It is with great pleasure to present March's edition of Broadsight. The corporate monthly magazine from The Broadgate Financial Group. To view full interactive of Broadsight March 2014, go to http://joom.ag/Z4oX
T E N T BANGKOK SHUTDOWN : IN BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE 7-10 The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) and The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) are two institutions that have released reports where the economical outlook has significantly been adjusted for the impact of the political turmoil. GREEN LUNGS OF BANGKOK: THE BANGKOK TREE HOUSE Bang Krachao is maybe the last area in Bangkok with wild nature, animals and clean air. GREEN GADGET: HOW TO CHARGE YOUR PHONE WHENEVER YOU ARE 14 With warm and sunny weather across Southeast Asia, its time to explore some wild excursions! 15 >> p. 5-6 >> p. 17-19 >> p. 15 INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY : MUAY THAI 11-13 Muay Thai has a very long tradition in Thailand and has its roots many centuries ago. PLASTIC BAG: WHO CARES? Many initiatives have been enterprised in recent months in Thailand, and even if the current political situation in the country tends to make it a smaller problem 17-19 NEWS REPORT: ASEAN NEWS 4 BROADGATE: WHY SOUTHEAST ASIA 5-6 Develoment News in ASEAN ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), created in 1967, has developed successful trade partnerships among Southeast Asian countries
National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) and The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) are two institutions that have released reports where the economical outlook has significantly been adjusted regarded to the impact of the political turmoil Economic losses from the "Bangkok shutdown" is estimated by UTCC to be between Bt 700 million and Bt 1 billion a day where the tourism industry is predicted to be hit the hardest. Tourism revenues account for 10 percent of GDP, so any impact on the sector "should be significant to economic growth," said Pimonwan Mahujchariyawong, an economist at Kasikorn Research Center. Economic losses from the "Bangkok shutdown" is estimated by UTCC to be between Bt 700 million and Bt 1 billion a day where the tourism industry is predicted to be hit the hardest. Tourism revenues account for 10 percent of GDP, so any impact on the sector "should be significant to economic growth," said Pimonwan Mahujchariyawong, an economist at Kasikorn Research Center. Another important factor to economic growth that has been stalled due to the turmoil is government investment. After last election in 2011 the government ambitiously planned to implement several infrastructure projects by borrowing over 2 trillion baht. This large borrowing bill was never fully decided upon since it met political objections from opposing parties. To continue with the legal proceedings and the process towards a decision a fully functioning political system is required, something which now isnʼt expected until the second half of 2014. But while one manʼs joy is another manʼs sorrow some Thaiʼs entrepreneurial qualities were shown at the protester sites where these business owners showed quick adaptation to the circumstances.
- A Broadgate Initiative 12 All of them try to make money by placing huge bets on their fighter. Even for the battles between the youngest fighters huge amounts of money can trade hands. The bets can range from 100 baht up to 50,000 baht for a child fight. If lucky, child boxers can earn as much in a night as their parents do within a year by growing their rice. Impact on Society From a societyʼs point of view it is questionable if the practice is really value adding in terms of a social benefit to the poor. As the betting is a zero-sum game, some families win while others lose. Finally, only a small fraction of the fighters can make a decent living out of it. In addition to that, Professor Sombat Ritthidetch from Ramajitti Institute pointed out that many kids were often absent from school due to their long hours of training. This can lead to the problem that many teenagers who do not make it pro, end up on the streets again, with no important skills to show for. In the year 2012 the Child Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center (CSIP) arranged a check-up for 40 long- term child boxers. They werenʼt able to detect any physical or mental impairment attributable to boxing. But one has to mention that very little research has been done about this so far. Partly, because the publication of critical research of child boxing displeases many people in the business. The pro child boxing community argues that with proper training and execution children wonʼt get harmed. What about western countries? While the Muay Thai can be an escape from poverty for children in Thailand, it is being used in the west to prevent teenagers from getting into criminal activities. Christoffer Axelsson, one of our associates at Broadsight, is managing a Muay Thai gym back home in Sweden. Teenagers in the “risk zone” (on the edge of getting into criminal activities) are attracted by Martial Arts. They associate it with “cool”, “tough” and “violent” qualities. Christoffer told me that most of them arrive with the aim to learn how to fight, so they can use this later on the street. But Christoffer and his team instead try to encourage them to internalize the values behind the sport such as empathy, respect and discipline. “Open classes”, meaning free training where everyone is welcome to join are supported by government funds. ”We get funded based on how many youngsters we manage to attract, but itʼs nothing like an income, it all goes into paying the rent and worn out material”, says Christoffer. The gyms that participate in the government model become important institutions in the society to provide teenagers with meaningful opportunities aside from hanging out in the streets. These institutions depend on the people behind them, people like Christoffer Axelsson who are devoted to the values of the sport and get along well with youngsters. To get a better picture of the sport Christoffer took me to Meenayothin Gym in Bangkok. He spent several months there, training twice a day to improve his Muay Thai. Christoffer also fights for the Meenayothin Gym under the name Kriss Meenayothin. There I found myself in a very relaxed atmosphere. Farangs and Thais were training together, supporting each other and joking around. After the training they all sat down on the floor and enjoyed dinner together like a big family. “The youngest fighters are 7 years of age”
- A Broadgate Initiative 13 To get a better picture of the sport Christoffer took me to Meenayothin Gym in Bangkok. He spent several months there, training twice a day to improve his Muay Thai. Christoffer also fights for the Meenayothin Gym under the name Kriss Meenayothin. There I found myself in a very relaxed atmosphere. Farangs and Thais were training together, supporting each other and joking around. After the training they all sat down on the floor and enjoyed dinner together like a big family. Valentin Fischer Record bet on a Lumpini fight was 6 Million baht It is estimated that more than 30,000 child boxers kick and punch in rings across Thailand ON THE COUCH WITH Valentin BROADSIGHT AUTHOR, VALENTIN FISCHER ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS A NEW SERIES TO BROADSIGHT COMING SOON
- A Broadgate Initiative 15 Also known as the "Green Lungs" of Bangkok, Bang Krachao is maybe the last area in Bangkok with wild nature animals and clean air. As this part of the capital is unknown by most people living in Bangkok and even less by foreign people, Joey Tulyanond has created a fully sustainable hotel in this untouched area to increase awareness and preserving it at the same time. Few examples of his sustainable solutions are that they: • Remove one kilo of trash from the river for every booking • Use solar cookers, cook only organic and in-season food. • Only hire locals living near the Tree House. • Use wind and solar energy to power 100% of outdoor lights • Have developed natural cleaning products. INTERVIEW WIITH JOEY TULYANOND For more information please visit their website: http://www.bangkoktreehouse.com/index... Many thanks to Joey Tulyanond. The Bangkok Tree House GREEN LUNGS OF BANGKOK Baptiste Laborde-Balen As we at Broadsight share the same passion for sustainability, we went to the Tree House to interview Joey Tulyanond and learn more about his idea of running a green hotel.
17 Many initiatives have been enterprised in recent months in Thailand, and even if the current political situation in the country tends to make it a smaller problem, the soonest is always the best time to act. Most expatriates in Bangkok are extremely skeptical about the success of these recent campaigns as we can read in the main English-speaking forum on Thailand : (bubbles or other) Before taking sides, letʼs analyse what has been made of their impact, and the reason to hope for a greener future in the Land of Smiles. PLASTIC BAGS WHO CARES? Next gimmick please... Forgotten in 2 Minutes! Thailand will adopt this...in time
- A Broadgate Initiative 18 Tesco Lotus Action Plan : Less Bags, More Baht It is easy to guess that money is what incentifies most people to give up their old habits. Something that this company understands well, so letʼs now see the two different money savings proposed : Clubcard points and advantages; Tesco Lotus offers 20 clubcard points to every one of its 33 million monthly customers for not using one plastic bag in their basket, even 40 points if they donʼt use any at all. What does this mean in a customerʼs point of view? 1000 points allows customers to receive 10 THB in a cash coupon and the purchase of a Tesco plastic bag a bonus of 500 points, the first month of this green behaviour is potentially synonymous of an extra 10 THB in addition to all the points they already make with their purchases. In comparison, if every commercial establishment would set up the same kind of campaign, the saving would reach over 4 billion tons of plastic yearly and reduce by 40 million THB the budget for the Thai government to collect them. The cost of the clubcard points given to customers seems to be largely compensated both by operational cost reduction and the commercial advantage over their competitors who donʼt have this kind of discount attribution system.
- A Broadgate Initiative 19 Recently two Tesco Lotus Express stores decided to set up this initiative that provides reusable bags and cardboard boxes for free or, a shopping bag for 25THB. On the other hand, they totally banned plastic bags from their stores and even when the first few days was the scene of many complaints, people quickly got used to it in so far as they now donʼt even notice it, three months after the starting date of the initiative. The results are very encouraging in so far as 10 000 bags for each of store has been saved within just two months! Lets imagine the potential if all the 1 100 Tesco Lotus Express took the same direction: 66 million less bags every year so almost 600 tons of plastic for one single brand, a clear message to 7-Eleven and its 6800 stores? Results for Tesco Lotus “Green campaign”? In other words, this kind of initiative is not only a money gain for their loyal customers but also an advantage for the supermarket against its competitors. In addition, a better company image towards all people concerned in sustainable development. An even more attractive payoff would be warmly welcomed to substantially cut plastic bag usage and could open the door to more eco-initiatives in Thailand.