Tag: Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand – LaLiga Pass, the over-the-top (OTT) platform offering of Spanish football division LaLiga, will be made available to fans in Thailand, giving them access to LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank matches.

LaLiga Pass has also been made available to fans in Indonesia as part of the Asian offering of the OTT platform.

Through LaLiga Pass, fans in both countries will become the first in the world to have LaLiga Pass available for their mobile devices and televisions, a step that allows LaLiga to get even closer to its fans, making them owners of the content and allowing them to enjoy an increasingly personalised fan experience.

Along with live coverage of every LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank match, LaLiga Pass users will also have access to match round-ups, documentaries, videos of the best goals and saves, interviews and other exclusive content designed for each country.

In addition, each matchday will feature three LaLiga Santander matches narrated in the local language, something that only LaLiga Pass users will be able to enjoy.

Alfredo Bermejo, digital strategy director at LaLiga, said, “One of the keys of the entertainment sector is to be able to offer a high degree of personalisation, to speak to each fan in their own language and to provide them with quality content adapted to their tastes and needs. We believe that LaLiga Pass, and all the technology behind it, is a big step in this direction and will be a great option for those who want to enjoy LaLiga and everything that surrounds it.”

Furthermore, LaLiga Pass will also represent a new business model that will both improve the fan experience and attract more LaLiga fans as well as provide a technology that can be commercialised and exploited by other companies through LaLiga Tech.

Oscar Mayo, executive director at LaLiga, commented, “LaLiga Pass is a logical step in our audiovisual strategy. Over the last few years we have strived to improve the experience for fans watching LaLiga from different parts of the world and we now want to take things a step further by allowing them to have more control over what they watch, offering more and better content, and telling more stories around LaLiga and its clubs in those countries.”

Bangkok, Thailand – Gulf Energy, a national electric power generation company, has announced that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with global cryptocurrency exchange Binance in establishing a digital asset exchange business.

As part of the MoU, Gulf Energy has also announced that it will be investing in Binance’s cryptocurrency coin BNB. The announcement by Gulf Energy to enter into the cryptocurrency business was made during the company’s recent regulatory filings with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).

“The company believes that this multi-level cooperation with Binance, which is the global leader in blockchain infrastructure technology, is aligned with the company’s target to be the leader in digital infrastructure while providing further opportunities for the Company to expand into other digital asset-related initiatives in the future,” Gulf Energy said in the regulatory filing.

In addition, Gulf Energy has announced that it has invested in a series seed preferred stock issued by BAM Trading Services Inc., the operator of a regulated digital asset exchange in the USA under the name Binance.US.

Gulf Energy’s venture into cryptocurrency is announced despite recent regulatory changes from the Thai government regarding the use of cryptocurrency and digital assets as means of payment.

Thailand – Global fintech FIS has partnered with tech giant Microsoft to integrate its FIS modern banking platform into the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, aimed at expanding digital online banking to financial institutions in the Thailand market, as well as in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. 

This offering combines the latest advancements in cloud security, monitoring, resiliency, and operational analytics with a modern, cloud-native core. 

The FIS Modern Banking Platform helps banks design, build, and deploy new products and services. Through a platform that’s fully API-enabled, FIS’ real-time solution is cloud-native and provides financial institutions with advanced analytics. ‘Modern Banking Platform’ uses artificial intelligence and component-based architecture and is built to be highly configurable while providing next-level security for financial institutions and their customers.

Andrew Beatty, FIS’ head of enterprise banking, commented that they are incredibly excited for financial institutions in more countries to experience the Modern Banking Platform that is cloud-native through Microsoft Azure.

“Teaming with Microsoft allows us to provide a secure, scalable, and compliant SaaS solution in the cloud that helps financial institutions adapt to complex and changing regulations in multiple jurisdictions. Deployment via Azure also provides our clients with elasticity, meaning banks can quickly update their infrastructure to adjust to the volume of business. It’s a solution that allows us to offer the same high level of support and operations that we currently provide with the FIS private cloud,” said Beatty.

Meanwhile, Bill Borden, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of worldwide financial services, shared that they are pleased to partner with FIS to help more financial institutions modernise their payments and core banking to meet rising customer expectations and drive new value.

“Running on Microsoft Azure, FIS’ Modern Banking Platform delivers a flexible, data-driven solution to deepen customer relationships and roll out products more quickly, while managing risk effectively,” said Borden.

Thailand – Airline companies Thai Airways and Thai Smile, as well as the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), an organization of Thailand under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to promote Thai tourism in the Indian market at Thai Airways’ head office.

This collaboration aims to boost the recovery of Thai tourism businesses and the Thai economy after the pandemic. In addition to the collaboration in the Indian market, Thai Airways operates flights on over 34 continental and intercontinental routes in its summer 2022 schedule. Passengers may travel further with Thai Smile and Star Alliance member airlines.

Suvadhana Sibunruang, Thai Airways’ acting CEO, shared, “Thai Airways, Thai Smile, and TAT signed the LOI to enhance the travel experience and develop marketing activities for the Indian market, to offer passengers privileges and joint promotions especially for leisure, golfer, visiting friends and relatives, and wedding travellers, and to exchange the information in the tourism industry for sustainable development in the industry.”

Meanwhile, Napintorn Srisunpang, the vice minister of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, said that the Indian market is a significant market in Southern Asia both in market size and tourist purchasing power, and this market is necessary for every country driven by a tourism economy.

“This collaboration is the opportunity to boost the recovery of the Indian market following the Air Travel Bubble agreement between Thailand and India. According to the Economics Tourism and Sports Division, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, in 2019, Thailand welcomed 1,995,516 inbound tourists from India, 24.85% higher, and earned THB86,372.01m, an increase of 27.45%. This reflects the potential of the Indian market,” said Srisunpang.

Tanes Petsuwan, TAT’s deputy governor for international marketing in Asia and South Pacific, said that as part of the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2022’ campaign, TAT will focus on quality inbound tourists from this particular market through celebrities and influencers marketing to the millennial target audience. 

“TAT Delhi and Mumbai offices will also notify local tour agents about Thailand’s immigration measures and new travel products and services to plan the joint promotion activities for luxurious tourists. In addition, Amazing Thailand Wedding EXPO 2022 will be held this month to boost wedding travellers later this year. Meanwhile, TAT is joining the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) 2022 in Delhi from 18 to 20 May 2022 to promote Thailand on its readiness for tourism aspect,” added Petsuwan.

Bangkok, Thailand – South Korea’s game company and a subsidiary of game developer Krafton, PUBG Studios, has announced the return of its esports tournament, the PUBG Nations Cup 2022. This year’s event will happen in Bangkok, Thailand from 16 to 19 June.

The tournament will consist of a total of 15 matches with super point rule over three days and a whole day with a special event match.

The participating nations in the event include the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Australia. Korea, China, Japan, and Chinese Taipei will also be joining the event, as well as the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, and Turkey. They will have the chance to take home the grand prize pool of $500,000 and crowdfunding.

More information on the PUBG Nations Cup will be revealed at later dates at PUBGEsports.com.

Thailand – Two leading organizations in the retail and entertainment industry in Thailand have partnered to enhance the emerging O2O customer experience in today’s business ecosystem. Siam Piwat, the owner and operator of prestigious retail destinations Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery has announced a strategic partnership with Thailand’s leading entertainment company Kantana Group, to create an even better O2O experience for each of their target consumers. 

The partnership will present both offline and online collaborations and will leverage the OneSiam SuperApp platform; but one of its biggest collaborations to date will be the upcoming ‘Up Rank’ project by Kantana, involving the new titular movie. 

OneSiam’s shopping centres have spent over 10 million baht on offering special privileges to Kantana’s The Up Rank participants that span to online shopping at OneSiam SuperApp. Participants will also receive discount coupons from leading stores located in the shopping centres such as LOFT, ALAND, Absolute Siam Store, Ecotopia and ICONCRAFT. 

“This is digital lifestyle marketing merged with customer experience program to capture new generation customers and other potential communities,” said Siam Piwat. 

On the partnership, Piyarat Kaljaruek, VP of Kantana Group, said that producing lifestyle and fashion content for the Thai market is, in fact, a very challenging task and that synchronized marketing communication with other key players is crucial. 

“Siam Piwat is the leader in luxury fashion and the key to success for all Kantana’s contents. Our strategy efficiently combines online and offline communications that attract new target groups and audiences, especially those digital-native Gen Y and Gen Z [consumers],” said the entertainment group.

Katana airs a number of fashion- and lifestyle-centred shows. Face2Face Thailand, a TV program that has become an online buzz, features luxury fashion and lifestyle in which the filming location has been supported by Siam Piwat’s ICONSIAM. 

Siam Piwat also cites the partnership as a pivotal element of its plan to create ‘The Universe of Co-Creation’, that aligns with the company’s business strategies to cultivate a value-sharing ecosystem for “thriving and sustainable success for all entities.”

Mayuree Chaipromprasith, the president of corporate affairs and communications at Siam Piwat, said, “Fundamentally, Siam Piwat’s key foresight is to create a premium world-class business ecosystem. We have transcended domestic competition and geared towards new business opportunities that can expand beyond all boundaries. Our establishments are positioned as global destinations and we have cultivated strong communities of both local and international customers.

The company further reiterated, “our business goes beyond retail offering that relies simply on products and services, instead, we strategically position our business as the place to discover new and multi-dimensional customer experiences, both in [the] physical and digital realm.” 

Bangkok, Thailand – As more international borders are starting up to open up again to boost tourism, many foreigners are now searching for their next travel destination. And for this year, the Asian country of Thailand emerged as the most-searched global destination foreigners want to travel to, according to the latest data from digital travel platform Agoda.

According to the data, Japan, the United States and Singapore are the markets most keen to head back to Thailand following the local government’s efforts to revitalise international tourism with initiatives such as Thailand Pass and the Sandbox programme.

Other markets interested in visiting Thailand include the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland, as well as South Korea, Maldives, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Damien Pfirsch, chief commercial officer at Agoda, said, “While the government has made great efforts to help streamline the booking experience for travellers gearing to get back out there, with Test & Go, Sandbox and Thailand Pass, it can be daunting and time consuming for international travellers to keep track of these requirements, and the processes needed.” 

Pfrisch added that they have worked on integrating its booking data seamlessly to the Thailand Pass platform in order to help travellers upload booking details automatically, reducing the room for human error.

To aid with this anticipated influx of travellers, Agoda has collaborated with Finema, the technology company responsible for the development of Thailand Pass on behalf of the Department of Consular Affairs, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“At Agoda, we want to make the customer travel experience as hassle-free as possible. We understand that the new world of travel is going to come with its fair share of challenges and want to help make it easier with our tech expertise. With this partnership, and many others we are working on in the region, we hope to help our customers through their pre-departure journeys,” Pfrisch concluded.

Thailand – Asia’s esports organisation Ampverse has partnered with gaming brand Razer, aimed at enabling its Thai Arena of Valor team, Bacon Time, to continue its growth under the Team Razer Banner – an assembly of world-class esports teams and athletes that empowers the best players in the world and giving them the edge in competition. 

As part of the partnership, Team Razer will be equipping Bacon Time’s pro players and brand ambassadors with the gaming products in order to boost their overall gaming and streaming experience. It will also allow Team Razer to access Bacon Time’s pool of pro players, brand ambassadors, and content creators, and an always-on branding presence throughout the team’s official social channels. 

Moreover, the two organisations will work on the co-creation and co-branding of Bacon Time-branded Razer products including the launch of gaming chairs, mousepads, earbuds, mobile cases, and keyboards, amongst others. 

Ferdinand Gutierrez, Ampverse’s CEO, commented that they are thrilled to partner with Team Razer, a global brand not only known for its distinct product quality, but also one which resonates with the gaming and esports community.

“What I’m most excited about is being able to use our creativity and co-create products that will elevate and bring the best out of both brands, connecting real-life consumers with highly relevant products to suit their lifestyle,” said Gutierrez.

Meanwhile, Flo Gutierrez, Razer’s director of global esports, shared that Bacon Time has impressed them with not just their skills in-game, but also their rapport with their fans and the overall gaming community. 

“With an increased focus placed on Razer’s mobile esports in the region, this partnership with Bacon Time comes at an opportune time as we deepen our connection with our Thai community,” he said.

Bangkok, Thailand – Southeast Asia country Thailand is set to launch its first international show by 2027. The event, initiated by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), was approved during the meeting of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand (EECO) held early in March 2022 and chaired by the Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha. 

The Thailand International Air Show, which will be organised at U-Tapao International Airport near Pattaya in 2027, is seen by TCEB as an expression of the progress it is making on ‘Thailand 4.0’, which includes the development of an aviation hub in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). With the EEC as Thailand’s new centre for industrial investment and U-Tapao airport’s upgrade to become Bangkok’s third international airport, the air show is seen to be a catalyst for the growth of Thailand’s civil and commercial aviation industry. 

TCEB President, Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, said that the approval from the government for Thailand to organise the first Thailand International Air Show is a testament to the potential for business events to drive Thailand’s economic transformation. 

“As Thailand recovers from the impact of COVID-19, we believe that large-scale, high-profile, international events such as the air show will not only give our economy a boost but also give our manufacturers and service providers a very targetted platform to showcase their specialised capabilities. We know there are extraordinary business opportunities to be found in our aviation, aerospace, and logistics sectors under ‘Thailand 4.0’ and the Thailand International Air Show will be a key event for investors from around the world,” said Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya. 

The Thailand International Air Show will be held every two years at U-Tapao International Airport near Pattaya and has been scheduled for 2027, 2029, and 2031. The show will include a conference, an indoor exhibition, static and aerial displays of aircraft, and receptions. The EECO is the official organiser of the show, and is supported by TCEB and the Royal Navy of Thailand in the working committee. 

TCEB will be responsible for marketing and public relations, both domestically and overseas, to raise awareness and attract potential exhibitors. TCEB will also plan a series of activities from 2023 through to the opening date of the show. In the announcement stage from 2023–2025, TCEB’s ‘Road to Air Show’ project will familiarise domestic entrepreneurs and businesses with the concept of the air show and how they can benefit from it. During this period, TCEB will also organise the ‘Aviation & LOG IN Week’, a roadshow to the EEC where meetings, exhibitions, and mega events in related sectors will be held in the same location around the same time. 

The soft launch of the air show will take place in 2025 in the form of press conferences, academic conferences, and participation in aviation-related trade shows worldwide before the full show starts in 2027.

TCEB said that the airshow is expected to attract some 75,000 participants and create 18,760 jobs in the country.

Bangkok, Thailand – Dentsu International has welcomed back Subun Khow, most recently the head of creative at Publicis Thailand, to its roster as the chief creative officer for dentsu Thailand. Khow previously worked with dentsu in 2012, where he served as chief creative officer for dentsu One in Bangkok. Back then, he was responsible for building creative reputation and enhancing creative thinking to expand client portfolios.

In his new role at dentsu, Khow will be in charge of leading the creative team to deliver integrated creative excellence to clients, while leveraging on data-driven and tech-enabled solutions combined with an idea-led approach. He has also held previously leadership roles at Lowe Bangkok and BBDO, as associate creative director, creative director and executive creative director respectively.

He will report to Narong Tresuchon, CEO of creative of dentsu Thailand, and the appointment is effective from 1 April this year.

Speaking about his appointment, Khow said, “I am thrilled and humbled to be given the opportunity to work with this amazing bunch of creatives at one of the world’s leading agencies. Cultivating a dynamic creative work culture as well as the delivery of the best business outcomes for our clients will be my top priorities and I look forward to working closely with Khun Narong and the rest of the talented creatives at dentsu Thailand to bring this to life.”

Meanwhile, Tresuchon commented that with Subun’s strong track record and expertise, he will lead the creative team in creating innovative work and experience for clients with an emphasis on creative design to connect all channels seamlessly to reach audiences at every touchpoint in line with consumer needs and behaviours.

“I am confident in his management ability to balance corporate values with creative energy and positivity to create an effective creative work culture. Only by empowering people and strengthening creative business strategies can we then achieve significant progress and become the world’s leading integrated communications business service network of the future,” he said.

Sanjay Bhasin, who was recently appointed as the CEO of dentsu Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar, said that Khow is a well-established creative leader who has a thorough understanding of the advertising industry. He also added Khow is a role model for our new generation of creatives and brings with him a positive mindset and attitude.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with him again and I am confident that together with Narong, the duo will be able to take dentsu Thailand’s creative to the next level,” Bhasin concluded.

Lastly, Fred Levron, global chief creative officer at dentsu international, said, “To have Subun back to lead dentsu’s creative business in Thailand is fantastic news. Subun is one of Thailand’s foremost creatives, with extensive experience developing famous work that is celebrated both at home and abroad, and his talent for combining technology and innovation to deliver with his inspired creative vision. I look forward to working with him.”