to
be your most trusted and loyal KOL.
tHe imPoRtanCe of autHentiCity
In Thailand, TV stars and celebrities are
often approached by brands to become
KOLs. The popular ones end up becoming brand ambassadors for multiple products, which raises the question of how
authentic and passionate they are about
the products they represent.
For instance, Thai superstar Atiwara
“Toon” Kongmalai of the band Bodyslam
was once representing Pepsi, the M
150 energy drink, and the milk product
Dutchmill, which was quite surprising
considering his rock and roll personality.
Cosmetics, fashion and luxury are areas
where KOLs are very popular and for
which consumers are looking for advice before selecting the best items and
style. Travel, hospitality and cuisine are
also sectors that work with KOLs, such as
travel and food bloggers, to encourage
people to travel to various destinations or
dine at various restaurants.
In Thailand, transportation app Uber employed celebrities Woody and Paul Taylor
as their KOLs. Sports personalities, physicians, and entrepreneurs are also used as
KOLs for certain brands.
Employees and customers can also be
used as KOLs in the form of brand evangelists through testimonials. Happy employees can humanize a company and
project an image brands would like to be
communicated to the outside world. If
they have a blog or are active on social
media, they may share their experience.
Evenatweetbyasatisfiedcustomercan
have an incredible effect. Google employees regularly tweet and blog about
their perks and facilities, making it one of
the most desired workplaces.
KOLs are not limited to just big brands
and companies with deep pockets. With
some creativity, small businesses can
also incorporate them into their marketing plans.
IfyouthinkyourbusinessrequiresKOLs,
contact Brand Now and we’ll help you
createaneffectivecommunicationcampaign with KOLs.
Kittima Sethi is the co-founder of Brand
Now. She can be contacted at kittima@
brandnow.asia.
SAVE THE DATE
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Saturday, April 23, 2016
Grand Hyatt Erawan
6 pm - 1 am
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25
How to Effectively
Communicate CSR Successes
Written by: Deanna D. Pajkovski
A
merican companies in Thailand don’t only do well; they
also do good. From large multinationals to small businesses
and startups, companies recognize the
importance and benefits of investing in
communities where they work and live.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is
not a trend – it is a core value of doing
business. It is no longer acceptable to do
a little bit of environmental management
here and some community involvement
there; companies are expected to construct a sound framework of activities
that are aligned with their core values
and enhance their responsible business
practices. The question is no longer
whether or not to integrate CSR into your
corporate agenda but how to do so, as
data shows that not engaging in CSR can
actually hurt a company.
Why is CSR important?
Beyond the obvious benefits of making
the world a better place, CSR is exceptionally good for business. Social philanthropy has proven to be very powerful in
influencing consumer attitude and consumer behavior. Studies show that 88%
of consumers are more likely to buy from
a company that engages in activities that
benefit society. In the age of informed
and socially conscious consumers, companies that have built and retain a reputation for caring about the environment
and social issues enjoy greater customer
loyalty and brand recognition.
A successful CSR strategy can inspire
consumers to become brand ambassadors and spread positive word-of-mouth
about the company or product. The internet magnifies this effect as consumers
are using social media platforms to communicate their enthusiasm for a company or brand because of its socially responsible practices. There is a flip side to
this coin though. Consumers have been
26
known to ‘punish’ companies they believe are not behaving in socially responsible ways by boycotting their products
and encouraging others to do the same.
Looking closer to home, CSR is an excellent tool for increasing employee
engagement and dedication. The Millennials, your future workforce, are hyperaware and have high expectations of CSR
efforts. They are not only likely to switch
brands to one associated with a cause
– they have also been known to switch
employers if they perceive the company
as socially irresponsible. Polls have found
that 78% of Millennials consider the
company’s CSR strategy when choosing where to work. Social responsibility
is also a powerful motivator for existing
employees and fosters employee loyalty, commitment, team spirit, pride, and
sense of belonging and purpose, which
positively affect employee productivity.
Last but not least, well designed and well
communicated CSR efforts help differentiate your company from the competitors, generate positive publicity, improve
your business standing, and provide access to investment and funding opportunities. You simply cannot afford not to
do CSR.
Communicating CSR Successes
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is
around to hear it, does it make a sound?
This is a question that has been preoccupying philosophers for centuries. Nowa-
days, communications professionals
wonder: if a good CSR campaign is implemented, but no one hears about it, does
it make an impact? Of course it does,
but a widely communicated CSR effort
can have a multiplier effect. In addition
to improving the reputation of the company and affecting consumer behavior,
a well-executed CSR PR campaign has
the power to mobilize other companies,
institutions, and individuals to join the effort, resulting in increased awareness and
greater benefits to the cause. Similarly,
one company’s effort can inspire other
companies to take up their own social
causes, creating a society-wide ripple effect of wellbeing.
How CSR successes are communicated,
however, is essential in determining
whether your campaign will be seen as
a genuine act of philanthropy or a selfserving marketing ploy. It is a very thin
line to walk.
Your CSR report is only one medium
for communicating your CSR impact
and the shareholders are only one segment of your target audience. When you
implement community initiatives, your
stakeholders also include your employees, customers, community representatives, NGOs, and the general public.
Consequently, you should think beyond
numbers and figures and communicate
stories: of human interest, of change, of
impact. Your stakeholders will want to
hear why the cause is important, what
the expected benefits and who the
The question is no longer whether or not to
integrate CSR into your corporate agenda but
how to do so, as data shows that not engaging in
CSR can actually hurt a company.
pact of your effort. A study showed
that when a company’s CSR effort
was short-term, consumers thought
that the company was participating in
CSR only to meet others’ expectations
instead of acting on the principles of
the organization. So keep the stakeholders apprised of your continued
efforts, keep the lines of communications open, and do not be afraid to also
communicate failure – vulnerability is
relatable.
AMCHAM as a champion of CSR
Beneficiaries of AMCHAM’s Adopt-a-School program
intended beneficiaries are, and how you
intend to turn a one-off effort into a sustainable course of action resulting in lasting change.
Before you start strategizing about the
type of media you need to engage, the
opinion leaders you need to woo, and
the number of views, clicks, and shares
you need to justify your PR budget, it is
important to consider the power of the
message. A good message resonates,
and when communicated in an honest,
authentic, continuous, and responsive
manner, it will go a long way in getting
you that much-coveted media coverage.
Elements of effective CSR
communication
• Transparency and honesty
First and foremost, your communication needs to be transparent and
honest. Your customers are informed
about your products and the causes
you support; connected with other
consumers; engaged in social causes;
and they have a wealth of information
at their fingertips (literally). Fudging
numbers and facts is a very dangerous
game to play in the age of information
and sharing, and it could cost you a lot
more that your reputation and credibility.
• Authenticity
For a CSR campaign to be authentic,
the motives behind the support need
to be clearly visible and the congruence between the company’s function
and the cause needs to be high. For
example, if a company that produces mink coats announces that their
cause of choice is eradicating cruelty
to animals, this might raise more than
a few eyebrows and lead to a wellpublicized visit by PETA activists. Similarly, don’t try to obscure the fact that
there are business interests behind
your company’s support for a cause.
Consumers are aware that a business’s
bottom line is profit and pretending
otherwise might make them question
your motives. The motivation driving
a company’s support for a cause is
important because the public relates
motive to the company’s character. If
consumers become skeptical of your
motives, it will quickly sour any positive
feelings they might have had towards
your brand, and thanks to social media
the negative publicity will spread like
wildfire.
• Continuity and Frequency
Informing stakeholders of your CSR
efforts and successes should not be
relegated to the annual CSR report
and an occasional press release with
‘before and after’ photos. Find a mechanism that will allow you to keep stakeholders regularly informed of progress,
challenges, obstacles overcome, and
lives changed. Your company’s commitment to the cause and to CSR in
general will be measured in terms of
the longevity, follow through, and im-
AMCHAM members are clearly committed to corporate social responsibility. In
the eight years since the AMCHAM CSR
Excellence (ACE) Award was established,
the number of companies that were recognized for their exemplary CSR efforts
increased from 2 in 2007 to 62 companies in 2015. Good corporate citizenship
and environmentally responsible business practices are two of the Chamber’s
fundamental business principles that all
members are expected to adhere to.
In order to further encourage investment in communities, in 2004 AMCHAM founded the AMCHAM Thailand Charitable Foundation (ATCF).
The Foundation provides scholarships
to Thai university students, sponsors teachers to increase the Englishspeaking capacity of young Thais, and
matches donors with needy schools
around Thailand through the Adopta-School program. Adopt-a-School is
a one-stop, ready-made CSR program
for companies lacking the resources
to devise and implement their own
projects. Donors are matched with
schools in need of renovation, facilities,
or materials, and the project is vetted,
implemented, and supervised by ATCF.
We even promote the donation and results of the project through AMCHAM’s
channels. If lack of time or know-how
has been the only thing holding you
back from participating in CSR, we have
a project tailored to your budget and
preferences with your name on it. All
you have to do is claim it.
Deanna D. Pajkovski is Communications
Director at AMCHAM Thailand. She can
be contacted at [email protected].
27
special updates
AMCHAM Thailand Recognizes
Top Corporate Social
Responsibility Programs
The Hemaraj team with U.S. Ambassador Glyn Davies and AMCHAM President Darren Buckley
O
n November 24 at Conrad
Bangkok AMCHAM Thailand
honored its members’ corporate social responsibility (CSR)
programs at a ceremony presided over
by U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, Glyn T.
Davies. The ninth annual AMCHAM CSR
Excellence (ACE) Awards recognized 62
companies for their exemplary CSR programs and their dedication to investing
in their communities.
Ambassador Davies congratulated the
honorees and applauded their innovative programs aimed at bolstering the
communities in which they operate.
28
Thai-American Business • Volume
Business • Volume 6/2015
“What I love about this event is that we
celebrate the efforts of AMCHAM member companies of all sizes,” he said. “It
delights me to see that even some of
the smallest SMEs are receiving recognition here today alongside the corporate giants. It demonstrates that CSR is
a core value of your culture, regardless
of size.”
AMCHAM Board President Darren Buckley highlighted the importance of giving
back and giving thanks: “It’s great to see
550 people come here today to celebrate and to recognize AMCHAM member companies’ achievements in CSR.
It just shows how committed American companies are to investing in the
communities where they live and work.
What better time than Thanksgiving to
celebrate this important contribution to
society when the very spirit of Thanksgiving is about sharing.”
Special designations were given to firms
that have received the ACE award for
five consecutive years (Gold Award),
three consecutive years (Silver Award),
firms with excellence in creativity and
innovation (Creative Partnerships), and
recognition for small and medium-sized
businesses (SMEs).
Brad Middleton of Chevron receives an ACE Recognition from U.S. Ambassador Glyn
Davies and AMCHAM President Darren Buckley
Representatives of Top Scholars with their ACE Recognition
The sixty two award recipients of the 2015 ACE recognition were
(in alphabetical order with special designations in parentheses):
Accenture Solutions (Silver Award and Creative
Partnership)
AIA (Silver Award )
Amway (Silver Award)
Bank of Ayudhya (Silver Award)
Baxter Healthcare (Silver Award and Creative Partnership)
Brand Now (SME)
Bumrungrad Hospital (Silver Award)
Cargill Meats
Caterpillar
Central Food Retail (Gold Award)
Chevron Thailand Exploration & Production (Gold
Award and Creative Partnership)
Cisco Systems (Silver Award and Creative Partnership)
Citibank (Gold Award)
Coca-Cola (Gold Award and Creative Partnership)
CoffeeWORKS (SME)
Colgate-Palmolive (Creative Partnership)
Conrad Bangkok
Diageo Moet Hennessy (Silver Award)
Dow Chemical (Gold Award and Creative Partnership)
DSG International
Esso (Gold and Creative Partnership)
FedEx Express (Gold Award and Creative Partnership)
Ford Motor (Gold Award and Creative Partnership)
Foster Wheeler (Silver Award)
General Motors Thailand and Chevrolet Sales
Thailand (Silver Award)
GlaxoSmithKline (Gold Award)
Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok (Gold Award and Creative
Partnership)
Hanesbrands ROH Asia (Silver Award and Creative
Partnership)
Hemaraj Land And Development (Gold Award and
Creative Partnership)
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (Gold
Award)
IBM (Creative Partnership)
Jeunesse Global (SME)
Johnson & Johnson (Creative Partnership)
Kenan Asia (Silver Award and SME)
Laguna Resorts & Hotels
Marriott International Thailand
McThai (Silver Award and Creative Partnership)
Mead Johnson Nutrition (Silver Award)
Microsoft (Gold Award and Creative Partnership)
Minor International (Gold Award and Creative
Partnership)
Mondelez International (Creative Partnership)
MQDC Magnolia Quality Development (Creative
Partnership)
Pfizer (Silver Award and Creative Partnership)
Philip Morris (Gold Award)
Procter & Gamble Trading (Gold Award and Creative
Partnership)
PTT Global Chemical (Gold Award and Creative
Partnership)
Raja’s Fashions (Silver Award and SME)
Samitivej Hospital (Creative Partnership)
Sansiri
Santa Fe (Gold Award)
SAS Software (Silver Award and SME)
Seagate Technology (Gold Award and Creative
Partnership)
Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok
Siam Premier International Law Office (SME)
Standard Chartered Bank (Gold Award)
Syngenta Crop Protection
Thai Rayon (Silver Award)
Top Scholars (Silver Award and SME)
Tour de Asia Bicycle Touring (Silver Award and SME)
Tractus (SME)
Western Digital (Creative Partnership)
Yum Restaurants International (Gold Award)
29
special updates
2015 AMCHAM Committee
Roundup
AMCHAM’s Committee Leadership on December 1 at the Anantara Siam Hotel Bangkok
Aerospace Committee
Auto Council
Committee Leadership: Jim Grunewald, Redbird; John Brasch,
Triumph Aviation
Board Liaison: David Carden, FedEx
Chair: Mark Kaufman, Ford Motor Company
Other Council Leaders: David Nardone, Hemaraj Land &
Development; Thomas Chambers, Continental Automotive;
Philip Cook, Thai Summit Automotive
Board Liaison: Marcos Purty, General Motors
2015 Accomplishments:
This newly-formed committee was established in October 2015
and its initial kickoff meeting was held on November 10. As this
was the only meeting to date, the committee focused on the
2016 plans and areas of concentration. Aerospace is one of the
fastest growing industries, and Thailand is well positioned to expand its market share in business aviation, regional training and
asset management in coming years. Thailand is recognized as
one of the expanding commercial and commuter air hubs in Asia
and will continue to encourage investment as a key asset both
for innovation and growth in numerous industries, particularly
aerospace and supply-chain management. Thailand nascent
Aerospace capabilities include airframe maintenance, engine
overhaul, component and structural repair. The Aerospace Committee looks forward to working through the many issues proposed for the committee’s activities in the coming year.
30
I. Sustaining advocacy on the three priority issues of the Council
The Council, led by its Leaders and the three Working Groups
(Policy, Labor and Infrastructure), continued its focus on three
priority topics that are strategic to the competitiveness of U.S.
investments in the Thailand auto industry:
a. Automotive Policies
− Monitored closely the formulation of guidelines to implement the CO2 emission based tax structure that becomes effective in January 2016;
− Shared the status and implications of proposed excise tax
law reform and various consumer protection related bills;
− Regular updates on the performance of the Thai automotive industry.
b.Building the supply of skilled workers
− Monitored status of amendments to the Labor Relations
Act and Labor Protection Act, ensuring that Auto Council
views are relayed to the appropriate channels for consideration;
− Shared compliance practices in connection with Section
11/1 of the Labor Protection Law;
− Provided info on collaborative student / worker training
programs.
c. Expanding critical road networks in the Eastern Seaboard
− Advocacy continues. Despite changes in government,
decent progress has been made in some road infrastructure projects.
II. Monitoring developments in ASEAN
Shared status of the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement,
which if approved by ASEAN, will have bearing on both the
carmakers and parts makers covered by mandatory technical
standards.
III.Organizing annual briefing in Eastern Seaboard
Continued the practice of holding an annual Auto Council
meeting/briefing in the Eastern Seaboard area. Collaborated
with the Eastern Seaboard Committee in organizing a seminar
on May 15. The two part program featured a panel discussion
on the ASEAN Automotive Outlook that was led by briefing by
LMC followed by a lively Q&A panel discussion featuring resource persons from the leading car and parts manufacturers.
Business Economics Committee
Committee Leadership: Peggy Creveling, Creveling &
Creveling; Teera Phutrakul, JTFP; Ken White, Pacific Siam
Strategic Consulting
Board Liaison: Somboon Krobteeranon, Visa
Overall, 2015 was another satisfactory year with a slight increase
in the number of attendees at the committee meetings. Altogether, the committee held 10 meetings in 2015. Just like in previous
years, the committee’s monthly speakers focused on issues relating to government economic and investment policies, analysis of
macro-economic trends, and review of developments in key industrial and services sectors.
Much of discussions this year were focused on the economic policies of the current administration and investment outlooks both
domestic and offshore. Some of the notable speakers included: Dr.
Kobsak Phutrakul, Bangkok Bank’s Chief Economist; Rahul Bhalla,
Managing Director of Vanguard Investments Singapore; Adithep
Vanabriksha, CIO of Aberdeen Asset Management Thailand.
In addition, the Business Economics Committee also heard from
James Pitchon of CBRE on the annual property outlook and review;
Mongkolnimit Auacherdkul, Public and Government Affairs Manager of Esso (Thailand) also briefed the committee on the energy
outlook to the year 2040. Returning speakers included Bob Fitts,
political consultant and retired Foreign Service officer and Jonathan Blaine from Baker & McKenzie who gave an update on the
newly enacted inheritance and gift tax laws.
Community Engagement Committee
Committee Leadership: Jonathan Fryer, Mazars; Jan Van
Ekeren, Bank of Ayudhya
Board Liaison: Darren Buckley, Citibank
In 2015, the Community Engagement Committee, along with
AMCHAM staff and other AMCHAM committees, raised Baht 8.1
million for the AMCHAM Thailand Charitable Foundation (ATCF),
which used the funds to achieve the following:
• Award 200 university scholarships to underprivileged and
qualified Thai students at 31 institutions of higher education
throughout the country;
• Matched Baht 999,972 in Adopt-a-School donations;
• Completed 3 Adopt-a-School projects;
• Administered 10 ongoing Adopt-a- School projects;
• Provided 12 teachers to understaffed primary schools;
• Held the FedEx Career Camp - 60 final year scholarship students
came together in Bangkok for a three day program to prepare
them for their future careers;
• Held the Student Scholarship Orientation Camp - with a strong
focus on community service and social responsibility, the camp
gave 71 new scholarship students an opportunity to meet with
and learn more about AMCHAM and its members. The highlight
of the camp was the visit to a Samut Sakhorn School where
students spent the day doing community service by building a
brain-based learning (known as BBL) playground.
The ATCF also supported 22 American Fulbright English Teaching
Assistants (ETAs). The ETA program places Fulbrighters in classrooms to provide assistance to local English teachers. ETAs help
teach English language while serving as cultural ambassadors for
the U.S. There are now 22 ETAs in Thailand and it is the ambition of
the Committee to expand this program in the future.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee
Committee Leadership: Richard Bernhard, Kenan Institute
Asia; Alex Mavro, Sasin
Board Liaison: Waewkanee Assoratgoon, Yum Restaurants
International
The Committee’s signature event was the ninth annual AMCHAM
CSR Excellence (ACE) Recognition. ACE recognition helps to identify AMCHAM members’ best practices by understanding the linkages between business operations and society so as to conduct
business in a way that creates both long-term economic and
social value. In 2015, a record of 62 AMCHAM members received
ACE recognition, including 10 SMEs. This year, ACE included the
second set of 8 firms receiving Gold level recognition, joining the
13 firms from last year exhibiting excellence in CSR for five consecutive years. There were 13 firms exhibiting excellence in CSR
for three consecutive years to receive the Silver level recognition.
They join the group of 38 companies qualifying for Silver recognition over the past few years. In addition, a creative partnership
31
special updates
designation was provided in partnership with the U.S. Embassy to
recognize 26 firms with innovative and creative business practices
in the spirit of the Thai – U.S. Creative Partnership.
Throughout the year the CSR committee shares the best practices of
ACE awardees. Speakers this year included representatives from Marriott International, AIA, Raja’s Fashions, FedEx, Mead Johnson Nutrition,
IBM and Conrad Bangkok. In addition, the CSR committee presented
an overview of the requirements for member companies to apply for
AMCHAM’s CSR Excellence (ACE) Recognition to interested members.
Customs and Excise Committee
Committee Leadership: Kittipong Jangkamolkulchai, Phillip
Morris; Florina Vistal, Ford; Paul Sumner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Board Liaison: David Carden, FedEx
The Committee completed a revised AMCHAM position paper on
customs issues, leveraging a renewed effort of the Customs Department to revise the penalty and reward regimes and advocating
for a long-term goal of total elimination of the problematic system.
• Provided information to AMCHAM members on customs and
excise developments; continued advocating with the U.S. Government and the Royal Thai Government; and met with various
Chambers and business groups including the U.S. Trade Representative office (USTR) to discuss customs reforms.
• Received Board approval and support of the JFCCT, British,
South African, Australian, Canadian, and Thai Chamber of Commerce on our Customs position paper.
• The committee continued its advocacy with the U.S. Government and the Royal Thai Government leveraging our position
paper to continue to keep pressure on the Thai Government’s
pending customs reforms that are now working their way
through the governmental political process.
• Held eight monthly meetings.
Eastern Seaboard Committee
Committee Leadership: Michael Diamente, American Axle
Manufacturing; Vincent Pourre, Wall Street English
Board Liaison: David Nardone, Hemaraj Land & Development
AMCHAM’s Eastern Seaboard Committee held monthly networking functions in partnership with other foreign chambers.
In February, the Committee held a joint networking event in Pattaya, sponsored by Hemaraj. The event was hosted by AMCHAM and
held in conjunction with AustCham Thailand, the British Chamber
of Commerce Thailand (BCCT), German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC), the South-African Chamber and the Belgian-Luxemburg Chamber (BeluThai).
In May, the Eastern Seaboard Committee hosted a joint meeting
with the Auto Council committee, with a guest speaker from LMC
32
Automotive who gave an update on the industry in Thailand and
ASEAN. The Committee also had guest speakers from Ford, General Motors, Thai Summit, and Hemaraj who presented updates
on policy and labor regulations in Thailand, as well as road infrastructure and development projects in the Eastern Seaboard. The
Auto council meeting was followed by a networking function cosponsored by PCS and Wall Street English.
Looking forward to 2016, AMCHAM and the Eastern Seaboard
Committee will be organizing networking functions in February,
June and November. The Committee has also planned a site visit
to Caterpillar’s factory in February and a joint event with the Auto
Council and Transportation & Logistics committee in June.
Energy and Environment Committee
Committee Leadership: Mongkolnimit Auacherdkul, Esso;
Pairoj Kaweeyanun, Chevron
Board Liaison: Neil Hansen, Esso
The committee continued working with other committees to organize activities to meet key objectives. The committee kicked off
with a planning session and hosted an update on Energy Outlook A View to 2040 by Exxon Mobil Corporation. Various speakers from
government agencies were invited to present a series of country
energy roadmaps starting with the Thailand Integrated Energy
Blueprint (2015-2036), the 2015 Power Development Plan, the
2015 Alternative Energy Development Plan, and the 2015 Gas
Plan. Good feedback was received from member companies on
the series of reviews on the country energy roadmaps which
helped to increase understanding on the country energy roadmaps as well as guide future advocacy efforts to support member
companies’ businesses.
Food & Agri-Business Committee
Committee Leaders: Dee Richmond, AgriSource; Alan Adcock,
Tilleke & Gibbins; Jirawat Poomsrikaew, DuPont; Mark Kujawa,
Diamond V Mills
Board Liaison: Dhanakorn Kasetrsuwan, La-Z-Boy
The Committee held the following events to accomplish its mission:
• Regulatory Impingements of IP Rights: Briefing and discussion
by Kittipong Jangkamolkulchai, Philip Morris; Jirawat Poomsrikaew, DuPont; Rachanatorn Laohaphan, Diageo Moet Hennessy;
• Afternoon at the Races - Thoroughbred Horse Racing in Thailand: Lunch and briefing by Theresa Kujawa, Royal British Sports
Club Racing Committee and Equine Consultant;
• Future of Rice in Thailand: Briefing by Dr. Amar Siamwala, Thailand Development and Research Institute;
• Thai FDA and Department of Livestock Development - Legal
and Regulatory Update: Briefing by Naruemol Chatsanga, Food
special updates
•
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•
•
•
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•
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Control Division, Thailand Food and Drug Administration; Atthachai Homhuan, Tilleke & Gibbins; Siradapat Ratanakorn, Tilleke
& Gibbins;
Visit to Animal Science Learning Center, Kasetsart University:
Briefing and tour of Learning Center and discussions with Faculty of Agriculture;
Meeting with Pediatric Nutrition Manufacturer Association
(PNMA) about Ministry of Public Health draft regulations on
expanding advertising restrictions on pediatric nutritional replacements;
Meet the Vets: Briefing by Dr. Jakaphan Wannawong and
Dr.Thitiporn Pliansamai;
Joint Healthcare and Food & Agri-Business Committees – Are
Gluten-free Eating and Foods a Fad? – Briefing by Kitiya Suvannasankha, Bumrungrad International, and Teeranat Limpichotikul, SGS Thailand;
Key U.S. Agricultural Trade Issues: Briefing by Bobby Richey, the
new U.S. Agricultural Counselor for the U.S. Embassy;
Round table discussion with Christine Brown, USTR Director for
Southeast Asia and Pacific Affairs;
Meeting with Thailand Crop Protection Association (TCPA);
Ebola and other Animal-Related Diseases: Briefing by Dr. Pawin
Padungtod, Veterinary Medical Officer, Global Disease Detection Regional Center Thai MoPH.
Greater Phuket Chapter
Committee Leadership: Bill Barnett, C9 Hotelworks; John
Magee, The Phuket Gazette
On January 26 the committee, in conjunction with C9 Hotelworks,
held the fourth Annual Thailand Tourism Forum 2015 (TTF) at
InterContinental Bangkok. This year’s attendance exceeded 500
travel and tourism participants. TTF 2015 provided a forum where
hospitality leaders and experts candidly discussed the economic
impact of political changes and the shift in tourism trends globally
and in the region.
In September an event on China’s high-end tourism was held at the
JW Marriott Phuket. Over 150 participants gathered as David Johnson and Vanessa Zhu of Delivering Asia Communications spoke
about tapping into Mainland China’s vast social media network to
promote inbound tourism to Thailand. Vanessa, DAC’s Digital Marketing Specialist and Communications Director for China, unveiled
how to attract high-end Chinese outbound travelers to hotels and
resorts in Thailand through a range of communications strategies.
October saw a tourism event at the Outrigger Laguna Phuket focusing on Phuket tourism by the numbers. STR Global’s Area Director for Asia Pacific, Jesper Palmqvist, and Mark Simmons, Vice
President Sales and Marketing for Outrigger Resorts, spoke to 100
attendees on destination tourism performance and provided insight into strategy in a volatile marketplace.
In November and December the Angsana Laguna Phuket hosted
twin events with a special Thanksgiving business networking lunch
on November 26 and a Family Christmas party on December 9.
34
The Phuket Chapter continues to focus on high-profile events that
are well attended and help promote the Chamber.
Healthcare Committee
Committee Leadership: Siriwan Chuenchomsakun, Pfizer;
Sudi Narasimhan, Bumrungrad Hospital; Thavirap Tantiwongse,
GSK.
Board Liaison: Christian Malherbe, Pfizer
The Healthcare Committee held a planning session to come up
with a yearly plan of activities along with a policy position developing session. The committee highlighted key policy issues to
ensure Thailand’s competitiveness and improve patient care and
quality of life.
The priorities were: (1) recommending against cost containment
policies that covered fixing of pricing in private hospitals which
limited treatment options and investment in new technology; and
(2) advocating against the use of an inconsistent methodology to
set maximum procurement price of the medicines which could
potentially limit access to innovative medicines. Additionally, evolution and transparency of government procurement were also
encouraged by recommending the removal of Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) privilege and opening
the market for fair competition.
Lastly, the committee strongly advised the Thai government to
review draft drug bill provisions which required confidential data
of patent and price structure disclosure as part of the approval
criteria and which leads to discrimination against innovation and
foreign companies.
The committee also set up two key luncheon events in August
and November that covered the following topics: ‘Can Artificial
Intelligence Help Doctors Plan More Effective Treatments’ by an
expert from Bumrungrad International Hospital, Dr. James Miser,
and ‘What future lies ahead for Thailand’s Life Sciences Industry’
by Dr. Nares Damrongchai, CEO of Thailand Center of Excellence
for Life Sciences (TCELS).
Human Resources Committee
Committee Leadership: Christopher Schultz, APM; Amy Christenson, YUM; Richard Jackson, RLC Recruitment
• February: Joint HR and Legal Committee briefing on the labor
environment. The biggest draw of the year with 73 attendees,
this event featured guest speakers from Chandler & Thong-ek,
PriceSanond, Raja and Tann, and Assessment Associates International and covered the latest updates to Thai labor law;
• March: The presentation by Birches Group drew 45 attendees
who learned about labor market updates for Thailand and ASEAN;
• April: Changing formats, the April meeting was an intimate
This year’s Independence Day picnic was held on July 4, 2015 at
KIS International School. Over 2,000 people attended the event
and more than Baht 700,000 was raised for the AMCHAM Thailand
Charitable Foundation.
This year’s event included many highlights including the following
items:
HR Committee leaders with event speakers on September 11 at the Westin
Grande Sukhumvit
•
•
•
•
•
•
roundtable in which the 15 attendees brainstormed on the
subject of employee engagement, identifying their organizations’ biggest challenges and discussing possible solutions;
June: Featuring a presentation by the Cultural Intelligence Center, this session had 26 attendees and featured a panel discussion with member companies Philip Morris and Yum Restaurants International;
July: The topic about Generation Y, and whether they really are
different, was the focus this month, with panelists from Mahidol University International College, Chevron, and APM Group.
Thirty people attended;
August: The focus turned to recruitment in this session. Fiftyseven attendees came to hear presentations from LinkedIn and
RLC Recruitment. The session included guest panelists from
Pronto Marketing, Adecco, and PPG Coatings;
September: Leadership Coaching was the topic of this meeting,
which drew 33 attendees and featured three guest speakers:
Coach Kriengsak Niratpattanasai, Dr. Siraya Kongsompong, and
Srikanth Seshadri. Additionally, Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudha
from the Bank of Thailand joined as a guest panelist;
October: The Professional Women’s Committee and HR Committee co-presented a session on women in the Thai workplace. Thirty people attended this presentation by Dr. Jesper
Dopping from Mahidol University International College with
guest panelists from Yum Restaurants International, Philip Morris, and General Cable;
November: To conclude the year’s programming, the HR Committee held our annual compensation and benefits session,
with guest speakers from Towers Watson and Mercer. We had
40 attendees and guest panelists from Nestle and Standard
Chartered Bank.
In 2016, the HR Committee aims to continue to provide frequent
topics of high value to the AMCHAM membership, while increasing
the involvement of member companies. Additionally, we will move
to increase attendance through a combination of better advertising
around events and by optimizing timing and location of the events.
Independence Day Picnic Committee
Committee Leadership: Tom Whitcraft, RMA Asia
Board Liaison: Douglas de Weese, Pet Protect Co., Ltd.
• 6 bands covering a wide range of American music;
• 7 food brands offering American and international cuisine and
beverages;
• A chili cook-off;
• AMCHAM company members offering entertainment and educational activities for children;
• 6 months of planning from 20+ volunteer committee members
and 70+ volunteers on the day of the event.
Information and Communications Technology
(ICT) Committee
Committee Leadership: Desarack Teso, Microsoft; John
Fotiadis, Atherton; John Formichella, Blumenthal Richter & Sumet;
Andrew McBean, Grant Thornton; Madan Misra, Seagate
Board Liaison: Jeff Nygaard, Seagate
Among the highlights of the activities and events for the ICT Committee in 2015 were:
• As part of a multi-chamber ICT Working Group, in November
the committee participated in a courtesy dialogue with H.E. Dr.
Uttama Savanayana, Minister of ICT, his Vice Minister and advisers to discuss structural reform of the telecoms sector, the
evolution and role of state-owned enterprises, a trusted internet, skills in the sector and the free movement of skilled labor,
investment promotion policies, competition regulation, and the
draft Digital Economy laws, including cyber security and data
privacy issues such as cross-border data flow. Dr. Uttama invited
the business delegation to a further dialogue, particularly on
the draft Digital Economy laws;
• Continuing the biannual tradition, the 2015 edition of Gadget Night was held in November where the latest and coolest
gadgets were on display at a multi-chamber social networking
night organized by AMCHAM with the participation of the British, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian chambers. Some of
these devices and gadgets were shown in Thailand for the first
time. There were a total of 12 exhibitors, showing everything
from cool PCs, interactive smart phones and TVs, to high-tech
camping equipment, devices for home security, fitness wearables, and even pet gadgets. The event attracted close to 150
participants;
• The ICT Committee developed an ICT position paper for AMCHAM’s submission to the Office of the Prime Minister and
Electronic Transaction Development Agency (ETDA) in July.
The paper advocates that the Government consider a number
of issues in shaping a robust digital economy from the legal,
regulatory and business perspectives. The paper highlights
35
special updates
AMCHAM’s recommendations on issues such as data protection, cyber-crime, IP protection, electronic transactions, BOI incentives, government procurement, mobile infrastructure and
human resources. Former Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn
made positive remarks during an AMCHAM dinner in that he
went through each issue and recommendation outlined in the
paper and said something along the line of “we will get this
done;”
• In line with the top-of-mind topic in the IT industry today, two
events were organized to share perspectives on cyber-security
threats, protection, detection and response with Microsoft’s
Digital Crime Unit and with the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST). NIST, an agency under the U.S. Department of Commerce, shared its Cyber Security Framework
– directed by President Obama’s executive order “Improving
Critical Infrastructure Cyber Security” – consisting of standards,
guidelines and practices to help owners and operators of critical infrastructure manage cyber security-related risk.
Lao Chapter
Committee Leadership: Mark Griffin, Lao Coca-Cola Bottling
Company Limited; Dilip Jesuthasan, Lao Ford City; Richard Reece,
Village Focus International; Briana Olson, DFDL; Tammy Medard,
ANZ Bank Laos; Anna Linden, Sciaroni & Associates; Mike Carroll,
Asian Natural Products of Florida; Robert Allen Jr.
In 2015, founding Chair Chris Manley stepped down as Chair as he
relocated to another country, and Mark Griffin, General Manager
of Lao Coca-Cola Bottling Company Limited, was selected as the
new Chair. Additionally, the Leadership Team expanded from four
to eight members with three positions being filled by women, thus
adding to a gender balance of the Leadership Team. There were
also three new sub-committees formed which are focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR), policy, and events and membership. Also seen in 2015 was an increase in membership of 10 new
corporate members and five new individual members. This brings
total membership to 31 corporate and 14 individual members.
The support of AMCHAM Thailand is greatly appreciated. Executive Director, Judy Benn, visited Vientiane in November for consultations with the AMCHAM Lao Chapter’s Leadership Team. A
Leadership Team member also met with U.S. Commercial Counselor Greg Wong in Bangkok which was followed up with a conference call between Mr. Wong and three Leadership Team members
about potential U.S. exports to Laos and a summary of the Chapter’s organizational and community activities.
The Lao Chapter had monthly networking events throughout
the year with members and new contacts. There has been
considerable improvement in the quality of networking events
since August as all networking events since then have been
sponsored thanks to an increased pool of generous member
companies. On average, each networking event since August
has had about 50 attendees whereas the average turnout before was 25. There have been two joint networking receptions
36
with the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry in
Laos (ECCIL) and the Australian Chamber of Commerce (AUSTCHAM). The Lao Chapter also participated in two joint chamber
CSR seminars. Other networking activities involved live viewings
of the Super Bowl and College Bowl games throughout January
and February.
In February, Lao Ford City, Lao Coca-Cola Bottling Company Limited and Lao-Asia Pacific Breweries/Heineken sponsored AMCHAM Lao Charity Golf Day. A total of 89 people played including
the Ambassadors of Australia and Malaysia and staff of the U.S.
Embassy. The U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Paul Mayer,
was present and gave remarks. Over $5,000 was raised and donated to the AMCHAM Lao Scholarship Program. In October, the
AMCHAM Fundraiser Picnic took place with sponsorship from five
major companies (Lao Ford City, Lao Coca-Cola Bottling Company
Limited, ANZ Bank Laos, Datacom and Lao-Asia Pacific Breweries).
The event featured raffle prizes and fun activities and food from
some of the best restaurants in Vientiane. The U.S. Ambassador
attended and gave remarks. Several hundred people and families
attended and more than $3,000 was raised for the 2016 scholarship fund.
Quarterly breakfast meetings with U.S. Ambassador Daniel Clune
and Lao Chapter members were held throughout the year. Most
took place at the Ambassador’s residence and one was held at the
new U.S. Embassy in Vientiane and included a tour.
Additional events with the U.S. State Department included a lunch
meeting with the U.S. State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of Economic and Business Affairs, Kurt Tong, and Lao Chapter
members in February plus an event with the departing U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Paul Mayer, and Lao Chapter members in June. The Chapter also coordinated a joint policy statement
on the role of the private sector in the Lao economy to be part
of the UNDP-Government of Laos Round Table Meetings on Laos’
five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan. In addition,
the Lao Chapter met with the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) to suggest key areas of development when Laos
chairs ASEAN in 2016.
Other events of professional value included a presentation from
the USA Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) for
American investors interested in Laos, a presentation from Birches
Group on ASEAN Labor Market Trends, and an update from KPMG
on U.S. tax and financial reporting regulations.
Through the CSR sub-committee, the Chapter’s first initiatives to
give back to the Lao community began this year. At the start of the
year, some members utilized funds from the 2014 AMCHAM Picnic to make a donation of blankets to students at Vientiane School
for the Deaf and Blind. Then, in the springtime, the CSR sub-committee piloted the Lao Chapter’s new scholarship program. The
program is currently supporting 12 Lao higher education students
who are studying in Vientiane and have demonstrated potential
to be future economic and business leaders in Laos. Ten of the 12
students come from provinces outside of Vientiane. Funds for the
scholarships were raised from the aforementioned AMCHAM Lao
Charity Golf Day and the 2014 AMCHAM Picnic.
37
special updates
Legal Committee
Committee Leadership: Douglas Mancill, PriceSanond; Christopher Knight, Everett Knight; David Lawrence, Tilleke & Gibbins;
Sutathip Kallayawinai, Ford Motor Company
Board Liaison: Dhanakorn Kasetrsuwan, La-Z-Boy
2015 was another productive year for the Legal Committee. The
Committee organized 11 programs which were in total attended
by over 380 AMCHAM members. The Committee’s highest attended event of the year was discussion of the Licensing Facilitation
Act by the drafters of the law and the Office of the Public Sector
Development Commission. The second highest attended event
was a presentation by the Board of Investment where it described
its new incentives.
In addition to hosting speakers from the Royal Thai Government,
the Committee continued its collaboration with other AMCHAM
committees and foreign chambers on issues that impact doing business in Thailand. The Legal Committee held two “Ask a
Lawyer” events with the SME Committee and also co-organized
the annual Labor and Employment program with the HR Committee. The Legal Committee teamed with the British Chamber’s
Legal Committee on Class Actions, Anti-corruption topics and the
amendments to guarantee and mortgage. For advocacy the Legal Committee attended visiting U.S. government official briefings
and the Department of Intellectual Property roundtable.
The Committee has already started its planning for 2016 and welcomes input from all AMCHAM members on programs and other
areas of interest the Committee can address.
Marketing Committee
Committee Leadership: Sumur Svastisalee, YUM Restaurants International, Wanvisa Komindr, Citibank; Pasquale Ruberto, Mindshare;
Board Liaison: Waewkanee Assoratgoon, YUM Restaurants
International
The theme for 2015 was “A year of growth and innovation.” The
Marketing Committee held five sessions for a total of 402 attendees as compared to 425 last year. The Cannes Lions session was
one of the highlights this year, and it was the most well received
and attracted the best turn out to date with 140 attendees. In addition, the Marketing Committee presented high caliber speakers,
such as the Managing Director of Mindshare, General Manager of
Uber, and Executive Creative Director of Leo Burnett. Overall attendance this year was down due to the scaling back on the number
of sessions, but the level of participation was strong.
Professional Women Committee
Committee Leadership: Karen Hochhauser, APM
Board Liaison: Waewkanee Assoratgoon, Yum Restaurants International
38
2015 started with a decision to conduct a survey of all members
to review the direction of the committee, what it should offer its
members and when, and how to maximize exposure and inclusion. The survey feedback resulted in the confirmation that the
committee was conducting the right programs to address the
needs and wants of our members.
This year the committee had a number of programs that ranged
in content and objectives, starting with a pampering at the Elemis
Spa. Members were treated to some special spa treatments as
well as a talk from a leader in the industry. In February, the committee joined the joint chambers Professional Women’s Group to
meet other professional women and support the greater women’s
network in Bangkok. Continuing from the strong start, the committee changed things up and brought back its Women in Leadership Speaker Series. Tammy Chan, MD of Philip Morris spoke about
obstacles and opportunities women face in the corporate world.
This event was followed with a talk on mindfulness lead by Khun
Gift, who is responsible for the Mindful Education Initiative at the
American School of Bangkok.
Later in the year, the committee conducted a joint event with the
Human Resource Committee on “Women in the Thai Work Place”
with Dr. Jesper Döpping from Mahidol University International
College who shared research on “The Faces of Female Leadership – Dolls and ‘the hinder legs’ of private business in Thailand.”
This event also included a panel discussion featuring successful
female leaders in Thailand who shared their insights, challenges,
and suggestions for paths to success. AMCHAM PWC then got
back into the spirit of positive healthy body, mind, and spirit and
hit the barre at Physique 57 followed by networking. The committee ended the year by joining the U.S. Embassy, Connecting
Founders, and Moxie for the Women in Business in Southeast
Asia series. The event focused on how to build a strong brand – in
Thailand and beyond – and the importance of marketing for the
success of a business.
Security Committee
Committee Leadership: Henny Beeber, AES Group; Matthew
Quin, Chevron
Board Liaison: Joe Mannix, United Airlines
The committee continued its close cooperation with both the
Overseas Security Advisory Committee (OSAC) and the U.S. Embassy’s Regional Security Office. At the last meeting the committee reached out for cooperation to the newly-established ASIS
(American Society for Industrial Security) Thailand Chapter to
expand the attendee base. The quarterly meetings were hosted
by key speakers from both the public and private security sector.
The meetings were all well attended by business professionals
from the security sector and other business sectors. Highlights
included:
• The first quarterly meeting of the year was a joint meeting
with OSAC/Security/Transportation & Logistics covering
transportation security. Key speakers were from the U.S.
Embassy and the Transportation Security Administration.
• A joint conference with ICT and Travel & Tourism committees
which provided briefings by security experts from the U.S. Secret Service, American Express and Orion covering credit card
and document fraud prevention, digital forensics and cybercrime. It was a very interesting topic for many business sectors.
• The last meeting of the year covered “Business Continuity in
Turbulent Times,” a very relevant topic after the violent bombing in Bangkok and earlier protests.
SME Committee
Sports Committee
Committee Leadership: Kevin Windfield, Manhattan Asset
Management; Pavin Rodloytuk, Citibank
Board Liaison: Darren Buckley, Citibank
At the 2015 Memorial Day and Thanksgiving ChariTee Golf Tournaments, the committee raised a total amount of Baht 834,000.
The Sports Committee also raised over Baht 350,000 from the
charity bowling tournaments for a combined contribution in 2015
of over Baht 1,180,000 to the AMCHAM Thailand Charitable Foundation (ATCF).
Committee Leadership: Paul Robere, Robere & Associates; Kevin
Windfield, Manhattan Asset Management; Martin Jancik, Tractus
The Committee hosted or co-hosted eight programs, with an average of 22 attendees covering topics including website design,
legal advice, using the Cloud to expand your business, a communications boot camp, two factory visits, coffee training center, and a
presentation on the value of performance reviews. All of the topics
were well presented by highly qualified speakers and well received.
The committee’s year started off with the return of Carl Heaton
who led the group discussion on how to develop a marketable
website. In March, the committee had a combined SME and Legal
committee program titled “Everything you wanted to ask a lawyer
and didn’t want to pay for!” This included representatives from four
different law firms who shared their expertise on understanding
the legal impact to an SME business.
In May, the Senior Vice President of Global Head Operations at
Seagate, Jeffrey Nygaard, joined us with his team to explain the use
of the Cloud. Additionally, they provided a door prize of two 8TB
memory systems. In June, the committee visited Aziam BursonMarsteller, and was given a presentation by Tom Poldre, Director of
Training and Development. He gave the group a communications
boot camp. No year is complete without a visit to the Jelly Belly factory and a combined trip to Emerson manufacturing. The senior
management of both firms took time out of their busy schedules
to personally show the attendees around the factory.
In August, the committee was treated to a visit to the new CoffeeWorks Experience Center where Dale Lee and Andrew Stotz shared
not only the techniques for making good coffee but the financial
impact of an organization like CoffeeWORKS. In October the lawyers came back once again to share their valuable expertise and
provided some valuable tips to the SME committee on how to best
understand the legal impact of running a business in Thailand. In
November, the committee finished out the schedule with Fred
Mouawad, who shared with the group his considerable experience
on developing a personal performance system that provides results.
It was the intent of the leadership to provide a wide range of subjects
that would appeal to the majority of the participants. In some cases
it was felt that the subject matter covered more than one committee and as such, it was promoted as a joint committee program.
Golfers at the Memorial Day ChariTee Golf Tournament
The Sports Committee will continue in 2016 with the spring and
fall bowling tournaments and the Memorial Day and Thanksgiving
golf. The committee is always exploring new ways to raise money
for the ATCF and to bring further joy and value to AMCHAM members. The committee’s current total contribution to the ATCF is
over USD 485,000.
Tax Committee
Committee Leadership: John Andes, KPMG; Greg Lamont,
PricewaterhouseCoopers; Peetinuch “Tong” Utaiwan, General
Electric
Throughout the year, there were several Tax Committee meetings
updating members of the developments of the U.S. and Thai tax
law, including transfer pricing legislation and inheritance tax. The
speakers were from various professional firms located in Thailand
and overseas.
The Tax Committee is monitoring Thai tax legislation and tax reform efforts which, if implemented, would have an impact on
many members. The Tax Committee also prepared a 15 point paper on suggestions to make Thailand more competitive from a tax
perspective.
39
sPeCial uPdates
tRanSPoRtation & loGiStiCS Committee (tlC)
CommitteeLeadership:Dennis Berkompas, PB Agencies;
Anutra Sinchaipanich, Caterpillar; Ian Hamilton, Colliers International
BoardLiaison:JeffreyNygaard,Seagate
2015Accomplishments:
The Committee hosted speakers from government (Thai and U.S.
Embassy), academic, and private sectors with updates on transport security, Thailand urban and inter-city infrastructure projects,
ASEAN logistics developments, and supply chain logistic integration and practices.
The list of distinguished guest speakers included: Thomas R. Van
DenBrink,RegionalSecurityOfficer,QuangNguyen,Transportation Security Administration Attaché, and other members of Customs and Border Protection and Department of Homeland Security;Dr.PhichetKunadhamraks,SeniorCivilEngineeroftheOffice
of Transport and Policy & Planning (OTP) at Ministry of Transport;
Dr. Ruth Banomyong, Head of the Department of International
Business from Thammasat University; Matthew Brown, Vice President of Seagate Supply Chain Operations & Services; and Eric J.
Wilson,Delta’sDirectorforAsiaPacificCargoSales.Thefullpresentations of the TLC guest speakers are available on AMCHAM’s
website.
The Committee held joint meetings and participated in meetings
with other AMCHAM committees and foreign chambers’ committee, such as the British Chamber’s Property and Infrastructure
Committee and the Joint Chambers Customs Committee, providing invaluable information to members. Furthermore, the TLC provided monthly updates of Thai Port and Inland Container Depot
(ICD)andRoll-on/Roll-offstatisticreportsanddailynewsupdates
to members with information that can be incorporated into their
business activities and decision-making.
7. East is Green: How to Reach China’s Upscale Travelers in the
Age of WeChat by David Johnson, Managing Director, Delivering
Asia Communications in November 2015.
2015 Advocacy with Royal Thai Government:
1. TTF 2015: Invited key leadership from the Tourism Authority of
Thailand (TAT), Ministry of Tourism and Sports and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau to hear reports from Thailand’s
tourism/hospitality/investment leaders (foreigners and Thais);
2. Met TAT’s consultants on a mandate for TAT’s “Thailand’ Capabilities in Drawing the North American High Value Travelers”.
younG PRofeSSionalS Committee (yPC)
CommitteeLeadership: Laurie C. Charusorn, Bumrungrad Hospital; Melissa Edwards, Tilleke & Gibbins; Peter Moore, Dow Corning;
Tanya Phathanathong, YUM Restaurants International
BoardLiaison: Douglas de Weese, Pet Protect
2015 has been an amazing year for YPC. The 2015 goal was to
raise Baht 250,000 for ATCF’s Adopt-a-School program. Thanks to
various venues, sponsors, and activities, the goal has almost been
met as of October with over Baht 212,530 in charitable funds
raised.EffortswerecontinuedtopromoteYPCmonthlyeventson
social media channels such as Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn.
However,thisyeartheYPCalsoexpandedtheirmarketingefforts
withotherinfluencerssuchasFindYourWayinBkkandOnePlace
Bangkok to allow them to reach a more diverse group of people
andbetterspreadtheword.TheYPCalsospentalotofeffortin
getting to know their attendees through personal surveys and
post-event email surveys to try to make the events more fun and
productive. YPC has also focused on connecting with Thai alumni
and the U.S. Embassy community as part of their strategy to reach
out to young leaders in Thailand.
tRavel & touRiSm Committee (ttC)
CommitteeLeadership:Charles Blocker, Zinc InVision Hospitality; Francis Zimmerman, Minor Hotel Group Thailand
1. Thailand Tourism Forum in January with 455 attendees;
2. Lunch presentation “Vocational Training in the Hospitality Industry” by Simon Martin, Director of the Hospitality & Catering
Training Center in Mae Sot in March (postponed);
3. Credit Card and Travel Document Fraud in the Hospitality Sector together with the Security Committee and OSAC in May;
4. Hotels 20/20 – Welcoming Tomorrow’s Guests by Tantra Tantraporn, Partner of Management Consulting Services at Grant
Thornton in June;
5. Planning session for “Travel USA” initiative scheduled for May
2016 to promote travel to the USA in conjunction with the U.S.
Commercial Service;
6. Hosting the new TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn - “TAT Moving Forward and What it can do for Thailand,” joint event with
the British, Australian, and Dutch chambers;
40
At the core of the committee’s objectives is raising funds for the
ATCF’s Adopt-a-School program. In 2015, YPC has been working very hard towards that goal which resulted in two school
dedications in Korat Province in March. The committee was able
to see their hard work realized with Brain Based Learning playgrounds, newly renovated libraries and books, water filtration
systems installed, etc. for a total of four disadvantaged schools
in the area.
Further, in November, the YPC attended their second school dedication in Kanchanaburi Province where the committee saw how
their events have helped another school further their goal to be
self-sustaining. This project allowed the school to lay out farm land
for growing their own vegetables, livestock for meat, poultry, and
eggs, a Brain Based Learning playground, and other necessary
renovations to the school grounds.
Furthermore, YPC plays a key role as a recruiting tool for the
Chamber, educating people about the Chamber’s activities and
encouraging new members to join.
legal updates
A Look into the New Customs Act
Written by: Malika Bhumivarn
O
n July 21, 2015 the Cabinet approved the long-awaited draft of
the new Customs Act to simplify
customs procedures and make
them up to date and in line with the changes
in global trade. The new Act will effectively replace the Customs Act B.E. 2469 and its subsequent revisions up to the latest one (No. 22)
in September 2015. The key amendments
under the new Act are highlighted below:
Definition of transit and
transshipment
The new Act introduces new, more clear and
precise definitions of “transit” and “transshipment,” as follows:
• Transit: customs procedures in transporting
goods out of the country from the port of
entry to the port of exit under the control of
the Customs Department where the points
of origin and destination are outside Thailand and there will not be any usage of the
aforementioned goods within the country.
• Transshipment: customs procedures to
transship goods from one vehicle to another within the same port or place under
the control of the Customs Department
where the points of origin and destination
are outside the country.
Period for claiming duty refund
In case of incorrect duty calculation where
the company does not reserve the right of
duty refund, the importer has the right to
obtain the duty overpaid within 2 years. However, in case the company has reserved the
right for duty refund at the time of importation, the period for claiming the duty refund
is extended from 2 years to 3 years from date
of import/export under the new Customs Act.
Importation of Restricted Goods
Under the current Act, restricted goods which
are subject to import license before importation
shall be considered to be imported into Thailand at the time the vessel arrives on Thailand’s
territory. However, under the new Customs Act,
restricted goods which are subject to import license before importation shall be considered to
be imported into Thailand when such goods are
released from Customs’ custody.
Customs Administration
Customs Reward Sharing System
Under the new Act, in case an importer, exporter or related person asks the Customs Administration to provide customs-related services,
these services will be subject to fees based
on the rules and conditions prescribed by the
Ministerial regulations. Such fees are not mentioned in the current Customs Act B.E. 2469.
To minimize unfair treatment of customs officer in conducting their audit, the Draft Customs
Act will reduce the rate of bounty and rewards
given to informants and customs officer from
55% without cap to 45% with cap, whereas:
• For smuggling, evasion of duty or prohibition/restriction rules, 45% of proceeds of
sale of the goods shall be paid as bounty
and reward (30% bounty and 15% reward).
In case there is no whistleblower, 20% of
the fine shall be paid as reward.
• For false declaration, 45% of the fine shall be
paid as bounty and reward (30% bounty and
15% reward). In case there is no whistleblower, 20% of the fine shall be paid as reward.
e-Customs
The new Act clearly states that If a customs
procedure is done electronically, it shall be regarded as legally binding as a customs procedure done by paper documents. In addition,
any customs offence which arises from incorrect electronic customs procedures shall be
punished in the same way as if the procedure
was done by paper documents.
Responsibility of Agent
The liability and responsibility for customs offences under the new Act is extended to cover not only the importer/exporter, but also any
‘agent’ who acts on behalf of the importer/exporter. Under the new Act, the agent who carries out activities on behalf of the importer/
42
exporter shall also be regarded as an owner of
the goods. Thus, if they act in violation of the
Customs law, they shall also be punished according to the provision for such an offence,
unless they can prove that they were not involved in committing the offence.
The cap of bounty for the above types of offences shall not exceed Baht 10 million per
case while the reward shall not exceed Baht
5 million per case.
Customs Appeal Committee &
Period of Appeal
Under the new Customs Act, the Appeal
Committee members shall consist of between three and five persons and the period
for considering appeals shall be within 180
days from the receiving date of the completed appeal documents. If the consideration
period exceeds 180 days, the appellant shall
either proceed with the case to court or allow the consideration period to be extended
for another 180 days. As a result, this amendment will allow concerned parties to bring the
matter directly to court, should the hearing
process take too much time.
Customs offences and penalties
Section 27 of the current Customs Act B.E.
2469 provides a maximum penalty of four
times the amount of duty-paid value of the
imported goods, a prison sentence not exceeding 10 years, or both, for all types of customs offences (e.g. smuggling, duty evasion,
false declaration), regardless of intent.
However, the new Customs Act provides for
a different level of penalty for each type of
offence, ranging from 0.5 times to four times
of the amount of import duty shortages, and
a different term of imprisonment for each
type of offence, ranging from three months
to 10 years or both. Moreover, the customs
offences liable to penalties under the new
Act must be committed with intention. In
addition, the amount of 1 percent duty surcharge per month of the duty shortfall for an
unlimited time period will be limited to be
equal to the amount of duty shortfalls under
the new Act.
Period of Customs Post-Audit
The period of Customs Post Audit under the
new Act is limited to five years from the date
of importation or exportation, which is in line
with the customs requirement to retain import/export documents for 5 years retroactively.
Based on the aforementioned changes, it is
expected that the new Customs Act would
be beneficial to importers and exporters as
it will provide less ambiguity in interpretation
of the customs laws and simplified customs
procedures and fairer customs treatment in
customs audits and investigations due to the
decreased incentive for customs officials to
maximize personal gains through the new
reward sharing system.
Malika Bhumivarn is Partner at Bolliger &
Company Consulting Limited. She can be
contacted at [email protected].
Recent Legal Changes Affecting Business
Thailand Enacts New Business Collateral Act
T
he Business Collateral Act B.E. 2558
(2015) (BCA) was passed into law
on November 5. The majority of its provisions will come into effect on July 1,
2016, 240 days after publication in the
Royal Thai Government Gazette.
The BCA aims to establish a robust legal
system that allows borrowers in Thailand to use their assets as collateral to
secure their loans. This system provides
Thai borrowers with greater access to
credit, which should promote investment in domestic ventures.
Prior to the enactment of the BCA, borrowers could not retain possession of
movable assets pledged as collateral
for the duration of the security period.
Out-of-court enforcement options
were also limited. The BCA removes
these prohibitions and therefore provides borrowers with greater access to
credit. These significant developments
should improve Thailand’s system of
secured transactions and increase investment in domestic ventures.
For more information contact Tilleke &
Gibbins at [email protected].
New Law for Personal Property Security Interests
O
n August 7, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) approved new
legislation called the Business Security
Act (BSA), which will come into force on
July 1, 2016.
The BSA is intended to provide Thailand with a form of personal property
security interest and improve access
to credit for the country’s 2.8 million
small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs). Before the BSA, the only assets
that could be mortgaged were immovables, such as land, registered machinery, floating houses, motor cars, beasts
of burden and vessels of five tons or
more. Significantly, lenders could not
obtain security interests over inventory,
accounts receivables, businesses and
intellectual property.
businesses, claims, movable property
used by security providers in business
operations (such as machinery, inventory or raw materials used in the production of goods), real estate (if the security
provider is in the real estate business),
intellectual property and any other property prescribed in ministerial regulations.
Under the BSA, the types of assets that
can be subject to a security interest have
been broadened considerably to include
For more information contact Price
Sanond Prabhas & Wynne at [email protected].
Thai Cabinet Approves Draft Amendment to the
Medical Device Act
O
Significant amendments under the Draft
Amendment include:
The Draft Amendment aims to provide better protection to consumers, ensure compliance with the ASEAN Agreement on
Medical Device Directive (AMDD) and international guidelines, and relax certain regulations to assist medical device operators.
• revising the definition of “medical device” and adding definitions of “accessories” and “notification applicant;”
• rewriting the classifications of groups
of medical devices or medical devices
according to the risk assessments;
• assisting operators by revoking customs verification measures in the case
of medical devices export;
n November 3, the Cabinet approved
in principle the draft amendment to
the Medical Device Act (“Draft Amendment”) as proposed by the Ministry of
Public Health (MOPH).
• revising the timeline of the application
process, and revising advertisement restrictions;
• adding a provision on penalty for the
notification applicants, as well as increasing the penalty to be compatible
with the present environment.
For more information contact Baker &
Mckenzie at peerapan.tungsuwan@
bakermckenzie.com.
43
member ProFile
meet our members – more than
a Sandbox
Written by: Robert Mullarky
M
ore Than a Sandbox, Inc. operates More Than a Game Café,
which is both a board game
store and a premium café.
Our mission is to bring board games – and
thebenefitstheybring–intoThaiculture.
Although only open since July of 2014 we
already have two locations, with a third location opening in February of 2016.
There is a wealth of evidence that play is
one of the most powerful learning methods. Incorporating thinking skills into play
is beneficial for children’s learning and
for adults to exercise their minds. Board
games come in a wide variety of types,
formats, and difficulties. Many types of
thinking are used in board games, often
several in a single game: critical thinking, strategizing, resource management,
creative thinking, negotiation, math and
probabilities, and many more.
Another benefit of board games is human interaction. Online or mobile games
are isolating: seeing families all staring at
their phones instead of talking to each
other is heartbreaking. With board games
people interact directly. Whether it is a
cooperative or competitive game you are
playing, you are interacting with others
while having fun. We want to see families
playing board games and having fun together.
With these goals in mind, we set out to
design a store that would appeal to as
broad an audience as possible, but especially to children, families, and the youngat-mind. In order to make the location
one that would be seen as safe, attractive,
and enjoyable, we designed a store that
was open, well-lit, clean, and staffed by
helpful people knowledgeable in board
games. We also worked with an excellent
pastry chef and some baristas to create
a menu that any stand-alone café would
beproudof,withsignaturewafflesmade
using a special recipe.
44
Understanding that there is not a long
history of board game playing in Thai
culture, we created an innovative staff
position: the Game Master. Game Masters provide friendly help and guidance.
Theyhelpselectgamesthatfitpeople’s
experience level, help explain games so
people can begin quickly, and generally
make the entire board game experience
as enjoyable as possible. Once people
have one or two good experiences with
board games, they often become repeat
customers. In this way we are building
our own customer base. Judging from
our ever-increasing clientele, it is a model
that works.
So who are our customers? On any given
day you can see a wide range of people
in our stores: groups of Primary or Secondary students after school, university
students taking a break from studying,
a group of friends having fun after work,
or families enjoying a fun time together.
Students usually have a pretty good idea
how fun games can be – it is often the
families and groups of adults that are
unsure. But after a fun and simple round
or two of “Spot it!” followed by a slightly
more complex game of “Ticket to Ride”
or “Splendor,” we often have new repeat
customers.
Some of our most loyal customers are
families. There are several families that
come in regularly, sometimes several time
a week. We host birthday parties at our
store, and they are often thrown by and
for these regular customers. Several of
the parents have remarked to us that they
can see improvements in their kid’s cognitive skills - comments we love to hear.
We strongly believe that board games can
also help businesses. Games are excellent
team building activities – people learn
how to effectively interact while having
fun. They can be used to practice and
strengthen critical thinking, negotiation,
creativity, planning, and strategic thinking.
We provide workshops, host events, corporate game libraries, and games for educators. We have worked with several corporations, including some that are quite
large (True and Unilever, for example.)
Although More Than a Game Café is doing well day to day, it is when we have a
store filled with families, laughter, and
people having fun that we feel like we are
truly succeeding.
RobertMullarkyisChiefFunOfficeratMore
than a Sandbox. He can be contacted at
[email protected].
member news
Ford Thailand to invest USD 186 Million in
Rayong Factory
F
ord Motor Company announced
an additional investment of USD
186 million (Baht 6,269 million) in
its existing Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) facility in Rayong province to
help meet customer demand for its popular Ranger pickup truck. The new investment includes dedicated truck facilities
in the plant’s Body and Trim, Chassis and
Final (TCF) shops and paint facilities will be
expanded to accommodate a pickup truck.
The Ranger is currently built at Ford’s jointventure facility, AutoAlliance Thailand
(AAT), which will remain the company’s
main production facility for Ranger in Asia
Pacific. With AAT forecast to operate at or
near maximum capacity for the foreseeable future, Ford is adding dedicated truck
facilities to its existing FTM facility to allow
for increased Ranger production.
“This investment and new Ranger pro-
duction will help us meet the extraordinary customer demand we are experiencing for Ranger,” said the President of
Ford ASEAN, Mark Kaufman. “Thailand’s
commitment to the continued growth
of its world-class auto industry gives Ford
the opportunity to further leverage the
skilled local work force and market expertise, as well as the strategic footprint that
we have already established in Thailand,”
Kaufman said.
First Safe School Zone Opens in Thailand
with Support from FedEx and Safe Kids
F
edEx Express and Safe Kids Thailand opened the first Safe School
Zone in Thailand on November 16.
The project was a collaborative effort between community leaders, teachers
and students at the Jumpeewanidaporn
Primary School in the small district of Nai
Wiang in Nan Province.
“The Safe School Zone is a designated
area in which pedestrians and road safety
hazards are identified and fixed. The aim is
to make walking to and from school safer
for students,” explained Safe Kids Thailand
spokesperson, Adisak Plitponkarnpim, Associate Professor and Director, Child Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention.
The multi-phased initiative began in January 2015 in an effort to reduce the number of child-related road accidents. Phase
one of the project involved research and
surveys to find safety trouble spots in the
school’s neighborhood. In phase two, the
community worked together to make improvements, such as covering holes on
roads and walkways, erecting signs at dangerous road curves, reinforcing the school
gates, and asking street vendors to move
their stalls from pavements near the school.
“This project addresses one of the big-
46
gest safety issues in Thailand today. The
World Health Organization recently declared roads in Thailand to be the second most dangerous in the world, with
many road-related deaths involving pedestrians,” said David Carden, Managing
Director, FedEx Express Thailand and Indochina. “This is why FedEx is committed
to improving road safety for children in
Thailand, who are especially vulnerable
to road hazards.”
“We support community-led projects that
make our roads and pavements safer,
and we’re delighted that more than 500
Jumpeewanidaporn school students and
their parents will benefit from the first Safe
School Zone in Thailand,” added Carden.
AMCHAM THAILAND CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The AMCHAM Thailand Charitable Foundation (ATCF) supports education in Thailand through its Adopt-a-School, Student
Scholarship, and Teacher Fellowship Programs. Donations provide playgrounds, water tanks and filtration systems, libraries,
computers, teacher fellowships and capital repairs to and construction of schools in rural Thailand and scholarships for
disadvantaged Thai university students. Donations to the Foundation are deductible for Thailand tax purposes.
YPC School Dedication Tour in Kanchanaburi
Every year the Young Professionals Committee (YPC) contributes funds gathered at the YPC networking events and social
nights towards needy school projects throughout Thailand.
This year YPC made their donations towards Banmaipattana
School in Sangkhlaburi, in Kanchanaburi Province, a school
situated on the boarder of Thailand and Myanmar with students from a diverse ethnic blend: Burmese, Karen, Mon, Thai
and some Lao. The donation was used for 2 school projects – a
Brain Based Learning (BBL) Playground which is a fun, educational playground made out of recycled materials, and an
organic farming project to create a sustainable food source
for the school lunch program. The total contribution was Baht
247,500.
On November 13, YPC leaders and the AMCHAM team attended
the dedication ceremony held at Banmaipattana School. The
ceremony showcased traditional dancing, welcoming messages
in different languages, students playing on the newly-constructed playground and lunch provided by the school using ingredients from the organic farm.
The YPC team and their family members joined with the AMCHAM team, the school principal and OBEC representative to visit the greenhouse used for growing
vegetables and rice farm as part the school lunch organic farming program
Students performing a traditional dance and enjoying their new BBL Playground
48
Bangna Family Fair Proceeds Donated to
Adopt-a-School Program
On November 21 the American School of Bangkok (ASB)
held their annual Bangna Family Fair 2015, the proceeds of
which were donated to ATCF’s Adopt-a-School program. The
Fair was a grand event with thousands of people, exciting
activities and fantastic energy. Fair-goers witnessed the transformation of ASB Green Valley campus into a mini carnival
with a colorful Ferris wheel, a giant slide, a water balloon alley,
pony rides, and a petting zoo. The Bangna Family Fair raised Baht
221,542.31, which was complemented by a Baht 78,457.69
donation by the American School of Bangkok. The total of Baht
300,000 will be forwarded to AMCHAM to support Adopt-aSchool programs.
49
AMCHAM THAILAND CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
AMCHAM Student Scholarship Camps
Between November 6 and 11, AMCHAM hosted new and graduating scholarship recipients at two camps
designed to provide students with valuable skills for their future education and careers
Scholarship students attending the FedEx Career Camp
Orientation Camp
From November 6 to 8, 71 new scholarship recipients flocked to Bangkok from
27 universities throughout Thailand for
an Orientation Camp aimed at welcoming students to the AMCHAM family and
offering guidelines on how to get the
most out of their scholarships.
The students heard presentations
on AMCHAM and issues important to
American business in Thailand, such as
intellectual property rights; they were
taught basic communications skills and
how to make responsible decisions when
drinking, and they were in introduced
to the concept of community service,
which they will be required to perform in
order to meet the requirements for their
scholarships.
On the final day of the Orientation Camp
the students traveled to Muang Samut
Sakhon School in Samut Sakhon Province where they had a chance to apply
50
their newly-acquired understanding of
community service by building a Brain
Based Learning (BBL) playground.
FedEx Career Camp
Sixty final-year university students were
motivated, excited, and better prepared
to land their first job after attending the
2015 FedEx Career Camp in Bangkok
from November 8 to 11.
During the camp, students from 18 universities throughout Thailand attended career
development workshops hosted by human resources experts. They covered topics such as preparing resumes and acing
the mock interviews with HR professionals.
Senior executives from multinational corporations, including FedEx, participated in
camp presentations and panel discussions
covering topics ranging from personal finance to communication skills.
The students took advantage of this
unique opportunity to visit American
companies in Bangkok including Citibank, Ford, Jelly Belly Manufacturing,
as well as NIST International School and
American School of Bangkok, where they
met business and education leaders who
shared their career experiences and advice.
This educational program is designed
to inspire a new generation of business
leaders and entrepreneurs from all parts
of Thailand. The program has been running since 1976, and has been supported
by FedEx since 2010.
All students received their scholarships
from the AMCHAM Thailand Charitable
Foundation’s Student Scholarship Program. In 2015, the ATCF provided 200
scholarships. Each year, the ATCF awards
scholarships to Thai students who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need.
Learn more at http://
www.amchamthailand.com/scholarship.
2015 AMCHAM Orientation Camp & FedEx Career Camp
Contributors to the event and
goodie bags:
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American School of Bangkok
New Hampshire Insurance
American International Assurance
Minor Food Group
The Pizza Company
YUM Restaurants
McThai
Chevron
Bank of Ayudhya
Black & Veatch
Colgate
Omnova Engineered Surfaces
Conrad Bangkok
Participants in the workshop sessions:
Orientation Camp:
• Darren Buckley, Citibank
• Shutchada Chandragsu, Diageo Moet
Hennessy
• Kerry Dyke, International School of
Bangkok
• Assoc. Prof Tortrakul Yomnak, TACE
Career Camp:
• Pacharin Ongarthachat, APM
• Sravut Amorasank & Darunphop Onsri,
Bank of Ayudhya
• Paul Robere & Team, Robere &
Associates
• Kriengsak Niratpattanasai
• FedEx Team
Career Night speakers:
• Vanchana Unakul, General Motors
• Jirwara Porjit, YUM Restaurants
• Dr. Sarigga Pongsuwan, Magnolia
Quality Development
• Charles Chicarelli, Pan Pacific
Associates
Hosts of facility visits:
• Jelly Belly
• Ford Motor Company
• Citibank
• Rembrandt Hotel
• American School of Bangkok
• NIST International School
• Tilleke & Gibbins
Mock Interview participants:
• ACE Life
• AgriSource
• American School of Bangkok
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Black & Veatch
Chevron
Citibank
Conrad Bangkok
Dale Carnegie
Exxonmobil
FedEx
Ford Motor Company
General Motors
Griffith Laboratories
GSK Thailand
Hutchinson Technology
JW Marriott Hotel
Kenan Institute Asia
Manpower
Magnolia
Mazars
Minor Hotel Group
Minor Food Group
MSIG
Pfizer
RLC Recruitment
Rockwell
Seagate
Stamford University
Towers Watson
U.S. Embassy
Western Digital
Yum Restaurants
51
AMCHAM’S PREMIER SOCIAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
eXeCutive direCtor’s remarKs
2015 amcham governors ball
Our theme for 2016 will be “Partnership
for Prosperity” as we continue to work
together with the many stakeholders
of the Chamber to ensure that Thailand
becomes a designation of choice for
U.S. companies looking to invest and for
trade opportunities.
I want to use this opportunity to thank
the member companies who have
already signed up for our 2016 Corporate
Partnership Program to-date:
Platinum – Chevron; Citibank; CocaCola; General Motors; McThai; and
Phillip Morris.
Gold – Bank of Ayudhya; Ford; Hemaraj
Land and Development; and Seagate.
Dear AMCHAM Members,
It is hard to believe that we are saying
farewell to 2015 and welcoming 2016
already. November and December were
extremely busy months as we wrapped
up 2015 with the annual CSR Excellence
Awards, a Board and Committee roundup
dinner, hosted several holiday parties
and got a jumpstart on 2016 with a New
Board Orientation session and soliciting
new Committee Leaders.
2016 is an auspicious year for AMCHAM
Thailand as we are celebrating 60 years
since the founding of the Chamber in
1956. We launch this special year by
announcing our 60th anniversary logo
(see above). A big thank you to our
Communications Director, Deanna, for
her help in designing the new logo.
Silver – American School of Bangkok;
Boon Rawd Brewery; Caterpillar; Dow
Chemical; Esso; FedEx; Honeywell
Systems; Hooters; Jelly Belly Candy; KIS
International School; La-Z-Boy Asia;
RMA Automotive; Sansiri; Servcorp;
Transpo International; and Yum
Restaurant.
We are pleased that at present all
but three of last year’s Corporate
Partners have renewed their support
and we are delighted to add three
new Corporate Partners this year.
It isn’t too late for your company to
consider participating in the program
to support our 60th year and if you
are interested, please contact me.
Note that we will start producing our
Tickets:
Baht 4,000 per person
Black Tie or Theme
2016 media shortly, so the time to call
is now!
As my final words for 2015, I want to
give my deepest and sincere thanks
to Darren Buckley for all the time
and effort he put into the Chamber
as its President, along with the rest
of the 2015 AMCHAM Board of
Governors, the Committee leaders
andtheAMCHAMstaff.Together,this
leadership team of over 100 individuals
have helped make AMCHAM Thailand
a leading Chamber in Thailand and the
region.
I am looking forward to an exciting and
prosperous 2016.
Best regards,
The event supports
the AMCHAM
Judy Benn
Thailand Charitable
Executive Director
Foundation The event supports
Tickets:
Enjoy champagne,
drinks,
four-couse
Thank
You to a
AMCHAM’s
2015 Corporate
Partners
Baht 4,000
per person
dinner,
dancing
and
Black Tie or Theme
PLATINUM
entertainment
the AMCHAM
Thailand Charitable
GOLD
Foundation
please contact [email protected]
For more information, please contact [email protected]
:
atinum Sponsors:
Silver Sponsors:
SILVER
52
Gold Sponsors:
Silver Sponsors:
In Memoriam
In Memoriam: Kenneth White
K
latest chapter recognized the importance of working with individuals on a
one-on-one basis. He began coaching
and mentoring young, entrepreneurial
professionals to help them better navigate their own careers, giving them tools
and guidance that he felt would make a
real and lasting difference to their professional and personal lives. Between his
consulting work, board seats, mentoring,
coaching and being sought out by many
for advice, Ken was a friend and confidant
to many and was always willing to offer
wise counsel to those who asked for it.
enneth Lee White was born
in San Francisco in 1946. He
passed away in Bangkok on
November 29, 2015 at the age
of 69 years. Until the age of 9 Ken lived
overseas in posts throughout South
America and the South Pacific. He
completed his undergraduate and MBA
degrees at University of Puget Sound
where he met his wife, Ann, to whom he
was married for 45 years. He attended
The American Management Association
training program in Saranac Lake,
NY prior to being recruited by David
Rockefeller into the management fasttrack program at Chase Manhattan Bank.
In the 23 years with Chase Manhattan
Bank as a mobile overseas professional,
Ken learned the inner workings of the
banks and banking systems; he became
a trouble shooter - fixing problems and
then moving on to the next. He rose
quickly through the ranks and traveled
around the world with his family, Ann,
Monique and Travis, to assignments in
the Caribbean, Panama, Pakistan and
finally Thailand, in 1986.
Ken left his position as Chase’s Senior Vice
President of SE Asia in 1992 and started
Pacific Siam Strategic Consulting Co. He
Ken was a common sight on the fairways of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club;
he had an arsenal of corny jokes; he was
kind and always reached out to help
others; he loved history and reading and
his National Geographic collection goes
back to 1970.
served on the American Chamber’s Board
of Governors for a total of eight years between 1988 and 2011 and as a committee leader and Board liaison for the Business Economics and Tax committees.
His career constantly evolved: beginning
with a financial background his attention
shifted to promoting corporate governance and transparency in Thailand; the
He loved his family and worked hard to
take care of them. He was a “third-culture
kid” before the term existed. He was a
product and a champion of globalization. Arriving in Thailand in 1986, he
made Bangkok his home and permanent
residence, finding for the first time in his
nomadic life a place he could really call
home.
In Memoriam: David Hendrix
D
avid Hendrix died on October
30, 2015 at the age of 72 years.
David had a highly successful
40 year banking career,
working with Citibank, Crocker National
Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of
Asia and K-Bank in Asia and the Middle
East, specializing in development of retail
banking. He was posted in Hong Kong,
Taiwan, and Dubai, but ultimately made
Thailand his home for many years prior to
retiring in Las Vegas.
Even in retirement he remained active in
banking, consulting for XacBank in Mongolia. He served six years in the U.S. Ma-
rine Corps, attaining the rank of Captain
and completing a tour in Vietnam. David
graduated from the University of Utah and
the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
In Thailand he was active in the Chamber,
serving on various committees and was
AMCHAM Board President twice, in 1991
and 2001. Among his colleagues in the
banks in which he worked, David will be
remembered for his leadership abilities,
professional dedication, and commitment to developing the potential of his
staff. Friends in Thailand will remember
him for his love of golf and poker, and for
his good humored zest for life.
53
events roundup
Turkey Day ChariTee Golf Tournament
AMCHAM’s Turkey Day ChariTee Golf Tournament raised over Baht 480,000 for the AMCHAM Thailand Charitable
Foundation and provided a great day of golf, prizes, food and fun for over 140 golfers at the Vintage Club Golf Course on
November 28. Thank you to the Sports Committee, the event sponsors and everyone who participated.
Team Bank of Ayudhya
A beautiful day to golf
Championship Flight 2nd place winners team Citibank with professional golfer Khun Coach
Professional Flight 2nd place winners team Chevron
Professional Flight 1st place winners team American School of Bangkok
54
Team GM
Weekender Flight 1st place winner team Boeing
Weekender Flight 2nd place winners team Hot Shots
Championship Flight 3rd place team Manhattan Asset
Management
SportsCommitteeleadersKevinWindfield&PavinRodloytukwiththeHootersgirls
Team Coca-Cola
Yummy tacos from Rembrandt Hotel’s Senior Pico restaurant
AMCHAM ChariTee Golf Tournament 2015
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Event Partners
55
events roundup
Festive Holiday Eggnog Party
AMCHAM kicked off the holiday season with the annual Festive Eggnog Party
on December 3 at the Anantara Siam Bangkok and raised Baht 56,560 to be
donated to the Human Development Foundation’s Mercy Centre. Each year,
AMCHAM organizes the Eggnog party to thank its members for their support.
The party includes Christmas foods, gifts, and of course, plenty of Minor
International eggnog. Santa Claus was on-hand to take gift requests from
future members. In keeping with the holiday spirit, AMCHAM members bring
cash donations for the HDF Mercy Centre. Since 2007 this annual tradition has
raised over Baht 580,000 for the Centre. The Chamber thanks all who attended
or contributed to the event, especially Rose Marie Academy for hosting the
arts and crafts corner, Raja’s Fashions for the family photos and the Anantara
Siam Bangkok and Minor International for their superb hospitality.
Judy Benn, John Heinecke, Santa Claus, U.S. Ambassador Glyn Davies, Darren Buckley, William Heinecke
and the little elves
56
Jazzy Festive Season Luncheon
On December 16, at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, over 400 AMCHAM members and friends enjoyed a live performance of holiday
jazz classics and had the chance to win dozens of lucky draw giveaways at AMCHAM’s final luncheon meeting of 2015. AMCHAM
thanks the members for their year-long support and the sponsors for providing the lucky draw prizes. Have a joyous holiday season!
Pictured from left: Judy Benn, Doug de Weese, Darren Buckley, Neil Hansen, Marcos Purty
Lucky draw winner with a festive basket
The team from ISM Technology Recruitment
Lucky winner of Anantara Golden Triangle stay
The Esso team with Santa
Festive fare from the Grand Hyatt Erawan
57
events roundup
Gadget Night and Social Networking
On November 19, AMCHAM, in conjunction with the Australian, British, Canadian and
New Zealand chambers of commerce, hosted a gadget night and social networking
event at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit. Over 200 guests networked and visited vendors
displaying their products, including Microsoft who wowed us with their new Surface 4;
Copperwired were showing cool new iPhone-controlled toys and Samsung showcased
six different products integrated together. Many of the products were on display in Thailand for the first time. AMCHAM
thanks the Westin Grande Sukhumvit for providing an ideal venue for this special event.
Fitbit provided several lucky draw prizes
The Copperwired team with guest
Judy Benn braves the Segway
Peter Fishbach checks out the sound at Pro Plugin booth
Supitcha Pongpanich, Allen Nazeri, and Nongnuch Yelum
58
Samsung demonstration
ICT Committee leader Andrew McBean (center) with guests
Eric Kenso Ward, ISB Class of 1979
International School Bangkok
Bringing out the superhero in
each of us since 1951.
www.isb.ac.th
events roundup
Myanmar Chapter Events
On November 19, AMCHAM Myanmar members and
business partners from the region gathered at the pool
garden of Star City for a networking evening. Over 70
people were enjoying the friendly atmosphere and
great food. The event raised 265,000 kyats for AMCHAM
Myanmar’s Scholarship Engagement Program. Star City
kindly sponsored the event.
On November 19 at the Star City, AMCHAM Myanmar
members gathered to hear about Multilaterals’ Take on State
of Affairs from Peter Brimble, Principal Country Specialist
for the Asian Development Bank. He shared his economic
performance review of Myanmar’s last five years and also
provided insights on the period ahead. Paul Wilson of Four
Rivers was moderator of the discussion panel.
AMCHAM Myanmar CSR Excellence Recognition Luncheon
On November 23, AMCHAM Myanmar recognized 8 member companies who performed outstanding CSR activities in 2015.
The recognition ceremony was coupled with a traditional American Thanksgiving celebration at PARKROYAL Hotel. The
awards were presented by the U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Kristen Bauer.
Pictured are the recipients of the CSR recognition with U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Kristen Bauer (from left): Dominic Notario (Standard Chartered
Bank), Kalaya (Unocal Myanmar Offshore), Sandy Chapman (Coca-Cola Limited), Judy Benn (AMCHAM Myanmar), Rehan Khan (Coca-Cola Limited), Kristen Bauer
(U.S. Embassy), Khine Wai Thwe (British American Tobacco), Tina Singhsacha (Standard Chartered Bank), Kannika Jarusuraisin (Procter & Gamble Myanmar), Naing
July (SMART Technical Services), and Andrew Lee (General Electric International).
60
Joint Chambers Networking & Chatrium
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
On December 7, the foreign chambers
of commerce in Myanmar gathered
for a networking evening and enjoyed
the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony
at the Chatrium Royal Lake Yangon.
The event was organized by the
American Chamber of Commerce in
Myanmar (AMCHAM Myanmar) and
sponsored by Chatrium Royal Lake
Yangon.
The festive event attracted over
300 participants from the foreign
chambers and business associations in
Myanmar, as well as Embassy officers
including U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar
Derek Mitchell, Royal Thai Ambassador
to Myanmar, Pisanu Suvanajata, and
Turkish Ambassador to Myanmar,
Murat Yavuz Ates.
Choirs from Chatrium, Saint Barnabas
Church, and children from the
Kyimindaing Blind School made the
atmosphere even more joyful with
renditions of popular Christmas songs.
Pictured are (from left): May Myat Mon Win (Chatrium), Turkish Ambassador Murat Yavuz Ates, Teacher Su
Su Mar and student (Kyimindaing Blind School), Royal Thai Ambassador Pisanu Suvanajata, Santa Claus,
U.S. Ambassador Derek Mitchell and Judy Benn (AMCHAM Myanmar).
In keeping with the season’s spirit of
generosity the event raised 1,020,000
Kyats for the Kyimindaing Blind School. A
number of businesses provided products
to enrich the event and items to be
donated to the school, while Pun Hlaing
International School organized arts and
crafts activities. The American Chamber
On November 20 at the U.S. Embassy
in Yangon, AMCHAM Myanmar
members gathered to hear a briefing
on current issues, including the recent
general elections, by U.S. Ambassador
Derek Mitchell.
of Commerce in Myanmar, through its
intermediary Santa Claus, presented
Christmas gifts to all children who
attended at the event.
On December 10, the AMCHAM Myanmar Legal Committee gathered at
DFDL Myanmar Office to hear a briefing on the recent general elections
given by Thet Aung Min Latt (Diamond Intelligence Company). The event
covered topics such as: what is the NLD’s position on foreign investment
and what will be their economic policies; will the NLD be able to effectively
govern and what are their resources; and how will the NLD impact foreign
relations with key global players, which led to a lively discussion.
61
COMMITTEE UPDATE
Committee Meetings: November and December
Transportation & Logistics
Energy & Environment
On November 5, the committee met at the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok to hear
about Navigating the Next Decade of Air Cargo in Asia from Eric J. Wilson, Director
of Asia Cargo Sales for Delta Air Lines. Pictured are (from left): Douglas Harter
de Weese, Ian Hamilton (committee leader), Eric J. Wilson (speaker), Dennis
Berkompas (committee leader), Jim Yarbrough and Judy Benn.
On November 10, the committee met at the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok to
hear about 2015 Alternative Energy Development Plan 2015-2036” (2015
AEDP) from the Ministry of Energy. Pictured are (from left) our guest speaker
Dr. Apiradee Thammanomai, Engineer, Professional Level, Bureau of Biofuel
Development and Mongkolnimit Auacherdkul (Committee Leader).
Human Resources
SME
On November 13, the committee met at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit for a
Compensation and Benefits session and a presentation on Attracting and
Retaining Talent without Breaking the Budget. Participants included Pichpajee
Saichua and Chris Mayes from Towers Watson; Ake Ayawongs and Nichanant
Dulsari from Mercer; Bubphawadee Owrarinth, Standard Chartered Bank;
and Johann Vernard Ang – Nestle Thailand. Pictured are the speakers with
committee leaders Richard Jackson (first from left) and Christ Schultz (center).
62
On November 18, the committee met at Senor Pico Restaurant at Rembrandt
Hotel to learn How to Improve Execution through High Velocity Feedback from
Fred Mouawad, serial entrepreneur and the founder of Synergia One Group
of Companies. Pictured are the speaker with committee leader Paul Robere
(center, holding the gift) and meeting attendees.
Travel & Tourism
Young Professionals
On November 19, the committee hosted a talk on How to Reach China’s Upscale
Travelers in the Age of WeChat by David Johnson, Managing Director of Delivering
Asia Communications at the Anantara Siam. Pictured are the speaker (center,
back row) with committee leaders Charles Blocker (left) and Francis Zimmerman
(right) and attendees.
On November 19, the committee and friends gathered at Knock Kitchen & Kicks
for a social networking night. The event raised Baht 9,550 for the AMCHAM
Thailand Charitable Foundation’s Adopt-a-School program. Pictured are
committee leaders Laurie Colyer-Charusorn, Tanya Phathanathong, and Melissa
Edwards with Stephen Levesque, Alex McFarland, and Michele Waagaard of
Knock Kitchen & Kicks.
Eastern Seaboard Networking
Business Economics
On November 20, members of the foreign chambers of Thailand gathered
at Cape Dara Resort Pattaya for a networking hosted by the British Chamber
of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) and held in conjunction with the American,
Australian, German, Mexican, South African, Dutch, and Belgian-Luxembourg
chambers. Pictured are the leaders of participating chambers.
On November 24, the committee met at AMCHAM’s Citi Boardroom to hear
Kristina Kvien, Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, share her
insights on how the United States policy of “rebalance” is helping to support
economic growth, stability and prosperity throughout the Asia-Pacific. Pictured
are the speaker (center), flanked by committee leaders Peggy Creveling and
Teera Phutrakul, and meeting attendees.
Lao Chapter
Healthcare
On November 24, the Chapter met at Khop Chai Deu for their monthly
networking night. Pictured are representatives from Chapter members ANZ
Bank Laos, EQHO Communications and Horton International.
On November 30, the committee met at AMCHAM’s Citi boardroom to hear
from Dr. Nares Damrongchai, CEO of Thailand Center of Excellence for Life
Sciences (TCELS) who shared his insights on the key successes and recent
government policies that could potentially help enhance Thailand’s Life
Science Industry. Pictured are meeting participants with the speaker (center).
Food & Agri-Business
Myanmar Task Force
On November 30, the committee visited the Animal Science Learning Center
at Kasetsart University Faculty of Agriculture – Kamphaeng Saen Campus.
Pictured are the hosts Yuwares Rungpanit, PhD (second from right) and Dr.
Neramit Sookmanee (center), committee leaders Alan Adcock (left) and Dee
Richmond (right) and guests.
On December 1 at AMCHAM’s Citi Boardroom, the committee gathered for
a roundtable discussion on the recent general elections in Myanmar titled
“Was Winning the Easy Part for NLD?” led by Gwen Robinson (Chulalongkorn
University), Jonathan Head (BBC News) and Nyantha Maw Lin (Vriens & Partners
Myanmar).
63
COMMITTEE UPDATE
Committee Meetings: December
Lao Chapter
Greater Phuket Chapter
On December 1, the Chapter members joined U.S. Ambassador to Laos, Daniel
Clune, for a breakfast discussion. Pictured from left are Noah Geesaman of the
U.S. Embassy, Surin Miranda, John Somers, Drummond Rimmer, Ambassador
Clune, Duangmala Phommavong, Mark Griffiin (Chapter leader), Leslie Glosby,
Rutherford Hubbard, Ravi Dutta (Chapter coordinator) and Michael Toyryla of the
U.S. Embassy.
On December 9, the committee hosted the first Phuket Family Christmas Party
at Angsana Laguna Phuket. Pictured are kids with Santa Claus singing Christmas
carols.
Aerospace
Tax
On December 14, committee met at AMCHAM’s Citi Boardroom to hear Ajarin
Pattanapanchai, Deputy Secretary General, Thailand Board of Investment provide
an update on the ways to promote Thailand as an aerospace hub for Southeast
Asia. Pictured are the speaker (center) with committee co-chairs and attendees.
On December 15, members gathered at the AMCHAM Citi Boardroom to hear
Greg Lamont from PricewaterhouseCoopers present the intricacies of the U.S.
tax system and explain U.S. expats tax obligations. Pictured are the speaker (third
from right) with committee leader John Andes (center) and meeting attendees.
Winners announced at Thailand’s first
Entrepreneur Now Awards
The winners of Thailand’s first Entrepreneur Now
Awards (ENA) were announced in November at Four
Points by Sheraton. Attended by over 200 guests,
ENA 2015 was organized by BNOW.org (Bangkok
Now), a Bangkok networking community for SMEs,
in conjunction with The American Chamber of
Commerce in Thailand, Bangkok Entrepreneurs,
Bangkok University, The Irish Thai Chamber of
Commerce, The Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce,
UNESCO and Brand Now.Over Baht 6 million in
prizes were presented, comprising of prizes to
winners, gifts to attendees and raffle tickets. Part
of the proceeds from the event will be donated to
Make-A-Wish Foundation Thailand.
64
New members and changes
AMCHAM Welcomes New Members
ORDINARY COMPANY MEMBER
SCSI Quality Service (Thailand)
Co., Ltd.
SCSI Quality Service (Thailand) Co., Ltd., incorporated in Thailand in November 2012. SCSI
Quality Service (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has been
created to develop local Thailand and Asia
Pacific opportunities with existing and new
customers by providing on-site quality related services including inspection, supplier
management, and other supply chain solutions to bring greater value to our customers.
The parent company of SCSI Quality Service
(Thailand) Co., Ltd. – Supply Chain Services
International of Peoria, IL - USA was created
in 2001 to provide overseas suppliers and
their customers a “low maintenance” relationship. Suppliers and customers should
focus their time on new products, new projects, and commercial discussions. Logistics,
quality, and technical issues can be averted
or efficiently managed to minimize negative consequences.
With continuously higher expectations in
terms of quality, cost, logistics and technical
support, SCSI strives to enhance the overall efficiency of the supply chain by offering
logistics, quality and technical support and
solutions.
Ranging from storage, to containment, to
shipping, to technical representation, to
quality auditing and certification assistance,
etc., SCSI services encompasses the vast
majority of functions necessary to be consistently successful in today’s environment
no matter where you are in the world.
Our creed “For us to be successful, you
have to be successful.”
Designate: Bryan Bowman, Thailand
Country Manager
Alternate: Prutikun Chaifoo, HR & Admin
Qual-Pro Corporation (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Qual-Pro was started in 1971 with a simple
mission: Provide high-quality customer
service to companies in need of electronics manufacturing services. Today, Qual-Pro
continues that mission but with an expanded set of services. What was once a small
shop primarily focused on testing electronics has grown to a company of more than
100 people offering an array of manufacturing services including turnkey manufacturing and complete box-level assembly of
mission critical electronics.
The company has transitioned to the second
generation of the Shane family. Today, all four
of Gerald’s children work at the company.
Brian is the CEO, Darrell develops technology
to improve manufacturing operations, David
focuses on marketing and facilities and Richard focuses on sales and operations.
Designate: Rick Thompson,
Managing Director
Woodmont International
Mastering the space where business and
politics intersect – Woodmont International is a private firm that provides public
affairs and government relations consulting services to multi-national companies,
investors, and other entities throughout
the Asia-Pacific region. On behalf of its clients, Woodmont’s team of experts focus on
three main practice areas: mobilizing political support for key issues and initiatives
through deploying a variety of public affairs
tools; building integrated external relations
strategies for corporations and other entities; and conducting diligence for investors
so that they have full picture of a potential
transaction or project.
Woodmont primarily works in the following
markets: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore,
Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Woodmont’s headquarters is in Bangkok.
Jackson Cox, Founder and CEO of Woodmont International, has spent the past
fifteen years working in the Asia-Pacific
region and has an unparalleled network of
relationships in the region and in capitals
throughout the world.
ORDINARY SPECIAL COMPANY
MEMBER
Arysta LifeScience (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Arysta LifeScience Corporation is focused
on helping our customers cultivate business growth through the development,
marketing and distribution of innovative,
high-quality chemical solutions for today’s
dynamic agroscience and heath & nutrition
science market place.
Arysta LifeScience (Thailand) a subsidiary of
Arysta LifeScience Corporation, Japan, was
established in 2001. It operates in the crop
protection business attending agricultural
production in this country. Our products
include a wide range of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and plant nutrient.
Designate: Syed Muhammad Amir Ali Jafri,
Regional Head-South Asia
Alternate: Thitipat Boonrat,
Managing Director
Clifford Chance (Thailand) Limited
Clifford Chance is a truly integrated law
firm, which operates as one organization
throughout the world. Our aim is always
to provide the highest quality professional
advice, combining technical expertise with
a deep understanding of the commercial
environment in which our clients operate.
Established in Thailand since 1996, Clifford Chance plays a central role in business
transactions for its clients in Thailand and
the Indochina region, including Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
With lawyers qualified in Thai and international law, we advise on banking, finance,
corporate and M&A, securities, projects, restructuring and insolvency.
In addition to our specialist Thai lawyers,
we can access the international resources
of the Clifford Chance network to ensure
that the right team provides the advice you
need for your business.
Designate: Jackson Cox, Founder & CEO
65
Products or services:
Banking, Finance and Securities – project
and asset financing, securities (debt and
equity), securitization and financial restructuring.
Corporate and Commercial – mergers and
acquisitions, inward investment, corporate
restructuring, fund management, derivatives, regulatory matters, competition law
and general commercial advice.
Projects – acting for sponsors and lenders
in relation to infrastructure, power and telecommunications projects.
Designate: Joseph Tisuthiwongse, Partner
Alternate: Fergus Evans,
Managing Partner
GE hunter (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
“GE hunter” is a privately owned, strategic,
international headhunting company with
a diverse portfolio operating in industries
such as FMGC, Pharma, IT, Financial & Banking, Industrial & Manufacturing and others.
Our headquarter is in Barcelona, Spain, operating globally. Asia Regional office is located in Bangkok, Thailand.
Our philosophy and operations in headhunting is ingrained in trust, it connects all
members, and guarantees our ability to act
together, we partner our clients and candidates.
Our 20 years of experience in headhunting
is complemented by business leaders, our
work is based on a TRUST concept, which
represents our core values and resonates
throughout every aspect of our operations.
As your committed partners “GE hunter”,
are qualified to bring personalized solutions
to your business needs. We take great pride
in ensuring that we provide excellence. We
support small to large international organizations in excelling their performance
through recruiting and retaining the best
talented individuals who provide the competitive edge.
Designate: Ariyar Clegg,
Country Manager
66
Masii Group (Thailand) Company
Limited
68% of Thais say that they need to compare between three or more offers before
making a final decision to purchase. As
of today, there is no unbiased, one-stopsolution for financial products comparison
either on or offline. This makes finding the
right product to fit your needs very challenging. Many usually ended up losing both
time, patience, and money choosing products that don’t fit the needs.
Masii, founded in 2015, is powered by B.
Grimm Group. We are launching, first, in
Thailand and we are planning to be in operation in other ASEAN countries by early
2016.
Masii is part of SavingsAsia, an international
team of experts, committed to developing
exceptional products for Southeast Asia’s
600 million people. We build highly-localized products reflective of the diversity of
one of the most vibrant and promising regions of the world.
Masii is the website, in Thailand, that provides the best financial products comparison service and is most comprehensive
and easy to use.
Designate: Katherine Aphaivongs,
Regional Managing Director
Alternate: Annie Hansen, Chief
Partnership Officer
in room technologies and free WiFi. The
hotel has 4 food and beverage outlets including Gourmet Bar, Food Exchange and
a Rooftop bar, large Conference and meeting facilities including a Grand Ballroom to
accommodate over 500 people, and 6 additional meeting rooms, spa, fitness centre,
swimming pool and kids club.
Designate: Benjamin Krieg,
General Manager
Rustic Pathways Co.,Ltd
Rustic Pathways is a pioneer in providing
superior quality travel and service programs
for students and families in some of the
world’s most welcoming countries. Rustic
Pathways demands professionalism and
integrity across all of its operations, insists
on quality in all aspects of its programs, and
places the safety of its students above all
other considerations.
Our Mission: We empower students
through innovative and responsible travel
experiences to positively impact lives and
communities around the world.
Our Vision: Rustic Pathways is committed
to creating a world where:
• Travel is accepted as an essential part of
every education
• Travel is a model of sustainable development
• All people are connected by a shared humanity and all decisions are made with a
global perspective
Designate: Pattiya Taedaengpetch,
Managing Director
Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
RE/MAX Thailand
Opening early 2016 and located at the
Bangkok city centre of Sukhumvit, the 4
star Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 is located a short walk from the Sukhumvit MRT
subway and Asoke BTS skytrain station,
only 30 minutes’ drive from Suvarnabhumi
Airport.The hotel is within walking distance
of Emporium and EMQuatier Shopping and
Office Precinct, Asoke Intersection and
Queen Sirikit and Benjasiri Parks.
RE/MAX was founded on 1973 as a single
Real Estate Office and grow up to the most
recognized real estate Franchise brand, RE/
MAX Agents are the most productive in the
real estate industry network. With more
than 100,000 agents and more than 6,800
offices in over 100 countries.
Making it a smart choice to explore and get
around with Bangkok’s central business and
entertainment districts. It offers 244 rooms
and suites featuring modern Thai decor, full
REMAX is the leading real estate property
of brokerage service provider in the world
with over 40 years of experience the REMAX System has proven to be a great success worldwide. RE/MAX expanded into
Thailand in 2012 and operate as the master
franchisor in Thailand.
Designate: Eran Milo, Regional Director
Alternate: Phatthrawadee Milo,
Training Center Director
Smile Republic Co., Ltd
Bangkok Smile Dental Group (BSDG) is one
of the biggest dental chains in Thailand.
We have been providing a full range of high
quality dental services under International
standard since 2003 by a team of well-experienced and skilled dentists and dental specialists. We use the state-of-the-art technologies
in our general as well as specialty practices.
These include scaling, fillings, extractions,
root canals, tooth whitening, veneers, crowns,
bridges, and dental implants, etc. Presently,
we have 7 dental clinics in group, including 4
clinics located in CBD of Bangkok (Asok, Ploenchit, Nana and Silom), and 4 clinics located
on Patong Beach, Phuket.
Bangkok Smile Dental Group (BSDG) is ISO
9001:2008 certified for both dental clinic
and our in-house dental laboratories. Moreover, Sea Smile Dental Clinic is the first and
the only Joint Commission International (JCI)
accredited dental clinic in Phuket and all of
our dental clinics throughout Thailand follow the JCI guidelines.
We have very strict infection control system designed to prevent cross infection
between patients. All of our dental instruments including our hand pieces are sterilized by autoclave with a high temperature
up to 135°C.
BSDG is delighted to welcome you and help
you get your dream smiles!
Designate: Dr. Sermsakul Wongtiraporn,
Managing Director
Thai-Chinese International School
Since its beginning in 1995, the Thai-Chinese
International School (TCIS) has been an Age
2 through Grade 12 American-style collegepreparatory academic program that offers a
day-program and also a new boarding program. Our current enrollment is 720 students.
TCIS is recognized among the top-ten international schools in Bangkok that offer an
American Curriculum and 100% AmericanEnglish speaking academic programs. We
currently have 65 USA Teachers, 14 Canadian Teachers, 12 Chinese Teachers and 7
Thai Teachers. We are accredited by the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and offer 16 Advanced Placement high school courses.
We take pride in our daily instruction in Chinese and in Thai languages. Our graduates
are regularly accepted at major colleges
and universities in the USA, Canada, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan and China.
Designate: Steven Ballowe,
Head of School
Alternate: John McGrath,
Head of High School
ASSOCIATE COMPANY MEMBER
American Refugee Committee
International
The American Refugee Committee is an
international nonprofit, nonsectarian organization that has provided humanitarian
assistance and training to millions of beneficiaries over the last 35 years. ARC works
with refugee communities in 11 countries
around the world, helping people regain
control of their lives. The people ARC serves
have lost everything to events completely
beyond their control. ARC provides shelter, clean water and sanitation, health care,
skills training, microcredit education, protection and whatever support we can to let
people begin again.
Representative: David Claussenius,
Country Director
Representative: Rachel Sismar, Global
Fund Program Manager
FormerFedsGroup.com
FormerFeds, LLC is a leading provider of
compliance, business development and
trade facilitation to the private sector. Our
company combines technical excellence
with professional experience to implement
the best compliance, risk management and
business development solutions for companies worldwide.
Our strategic partnerships provide unparalleled access to the most experienced seniorlevel attorneys and former United States Department of Justice prosecutors with a broad
range of experience to serve your needs.
Through our flagship compliance system
offering – PerfectShield™ – FormerFeds delivers the technology and functionality of a
state-of-the-art compliance identification,
notification and tracking system to all levels
of your organization.
Representative: Jeremy Plotnick,
Public Relation and Crisis Management
Representative: Susan Geyer,
President
Tempus Applied Solutions. LLC
Tempus provides design, engineering, systems integration and flight operations solutions that support critical aviation mission
requirements for a variety of customers
including the United States Department of
Defense, other U.S. government agencies,
foreign governments and select corporations and individuals in the private sector.
Our experienced team of professionals
provides efficient, economical and flexible
service that responds to the most challenging demands facing the aviation industry
today. Our commitment to safety, security,
and discretion has earned us a reputation
as one of the most forward-thinking aviation companies worldwide.
Representative: Charlotte Hallengen,
Regional Director South East Asia
Representative: Ed Hackett - Chief
Operations Officer
Topps Products, Inc.
TOPPS Products (http://toppsproducts.
com) delivers Certified Energy Efficient, roof
maintenance systems across the globe
with sustainability designed specifically for
commercial and industrial roofing sectors.
These fully elastomeric roof coatings and
sealant compounds have protected and
sealed all types of roofs, stopping leaks and
extending roof life for over 25 years and at
every imaginable climate. TOPPS products
have supplied proven durability with use in
more than 30 countries and across all continents, including the venerable Antarctic.
Representative: John Fry,
CEO and Owner
Representative: James Thomas,
Vice President, International Sales
67
LAO CHAPTER
Crowne Plaza Vientiane
The Crowne Plaza Vientiane is conveniently
located within the vicinity of the city centre
of Vientiane, capital of Lao PDR. Only a short
15-minute drive from Wattay International
Airport, the hotel is the perfect address for
both corporate and leisure travelers getting
in and around the city being next to the city
center artery of Rue Samsenthai.
Vientiane is well known for historical Buddhist temples scattered throughout the city
such as Wat Si Muang and Wat Si Saket. The
city also hosts Laos’ national symbol, the
massive gilded golden stupa Pha That Luang. Guests will find streets lined with trees,
French colonial buildings and open street
markets. In the evening, take a leisure stroll
at the sprawling Vientiane Night Market at
the Mekong Riverside Park while passing
through popular and scenic cultural sites.
Crowne Plaza Vientiane has a wide range
of facilities designed to help you rebalance
and rejuvenate. It has 198 well-appointed
guest rooms and suites designed both with
traditional & contemporary notes, an international all-day dining, specialty restaurant
and a lobby bar. Guests who enjoy being fit
can work out in our state-of-the art gym. Alternatively, you can choose to decompress
and unwind in the infinity edge outdoor
pool or on-site spa.
Representative: Oliver Horn,
General Manager
Exo Travel Laos Co.,Ltd.
EXO Travel (formerly Exotissimo) has been
helping our clients discover exactly why.
With local teams in every major Asian destination, we seek out, refine and deliver a
diverse range of travel experiences for a
global audience. We succeed because we
are as passionate about our job as we are
professional. EXO now has more than 700
people in Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and China.
Our values are rooted in our dedication,
determination and unquenchable thirst for
adventure.
Representative: Jason Blackwell, General
Manager
68
Representative: Douangmala
Phommavong, Managing Director
Horton International
Horton International was formed in Thailand in 2003, Vietnam in 2005 and in Laos
in 2014 to service the needs of local and
multinational companies that seek to recruit high quality people. We specialise in
identifying and recruiting senior level business people who will help lead an organisation to achieve its full potential.
Our philosophy is to work with our clients
and identify clearly their needs and then
develop a strategy tailored according to
the specifics of each assignment. Our approach is simple: we employ the classic
search methodology, with no short-cuts,
while making use of our extensive market
knowledge and comprehensive database.
During the search we maintain on-going
dialogues with clients and potential candidates; our consultants also act as counselors, guiding candidates through the available career options.
Horton International’s clients are represented in most business and industry sectors and range from some of the world’s
leading organisations to major local and
regional companies to new business ventures. Wherever there is a need for top
quality human resources, we are able to
apply our expertise, drawing where necessary on the collective resources of our
international partner firms and specialist
knowledge in almost any industry.
Representative: Parry Sanixay,
Chief Country Representative
Representative: Gary Woollacott,
Managing Partner
Lao Global Engineering
Lao Global is positioned in the market to
apply international management experience to your project. Our predominantly
Lao handpicked and experienced design
engineers, supervisors and construction
managers are trained in safety management, people management and project
management techniques. Lao Global understands the need for planning, quality
control, compliance to design, adherence
to schedule, meeting budgets and quality
reporting. Lao Global staff and staff of subcontractors are familiar with safety and environmental procedures for the work they
are doing.
Representative: Rob Usher, Director
Representative: Khonekham Lovanxay,
Director
Pimention Restaurant
Pimenton steakhouse finds inspiration in
both, the “pimenton”, culinary heritage of
Spain with its tapas and the wood-fired grilling traditions of the Americas, especially Argentina where beef occupies a very special
place.
Showcasing exceptional meats from Canada, Thailand, New-Zealand and Japan, Pimenton also features seasonal and local
produce in distinctive preparations. Pimenton harnesses the culinary and hospitality
talent of Serge Selbe and Regina Selbe in
a friendly and comfortable neighborhood
restaurant with an energetic vibe and creative menu designed to appeal to the palate of the very cosmopolitan Vientiane and
surrounding countries.
Representative: Serge Selbe, Chef
Whessoe
Whessoe can trace its origins back over 200
years in the field of power generation and
Oil & gas. The company is truly and international group with expanding global capacity, strategically positioned. Our value lies in
our ability to plan, manage and efficiently
produce complete packages of work, ensuring that even the most complex projects
are safety completed on time.
Our competencies lie in the Project Management, Design, Fabrication, construction and Commissioning of Oil & Gas storage tanks, penstocks and gates for Hydro
Electric Power projects, piping systems,
mechanical & electrical installation services
including painting and Insulation services.
Our new workshop in Vientiane will offer
more metal engineering and fabrications
options as it will be a 100% permanent
structure to cater for the Lao PDR and
neighboring countries.
Representative: Michael Simcock,
General Manager
AMCHAM Aff inity Program
ThefollowingfineestablishmentsofferdiscountsorincentivestoAMCHAMmembers
American School
of Bangkok
- 50% off registration fees
- 10% off first year’s tuition
Anantara Hotels Resorts & Spa
Special discount from
Anantara Hotels
Resorts & Spas Group
Ambassador Card
Amazing offer for AMCHAM
members - plus we donate
USD100 to ATCF for every sale.
Visit AmbassadorCard.com/
AMCHAM for further info.
Amara Bangkok
One Step Upgrade Promotion
Berkeley International School
Come see us about
our special promotion for
AMCHAM members!
BNH Hospital
- 10% discount on medications
- 20% discount on ward rooms
Four Points by Sheraton
Bangkok/Sukhumvit 15
15% discount at The Drunken
Leprechaun
CoffeeWORKS
20% off La Cimbali espresso
machines
Global Union Express
- 5% discount on Thai Royal Orchid
Holidays at regular price
- 4% discount on all international IATA published fares ex
Bangkok including RTW
ATa Services Co., Ltd.
ATA Serviced offers
10% discoun
Creatus
5% discount on goods when
paying with cash
JW Marriott Bangkok
Crowne Plaza Lumpini
20% discount on food only.
This can be applied in any
restaurant
20% Discount at Maikhao
Dream Villa resort & Spa, Phuket
and Natai Beach Resort & Spa,
Phang-Nga
Prem Tinsulanonda
International School
20% discount on Traidhos camps
Pet Protect Co., Ltd.
10% discount on all DogWatch
hidden fences and training products for AMCHAM
members.
Raja’s Fashions
Buy 1 suit get 1 shirt free
LMG Insurance
15% discount on motor and
other insurance
Physique 57 (Bangkok)
Special offers & discount at
Physique 57 (Bangkok)
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways offer special
discount to AMCHAM
members with maximum up to
20% air ticket
Robere and Associates
15% off all training programs
Siam Lamps
Company Limited
15% discount on all products
Tour de Thailand
- Discounts for multiple riders
- 50% off all bike rentals
Hooters Thailand
20% Discount on Food &
Beverage
Rose Marie Academy
One year free tuition to the
Saturday English Program for
dependents (4-14 years) of
employees of AMCHAM
member companies
The Neilson Hays Library
For AMCHAM Members:
3 months free membership
when you sign up for a 2 year
family membership.
Sunrise Tacos
10% discount
Dream Hotel
10 % off BAR (best available)
internet rates for all room
categories and one room
category free upgrading as
well as 15 % discount on “a la
carte” meals and beverages at
Dream Hotel Bangkok
KitchenArt
(Thailand) Co., Ltd.
10% discount on Sub Zero and
Wolf appliances
Enjoys 20% discount to
AMCHAM Members
Maikhao Dream Villa
Resort & Spa
Bourbon Street
10% discount on food at
Bourbon St.
(located on Sukhumvit Soi 63 –
Ekamai Road,
near BTS Ekkamai Station)
Nikki Beach Resort Koh Samui
Special discount for AMCHAM
members
Rembrandt Hotel
10% off both food & beverage
at MEXICANO,
Rembrandt Hotel
RLC Recruitment Company
Limited
10 % discount for all
AMCHAM members who sign
up with RLC for their Payroll &
Outsourcing needs.
Sofitel So Bangkok
15% discount on food only
at the hotel’s restaurants
MahaSamutr Country
Club-Hua Hin
AMCHAM members can
enjoys introductory discount
on private and lifetime
membership at MahaSamutr
Country Club-Hua Hin worth
up to 55%.
Samitivej Hospital
10 % discount for AMCHAM
members and gift vouchers
worth Baht 3,000 for
colonoscopy screening
W Hotels Bangkok
15 % Discount on
Food & Beverage
(except alcohol drink)
Restrictions apply. Member must present AMCHAM membership card to receive discounts. Offer is subject to change or
termination; new offers, changes and terminations will be announced in T-AB Magazine and on the AMCHAM website.
If you have not yet received your AMCHAM membership card, please contact the AMCHAM office.
For details and restrictions on these offers please visit: www.amchamthailand.com
The
The American
American Chamber
Chamber Of
Of Commerce
Commerce In
In Thailand
Thailand
69
AMCHAM Membership:
Why Join AMCHAM
AMCHAM Orientation Camp scholarship students at the Muang Samut Sakhon school with the newly-painted Brain Based Learning playground
Benefits of AMCHAM Membership
Advocacy
Through its committees and the Board of Governors, AMCHAM
works to address matters affecting members’ ability to do business in Thailand. Join with other AMCHAM members experiencing
similar issues, create position papers and other advocacy pieces
and engage Thai and U.S. government officials under the banner
of AMCHAM. The AMCHAM Board of Governors is committed to
creating synergy amongst stakeholders and connecting industry
and government.
Member Services
Network and make business contacts with representatives
of AMCHAM’s 700 member companies. Attend presentations
by prominent U.S. and Thai speakers, monthly membership
luncheons and social networking events, golf, ping-pong, and
bowling tournaments and the annual Governors Ball. Participate
in over 25 AMCHAM committees covering various sectors.
Membership privileges also include up to ten coupons for
AMCHAM monthly luncheons and, subject to certain conditions
expedited appointments for U.S. business visa interviews.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Give back to the community where you live and do business by
donating to the AMCHAM Thailand Charitable Foundation. Direct
your donation to needy Thai public schools, scholarships for Thai
university students and/or fellowships for teachers.
For more information on these and the many other benefits of
AMCHAM membership, contact Khun Orn at: [email protected], call +66 (0) 2254-1041, or visit the AMCHAM website
at: www.amchamthailand.com and click on Join AMCHAM.
70
UNIVERSAL BUSINESS
PRINCIPLES
It is fundamental to the philosophy of The American
Chamber Of Commerce In Thailand that good ethics and
good business are synonymous. AMCHAM believes that
American business plays an important role as a catalyst for
positive social change by promoting human welfare and
the principles of free enterprise. AMCHAM recognizes that
American companies already set the highest standards
for ethical business practices. We encourage members to
communicate information about their existing programs
and practices relative to good corporate citizenship in the
markets in which they operate.
AMCHAM endorses the following values:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Compliance with all applicable laws.
Good corporate citizenship.
Respect for the individual and dignity of the worker.
Training and education for our employees.
Environmentally responsible business practices.
Improved market access and promotion of intellectual
property rights.
• High standards of professional and business ethics.

Here - The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand

Transcription

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