thaiswedenreview dec 2015

Magazine for Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce

ThaiSwedenR

eview

www.swecham.com

2/ 2015

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Cover New Volvo Cars MD Anette Andersson

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Thai Swedish 34 C.P. Tower 3, 9th Floor Building A, Phayathai Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand Chamber of Commerce Tel: +66 (0) 2354 5229-31 Fax: +66 (0) 2354 5232 E-mail: [email protected]

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CONTENTS

16

8

26

34

FOREWORD 6 Foreword by the President Message by Mr. Jan Eriksson

ARTICLES 8 Swedens new Bangkok Ambassador Staffan Herrstrm 12 New TSCC Strategy in the works 16 Volvo Cars Thailand: new managing director 20 Krusell Thailand member business case 24 SEB Private Banking Singapore tax advice 26 New member Altoyou spearheading new marketplace 28 Scandinavian Village Advertorial 30 Nordea Private Banking 34 Business mini survey on results and forecast

TSCC DIRECTORy 36 Chamber Location Map / Embassies and Consulates 37 Board of Governors 38 Honorary Member / Premium Members 46 Corporate Members 55 Individual Members 58 Student Members 59 Alphabetic Index on All Members

ABOUT TSCC 60 Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce

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www.swecham.com6

FOREwORD

welcome to the

Thai-Sweden ReviewMessage by Jan ErikssonPresidentThai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Dear members,

There is a lot going on within the Chamber and allow me to brieflyhighlightthenews,eventandchangesalsoreflectedin this issue of TSR!

In July our ED Peter Bjork, was promoted to take on the same Executive Director role instead at EABC, the Business Association that acts as the European Chamber in Thailand. Peter was the TSCC ED for some four years and will be greatly missed. Many thanks, Peter, for all you have done for TSCC and best wishes for success in the somewhat more challenging situation in the European environment!

we also extend a warm welcome to Khun Jiraya Chanchon, TSCC Project Coordinator who has been promoted to become our new ED. Also, resigning in October was our long-standing secretary Khun Mam and TSCC wishes her all the best in her future endeavours.

Given the changes in TSCC its Board decided in August to implementanewstructureandstrategyforTSCC.TheShapingupTSCCforabrightfuturestorypresentthiswork.TSCCturnsits attention to comprehensive efforts in rejuvenating itself to become more knowledge-based and in tune with the times. Going forward, reaching sustainability will be of the highest priority, along with increased focus on providing membership value and thereby building a stronger TSCC community.

There are a lot of new Swedish entrepreneurs that started operations in Thailand on very different terms and TSCC will strive to be meaningful and offer services that will entice more such companies to see the value in being part of the chamber.

InSeptemberwehadthepleasureofwelcomingSwedensnewteam members at its Mission in Thailand as our honorary guests atTSCCsmonthlynetworking.ThenewSwedishAmbassadorto Thailand, H.E. Mr. Staffan Herrstrm; Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission Ms. Charlotta Schlyter and Counsellor and Head of Chancery Mr. Olov westergrd were introduced to the Thai-Swedish business community. The Ambassador expressed that he and his wife Karin were delighted to be stationed in Thailand and that he was looking forward to working closely with the Swedish business community. Many thanks to SAAB Group Asia Pacific who kindly hosted the event!

we also have a new MD for Volvo Car Thailand, Ms Annette Andersson. Interviewed in this issue she has arrived at a challenging time when the car market is on the downtrend. But with new Volvo models in the pipeline we will no doubt see an increase in the market share for the Swedish brand!

On 5 Nov the TSCC members were treated to a rare event, InspiredbySpace,apresentationbySwedensfirstandonlyastronaut Christer Fuglesang. The interesting presentation was followed by networking at Huntsman. we are most grateful to our member KTH (Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm) that made this outstanding event possible!

Nordea is the largest bank in the Nordic area with its Asian regionalHQinSingapore.ReadmoreaboutNordeasambitiousplans for Thailand in the interview with the General Manager of Nordea Private Banking in Singapore, Mr Kim Osborg Nielsen and Duro Schlafer, Strategic Adviser.

A few words on the Free Trade Agreements (FTA), which are on top of the agenda for most countries in the region: Thailand is only a member of RCEP, and, also important to remember is thatThailandalreadyhasFTAswith9ofthe12membersofTPP (i.e. with all countries except USA, Canada and Mexico).

Outside thee two trade pacts the EU/Thai FTA negotiations are on hold, based on a directive from the EU awaiting a more favourabledirectionofdemocracyinThailand. It isTSCCsandEABCs view that technical FTAnegotiations shouldbe startedto shorten the lead-time and keep up a dialogue with the Thai Government whilst waiting for circumstances that would allow entering an agreement. There is strong concern in the Foreign and Thai business community conducting business between Europe and Thailand that the current impasse in EU/Thai FTA negotiations will have long-term negative effects on EU/Thai trade as most of the rest of the world move in and secure their positions. we (TSCC and EABC) are pursuing this matter through meetings with European Ambassadors in Thailand and Ministers of the Thai Government as well as the relevant authorities at EU in Brussels.

Finally, we are coming towards the end of the year and it is time to look forward to the New Year with confidence, in an ever-changing world. And very good news is that Father Christmas has just arrived from the North Pole to prepare for the big event! we will have a traditional Swedish Christmas lunch at St. Regis Hotel on 12 December with all the trimmings of a true Swedish Christmas (candlelit Lucia procession with children singing traditional Christmas Carols.) I hope to see you all there!

with best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Jan Eriksson, President

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SwEdENSNEwBANGkokAMBASSAdoRSTAFFANHERRSTRM

Not all TSR readers may have heard about The Concert for Bangladesh 1st August 1971.

But for Swedens new Ambassador to Thailand, Staffan Herrstrm, the Bangladeshi liberation struggle that year made lasting impressions.

Events like that inspired him to enter politics and take on a career comprising newspaper work, foreign aid and finally diplomacy.

It reads like a great background for an ambassador.

Talk and outreach comes across as important means for him to achieve good results. For Swedes in Thailand he promises to interact and be there for them. Dialogue with Thais in government and civil society is also

on his agenda to learn more about the country and make them understand what Sweden is and stands for in this crucial time for a Thailand struggling with her future.

In this interview you will learn who he is and where he comes from. And get some hints what we will see from him and the Embassy in the years to come.

Becoming politically awareIbecamepoliticallyawareat16and joined the Liberal Partys youth wingFPUinSweden,saystheAmbassador, elaborating how the fate of suffering people in countries far away from Sweden touched his heart andmind.Suchissuesengagedme.I even distributed flyers in support of Bangladesh.

He was not alone. In the years immediately before and after 1970, many Swedish youths shared the same experience. That was when the war in Vietnam intensified and news from it were widely broadcasted, Bangladesh fought for independence from a Pakistan cut in two halves separated by India. Meanwhile many countries in Latin America were ruled by military juntas, an old Spanish term that has become synonymous with military rule in any language.

International issues closer by dominated his academic studies. Staffan Herrstrm entered Uppsala University. He graduated with a Political Science BA, majoring in Russian and East European studies.

In parallel he did his military service at the Armed Forces Interpreter

From activist to ambassadorBy Christer Nilsson

Ambassador Staffan Herrstrm hands in his credit papers in Poland.

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TSCC - THAI SwEDISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Academy, specialised in Russian languagealanguageandculturethatalways had fascinated him.

It was however domestic politics for the Liberal party that occupied his professional life a number of years after university. Staffan was hired as political adviser and speech writer to then DPM Ola Ullsten 1981 to 1982. Ullsten and his government coalition lost power to the social democrats in the general election September 1982.

Time to look for a new job again. That turned out to be a position as editorial writer at the opinion pages with Gothenburgs liberal daily Gteborgs-Posten or simply GP for the locals.

GPalsoletmetryonasreportertounderstand that side of newspaper work as well. That was quite an experience. GP was very well known and respected in Gothenburg. Just mention GP when you met people in the city and it was easytogetaconversationstarted,recalls Staffan Herrstrm.

He spent over three rewarding years in Gothenburg with GP where he also met his wife Karin, a teacher by profession. They got two daughters, 24 and 22 years now, currently studying at Stockholm University.

karinsupportsmealotinmyjobas ambassador. She organises the work in our Residence, facilitates functions, helps me to build networks and to put it simply to represent our country. It is invaluable,interjectsStaffanHerrstrm.

Party secretary for coordinationIt was politics again that lured Staffan and Karin away from Gothenburg to

IthinkIlearnedtolisten-andtocommunicate with all kinds of people. That is something I make use of every day now. I learned a lot about the crucial importance of freedom of speech and the right to information not only as a value in itself but also as a means to expose mismanagement in public service. I learned how to find good compromises and how important the capacity to find compromises is in a well functioning democracy.

I realized the key importance ofthewomensmovementasadriver for gender equality and was strongly inspired by male role models like Bengt westerberg, being vocal advocates for gender equality. These experiences helps me a lot now in the implementationofourGovernmentsfeministforeignpolicy.

Improving development aidAn opening that fit his interest in and studies in Eastern European affairs came 1995 with a position as Deputy Director General at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida, the state vehicle for Swedish foreign aid and with a special responsibility for the relatively newly established support to the new democracies in Central and EasternEuropeahugenumberofcountries in the Baltic Sea Region like Poland, in the Balkans like Bosnia and in the former Soviet Union like Ukraine.

After nine years there, he moved to the new Department for Policy and Methodology, where he i.a. was heavily involved in the rapidly growing international efforts to improve aid effectiveness (with Tanzania as one of the frontrunners at the time).

Three years down the road he applied for and was appointed to beSwedensnewAmbassadorto-Tanzania. After that he was appointed as ambassador to Vietnam but this lasted only one year, since was forced to close down the embassy. The Government decided to shut down the embassy in Hanoi (and four others including Kuala Lumpur) as part of a cost-cutting drive initiated in Parliament and operationalized in this way by the Government (a decision that was later retracted).

Staffan Herrstrms latest assignment before Thailand was a full term as Ambassador to Poland.

Sida work has sometimes been a career path for Swedish officials to diplomatic assignments.

Manycountrieshavetheirforeignaid departments integrated with their Ministry for Foreign Affairs. So it is

The new Swedish Ambassador together with the TSCC President Jan Eriksson at the September networking in Bangkok.

Stockholm. Bengt westerberg had been elected leader of the Liberal Party at the same time Staffan Herrstrm left political work for GP and Staffan was recruited back to the party again. This time as Head of Office for the Liberal Party Group in Parliament.

when a non-socialist four party coalition including the Liberal Party won Swedens general election in September 1991, with Moderate Party leader Carl Bildt as Prime Minister, came another career change.

Thiswasacoalitioncabinetsocoordination between the government parties was crucial. I became our partys state secretary for coordination, reporting to DPM Bengt westerberg. All four parties had a state secretary forcoordination,explainsStaffanHerrstrm.

Staffan Herrstrms term in government house came to an end in the September 1994 general elections. The Social Democratic Party won again.

At that time you had been in the political workshop for around 15 years in various roles. As advisor and in supporting, administrative and liasion functions of parliament and cabinet work with parties and people that did not always agreed with your partys line, presumably in order to achieve fruitful concrete results for the electorate as a whole. What lessons have these years given you to be used in diplomacy and human interaction, broadly speaking?

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not unusual for diplomats to have a careerroutethroughforeignaidwork,explains the Ambassador.

Sida celebrates its 50th anniversary 2015. Still it is not entirely uncommon in Swedish business circles to voice prejudice about foreign aid programs administeredbySida;itisawasteofmoney, they have no control how funds arespentandsoon.Andsometimes

diplomats that worked their way up the Sidaladderarecalledidealistswhodontunderstandorcareaboutordinarybusiness.

Ithinkweshouldallbeproudofwhat Sweden is achieving in this area. Development cooperation has the ultimate aim to put an end to world poverty, and it has a significant share intheprogressmadegloballyalso

in areas like reducing child mortality, combating HIV-aids and making sure that both girls and boys go to school. I saw that happening in Tanzania although sometimes too slowly, where our engagement was very instrumental not least in the education sector. we contribute to the fight against corruption in many countries through for example strengthening public audit institution and free media scrutinizing corrupt behavior. we are working increasingly close with the private sector both in broad initiatives like Swedish Leadership for Sustainable Development where Sida and over 20 companies like Ericsson join forces to promote sustainable development, very much in line with the new goals for 2030. And we have a very fruitful cooperation with H-M and the International Labour Organisation ILO to promote corporate sustainable sustainability in the textile sector.

Itcouldperhapsalsoberemembered that the famous Bai Bang pulp and paper mill in Vietnam finally became a successful company standing on its own legs. And it has affected the development and modernization of the entiresociety.

TSCC President Jan Eriksson and Ambassador Staffan Herrstrm as he introduced himself at the TSCC networking in Bangkok

SwEdENSNEwBANGkokAMBASSAdoRSTAFFANHERRSTRM

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Therehaveofcoursebeendevelopment projects supported by Sweden that did less good, also failed ones. But we have been constantly learning in the whole international development community where actors like world Bank are other important players and come a long way since Sida was founded. Our foreign aid work has a very good reputation in the world. Poverty is decreasing, and we are addressing this together in many broad partnerships,saysStaffanHerrstrm.

Fresh to Bangkok, Staffan Herrstrm is the head of a diplomatic mission that covers not only Thailand but Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines. And staff wise this is one of the largest in Swedens foreign service. How do you handle this and what main focus have you got on the individual countries?delegatework.Ihaveexcellentcolleagues around me that manage their own departments and staff efficiently. I can and shall not get too much involved in their daily tasks but be supportive, give guidance and provide them with a good working environment. That will give me room to build useful networks, promote Sweden, be visible outside the capitals, visit companies and in general dowhatanambassadorshalldo.

Myanmar has just completed its first free elections for a long time and the embassys focus there is very much concentrated to support the transition to democracy and improve transparancy, according to the Ambassador. In Laos we have a long history of extensive foreign aid programs in many areas, for example in roads and transportation. Trade promotion characterises much of Swedens work in the Philippines. Thailand, well here we are heavily engaged in most ways!

November saw two Swedish

There are no limits when it comes to the

contacts I and my EU colleagues can have

locally, since it is important to maintain

a dialogue with the countrys leadership including in order to communicate our views when it comes

to democracy and human rights.

high-level or ministerial visits. It is the same for the EU as a whole. However, there are no limits when it comes to the contacts I and my EU colleagues can have locally, since it is important to maintainadialoguewiththecountrysleadershipincludinginordertocommunicate our views when it comes to democracy and human rights. we also maintain contacts with civil society and otheractors.

Ihavealreadystartedwithmeetingthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Finance and willcontinueonthatnote.

Ambassadors take on democrazyThe Ambassador states that Sweden wishes to see a quick return to democracy in Thailand. That does not mean that we shall try to impose a sort of Sweden/EU one-size-fits-all cake pan democracy.

democracylooksdifferentindifferent countries. Sweden is e.g. different from Canada which is different from the Philippines. But the fundamentals stay the same like freedom of speech, rule of law, democraticelections,explainsStaffanHerrstrm.

Swedes in Thailand and the othercountriesundertheEmbassysresponsibility will see more of him over the years to come.

Butitistooearlyformetohaveopinions on what we should do in detail in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines,saystheAmbassador.

Iamhereforyou,wanttohearfrom you and interact with you. Meanwhile you can read my monthly letter in Swedish to you which is posted at the Embassys website. And you can follow both me and the Embassy on Facebook and Twitter. But no, I have no time for a blog like I wrote in Poland. Not yetatleast,smilesStaffanHerrstrm.

Lucia celebration together with famous Swedish history author Herman Lindqvist in Warsaw

Ambassador Staffan Herrstrm visiting Auschwitz

Innovation exhibition outside Swedish Embassy in Warsaw, summer 2015

trade delegations coming, managed by Business Sweden, one focused on Manufacturing to Thailand only, and one focusing on Rescue Services and Solutions to Thailand and the Philippines. The ambassador has joined TSCC meetings (including one with the board) and networkings. He is keen to reach out to Swedes, be they big corporations, SMEs, long stayers, retirees and all in between.

ThecurrentsituationinThailandfollowing the military take-over in 2014 affects the relations between our countries, including through restrictiveness when it comes to

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TSCCSNEwSTRATEGywoRk

SHAPING UP

TSCC FOR A BRIGHT FUTUREIn this issue of Thai Sweden Review the reporting on TSCC as such turns the attention to its comprehensive effort in rejuvenating itself ahead of 2016, to become more knowledge-based and in tune with the times. The chamber also looks ahead, as it makes strides towards improving, so that it can serve the needs of its corporate as well as individual members to satisfaction and even above expectations.

By Joakim Persson

TSCC Board meeting to kick-start new strategy work

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The Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce (TSCC) has recognised that it needs to modernise its operation and purpose. During 2015 its

Board could see that the model for the operations was not working well and consensus was that the moment was right, utilising the engaged and competent people in the Board, to get going with relevant improvements.

The Board of TSCC therefore embarked on an exciting journey that will most certainly have positive impact onthischambersroleandimportancefor its current as well as future members. The aim is to come up with a strategy, and resources allocation, that can strengthen this organisation for the long term.

Finding ways to make the operation sustainable was of utmost importance. And it was about seeing the need for improvements and opportunities that willcomewithit.Todaysrealityisverydifferent versus when the Chamber was formed over 25 years ago, impacting TSCCsreasonforbeingandurgingTSCC to adapt.

The Internet revolution and the rapid development of mobile networks and new services are heavily impacting how we communicate and conduct business.

The type of activities TSCC should be running in order to be relevant, and the knowhow and added value to businesses that the chamber gives canalsobeimproved,thechambersBoard has concluded. Therefore it must modernise and improve its membership packages and overall offering.

To be in tune with the times; to be of value to the companies of the future, the new entrepreneurs who are seeing the global market as their oyster; and to be meaningful and play a role with substance. Those are important things in focus for the chamber as it strives toplayakeyroleintodaysdominatingdigital economy.

Thecircumstancesforourchamberhave drastically changed in recent years and therefore we wanted to upgrade ourselves to be in the forefront, utilizing modernwaysofcommunication,states TSCC President Jan Eriksson, one of those who have been engaged in TSCC from the days of its inception.

The Chamber realised it needed to level up and become attuned to a very dynamic and fast-changing future and business landscape. It must have on-going monitoring of trends and business news and have built-in flexibility.

Bydoingthis,andbybuildingastronger foundation that is marketing

and media-oriented, we will have the readiness and tools to adapt and better meet the challenges and opportunities in the future, including serving incoming investors with any Swedish-Thai connectionenteringhere,commentsLars Svensson, Governor of the Board (and Oriflame Thailand representative).

Along with the new Executive Director Jiraya Chanchon Lars was appointed by the Board to oversee the work with a new strategy in this transition period and the hiring of new team members.

Strategy work engaging the whole BoardInAugustthisyearfollowingtheresignation of the Executive Director PeterBjorkTSCCgrabbedthemoment

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and decided to embark on this change. Certainly, many efforts could no longer be postponed, such as the need for more online communication and media efforts as well as ensuring the membership value.

Since then this work has gained momentum as they got going with identifying the priorities for the chamber. Three working groups were appointed to look into and give proposals to be synchronised into a strategy with a work plan, identified priorities and working plan with KPIs for the Chamber.

Theprocessisveryinclusive,where the member representatives in the Board have all been engaged, contributing with their various skills and know-how in researching and proposing the changes and actions for a proposal totheBoard,saysLarsSvensson.

The broader strokes of a new strategy was presented to the Board, and approved, on 23 September, including the proposal to recruit a new team for the Chamber office; It was necessary to build a new office team that have capability to perform the tasks required and with the right skills. It will consist in local, in-the-know Thai graduates. Also the role of Executive Director was offered to the current Project manager, Jiraya Chanchon who accepted.

Following on that decision the working groups that the Board agreed upon commenced their task to come up with the actual strategy plan. It should be said that this work is also being done with urgency in order to be able to present new packages of marketing and sponsorship and a calendar of events to

the members ahead of 2016.Simultaneously, Jiraya Chanchon

has been busy recruiting her team, to include on administrator, one project coordinator with membership responsibility, in addition to striving to always have at least one trainee at the Chamber office.

Building membership value and engagementGoing forward, reaching sustainability will be of highest priority, along with increased focus on providing membership value and thereby building a stronger TSCC community.

Sustainabilityisimportantwhileatthe same time giving something back to our members. They should see the valueinbeingmembers,commentsthe new ED who has worked at TSCC as Project Manager since 2013.

A SwOT analysis points to weaknesses, such as: not enough value/benefit to members, and lack of relevance in services and support.

It its evaluation to come up with improvements the working groups and steering committee are also taking into account the 2015 membership survey, which also contained interviews with selected members.

AsthemembersurveyshowsIthinkitsthemostimportantpointandthe weakness that we have do not have enoughvalueforourmembers,thinksJiraya.

Part of the challenge lies in identifying what needs individuals and entrepreneurs have today, and where TSCC could be a game-changer, whether they are Swedes in Thailand or Thais having a connection to or

aiming at Swedish/Scandinavian market entrance.

As for new start-ups their focus may for instance be to run a local SME or to grow on the regional market based on having a hub and presence in Thailand. Companies and entrepreneurs arriving and setting up a business here today are doing so on completely new terms than was the case earlier.

How can the chamber assist its members in solving issues that are crucial for their business operations? If being an SME, what can TSCC do for me? If I am a young professional Swede residing in Thailand what makes it worth it for me to become an individual member? These are among the questions being addressed.

Recognising that TSCC is not for everyone the organisation can certainly fulfil a valuable role in many instances, and situations. TSCC believes that value is driven by a coordinated calendar, memberbenefits,services,theboardswork and member engagement. The TSCC Brand and what it represents and the value it offers its members should be the reason to join, support and sponsor.

BeyondtheSwedishconnectionmembers should be able contribute in a meaningful way; also partaking in our efforts concerning for instance ease ofsettingupabusinessinThailand,highlights President Jan Eriksson. weshouldalsolookatcateringtoThais looking for assistance in entering Swedenasamarket.

NowwehaveveryfewThaimembers and currently one Thai in the board, which is negative in the sense what we need more Thais in the

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board and also as members to also get exchange with Thais to also get their perspectives,saysJiraya.

ThenewmarketsurveyfromBusiness Sweden also shows that those establishing a business here target the local market. we need more Thai members in order to get the cross-collaboration between Thai and Swedish companies,theEdbelieves.

wewillcomeupwithindividualisedpackages where the approach is to see what the Chamber can do for members rather than having a standard approach, as well as review our services. we will take into account companies diversity andcircumstances.

Game changers affecting the chamberInthestrategyworkthechambersworking groups have also looked at the so- called Mega Trends (large, transformative global forces that impact everyoneontheplanet,orgamechangers,suchasthedigitalfuture,a global marketplace etc.) to see what society and the business of the future incorporates. And these trends will be considered where applicable and relevantfortheChamberswork.

TSCC will recognise the requirements of the future and tap into future trends. So, to have representatives in the office team from the digital-savvy and energetic Millennials will be very beneficial to TSCC.

TSCC also believes it can get new members based on the mega trends.

Swedenisinforefrontofnewtechnologies, and we see an increased influx of Swedish SMEs establishing

themselvesinThailandandtheregion,believes Lars Svensson, who gave an overview of these trends to the Board.

A big change is how technology is driving disrupting all areas of enterprise, generating myriad new businesses, wherehigh-impactentrepreneurswhohave the capacity to seize the moment have a lot to gain.

Significant challenges also come with it, including new competition and changing consumer engagement. Any business model can easily, suddenly be thrown out of the window so today most entrepreneurs and companies must be ready and able to adapt.

disruptionissomethingwearenow seeing in every sector, taking place across all industries and in all geographies. Enormous opportunities exist for enterprises to take advantage of connected devices to capture vast amounts of information, enter new markets, transform existing products, and introduce new business and deliverymodels.

And innovation will increasingly take place in rapid-growth markets, with Asia surfacing as a major hub.

Talking of hub, the central location Thailand has in ASEAN and the upcoming AEC is yet another component of increasing importance.

Commenting on the new efforts and her role Jiraya Chanchon thinks it is exciting and challenging.

Icanseethatwiththestrategywe have decided to develop I am confident this will improve the Chamber as a whole. we will have much better communication and relationships with ourmemberandpartnerswherewearequiteweaktoday.

Jiraya, who has studied in Sweden, is very motivated to build the success for the chamber, as she has been with TSCC for a few years already and could see many things that needed improvement, but for which there was not enough time. She says that everyone in the Board is also much more involved and contributes with their specialist skills.

She sees as a big challenge for her to train the new employees and get them to understand how the Chamber is going to operate onwards.

Charlotta Schlyter, Deputy Head of Mission, representing the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok comments on the new strategy work within TSCC as something very positive.

Swedishcompaniescontinuetotrade with and invest in Thailand, and there is a strong emerging interest from Thai companies for Swedish business opportunities. In this context, the TSCC has an important role to play. The TSCC has launched a laudable change process, which, among other things, aims to broaden the membership base. The Embassy follows this work with great interest and looks forward to continuetoworkcloselywithTSCC.

Towards and into year 2016 every member of the chamber will get all the details and new offers, as well as gradually start noticing changes, including in the calendar of events. And with swecham.com and increased online presence TSCC will increasingly show up for Internet search results in a Sweden-Thailand information context.

TSCCs new Executive Director Jiraya Chanchon

TSCC at Thailand Property Awards 2015

www.swecham.com16

NEw SwEDISH MD AT VOLVO CARS THAILAND

In early 2016 the highly praised and most successful car model for Volvo Cars ever will arrive all the way from Sweden to highly anticipating Thai customers. This

all-new XC90 marks the beginning of thenextchapterinVolvoshistory.Suchbold words are used by the car brand itself when describing this model, which is the next generation of the first XC90 from 2002, and based on a completely new platform. with the launch of the XC90 back in August 2014 in Sweden a new era is also under way at Volvo Car Corporation, since its sale to Geely.

In Thailand, meanwhile, one key arrivalhasalreadytakenplaceasVolvoCars here prepares for the country launchofthisnewsuccesstherecently appointed Managing Director Anette Andersson, which also means that a Swede is back at the steering wheel!

Having arrived here straight from three years with Volvo in China, Anette is into her 28th year working for the Swedish flagship brand. Thus, the Volvo Cars team and the dealers here

could hardly get someone with more experience to take on the big challenge awaiting, which is to succeed with the new Volvo branding and the new premium SUV also on this market.

Happy to be back!TSR meets with Anette at the early stages of this new journey where she has just started to get warm in her clothes. And chauffeured around Bangkok she has also already had her fair share of experiencing how the traffic here can be.

It comes as no surprise to learn that she was for many years working in the Swedish unit in charge of sales to diplomats, military, and globetrotting business people; with her charm, good humour, and overall happy attitude she must have sold quite a few cars herself! Her charisma and smile is bound to go down very well also here in Thailand.

As for coming here from China the answer is that she is happy to be back! It turns out that she had a stint her ten years ago, which was meant to take only three months but lasted for a year.

Swede Steering Volvo ThailandBy Joakim Persson

Re-launched brand, new next-gen car model and new Swedish Managing Director at Volvo Cars Thailand.

17www.swecham.com


The Thai government had announced a free trade zone regulation.

wewereoneofthetwofactoriesat that time to actually implement this and with free trade zone status we could get 30 per cent duty down to 5 percent,resultinginhugecostbenefit.

Today Volvo enjoys zero per cent duty within ASEAN and has a car factory only in Malaysia for the region.

SinceIhadbeenhereforayearitwas a no-brainer to say yes when I was askedtotakeonthisposition,smilesAnette.IwasveryhappytoreturntotheLandofSmiles.Itisachallengeof course because unfortunately our volumes are not increasing at this point. we have a number of things we need to handle. But with the new cars coming in weareveryexcited.

Anette and her team can be very encouraged by the recent success elsewhere for Volvo, where China was thebrandslargestmarketbothin2013and 2014.

Also,SwedenandtheU.Sareincreasing their numbers this year, which is very positive for us. we are also growing in a number of the western European markets. So we believe this will again be a record year, which2014alsowasforVolvo.

New factories in ChinaAnette has also worked with network developmentandwithVolvos

production planning process. In China she spent her time trying to liaise between the industrial and commercial systems. Volvo/Geely have built three new factories there; one engine factory and two car factories.

Thiswasthefirsttimeinfiftyyearsthat we built new factories and we are very proud of them because they are top standard. Those who built them were not asked to do the commercial interlinking so my task was to ensure thatimplementation.

It was back in March 2010 that Ford announced the sale of Volvo Cars to the Chinese Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. This Chinese takeover has so far proved to be a very good one for the Swedes, with the iconic car brand being allowed to continue as an independent business operating from Sweden, developing premium, high quality, and versatile family cars for a global market.

At the announcement Volvo described it as a good solution for securing an even brighter future for Volvo.

withtheGeelyownerswehavebeen treated better than under the Ford ownership, because they have invested a lot on products and have been very generous to give us the possibility to build these fantastic cars. Our business isentirelyabouttheproducts,thinksAnette, while also thanking Ford for still

being around here today.GeelyhaspreservedVolvos

production facilities, supplier base, and all sales functions including the worldwide dealer network.

Volvo has its second headquarters in Shanghai, as a replica of the main one in Gothenburg, including R&D, design, purchasing, etc. After a reorganisation AnettesbossfortheAPACregionisbased there.

Premium SwedishAs for Thailand, Anette says that Volvo has a very good relationship with the country.

Thefactorystarted40yearsagoandwearrivedhereinearly1960s.Itsbeen a long, strong relation and I think our management is very determined not to give up Thailand in any shape or form.

Her team is also certain that the awareness about Volvo and what it stands for is still strong, and customers know it as a premium Swedish brand.

wehavetriedtobuildonthisScandinavianheritage,andmentionsan activity where they invited the local media to a Scandinavian restaurant setting.AtVolvowetakeprideintheScandinavian design and we should do that here as well; especially when the Swedes have this long-lasting love affair withThailand.

However there is a lot to be done for

www.swecham.com18

Anette and her team of 34 to boost the operations and bring back Volvo into the limelight.

wehavelostoutinrecentyearsandIthinkitsbeentheresultofunder-spending in marketing so I have applied for and put up a business case where we will have a far stronger investment in the market, starting from 2016, and I think we will get it. And believe we have foundasmartwaytodothings,saysthe MD.

whatIveseenduringmytimehere so far is that social media travels extremely quick and is very impactful, maybe more so than in other markets. I thinkitsessentialthatwelearntoreactquicker if we have issues and we need to try to do a big thing with the new car, tolaunchit.

The XC90 and brand transformationThe new XC90 is also impactful and the importance of this first car model using the new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) technology and Drive-E powertrain family cannot be underestimated. Volvo is with this model enhancing its position in the premium sector. It is branded as the most luxurious vehicle ever built by the Swedish company in its 88-year history. The new XC90 is also the first ofitscarstocarrythecompanysnewmore prominent iron mark.

Anette expects it to be a game-changer for Volvo in Thailand as well.

Absolutely,andwellrolloutanumber of cars based on this platform and have already talked about that

within a five-year period the new XC90 will be the oldest car in the showroom.

No doubt, luxury is significant in the continuing brand transformation journey that Volvo Cars is undertaking,

Theworldsmostestablishedluxury brands are facing the toughest challengesintheirhistoryasconsumersexpectations and perception of what constitutes luxury evolves more rapidly than ever, according to preliminary findingsfromVolvosnewreport.

wewanttobepremium,commentsAnette.Andwewillbringcars to the market on a smaller platform as well. But the core thing that Volvo will never ever give up is safety and today this involves so much technology that costs a lot of money to develop.

And this leads us to one of the manystrikingfeaturesaboutthenewVolvo:CitySafety.ThisbecomestheumbrellanameforallofVolvoCarsauto brake functions, It now covers vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in front of the car, day and night. The technology enables automatic braking if the driver turns in front of an oncoming car. This is a common scenario at busy city crossings as well as on highways, where the speed limits are higher.

The new Adaptive Cruise Control gives automatic support to the driver when in queues, with semi-autonomous driving that automatically follows the vehicle ahead in stop-and-go traffic.

when you sit in traffic jams such as these here in Bangkok you get distracted after a while, as you start looking at your phone. And then

something happens. So the car will help you and I think it maybe works even better here because of the dense traffic.

Another function alerts if you are not driving on your tip toes. The car will then suggest that you take a break. Coffee time!

The new Sensus Connect system is alsodefiningasitclaimstocompletelyreinvent the way drivers operate their cars,featuringsmooth,intuitiveinteraction between a large tablet-like touch screen, controls on the steering wheel and a capable voice-control system.

Via cloud-based applications customers in Thailand will be able to listen to internet radio, find parking, navigate as well as use Apple and Android devices in the touch screen display.

The final mentioning goes to the powertrains, with only four-cylinder Volvo engines from now on, but extremelystrongones,andthatdrinks less petrol, according to Anette. She says that there were initially many doubters but they have all kept quiet once the XC90 came out.

The hybrid model has a twin engine, which combines a supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor. At the push of a button the driver can switch to quiet and emission-free city driving on pure electric power where the range will be more than 40 kilometres.

ItdoesnotsoundlikemuchbutIbelieve 98 per cent of all trips that take placearelessthan20kilometres.

Charging stations will keep on increasing as more and more hybrids come on to the market.

InThailandwewillmakesurethatthe dealers are equipped with those. If the customers want it at home we can facilitateforthattoo.

Very comprehensive preparations are under way for the arrival of this all-new XC90 with all its new technology in early 2016 and the planning for branding and marketing are in full swing.

Thelaunchisgoingtobesomethingdifferentthanwhatyounormallysee,promises Anette.

The words from the President and CEO of Volvo Car Group, Hkan Samuelsson, upon the world premiere ofXC90,speakvolumes:wearenotjust launching a car, but re-launching our brand. The XC90 paves the way for a portfolio of exciting new cars to come in thefollowingyears.

NEw SwEDISH MD AT VOLVO CARS THAILAND

www.swecham.com20

Some Scandinavian companies in Thailand are rarely seen and known to the public though they may have been around for a relatively long

time.whenInvestinginThailandseminars were held in Sweden in September 2015 Krusell Group was brought forward among the case studies presented in terms of sharing experiences from setting up business and operating here. Krusell Thailand was set up back in 2001 and has today nearly 700 people under employment, mostly at their manufacturing in Ayuthaya.

And their business? Since Krusell is also a brand, many consumers,

especially in Sweden and certain European counties, will know it in terms of accessories for smart phones. Krusell develops, manufactures and sells cases for smartphones, tablets, laptop and audio products. And for those who are not from Scandinavia and thus do not recognize this name as being Swedish, there is a discreetly sized Swedish flag printed on the packaging for their products.

Krusell also owns the brand walk on water, which was purchased a few years ago. This brand targets younger and trendy consumers aged between 20 to 30 years old and is based on water repellent materials.

Making SMART PHONE COVERS SINCE DAY ONEPortable computer and smart phone accessories provider Krusell has been 15 years in Thailand.

Text and photos: Joakim Persson

MEMBER CASE STORY: KRUSELL THAILAND

21www.swecham.com


Meanwhile, production output effectiveness and needs have grown a lot.

Backearlierittookonepersonan hour to produce one bag, while today it takes about 10 - 15 minutes to accomplishthesame.Thatshowmuchithaschanged.

Consequently, with 100 workers and 8 hours working day Krusell has an outputofbetween2030000casesper day, compared to only 1000 when they first started.

Aparticularotherchangeisthatourclients want slimmed products; there is a demand for production, for lower prices, due to competition. And today onewantsthingsproduceddifferently.

wevehadtoinvestinexpensivemachines while at the same time investing more in skilled engineering. And raw materials, such as glue, must work for the products. Ten years ago those kinds of glue did not exist. And there are environmental certificates wherewevehadtofollowsuite,usingfor instance water-based glues, and then needing other technologies, so things have developed. One can think that even something like a case for a smart phone is not so difficult to produce, but there is still a demand to develop the manufacturing methods, suchaswithingarments,Marcussums up.

AndwehaveSA8000SocialAccountabilitycertification;meaningwe must follow the laws for the country inwhichweareproducing,headds.Thisrelatesstronglytothestaffandis a quality stamp for that we have a correct business conduct. Only about ten companies in Thailand have it.

ItsimportantforustofollowCSR principles, exactly. we want to grow in the country and want to keep

a good profile, especially since some of our clients are some of the larger corporations.

Clients such as Sony and Fuji Film demand that and often have their own certification, where they do an audit of krusellsproductionplant.

ourlargestmarketissmartphones, and we work closely with the largest, dominating brands - where we have the so called Partner Programmes with for example Expedia, Lumia, LG and HTC. Our distributors sell our products. From the smart phone brands we get data info on sizes and dimensions early so our products are readywhenthemodelsarelaunched.

Andwithallthebrandsconstantstream of new models the need to design and develop new cases is constantly there. One can look at the product development from three levels, says Marcus.

youlookatthenewmodelscomingout, and for these we must all the time design new products because there is always something that differs; camera lens and head phone connection, usually differ from the previous model. Thatsonepart.Anothersideofthedevelopment is if we make some design change in our series, for example launching a new type of wallet bag for a phone. This must then work for all models popular today and onwards and we run this work in parallel between SwedenandThailand.

Third,islookingatnewtechnologies and materials. And one must keep a watch on this constantly as things change within the industry. Sometimes we have ordered developing something based on an idea or per request, or you get an idea from other products; cars being a perfect example where you see what things look inside

Also, subcontracting to other brands such as Sony, Garmin, Koenigsegg and Fuji Film is part of the business. Krusell group has established itself as one of the leading companies in its niche, and has been around long enough to have seen quite a journey in terms of the mobiledevelopmentfromtheveryfirst large and heavy mobile phones to the trend of transforming into miniature devices, and now having come full circle, back to larger and larger devices again. Imagine then the adaptation, innovation and constant adjustments Krusell have had to cope with throughout the years! The phone models from those early days of when the company was started are displayed at their offices in Bangkok, where Marcus Krusell tells the story of the venture so far, and what is around the corner.

Rewind to the early days of mobileGoing back, first, to the early days when Marcus and his brother started the company, they imported to Sweden from Thailand and Asia and sold directly to retailers.

Backthenitwasrealbags;nobodywanted anything else. At the same time those cost around 500 SEK or even more! After that we established in Thailand for real as I moved here and startedup.

Ihadbeenherebeforethat,goingback and forth to source products. I was in charge of dealing with our suppliers. And we had some plastic production in Shanghai.

Today they are three owners, with the third, Uffe Sandberg, having entered after ten years in business, taking care of the sales in the European operations. Marcusbrotherdavidkrusellisincharge of the finances for the company.

Istartedupoverhereandtookcare of the manufacturing and sourcing etc.wecomplementeachotherwell,thinks Marcus.

Production advancements and demandsThe progress around production techniques and materials has come a long way since back then.

Sewingmachineisusedentirelydifferent today. But we still need labour to do the assembly all the time. Before, one used many sewing machines, while today a lot comes out of the fabrication of leather or PU (Polyurethane) bags. This is done using water-based glue, with pressuring and heating, as well as using ultrasonic. For selection, there are morequalitychoices,coloursandsoon.

www.swecham.com22

with dashboards. And the watch industry, or within the mobile industry, where we try to find some part we can contribute.

Product development takes place in Sweden, and at the Bangkok office as well as in the factory and involves many people.

Manyofoursalesareoureyesandears to the market but of course we are getting inspiration from all walks of life and try to turn that into products. And of course a lot just ends as ideas on the drawingboard.

A crucial part is that in most cases there is the need for accessories to protect the display; rarely do you see a phone today with no protection. Usually there is some screen protector or case. Krussel also offers combo solutions, with different variants for storing credit cards and name cards for instance. Then, some want real leather while

some are O.K with PU. Some want to be able to tilt the tablet and watch video.

As regards to market positioning, as expected by a Swedish company, affordable quality is in focus.

ofcoursewehavebothaffordableand expensive products, but we are not selling the cheapest, referring to low quality or going up to the very high-end since it is too demanding in terms of production.

Asia expansion: Thailand could be the largest marketCurrently Krusell is trying to enter the market everywhere in Thailand.

ourgoalistoberepresentedinall major retail chain stores that sell technique and mobile, and also with mobile operators, where we already work with the operators AIS and DTAC. If you go to MBK and Panthip Plaza andFortuneTownITMallyoullfind

our products, we are at Jay-Mart and in some Power Buy stores. we are availableate-shopsolutionsaswell.

And what comes next for Krusell in the Asia Pacific is to grow, says Marcus.

westillhavealottodo.wehavetrained two persons here to be part of developing the Thai market, which I think could grow into one of our largest markets in Asia if we do things right! we are locally based here so it would be surprising if it would not happen, looking at the large population, comparing with in the Nordic countries where we have altogether just below 20 million people. So we have all the opportunities to becomebighere.Thereasonwehaventgrown earlier is that we did not stake on it previously; we simply had too much to dowithourproduction.

whenitcomestostakingonAsiaas a whole, we are investing in our sales team, so we will recruit more during the year. But then you have many other functions needed to support this as well. So we will employ quite a lot of clerks. And then the production must also increase so I am not sure where we will landattheendoftheyear!

wedidnottakeafinaldecisionwhether or not to open up any regional office here in Asia for the sales division. welltrytomanagemostthingsfromhereinThailandanyhowbutwellneed to expand in order to deal with all markets.weareonthemove!

Nevertheless, their expected expansion in Asia is important.

Itmeansalot;itshappeningfasthere, and the interest in products and to pay for quality is there. There are lots of consumers. And trade is getting easier, thankstothefreetradeagreementsallthings combined lift the markets over here.

Finally a few words about how Marcus views having the production in Thailand.

wealwayslookatwhatishappingaroundusandcompare.weveneverhad a situation where we were saying: Shouldwerelocate?youcansaythatthis is very sector-based: within our area Thailand is very good; you have a very good infrastructure around leather and handicraft for what we produce. And geographically it is well positioned and with good trade agreements we can benefit from. we have not seen much negative, and the country as such we have not had any larger issues really. It is easy to communicate with people here. And infrastructure - everything from roads, communication, and shipping - and quality of life as an expat here is good.

MEMBER CASE STORY: KRUSELL THAILAND

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Office:+66 (0)21179553 | Fax:+66 (0)26623415 | Pecunia Asset Management Ltd., 571 RSU Tower, 9th Floor, Unit 903, Sukhumvit Soi 31, Sukhumvit Road, Klongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand | pecunia-am.com

www.swecham.com24

SEB PRIVATE BANKING, SINGAPORE ADVICE

Everyone should pay close attention to a new standardized, global system for exchange of financial information that is being

implemented across the globe, says Fredrik Lager.

So far, nearly 100 countries have committed to the new Common Reporting Standard for automatic exchange of financial information and the Nordic countries are among the early adopters of the system.

If you think this sounds boring, Fredrik Lager can wake you up.

Itsmassive!Itisaworld-spanning,fully automated reporting system backed by the OECD and expected to be implemented by the early adaptors by September 2017. This means that 2016 information will be exchanged in 2017. As far as Asia is concerned, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Dubai, to name a few, propose to exchange 2017 information in September2018.

The Early Adopters Group, including the Nordic countries, makes no secret of the purpose.

Taxevasionisaglobalproblemandrequiresaglobalsolution,thegroupstated as they adopted the regulation.

TheCommonReportingStandardwill provide a steep change in our ability to clamp down on tax evasion, which reduces public revenues and increases the burdenonthosewhopaytheirtaxes.

Fredrik Lager gives little hope there will be countries left where the system will not be adopted.

Allreputablecountrieswilleventually join this, because no one wants to be outside and be seen as the black sheep which harbours tax evaders,hepredicts.

He gives an example that shows how the system will work:

youareusuallytaxliableinthecountry where you live. So, if you live in, say, Spain, with an account in Singapore, any gains or income on that account should be declared in Spain. Under current legislation Singapore andmanyothercountriesdontsendout private financial information automatically. Over the years lots of people have taken advantage of this by not declaring their overseas assets and income in the countries where they are tax liable. The Common Reporting Standard will put an end to this possibility.

For banks, they will need to determine where they believe the account holder is actually a tax resident, including the the ultimate beneficial owners of private holidng companies.

So, what types of information will be automatically reported by banks under the Common Reporting Standard? The following financial information will be reported:

The account balance; Interest, dividends, and sales

proceeds from financial assets; and The applicable currency.weareachievingsomething

rather fantastic, because the Common Reporting Standard should mean an end to tax avoidance. People can no longer rely on banking secrecy as a shield against the tax authorities. I think it creates a level playing field within the industryandthatssupergood!

Itsveryimportantforusasabankto ensure that all of our clients are compliant.

Ithinkitsatrendthatcomplianceand transparency is now the order of the day. So if it is the case that you haventdeclaredmoneywhichyouhaveabroad, well now is a good time to do that through a self-correction scheme whereby you voluntarily disclose any undeclared capital income to your tax authority.

Mostcountriesgenerallyappreciateselfcorrectionsanddontpenalise you for submitting one. But if thetaxauthoritycatchesyoufirst,thatswhen you get all the penalties which in many countries could include criminal prosecution for tax evasion. Now is as good a time as any to declare all your capitalincomebecauseinafewyearstime all the information about these assets will flow straight back to the tax authorities where you live, whether you likeitornot.

The endof taxevasion aswe know itIf you havent declared money that you have abroad, well now is a good time to do that, warns Fredrik Lager, General Manager of SEB Private Banking, Singapore.

By Joakim Persson

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www.swecham.com26

NEw MEMBER ALTOYOU

The new TSCC member Altoyou, based in Bangkok, Thailand is spearheading a new type of smart online marketing, which could indeed

be useful for the chamber itself and also some of its member companies.

Theirmerketplacesenablevariouswebsites, social websites etc. used by companies, organisations, bloggers and media to connect better with targets. And those targets are presented with relevant services and products on the market.Andconnectingbettercan mean a variety of things; such as enabling member companies in a chamber of commerce dynamic marketing of their news, promotions etc. Also, it opens up doors for others who want to reach a certain owned

target group, such as these members. Relevant services could be anything under the sun really; the shop around the corner, the home delivery service, the car rental firm, the yoga studio, the hotel restaurant, or the accounting service to name some. Or just general branding towards the targets.

This online marketplace could be presented, for instance, on the website of the Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce, targeting its members and website visitors with relevant branding (invitations and news etc.), product info, and promotions etc. And the owner of any particular marketplace actually has control on which marketing they allow to run. Furthermore, the owner, such as TSCC, could also their marketplace as an add-on to offer enhanced exposure

for their corporate members online. Meanwhile the benefit is also that it actually reduces publishing work, while giving more value for marketing packages to members.

And what are the things making this particular tool stand out? For one thing, gone is the static, limited attraction of yesterdayswebbanners.Theadvertiserlogs in to their account, using an easy-to-use platform to upload, as well as update the market campaign, and then choose marketplaces. Tweek, update, and renew the campaign and information at any time. As a starting point, most websites will not have this kind of marketplace available today. In fact, many marketplaces do not even exist yet in the online world. Enormous opportunities aretheretosetuponesown!

PROVIDER OF ONLINEmarketplacesBy Joakim Persson

Alexander Parry and Thomas Brannelid, Managing Directors and

Co-founders of Altoyou

27www.swecham.com


marketing he also became somewhat of a pioneer in 2005, after launching a company called 2bookaroom.com. The concept was ahead of its time, as evidenced by the success of Airbnb, a popular and almost identical company which, launched three years later, has grown into an immense success. Alexander lives in the Sathorn area of Bangkok with his wife and daughter.

Cross-pollination sets inHere follows more on their take on this new cloud-based marketplace innovation.

Altoyou is a local company in Thailand but their concept has a global reach and can eventually spread worldwide. It is a concept with great potential for sure.

wearebuildingsomethingforeveryone which means that you can see a part of us anywhere in the world. Andtheworldisourmarketplace,saysThomas.

wehavecometothatconclusionthatweareamodularplatform.

Andthedescriptionpowerfulcross-marketingtooldescribeswhattheydo.

In essence, Altoyou can mass-produce landing-pages and marketplaces. Anyone who wants to create a marketplace can sign up with ease and assemble the merchants of choice.

Once that marketplace is online and reaches an audience, big or small, cross-marketing/promotion can come into play as a form of marketing promotion where customers of one product or service are targeted with promotion of a related product.

In comparison, marketplaces and web-shops are everywhere but these

We are building something for

everyone which means that you

can see a part of us anywhere in the

world. And the world is our marketplace.

are stand- alone and tend to represent just one cooperation; a single website.

And gradually, as more and more companies, products and services join, based on more and more marketplaces being set up and targeting those, the snowball will start rolling and what could be called cross-pollination will set in.

Itsforanyone!wehaveeveryoption, from a free banner where you can promote yourself like a person, toashoporamarketplace,explainsThomas.wewanttoreachdowntothe level of an individual with this cross-marketingtool.

Andinoneparticulararea,you might have a babysitter or a housecleaner and they want to earn money. They can promote themselves to the condo market places [example] and offer their services. That transaction will be directly between the tenant and theserviceprovider,addsAlexander.

Simplicityisthemotto!Anditsawin-winconcept,addsThomas.

Alexander:ourplatformiswhatdoesallthemagicconnectingbusinesses with people who are connectedsomehow.

Importantly,thisisapartwhichisaworldwidepeer-to-peermovement,says Thomas and mentions Uber and Airbnb as such examples.

It does not take long listening to and brainstorming with Alexander and Thomas before one gets an idea for us. whensharingitThomaschimesin:youvisualise by words what we actually are and what we want to do, as you suddenly you get an idea when we are talking about this tool. This is what we are! You come up with an idea and we provideyouwiththetools!

And yes, Merketplace allows e-commerce, where any payment gateway from merchants can be connected to campaigns. In Thailand Paypal is usually the only solution. Altoyou are however 1000 per cent convinced that automatic online paymentsviaonessmartphonewouldbecome the norm within not so distant future.

Going forward, being a start-up they want build their business to a certain level before they accept any further investors such as VC firms.

wethinkitsveryimportanttobuildour business to a certain level before weacceptventurecapital.wedliketoensure that our business is going in the direction and prove to the world what we can do. Here in Asia, the market that we are in will make it quite easy to reach certaintraction,believesAlexander.

E as in e-commerceThe list gets endless, when one starts brainstorming. wherever there is a groupofpeoplebeittenantsinacertain condominium building, members of any particular association, or golf clubmembersthesearetargets,andreceivers of certain information and marketing. And whoever has a service or wherever there is a business, there will be something that needs promotion and exposure.

The solution for this from Altoyou, merketplace.com, is ready to connect with, and press the start button!

Theeinthename,isthealternativeto the already taken domain name marketplace.Itsignalse-commerce,and also makes people remembering the name, Altoyou, points out.

Two SwedesListening to the concept presentation and ideas for use by the Altoyou team leads to an understanding that describes how it can be used per the above introduction.

Two experienced Swedes, who are also long-term residents in Thailand, managethisdigitalbusinessstart-up.They are:

MD and Altoyou Co. Ltd. co-founder Thomas Brannelid, who moved to Thailand ten years ago. Most recently Brannelid managed European Tile&Bath, which he left to found Swimpex Co. Ltd, the largest importer of Swedish food products in Thailand. His IT background is rich, and his knowledge of E-commerce, M-commerce and mobiletechnologyisextensive.Thomasinterest in technology started in Sweden at very young age where he would followhiscousinstenMkitalo(Thefather of the mobile phone) while he worked with Telia and Ericsson, and helped to build the basis of all mobile technology that we use today. His cousinstenhasbeenaninspirationforover 20 years, and Thomas is seeing this inspiration being realized in his ideas, together with Altoyou. Thomas lives in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok with his wife.

Alexander Parry is the other MD and Co-Founder, who has up to recently worked in the hotel business for 18 years. He was formerly the General Manager of the Novotel Hua Hin, before moving on as the General Manager of the upscale Novotel Platinum in Pratunam. After leaving his native country of Sweden he went to work in the U.S with various prestigious hotels. with a sales background and extensive knowledge in the field of digital

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SCANDINAVIAN VILLAGE ADVERTORIAL

Birgitte and Bjarne Tvilde have lived in several countries in different parts of the world. when they planned for their lives after retirement, they

looked for the perfect living in Asia. A place where most of their substantial wish list would be fulfilled. They found the best fit in the small university town Bangsaen on the coast just south of Bangkok. At Scandinavian Village.

Planningforyourthirdphaseoflifeisquiteadelicatetask,Bjarnesays. Now you want comfortable and enjoyable days, as well as lots of physical training and opportunities to see and do what you did not have time for while working. - And it also is important to be surrounded by nice people to mingle with whenever you feel like it, Birgitte adds.

Both Birgitte and Bjarne are keen golfers. To live within 30 minutes from some 10 excellent golf courses, all with most acceptable green fees, surpasses even their original wish list. And it gives them the opportunity of a couple of nice rounds every week. But golf is only part of their regular physical activities. At Scandinavian Village there are numerous

possibilities for physical activities, both individually and in groups. The beautiful pool is probably the largest in Thailand (130 m) and the Fitness Center offers a wide variety of classes and lots of training inspiration.

Bjarne is also a keen biker, who once or twice every year goes with some of his neighbours for a week long tour covering some 600-700 km somewhere in Thailand. Just for the fun of it!

Birgitte enjoys the full range of social and cultural activities that are offered at Scandinavian Village, as well as the ambitious restaurant on the grounds, that does not only offer a wide range of Thai, international, Scandinavian and special dishes, but also newly baked bread in time for breakfast.

Usually Birgitte and Bjarne have their home at Scandinavian Village as their main base during the Scandinavian winter season, but most of the summer season they spend at their home in Denmark. By this mixture of winters in their Thai paradise, summers in beautiful Denmark and occasional trips to other parts of the world, they feel they have managed to achieve the perfect balance intheirthirdphaseoflife.

Paradise for Scandinavians

50+

Lots of activities, nice people and excellent service. This is our wintertime heaven!

Like Eve in Paradise, Birgitte shares an apple with Bjarne in their paradise.

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Facts Scandinavian VillageMembers: Prerequisite for becoming a member: Age 50 plus and speak a Scandinavian language. Ownership: Shares in the company that owns the village including the land and service facilities. Exclusive right to one of the 96 flats. Facilities: Own restaurant on the property, probably the largest pool in Thailand (130 m), well equipped Fitnes Center, 2 tennis courts, 2 boule courts, massage parlour, nurse and physiotherapist on sight, library, laundry, travel agency, own mini buses, own staff of 40+ for services and maintenance. Activities: Event program with daily events October to April. Transports: Regular tour service around the town, airport and golf course transports. Sightseeing and shopping tours.More info: www.scandinavianvillage.net where a contact form also is to be found.

Facts Bangsaen, ThailandLocation: One hour south of Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport on the west coast of eastern Thailand 40 minutes north of Pattaya.Town: Approximatly 50.000 inhabitants plus 40.000 students at the Burapa University. Closest beach to Bangkok.Atmosphere: Midweek: Small, restful town. weekends: Fairly quiet although many visitors from Bangkok. Few foreigners.Food: Many restaurants. Much seafood. Low prices and good value for money.Beach: Three km of clean, brown sandy beach and okey water. Price level: Cheaper than general Thai tourist spots. Golf: Some 10 golf courses within 30 min drive and another 10 within 1 hr drive. Generally low green fees and very good value for money.Other activities: All basic functions. No fancy shopping in town. Limited public tourist activities.

A life full of activities and lots of golf, is important to Maria and Anders. - we work long days and find golf the perfect way to relax, exercise and

mingle, Anders (54) says. This is one of our reasons for having a home at Scandinavian Village. But from a purely economical point of view, we also view it as a sound investment and a part of our life insurance. - Yes, Maria (55) says, but it is also a life insurance by means of giving us a better life at present, as well as when we will retire in some ten years.

Maria and Anders live in a Stockholm suburb and travel to their second home in Scandinavian Village several times a year. Mostly they fly out directly after work and are greeted early the next morning by staff at Scandinavian Village, who have looked after their home and

Maria and Anders at their golf club in Sweden

Dream fulfilmentand life insurance

flowers while they have been away. Sometimes they go straight to one of the ten golf courses in less than 30 minutes from their Thai paradise.

The golf courses around Scandinavian Village are of such different character, that they offer a great variety to the game. And with our special green fee rates, its no big deal to play as much as time allows, Anders says.

Although we are golf fanatics, Maria says, we find it great with all the other activities, which offer us truly active days. And most importantly - the wonderful atmosphere and the great society of members at Scandinavian Village. Its always great to come here and see all the lovelypeople,whoinspiteofushaving been away for quit some timeseemlikeclosefriendsthatwe saw just a few days ago!

Bangsaen is also a nice, genuine Thai town on the sea side, with a university and very few foreigners. we especially appreciate all the sea food restaurants, most of them offering extremely good value for money. And as we are just an hour away from both Bangkok and the airport, there are all the possibilities to pop away for activities elsewhere. All this represents to us dream fulfilment and life insurance, Anders claims.

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NORDEA PRIVATE BANKING

Nordea Private Banking:

Engaging TSCC Members and entrepreneurs By Joakim Persson

Our ambition is to create an entrepreneurial community of Scandinavians based in Asia

that can benefit from existing networking and business opportunities.

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Growing business opportunities and economic conditions in Southeast Asia are attracting an increasing number of

foreign companies, entrepreneurs and retirees to countries in the region, including Thailand. In addition, larger business trends are changing the customer make-up for many companies, aswellasthewaytheyhirestaffinstead of sending expats to the region, they are hiring foreigners locally on a more regular basis.

Kim Osborg Nielsen, General Manager and Duro Schlafer, Strategic Adviser at Nordea Private Banking in Singapore share their insight into the changing landscape of business in the regions and services the private bank provides to Nordic clients based in Thailand.

Nordea Private Banking in Singapore is a long-lasting, committed Premium Member of the Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce (TSCC).

we kick off the interview by talking about the larger trends having an impact on businesses in the region today. Kim Osborg Nielsen points out that the investors who predicted these in the rightwaywillhavehadanexcellentperformanceoftheirinvestments.

Someofthemegatrendswehaveseenandcontinuetoseesuchas

urbanisationhavebeenbeneficialfora number of businesses. For example, growing life expectancy and general improvement of live conditions in the region are both factors that have been beneficial for the pharma industry. Another mega trend we have seen is related to the environment, with rapidly increasing demand for access to pure drinking water. when we put together the portfolio for our clients we have to keep all of these developing trends in mind,hesays.

westudydemographicsaswell,and we have chosen to focus on markets where we know we can create value to Nordic investors. For example, we know that each market in Asia has its own peculiarities and complexities. Thatswhywehavefocusedonafewcountries, one being Thailand, and have built competence and knowledge of the local rules and regulations, which can impacttheinvestmentsofourclients,adds Kim.

weareheretoservefirstandforemost Nordic nationals who live and work in Asia. we see an increasing number of Scandinavians setting up their lives or businesses in the region. The Nordic expatriates in Asia are also staying longer than they used to. To serve them in the best way possible, we need to be present in the region. we take a holistic approach to

each of our clients that consider the plans for the business as well as the clientspersonalandfamilyprojects,comments Duro Schlafer.

Headds:NordeaPrivateBankingprovides wealth management to clients with a solid economic platform. The starting point in our advice is the wealth Planning aspect. Moving from one country to another country may kick-off an exciting chapter in life, but it may also be a daunting experience due to complex rules and regulations. we know that wealth planning needs to take into accountourclientssituationinSweden,as well as Thailand in order to maximise the opportunities available. we help our clients with many of the concerns associated with living in a new cultural environment, as well as with making the most of their assets before, during and afteramovetoanewmarket.

wewanttofollowourclientson their journey from Sweden to Thailand, and back. To do that successfullyitsimportantthatweunderstand their whole business case and operations in order to provide therightbankingservices,explainskim.duringaninitialconsultationwefamiliariseourselveswithclientsfinancial circumstances and family situation. This forms the basis of the recommendations we make, which later on form the cornerstone of the wealth

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MEETSwECHAMSNEwCoRPoRATESPoNSoRS

management plan that we implement jointly with them. During the process, we support our clients every step of the way to make the transition from one markettoanotherapainlessone.

duroadds:whenrelocatingfromSweden to Thailand, tax implications are an important element to consider. Family and inheritance laws are different. Private banks are often mistaken for only giving advice on investments, but we want to be our clientstrustedadvisorsonwealthplanning in an international setting, as well as on matters regarding Swedish and international taxation. Here at Nordea we have a team of wealth planners, who together with their network of external specialists, can assessclientsindividualsituation,andcreate a plan to manage their assets in a way that meets their present and anticipated future needs. Our philosophy of combining internal expertise with thatofbestinclassexternalpartnersensures that our clients get the best of both worlds. For our relocation service, we have chosen our partners extremely carefully, not only in terms of the quality of service they provide but also in terms of the affinity which they have with the languageandcultureofourclients.

Part of Nordea Private Banking differentiation is that the company truly adheres to Nordic values, such as integrity, and basically striving to deliver competent advice.

weliketothinkofourselvesastherelationshipbankwearethere

for clients in the long-term and our aim is to ensure they can continue to preserve and/or accumulate their capital, regardless of their life or business situation,kimhighlights.

kimadds:wedobusinessalloverAsia and we have clients who tell us: Ifyoucomeacrossagoodbusinesscase I would like to get in touch with thatperson.Soyouhaveaninvestoron one side and you have those seeking funding on the other side. If we can help connect entrepreneurs with start-up investors we do that, and if this leads to success, then we know we have established a strong relationship and a client who will be willing to always comebacktoNordea.

wewouldverymuchliketoreachout to more Swedish entrepreneurs based in Asia who are successful in what they are doing and are looking for afinancialpartner,saysduro.

ourambitionistocreateanentrepreneurial community of Scandinavians based in Asia that can benefit from existing networking and business opportunities. we are looking into how to establish this, but one way could be to hold a number of small roundtables focused on sector-specific topics.

Arranging events that offer insights and perspective is definitely something that Nordea Private Banking believes in.

wewantclientsorpotentialclientswho attend our events to go back home with the feeling that it was time well spent,sayskim.Attheendofthe

day it is all about having a relationship in place with our clients that is truly beneficialforthemineveryaspect.

Kim Osborg Nielsen is a General Manager at Nordea Private Banking in Singapore. Kim started his career with Nordeain1994andhasover15yearsexperience of wealth Management and Private Banking. He joined Nordea Singapore in 2012.

Duro Schlafer also has 15+ banking experience, of which the last eight have been within Private Banking in Luxembourg. There he took care of Swedes living abroad, just as he looks after Nordic people based in Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia.

About Nordea Private Banking: Nordea International Private Banking (www.nordeaprivatebanking.com) is the largest Nordic bank in both Luxembourg and Switzerland. Nordea Bank S.A., with branch offices in Zurich and Singapore, employs a multilingual staff of some 400 people who serve an international clientele in many countries throughout the world.

Nordea International Private Banking offers a full range of private banking products and services that includes wealth management and wealth planning.

The Singapore team is composed of experienced, senior private bankers with financial market expertise who are supported by highly qualified operational staff.

The British Schoolof Bangkok Ltd.

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BUSINESS MINI SURVEY ON RESULTS AND FORECAST

Swedish Businesses within Thailands tourism industry

Ahead of the high season 2015/2016 Thai Sweden Review asked Swedish people involved in tourism businessesonThailands

resort destinations, how their year has been so far and what their respective expectations of the next high season are. In these challenging times, including a up until recently very strong Thai baht towards European currencies may have negatively impacted sales and forced businesses to adapt. The replies vary but changing patterns in customer groups can be noticed.

thaiswedenreview dec 2015

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