Business
Consumer groups sue Trade Competition Commission for approving CP-Tesco merger

Thailand’s Trade Competition Commission has been served with a lawsuit courtesy of the Foundation for Consumers and 37 other consumer groups, as a result of a merger between the conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group and Lotus (formerly Tesco Lotus).
“The Charoen Pokphand Group is a Thai conglomerate based in Bangkok. It is Thailand’s largest private company and one of the world’s largest conglomerates. The company describes itself as having 8 business lines, covering 13 business groups. As of 2020, the group has investments in 21 countries.” – Wikipedia
The decision by the TCC to give the merger the go-ahead has angered consumer organisations. The FFC says the deal will only serve to kill small businesses, handing an 83.97% market share of Thailand’s wholesale and retail sectors to the CP Group. It blasts the TCC for ignoring the 2017 Trade Competition Act, which required it to listen to stakeholders’ views before agreeing to the merger. The act is designed to prevent any single operator from holding more than a 50% market share in any sector.
According to a Nation Thailand report, the FCC has also accused some of those sitting on the sub-committee that approved the merger of having close links with the CP Group, in breach of the Information Act. The organisation says the merger will only serve to encourage other giants in other sectors to try to push similar deals through, leading to the biggest players dominating the market.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Business
The Thaiger joins forces with Masii to bring you hassle-free Thailand re-entry packages and much more

PRESS RELEASE
The Thiager and its sister company Tadoo, have announced they will enter a strategic partnership with the Bangkok-based fintech company, Masii.
Having joined forces with Masii, The Thaiger aims to provide its 6 million-plus monthly users with exclusive deals and packages such as the Thailand re-entry package, comprising of the Certificate of Entry (COE), Covid-19 Travel Insurance and a Covid-19 Test.
Sapir Matmon, of Tadoo, says “This tie-up will allow us to provide our readers with all-inclusive packages specifically designed to make the whole process of coming back to Thailand as simple as possible. And by booking through us, all service fees will be waived – a saving of more than 1,000 Baht. We’re confident you won’t find a better price in the market right now.”
“We can provide everything you need to enter Thailand hassle-free and within 12 hours, which is the fastest in the market.” Says Maxwell Meyer, CEO of Masii.
Covid-19 has drastically accelerated the industry’s movement toward shifting products and services online.
Sapir says “We are tremendously pleased to welcome the Masii team and work alongside Maxwell, as one of the stars of the local fintech scene.”
Tadoo, The Thiager’s sister company, has also teamed up with Masii on their Thai price comparison platform, tadoo.co, which offers a similar range of products including, insurance, finance, internet, and mobile.
The goal of Tadoo is to bring clarity to the Thai market and assist consumers in making better-informed choices by offering a quick and convenient solution for getting the products they want without the hassle.
For more information on the Thailand Re-Entry Full Package, click HERE.
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Aviation authority calling for 20,000 vaccine doses for crew, ground staff

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is calling for vaccine doses to protect around 20,000 airline crew and ground staff before the country re-opens to international tourists. The CAAT says it’s vital that those working in the aviation industry are protected and has submitted its request to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.
According to Suthipong Kongpool from the CAAT, there are around 20,000 airline employees, including crew and ground staff, who will need to be vaccinated. As 2 doses are required, a total of 40,000 doses are needed to fully protect staff. The Bangkok Post reports that the CAAT will meet on Thursday to review the aviation sector’s readiness for when the country re-opens without international arrivals having to quarantine.
Suthipong says they are seeking enough vaccine doses to protect employees of Thai-registered carriers.
“It’s a confidence-building measure for tourists and those providing the services to them.”
From July, the southern island of Phuket will be the first part of the country to waive quarantine for vaccinated international arrivals, subject to 70% of local residents being vaccinated. The “sandbox” project is a pilot programme that will be expanded to other areas if it proves successful. Between October and the end of the year, 5 other provinces – Phang Nga, Surat Thani, Krabi, Chon Buri, and Chiang Mai – are expected to adopt the programme. Officials hope to be able to re-open the country fully from January 2022.
According to the CAAT, the first foreign visitors expected to return to Phuket will be Chinese tourists, given that country’s success in managing the pandemic. Meanwhile, the CAAT says Thailand will see a 7% increase in air traffic this month compared to last, with a total of 36,150 domestic and international flights.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Business
Labour union angry over changes to Thai Airways staff contracts under rehab plan

Union representatives are questioning changes made to the employment terms of Thai Airways staff as part of the national carrier’s debt-restructuring plan. The labour union claims the changes have removed or diluted several staff entitlements and welfare benefits, pointing the finger at acting president, Chansin Treenuchagron, who signed the orders.
The union is calling on the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to review the changes to check if they align with a debt-restructuring plan submitted to the Central Bankruptcy Court. According to a Bangkok Post report, the union believes the signed orders may go against the terms of the rehab plan currently being reviewed by creditors. They include an order related to the company’s new organisational structure, as well as the screening of workers who will continue to be employed by the carrier during and after the rehab process.
Union representatives accuse the airline of changing the terms and conditions of employee contracts, meaning weaker welfare benefits. They are asking the DLPW to confirm if the changes comply with the 1940 Bankruptcy Act, the 1975 Labour Relations Act, and the 1998 Labour Protection Act. The union says that if the changes are found to violate the acts, Chansin should be ordered to cancel the orders and draw up new employment terms that comply with the airline’s rehab plan and with employment law.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Ian Bromley
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 12:35 pm
Dictatorships & authoritarian regimes like to have as few business enterprises as possible under the pretext that they are easier to control than a myriad of smalll & medium sized enterprises. In reality what is happening is that these giant businesses develop close relationships with what becomes a pliant government. Add to that the use of employment deals for the family of government leaders and you have a truly toxic economy that benefits the few at the expense of the many.
B.T.
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 7:54 pm
This merger was against consumer interest.
Mr cynic
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 9:14 pm
CP group have only bought back the supermarket chain it owned in the first place.the company was stretched at the time of the asian financial crisis and tesco were expanding overseas at the time and bought it for a bargain price.
The boss has always wanted his baby back and paid tesco a very high premium to get it returned.back to square one really.
Issan John
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 11:08 pm
Ian Bromley, before jumping to conclusions about “close realtionships” between “authoritarian regimes” and “giant businesses” you may want to look a bit closer at the families that own CP Group, such as the Vejjajiva family, as Abhisit Vejjajiva has made his politics and views on the present regime very clear.
toby andrews
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 11:14 am
Somsee at a market stall will sell vegetables and fruit cheaper and quicker, and is more convenient than supermarkets.
The advantage of supermarkets is that they have a vast selection, but most supermarkets are hard to go to.
James
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at 9:42 am
What are you talking about …