|
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Members
With our AGM in the spotlight this month it is a reminder just how quickly the last 12 months have passed. Although 2010 has been a particularly challenging year we trust you have enjoyed being part of a progressive and active Chamber.
.
While talking about the AGM we are again grateful to RSM Advisory (Thailand), this year in conjunction with MBMG, for sponsoring this event and the networking function afterwards. Gareth Hughes and Mark Butters have been regular sponsors of this combined event for several years now and their continuing support is very much valued by the Chamber. Paul Gambles has also been a regular supporter of the Chamber. This year we have had the opportunity to conduct several successful joint luncheons with AustCham with speakers provided by MBMG.
Your committee has worked hard this year to provide greater benefits to our members and to try new ideas for networking opportunities; some have been highly successful, others need more work. As always, we appreciate feedback and ideas on any aspect of your membership of the Chamber. Some key areas have been more joint functions and a focus on SME. These have all been well received and we anticipate more of this. We have continued to implement the schools projects started last year in the Kanchanburi area and the MYOB accounting system we installed is making administration much easier.
The red shirt protests in April and May caused a great deal of disruption to Chamber activities and resulted in the cancellation of the April Corporate Knight. This was a difficult decision to make and to my knowledge, the first time we have had to do this, but at the end of the day the safety of our members must be the overriding factor. There was also a knock on effect over the rest of the year since many Chambers had to reschedule events making it difficult to avoid clashes.
So special thanks to all on the committee for the valuable contributions that have been made on behalf of the Chamber this year. Many thanks to outgoing committee members for their work and thank you to the new candidates who have made themselves available for election to the new committee this year as this can absorb a lot of personal time and effort.
We trust you will be able to come along and attend the AGM on the 28th and then join us afterward at the RSM and MBMG sponsored networking function.
Thank you kindly for your support this year.
Nikki Cox
President
UPCOMING CHAMBER NETWORKING EVENTS
Chamber AGM & Networking Event
Thursday, 28th October 2010
AGM: 5:00pm
Networking Evening: 6.30pm
@ Sheraton Grande
NZTCC Members: 300 baht, Non-Members: 700 baht
Kindly sponsored by
RSM Thailand is a full service accounting and consulting firm serving the needs of the middle market and owner managed entrepreneurial businesses. We provide innovative solutions to business problems, integrity and a personal commitment to our clients in:
- Audit and Assurance Services
- Accounting and Tax Compliance
- Corporate Tax Consulting Services
- Corporate Restructuring & Due Diligence Services
- Payroll Services
- Corporate Secretarial Services
- Work Permits & Visas Services
- Business Advisory and Legal services
- Executive Recruitment Services
- Outplacement Services
Company Background:
RSM Thailand is a member firm of RSM International, the 6th largest worldwide organization of independent accounting and consulting firms. RSM is operating with 90 member and correspondent firms in over 70 countries and employing over 30,000 staff including almost 3,000 partners in over 700 offices, RSM International provides a full range of business advisory services to companies within their own markets and internationally.
The core member firms of RSM International are RSM McGladrey (USA), RSM Tenon (England, Scotland & Wales), RSM Richter (Canada), RSM FGS (Northern & Southern Ireland), RSM Betty Dickson (South Africa), RSM Japan, RSM Bird Cameron (Australia), RSM Chio Lim (Singapore), RSM Nelson Wheeler (Hong Kong), RSM France, RSM China, RSM Germany & RSM India.
RSM ADVISORY (THAILAND) LIMITED
26th Floor, Sathorn City Tower, 75 South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Tel: 66 (0) 2670-9002-6 Fax: 66 (0) 2670 9027-8
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.rsmthailand.com
MBMG’s core business has always been understanding our clients’ needs and advising on how to plan now for the future. We have extensive experience in this field and have been doing it for longer than any other foreign firm in Thailand. We offer a wide range of services that can be tailored to fit each individual person’s needs. MBMG has close relations with all of the major international and local product and service providers within all the relevant sectors, therefore we can always advise on a solution that will fulfill the requirements of our clients.
Bangkok Sevens 2010
Date" October 29th - October 31 2010
Location: Klong Chan Stadium, Nawamin Rd, Bang Kapi
Known as the “The Friendly Sevens” the Event has attracted 14 international Men’s & Women’s teams plus a Referees Panel of 10 tried ‘n true to officiate at the 16th consecutive Bangkok Sevens.
Twenty Men’s and 8 Women’s sides will contest for trophies and status over the weekend, 29-31 October at last year’s picturesque venue, Klong Chan Stadium on Nawamin Rd, Klong Chan (Bang Kapi). The Women’s Sevens commences on Friday 29th Oct from 12.00 noon and the Men’s series from 08.30 to 17.30pm on Saturday & Sunday.
The Event includes sides from Australia, from New Zealand France, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Sth Africa, and Turkmenistan. Thai sides to play include the RT Navy, Naval Academy, Lopburi, Yala Army, Mahasarakham, Bangkok IPE, Bkk Bangers and Bkk Goosers, Thai Barbarians, among others.
The Bangkok Rugby Sevens has now become a truly international event widely recognized by the world rugby-playing community and is very likely the “Best Rugby Sevens in SE Asia”
For more information (including a venue map) see www.bangkoksevens.com
Wine Tasting
ROYAL PRESTIGE WINE CO., LTD.
Cordially invite you for another great "Australian & New Zealand Wine Tasting evening"
Date: THURSDAY, 11th NOVEMBER 2010
Location: KATHERINE CAFE & RESTAURANT
321/41 -42 Nanglinchee Road, (Opp. J.Press Tower)
Chongnonsee, Bangkok 10120
Time: 17.00 - 20.00 hrs
Wines available for tasting from:. McGuigan Wines, R.L.Buller & Son Estate,
Arrowfield Wines, Borambola Wines, Sherwood Estates St. Clair Wines,
St.Helena Estate, Trinity Hill Estate
Booking or enquiries to Khun.Alisa Tel. 083 079 8545
or email :
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
KIWI CORNER
Some recent Kiwi Snippets and Kiwis in the news:
Wellington Sevens tickets gone in three minutes
Three and a-half minutes. That's how long it took for Wellington's hottest ticket, the Sevens, to sell out for the 10th consecutive year.
It scarcely seems possible, but organisers report that all tickets available for February's Wellington leg of the IRB sevens circuit were snapped up this morning barely after they'd gone line.
Tickets went on sale at 9am and by 9.04am they were goneski, reflecting once again what a highly sought-after event the sevens at Westpac Stadium has become on the Kiwi summer circuit.
“It is great to see all the hard work invested so far in making next year’s NZI Sevens the best ever rewarded with such strong demand from fans,” said event general manager Steve Walters.
New Zealand wins another Tri-nations
The right varieties in the right regions help the Kiwis stay a step ahead of Australian wines.
They have trounced Australia in the Tri Nations, not at rugby but wine.
It's becoming a regular thing in the Tri Nations Wine Challenge. NZ were the most successful nation last year and this year. But what really hurts Australians is that NZ has won the coveted shiraz trophy three years out of the past four and last year South Africa won.
This year, New Zealand won six trophies to Australia's five (and South Africa's two), along with seven double-gold medals to our six (and South Africa's four), and tied with Australia for gold medals - 40 each - while South Africa won 25.
The categories New Zealand topped were sauvignon blanc (no suprise there), pinot noir , shiraz (many suprised Aussies over this!), aromatic whites, bordeaux red blends and other red varieties.
A great result considering New Zealand's wine industry is about one-sixth the size of Australia's. For full results see trinationswine.com.
Can you "Be The Voice" of New Ziillund?
A GPS vendor announced recently that it is on a nation-wide search for the new voice of New Zealand. The winner of the Be the Voice of New Zealand campaign will not only have their dulcet tones as the new Kiwi voice on there GPS units, but will also win a brand new car equipped with a GPS.
The company already is well known for it comical and celebrity voices available for download on all of its GPS units, and today opens up the opportunity for a local Kiwi to Be The Voice of New Zealand and join the ranks of Snoop Dogg, Homer Simpson, John Cleese and Mr T.
CEP AGREEMENT HAS SIGNIFICANT TRADE IMPACT
 Strong growth in trade and deepening economic liberalisation between New Zealand and Thailand were highlighted at the second Closer Economic Partnership (CEP) Joint Commission meeting, held in Wellington on 30 August.
The first since the coup of 2006, the Joint Commission was an important opportunity for New Zealand and Thailand to take stock of the economic relationship and assess the functioning of the CEP. Attendees emphasised that the Agreement (which has now been in place for 5 years) constituted a significant step forward in cementing an already strong trading partnership, and paved the way forward for even stronger links.
Two-way trade has more than doubled since the Agreement’s entry into force, despite the effects of the global economic crisis over the past two years, and the total trade flow broke NZ$2 billion in 2008.
Business attendees expressed strong interest in the relationship, and noted the opportunity to significantly grow trade under the CEP framework. They called for stronger business relationships between the two countries.
In preparation for the Joint Commission meeting, the second Joint Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Committee meeting was also held in Wellington, on 23 August. This meeting gave the opportunity for regulatory authorities from New Zealand and Thailand to discuss technical issues related to trade in food, plant and animal products. It produced a productive exchange across a number of issues, including the possibility of improving conditions for New Zealand dairy exports to Thailand.
When it was implemented in 2005, the CEP brought about a significant liberalisation in goods trade, with the majority of tariffs cut upon entry into force, and the rest reducing over a fixed timeline. On top of this, the Agreement provides streamlined import/export rules and procedures for business, for example by doing away with some customs certification requirements. Cooperation on further improving customs and other regulatory procedures is part of the Agreement’s ongoing technical work programme.
Along with officials from the Thai Department of Trade Negotiations, Customs Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Finance, the meeting was attended by representatives of the Thai Board of trade and the Federation of Thai Industries. New Zealand business attendees at the meeting were Charles Finny of Business New Zealand and Barry Hellberg, Honorary Trade Advisor for Thailand.
KIWI SCIENTISTS MAKE ATOMIC 'BREAKTHROUGH'
 University of Otago scientists have made a "major physics breakthrough" with the development of a technique to consistently isolate and capture a fast-moving single atom.
A team of four researchers from the university's physics department are believed to be the first to isolate and photograph the Rubidium 85 atom.
The three-year project used laser cooling technology to slow a group of atoms, before a laser beam, or "optical tweezers", isolated and held one atom.
Lead researcher Mikkel Andersen said individual atoms were consistently isolated, which meant "a major step" toward using the atoms to build ultra-fast quantum-logic computers capable of performing complex information-processing tasks.
"Our method provides a way to deliver those atoms needed to build this type of computer, and it is now possible to get a set of ten atoms held or trapped at the one time," Dr Andersen said.
"You need a set of 30 atoms if you want to build a quantum computer that is capable of performing certain tasks better than existing computers, so this is a big step towards successfully doing that.
"What we have done moves the frontier of what scientists can do and gives us deterministic control of the smallest building blocks in our world."
Dr Andersen said within three weeks of first trapping the atom, new experiments previously not thought possible were under way.
The next step was to try and generate a "kind of atomic romance" between the atoms, he said.
"We need to generate communication between the atoms where they can feel each other, so when they are apart they stay entangled and don't forget each other even from a distance. This is the property that a quantum computer uses to do tasks simultaneously."
Dr Andersen said neutral atoms such as the Rubidium 85 were notoriously difficult to pin down because they could not be held by electrical fields.
"I learnt at elementary school that it is impossible to see a single atom through a microscope. Well, my elementary school teacher was wrong."
ELECTRIC CAR TRIAL IN WELLINGTON
Wellington is to become the first New Zealand city to trial electric cars with the introduction of a fleet of five battery-powered vehicles.
Wellingto City Council is working with Meridian Energy, Mitsubishi Motors, New Zealand Post Group and The Wellington Company to trial Mitsubishi iMiEVs in Wellington for the next two years. By the end of the year eight iMiEVs will be powering around the streets of the Capital.
The four-seater, battery-powered iMiEV has a range of up to 155km and zero drive-time emissions. This is all achieved on a seven-and-a-half-hour charge from a 15-amp socket in the home.
It is hoped the trial will demonstrate that electric cars are viable in Wellington and help identify any barriers to their widespread adoption, such as the need for charging stations.
CHAMBER UPDATES
|
Chamber News 
