Business
Business Buzz: Targeting mobile users

PHUKET: As I reported last week, the increase in mobile smartphones has been steadily continuing.
There is expectation that over 51 per cent of the online Christmas sales traffic in the United States will originate from smart-phones this year.
So it is with confidence I predict that the focus for social media marketing strategies should be switched to mobile devices.
This is also going to lead to much more competition in the online marketing sector, and companies with a successful strategy and updated system are going to be able to significantly out perform their competitors.
Put simply, it is time to either get on board the smart-phone revolution or be left behind. The companies that can embrace this technology and become more engaging and relevant than their competitors are going to achieve a huge advantage.
Another trend that is increasing is the use of video. Video is becoming the favored way of capturing attention and building rapport. Recent figures show mobile users spend an average of 40 minutes per session on YouTube, while consumers’ attention-spans are actually getting shorter.
You have also heard me go on about databases like a broken record. This will become a major focus in 2016, and the wide range of different platforms will make it even easier for marketers. Facebook has recently introduced a new platform to allow marketers to collect contact details from people who ‘like’ their products, and this will become a trend in all companies.
So for the winning combination, I would recommend a mobile-friendly approach using videos that link to i-cards and capture pages, and any business doing this successfully will have a very profitable 2016.
Simon Wetherell is a social media expert and lawyer. He trains businesses and individuals on how to profit from the social media industry. For more information: Visit PhuketOnlineMarketingSchool.com or call 095-085 3355.
— Simon Wetherell
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Business
Turbulence ahead for Thailand’s aviation industry | VIDEO

When the airlines, in particular, were asking the government to put their hands in their pockets for some relief funding in August last year, it was genuinely thought that international tourists would be coming back for the high season in December and January. At the very least local tourists and expats would head back to the skies over the traditional holiday break. And surely the Chinese would be back for Chinese New Year?
As we know now, none of that happened. A resurge in cases started just south of Bangkok on December 20 last year, just before Christmas, kicking off another round of restrictions, pretty much killing off any possibility of a high season ‘bump’ for the tourist industry. Airlines slashed flights from their schedule, and hotels, which had dusted off their reception desks for the surge of tourists, shut their doors again.
Domestically, the hotel business saw 6 million room nights in the government’s latest stimulus campaign fully redeemed. But the air ticket quota of 2 million seats still has over 1.3 million seats unused. Local tourists mostly skipped flights and opted for destinations within driving distance of their homes.
As for international tourism… well that still seems months or years away, even now.
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Business
Domestic air passenger numbers double those of January

Passenger numbers on domestic flights within Thailand have doubled within a month, rising from 4,000 in January to over 10,000 this month. Having nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels, domestic travel plummeted once more when Covid-19 resurfaced late last year.
Apirat Chaiwongnoi from the Department of Airports says 15 of Thailand’s 29 airports are now operating domestic flights, with more expected to follow. He believes the aviation sector will continue to recover further in the coming 6 months, bolstered by the national vaccine rollout.
Around 120 domestic flights a day are now operating, which is twice the number that were operating at the lowest point in the crisis. Prior to the resurgence of the virus in December, domestic passenger numbers had recovered to 30,000 – 40,000 a day, around 80% of pre-pandemic numbers.
The DoA says airports must continue to adhere to the Covid-19 hygiene measures put in place by the Health Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Samut Sakhon’s shrimp market to remain closed until February 15

Samut Sakhon’s Central Shrimp Market, the epicentre of Thailand’s recent wave of Covid-19, will remain closed until February 15. The market can reopen once the overall hygiene situation at the market and surrounding area has improved, according to the province’s disease control committee.
Local officials say the shrimp market needs to remain closed until the market structure and nearby residential facilities are inspected. People who violate the order face up to a year in prison and a fine up to 100,000 baht.
More than 12,000 people in the province have tested positive for Covid-19. The increasing number of infections is a result from the active case finding to contain the spread of the virus.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World | Thairath Online
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