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On business
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 13/VI/April/2009
China:
CHINA climbed four positions to be the world's sixth most popular retail market in 2008 while the United Kingdom retained its top spot, the world's largest commercial real estate services provider said yesterday.
The number of international retailers which have a presence in China rose to 42 percent last year from 37 percent a year earlier, according to the latest annual retail research by CB Richard Ellis which surveyed 280 top retailers in 67 countries.
While a global economic slowdown and a rapid weakening in sentiment has made some retailers scale back their expansion into some countries, most have continued to grow their global footprint during the past 12 months. More than 40 percent of all new openings last year took place outside their home region, according to the research.
Across the globe, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey and Canada made significant moves up the global hierarchy, mainly due to rising local consumer affluence and the opening of major new shopping centers, according to the report.
At city level, London was the most international retail city with 60 percent of the world's top retailers, followed by Paris with 49 percent and New York with 47 percent, the report said.
Two Chinese cities made it to the world's top 15 retail spots last year, with Beijing at No. 15 with 36 percent of global retailers present while Hong Kong was ranked 13th with 37 percent of them opening shops there.
By: Cao Qian
Shanghai Daily News 23 April 2009
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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On business
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 13/VI/April/2009
DTAC and True Move have to await approval from the new CAT board before they offer third generation (3G) mobile phone services using HSPA technology.
The Finance Ministry is the major shareholder of CAT Telecom and will hold a shareholders' meeting at the end of this month to appoint a new board. Therefore, it was appropriate to let the new board approve the two operators, said Thaneerat Siripachana, deputy permanent secretary of the Information and Communication Technology Ministry.
Mr Thaneerat, who also chairs CAT's concession monitoring committee, said the state telecom enterprise had no intention of delaying 3G commercial launches by private operators but everything should proceed according to the established process.
He said the Council of State, the government's legal advisory body, had already advised CAT to make its own decision on whether to allow True Move to offer 3G service on the 850 Megahertz spectrum.
He said earlier that CAT was uncertain if it could allow True Move to offer 3G service on 850 MHz because True's concession was for 1800 MHz. CAT feared True Move could violate the concession if it offered service on a bandwidth for which it had no concession.
DTAC plans to run its 3G service on bandwidth for which it has a concession, but it still needs final approval from the CAT board.
Mr Thaneerat said the existing CAT board was reluctant to make a decision because it was in a transition period and could be accused of irregularities.
True Move is allying with CAT Telecom to set up 3G trial service, but using DTAC's existing analogue 850 MHz frequency to upgrade to high-speed packet access (HSPA).
The National Telecommunication Commission gave approval to DTAC, True Move and Advanced Info Service for 3G trials using HSPA last August.
DTAC plans to spend five billion baht on the first phase of 3G services covering Bangkok, Phuket and Chon Buri, with commercial services starting within one year. DTAC has NTC permission to deploy 1,200 base stations and True Move 650.
AIS has introduced limited 3G services commercially in Bangkok under its US$150-million first-phase plan.
It planned to spend $60 million to install a total of 600 3G base stations on its existing 900 MHz frequency with HSPA technology in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Chon Buri in the first quarter of 2009.
AIS plans a pilot commercial launch of 3G in Chiang Mai on May 6.
By: Komsan Tortermvasana
Bangkok Post 22 April 2009
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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On business
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 13/VI/April/2009
Two Chinese carriers - Shanghai Airlines and China Eastern Airlines - have abruptly suspended their plans to operate non-stop flights between Shanghai and Phuket due to the political mayhem in Thailand.
The indefinite suspension deals a blow to the tourism industry in the Thai southern island resort, which has just started recovering from the impacts of Bangkok airport seizures late last year while battling the global economic recession.
Shanghai Airlines had earlier planned to initially offer three flights a week to Phuket on a charter basis starting from April 30 before upgrading the services to regular scheduled flights.
Shanghai used to operate flights to Phuket but terminated them soon after the airport shutdown, though it has continued to operate flights through Bangkok only.
China Eastern had agreed to start three flights a week on the same route on a non-scheduled basis on May 13.
The two Chinese carriers were the first foreign airlines known to have changed their plans in response to the latest political upheaval.
The suspension, triggered by a China National Tourism Administration travel advisory for Thailand soon after last week's political riots, effectively turned away some 20,000 to 30,000 Chinese tourists who could help extend a lifeline to the Phuket tourism industry in the next six months in the low season.
The Phuket Tourist Association (PTA), a local travel trade group that had successfully persuaded the two Chinese airlines to provide services to Phuket just days before the renewed political unrest, hopes the carriers put their plans back on track soon. "The suspension is pending a return of normal situation and the lift of the current Chinese travel advisory," PTA vice-president Bhuritt Maswongssa said.
The advisory, issued after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency on April 12, urged Chinese tourists to "return home as soon as possible" and Chinese citizens should exercise caution if they were planning to visit Thailand.
The tourism industry sees the government's removal of the state of emergency being imposed in Bangkok as a prerequisite to more positive advisories.
Mr Bhuritt hopes that Premier Abhisit would talk to Chinese leaders during his forthcoming visit to ease the advisory and encourage Chinese visitors back to the kingdom.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects Chinese visitors, which have plunged in number by 80% due to the latest political turmoil, to return over the next three months. Last year, 800,000 people from China visited Thailand.
By: Boonsong Kositchotethana
Bangkok Post 22 April 2009
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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On business
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 13/VI/April/2009
Thailand:
Exports fell for a fifth straight month in March, bringing the first-quarter decline in dollar value to 20.55% year-on-year, as demand for industrial, agro-industrial and agricultural products fell.
The decline in March was 23.1% from a year earlier to $11.55 billion, according to Siripol Yodmuangcharoen, the permanent secretary for the Commerce Ministry.
Agricultural and agro-industrial export value fell 20.6% in light of sluggish demand, intensifying competition and more price bargaining. Industrial product exports fell 21.6%.
Imports in March slid 35.1% to $9.45 billion with declines in most sectors. Fuel import values were down 40.2%, reflecting in part higher oil prices a year ago. Capital goods imports were down 24.7%, raw and semi-finished materials down 43.2%, consumer products 13%, and vehicles and parts 38.3%.
However, the ministry said the March figures were an improvement on the final two months of 2008, particularly in raw materials and semi-finished products.
The country's trade surplus in March narrowed to $2.1 billion from a $3.58 billion a month earlier. However, for the first quarter the surplus was $7.05 billion.
Mr Siripol said the overall export decline of 20.55% to $33.78 billion in the first quarter was within expectations, given the poor world economy.
For the quarter, agricultural and agro-industrial exports were down 19.2%, industrial products such as electronic goods, electrical appliances and automobiles and parts 17.9% and other items 32.6%.
Imports for the first quarter were worth $26.73 billion, a fall of 37.6%, led by a 50% decline in the value of fuel imports.
Rachane Potjanasuntorn, the director-general of the Department of Export Promotion, said he was slightly encouraged by signs of recovery in some sectors including construction, gems and jewelry and beauty-related and lifestyle industries.
As well, he said, while purchase orders in all traditional markets fell, sales in new and emerging markets such as the Middle East and Africa still expanded.
The Commerce Ministry has joined with the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Chamber of Commerce to propose new assistance measures for exporters. They include tax rebates for exporters who import raw materials and use local raw materials for exported goods.
If approved by the Finance Ministry, the tax breaks could cost the government from 92 billion to 128 billion baht, but could help generate export revenue of 960 billion, said Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai.
Based on the first-quarter results, the country's exports were now likely to contract by 15-20% this year, said Aat Pisanwanich, director of the Center for International Trade Studies of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).
"We still believe the performance in the second quarter will remain in contraction, as economies of key markets have yet to see any recovery," said Mr Aat. "What the government needs is to accelerate helping exporters by easing their financial liquidity, tapping more into new and emerging markets and lowering logistics costs for exporters."
Kasikorn Research Center expects a severe contraction over the next three to six months, with first-half exports down 23% from the same period last year. The second half would depend largely on the improvements of giant trade partners - the US, Japan, and China - where the economies are likely to have bottomed out, it said.
By: Phusadee Arunmas
Bangkok Post 22 April 2009
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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