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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Members
I was shocked to hear of the devastating earthquake that rocked Christchurch on 5th September. I hope that those of you with family, friends or property in the area have not been too badly affected; I’m sure Kiwi spirit and resilience will see them through these challenging times. It was a miracle that no-one was killed and although that was partly due to the time the quake occurred, the stringent building standards in New Zealand that ensure modern buildings are earthquake proof can be credited with saving many lives. Other countries in known earthquake zones should be taking notice of this fact.
On a brighter note, the All Blacks last minute win against the Wallabies on Saturday extended their winning streak. They have some things to work on but it is still a good omen for the World Cup next year.
It is really good to see progress finally being made on the introduction of 3G into the Kingdom despite all the controversy surrounding it. All three existing mobile service providers look set to gain licenses, albeit one of them 90 days later than the others. There certainly seems to be a touch of overkill for the auction of the first two licenses to be held on 20th September. One significant issue is the current concession arrangement for existing 2G networks and the complications of having two different commercial models in place at the same time. Many commentators have said that this situation is unworkable but I suspect business will find a way to prevail even if it is not very pretty. This may not be an issue for very long given that it will be significantly cheaper for operators to have customers on their 3G networks than on the 2G network. I foresee that there will be lots of incentives offered by mobile operators to migrate customers from 2G as soon as possible.
Nominations are open for one of New Zealand’s most prestigious honours, the World Class New Zealand Awards that are presented by Kea and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. The awards recognise extraordinary New Zealanders who help enhance the country’s reputation on the world stage by being truly world class. There are eight award categories although a supreme winner can also be nominated from outside these categories and for only the second time an outstanding Friend of New Zealand will be named.
Nominations close on September 24 and I encourage you to nominating deserving candidates. Please contact New Zealand Trade Enterprise, the Chamber office or alternatively go to our website (click HERE) for more information. It would be nice to see a nomination, or better still, a winner from our community.
The coming month is going to be fairly busy with a number of activities including the New Zealand Society’s popular “skytrain pub crawl”, the Eastern Seaboard New World Networking Event and of course our own Corporate Knight. I hope to see you at all of them.
Many thanks to Warwick Kneale of Baker Tilley Thailand who are our corporate sponsors for the September Corporate Knight; Warwick has been a good supporter of the Chamber for several years. We look forward to your company at our networking evening on 30th and remember the AGM on the 28th October.
Kind regards,
Nikki Cox
President
UPCOMING CHAMBER NETWORKING EVENTS
Chamber Networking Event
Thursday, 30th September 2010
6.30pm @ Sheraton Grande
NZTCC Members: 300 baht, Non-Members: 700 baht
Kindly sponsored by
Baker Tilly Thailand Limited
Level 21/1, Sathorn City Tower
175 South Sathorn Road
Thungmahamek, Sathorn
Bangkok 10120
T: +66 2 679 5400
F: +66 2 679 5401
E:
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W: www.bakertillythailand.com
Company Profile
Baker Tilly Thailand is an independent member of Baker Tilly International, the 8th largest accounting and audit firm in the world, headquartered in London employing over 25,000 staff in 509 offices and in 110 countries. Very strong representation in the U.K., the U.S.A. and throughout Asia. Baker Tilly Thailand Limited started operations in 2003.
Baker Tilly is represented in New Zealand by Baker Tilly Staples Rodway and represented in most major cities.
Products & Services
Full service accountancy practice offering:
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Corporate Finance / Financial Advisory
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Secretarial & Accounting Services
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Statutory & Special Audits
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Tax Advisory & Corporate Services
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Internal Audits and Risk Advisory Services
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• Business Services
Senior Management Contacts
Partner, Corporate Advisory Services: Mr. Warwick Kneale
Partner, Audit and Advisory Services: Khun Apichart Sayasit
Partner, Tax and Consulting Services: Mr. Bayani Lauraya
Partner, Business Services: Mr. Robert Brown
NZ Society Sky-Train Pub Crawl
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Date: |
Saturday, 18th September 2010 |
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Start Time: |
17:00 |
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Cost: |
NZS members Baht 600, non-members Baht 900 |
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Venue: |
Robin Hood Pub, Sukhumvit. |
Email:
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Members of NZTCC, AustCham, Amcham and the South African-Thai Chamber of Commerce are invited to attend a cordial networking evening at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. The event will include an informal game of beach cricket (for those interested), as well as drinks and a good spread of food.
The Club is also offering accommodation at members' rates, as well as the use of the Club on Saturday for anyone who would like an 'Introduction to Sailing' (weather permitting!)
Date: Friday, 8th October 2010
Time: 18:00 – 21:00
Cost: Baht 400 per person
Location: The Royal Varuna Yacht Club, Pattaya
Please register for this event email :
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For further details: www.varuna.org
KIWI CORNER
Some recent Kiwi Snippets and Kiwis in the news:
Unhappy NZ Cows Star In US Ad
California's dairy farmers saved US$750,000 by using New Zealand cows to act as unhappy overseas herds because it was cheaper to film that segment of the advertising campaign in NZ than in the US.
The California Milk Advisory Board campaign left a sour taste in the mouths of state politicians and farmers because it was deemed to be taxpayer money that should have been spent locally. The board, charged with promoting California's milk output, took flak even though it argued the funds were from farmers rather than taxpayers.
A New Online NZ Wine Resource
The New Zealand Wine Directory (TNZWD) is a new online wine resource, providing a directory of links to New Zealand's wine industry, related businesses and online wine community.
Wine lovers around the world use the directory as a reference tool, simplifying the task of searching for New Zealand wine websites and information online.
Company owner and director John Bartlett, has a passion for New Zealand wines and in 2006 developed the NZ Wine Links website (www.nzwinelinks.co.nz) as a way of consolidating his wine favourites / bookmarks and sharing them with others online.
NZ ran out of Pommie twits!
Back in the 19th century, huge numbers of birds were shipped from Britain to New Zealand. Many died en route or they failed to establish here. Among the failed immigrant birds sent from Britain were twits, nightingales, bullfinches, whitethroats, ortolans, barn owls, rockhampton and java sparrows, cape cardinals, butcher birds, emus and cassowaries, bronze-winged and caledonian pigeons, and doves and geese.
But it was not only birds, foxes was released in Marlborough in the 1860s and some mongoose were released too, but neither foxes nor mongoose were seen again. Just as well, for mongoose became the scourge of native birds when released in Hawaii.
Further down the food chain, European lobsters were introduced in the 19th century but, along with 40million British edible crab larvae, nothing came of them.
RUGBY BOOSTS TRI-NATIONS ECONOMIES
Fresh research estimates rugby's Tri-Nations tournament will contribute US$174.3 million [NZ$241.7m] to the economies of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa this year.
This weekend's third Bledisloe Cup test alone is expected to benefit the Sydney economy by US$28m, according to the research commissioned by Mastercard (who are a worldwide sponsor for next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand..
Tri-Nations tests in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch this year drew economic boosts of $8m, $11m and $12m to each city respectively.
The Centre for the International Business of Sport (CIBS) at England's Coventry University based its estimates on "analysis of attendance, TV audience, visitor spend and other economic indicators".
Direct and indirect effects of the Tri-Nations games included ticket sales, food and beverage sales, merchandise sales, accommodation and visitor numbers at local attractions.
CIBS says the tournament's value has been boosted by a 50,000 strong increase attendances and growing broadcaster interest.
The addition of the FNB Stadium and its 94,000-seat capacity represented more than half of the attendance boost, while other stadia such as Eden Park were not at full capacity.
Television audiences in New Zealand have increased by 8 percent on 2009 and CIBS predicts an increase in overall audience in the three markets for 2010.
The research also suggests the economic impact of the Tri-Nations will jump up to US$213m [NZ$295.4m] when the fourth team - Argentina - is admitted to the tournament for the 2012 season.
In March MasterCard released a similar report on the 2010 Six Nations Championship in the Northern Hemisphere, which put its worth at US$632.81m to the participating nations.
Mastercard is a worldwide sponsor for next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
WHAT NEW ZEALAND VISITORS TO THAILAND SHOULD KNOW
(Our thanks to Barry Petersen ,Director Lang Suan House Co Ltd for this article)
Citizens of Australia and New Zealand are among those of several other countries who are permitted visa-free entry into Thailand for a period of 30 days, a period which can be extended by seven days at an Immigration office anywhere in Thailand. That entry permit is erroneously referred to as a Transit Visa when, in fact, it is not a visa at all.
As is the case for any country, Thai visas can only be obtained from Royal Thai Embassies, Thai Consulates-General or Honorary Thai Consulates-General in countries other than Thailand.
Tourists
Unfortunately, many tourists during their visit decide that they would like to stay in Thailand longer than 37 days and incur an additional expense by having to leave the country and re-enter to stay another 37 days.
This may be avoided by obtaining a Thai Tourist Visa at any Thai embassy or consulate abroad for a fee less than the cost of having to leave Thailand and re-enter in order to extend their holiday in Thailand.
A Tourist Visa is valid for 60 days and it can be extended by another 30 days at an Immigration office anywhere in Thailand thereby permitting the holder to stay a total of 90 days.
If the holder of a Tourist Visa wishes to pay visits to any neighbouring countries using Thailand as their base, they can obtain, from an Immigration office, a Single or Multiple Re-Entry Permit which allows them to return to Thailand during the remaining period of validity of the visa.
Short-Stay Business Visitors
Thailand’s Working of Aliens Act B.E. 2551 (2008) defines even attending a meeting as work and a permit is required by a short-stay business visitor to obtain a permit to work otherwise they, and their hosts, risk a fine and/or imprisonment.
It is rare for a short-stay business visitor who doesn’t have a permit to work to be arrested and it generally occurs when a disgruntled Thai or foreigner, perhaps a competitor of the business visitor’s host, to make an anonymous telephone call to the Thai Immigration Police. This results in the arrest of the business visitor, an overnight stay in the Immigration Detention Centre, an appearance before a magistrate the following morning (only if it’s a work day), a fine of THB 1,000, deportation and the possibility of being blacklisted and unable to again enter Thailand.
The work permit available to a short-stay business visitor is a Form 11 (Tor Tor 11) which can be obtained on arrival from the Department of Employment in the Labour Ministry. It is an application form which is completed in duplicate by the applicant who affixes their passport-size photograph to each copy and, after it is approved on the spot, becomes a valid permit to work for a period of not longer than 15 days. No fee is payable and, by providing a signed Power of Attorney, an applicant can use an agent to obtain an approved Form 11 on their behalf after arriving in Thailand. A photocopy of the applicant’s passport and the page bearing the Immigration entry stamp must be attached to the Form 11.
Many business visitors erroneously believe that a Thai Non-Immigrant Visa category ‘B’, which is valid for 90 days, is a permit to work. The normal Non-Immigrant Visa category ‘B’ is simply a prerequisite to obtain a Thai Work Permit (the booklet called a WP. 4) by employees of entities in Thailand. The visa itself is NOT a permit to work in Thailand.
However, most foreigners are unaware that there is another non-immigrant visa category ‘B’ called a Three-Year Non-Immigrant Visa category ‘B’ (Business Only) which must be obtained at a cost equivalent to THB 10,000 from any Thai embassy or consulate-general abroad however, honorary Thai consuls-general are NOT authorized to issue this little-known visa.
For details, visit http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2637.php
The Thai Three-Year Non-Immigrant Visa category ‘B’ (Business Only) is valid for three years and permits the holder to pay short-stay business visits to Thailand for periods of not longer than 90 days each visit. It permits the holder to carry out business but does NOT permit the holder to gain employment nor to receive remuneration in Thailand for any business activity they might carry out in the country.
The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)
The conditions for use of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) in Thailand are identical to those permitted the holder of the Thai Three-Year Non-Immigrant Visa category ‘B’ (Business Only). The ABTC has the additional advantage of allowing the holder to pay business visits to the 20 economies currently participating in the ABTC scheme without the need for a visa for periods varying from 59 to 90 days per visit depending on the participating economy. Australia and New Zealand are participating economies in the ABTC scheme.
INNOVATIVE KIWI NAPPY COMPOSTING
The Worlds First Nappy Composting Solution. North Canterbury company Envirocomp opened for business a year ago and each day processes around 15,000 nappies and incontinence products into safe, odourless compost at its site in Balcairn.
Environment Minister Nick Smith recently announced a $30,000 grant from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund towards a feasibility study to look at setting up a disposable nappy composting facility in the Wellington region.
This practical recycling initiative has been a huge success in Canterbury providing an important service to parents, stopping thousands of tonnes of nappy waste going to landfills, and creating a useable product.
Many New Zealand parents have embraced the convenience of disposable nappies but get the environmental guilts over the volume of waste generated. This innovative business solves this dilemma.
“This is the sort of Bluegreen initiative that the Government wants to back. It is the first of its kind in the world to be composting nappies and shows real Kiwi ingenuity. It is also consistent with our clean green brand as a nation to be going the extra step to protect our environment." Dr Smith said.
Envirocomp is able to compost all brands of disposable nappies, sanitary and incontinence products.
CHAMBER UPDATES
We would like to welcome the following new member to the Chamber :
 Chaipanich Trading Company Limited
Business Type: Import and Sale of Natural Health Products
Chamber Representative: Mr Nick Stokes
Our AGM is now not far away, scheduled for 29th October.
We encourage interested people to stand for the new committee, bring in new ideas and help action those things you perhaps have always wanted the Chamber to do. If you are interested please email Julie at
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Chamber News 
NEW ZEALAND THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
