EABC News

• Honorable Keynote Speakers at EABC Annual General Meeting 2014 and European Networking Cocktials - 9 April 2014

 

An Honorable Representative, Mr.Narong Sasitorn, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide a speech on Enhancing Thai-EU Relations at the Annual General Meeting.



A special talk on "Thailand’s Turbulent Politics – Peering Ahead" will be held by acclaimed speakers - MR. CHRIS BAKER and DR. PASUK PHONGPAICHIT at the European Networking Cocktail.

Chris Baker is a Thailand-based British writer who has made his home in Bangkok for more than 20 years. He is the co-author of A History of Thailand, Thaksin: The Business of Politics in Thailand, Thailand's Boom and Bust, and Thailand's Crisis, all written with his wife, Dr. Pasuk Phongpaichit. He was the principal writer of the United Nations Development Programme's Thailand Human Development Report 2007: Sufficiency Economy and Human Development, which praised King Bhumibol Adulyadej's self-sufficient economy theory.
 
Pasuk Phongpaichit is a Thai economist and a professor at Chulalongkorn University. She is the author of several books on corruption in Thailand. Dr Pasuk graduated from Monash University in Australia, and received her PhD at Cambridge University in England.

For more details on these events, please direct to our event page [here]. For registration, please contact K.Ruangmas at events@eabc-thailand.eu or call 02-670-0624.
 

• EABC Policy&Regulatory Update: Calling for Industrial Comments on WTO SPS/TBT Notifications

The European Union Delegation to Thailand received WTO TBT notifications of five draft mandatory standards. The Mandatory Standard and relevant Conformity Assessment procedure are administered by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI), The Office of Food and Drug Administration and Office of the Alcohol Control Committee.

• Notification No.: G/TBT/N/THA/433  by Thailand Industrial Standards Institute (TISI). Product Covered: Paints and varnishes. [Download Here]
• Notification No.: G/TBT/N/THA/434  by The Office of Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA). Product Covered: Full fat pasteurized fresh cow's milk and cow's milk. [Download Here]
• Notification No.: G/TBT/N/THA/435  by The Office of Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA). Product Covered: Feeding Bottle and Liquid Milk Container for Infants and Young Children. [Download Here]
• Notification No.: G/TBT/N/THA/436  by The Office of Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA). Product Covered: Food in General. [Download Here]
• Notification No.: G/TBT/N/THA/437  by Office of the Alcohol Control Committee, Ministry of Public Health. Product Covered: Alcohol Beverages .[Download Here]

Should you have any comment/feedback on this notification, please revert to us input at the following email address: service@eabc-thaland.eu as soon as possible or by 30 April 2014 at COB the latest.
 

• EABC/JFCCT Conference "DIGITAL BROADCASTING and DIGITAL TV - a new era in high quality entertainment, information and learning" - 15 May 2014

Save the date for EABC/JFCCT Conference entitled “DIGITAL BROADCASTING and DIGITAL TV – a new era in high quality entertainment, information and learning”. The conference will take place on 15 May 2014 from 08.30 – 13.45 hrs at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok. 

In late 2013, the NBTC conducted the country's first spectrum auction to support 24 digital terrestrial TV licences. Digital broadcasting has far greater spectral efficiency (Mbps for each MHz of bandwith) than does the analogue use of spectrum, allows for much better picture quality and also supports a range of other value-adding features and functionality. Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of audio and video by a digitally processed and multiplexed signal. As with most countries, Thailand has started digital broadcasting well ahead of the end of analogue transmission (Analogue Switch Off date or ASO), which will take some time. The forces of convergence between telecoms (especially mobile) and broadcasting are playing out now and the outcomes are fascinating.

The industry has spawned take up in technology and services, with a range of value-adding, innovative platforms and applications which push traditional boundaries at a very fast rate.  The conference will cover participation opportunities and some policy aspects. 

More details on this event will be communicated with you soon.
 

Past Events

• EABC Business Luncheon "2014 Thailand Economic Outlook Amidst Its Internal Struggle"

On 1 April 2014, EABC hosted a business luncheon themed “2014 Thailand Economic Outlook Amidst Its Internal Struggle – What to Expect?”, where we welcomed more than 70 guests from EUD, MS Embassies, EABC Board of Directors and members. Sharing their outlook at the luncheon were Dr. Kirida Bhaopichitr, the World Bank’s Country Economist for Thailand, and Dr. Somchai Jitsuchon, Research Director at Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI). Dr. Kirida expressed optimism in the Thai economy in the longer term, despite the immediate term deceleration. With the current political uncertainties and high household debt, the economy is forecasted by the World Bank to expand around 3% in 2014. Concerns about the declining trend in overtime employment in the non-agricultural sector and BOI applications were raised by Dr. Somchai, although he remained hopeful that the economic growth would rebound to around 5% in 2015, from 3% in 2014, if the political impasse is cleared in due course.

The presentations by Dr.Kirida and Dr.Somchai presented at the luncheon can be downloaded from EABC website [here]. For more photos from the event, please direct to our [event page] or Facebook page.


MEMBER NEWS

• Diageo Moët Hennessy (Thailand) Expands Cooperation with Highway Police – Promotes Road Safety during Songkran

EABC staff joined Diageo Moët Hennessy (Thailand) Ltd (DMHT) in its CSR activity in cooperation with Highway Police Operation Division 8 by conducting a road safety campaign, aimed at raising public awareness of road safety and responsible drinking during Songkran. As part of its Songkran Road Safety campaign, DMHT is donating 2,000 Road Safety Kits – each of which includes fresh bottled water, a waterproof bag and DRINKiQ informational materials – which will be handed out to drivers during the upcoming Songkran Festival. 
 
DMHT has organized Road Safety projects since 2011 with the aim to reduce and prevent alcohol-related road accidents as well as to promote responsible drinking by cooperating with agencies such as the Highway Police and the Traffic Police. Under such projects, DMHT has conducted workshops to educate officials and the public on knowledge about alcohol content and its impact on the body, the concept of ‘standard drink’, and responsible drinking. DMHT has also continually provided safety equipment to support the work of officials who facilitate road safety during long holiday periods.

For the full version of photo release by DHMT, please click [here].