Industry

Issue 54

Thailand’s durian provides a plethora of opportunities for entrepreneurs prepared to look beyond the fruit’s pungent qualities.

The durian might be best known for its distinctive smell, but the fruit has great export potential across the region. According to the Bank of Investment, durian (US$426 million) ranked second in the list of exported fruits by value in 2014, after canned pineapple (US$505 million) and just above longan (US$415 million). In total, these three fruits accounted for more than 50% of the country’s fruit exports.

“Thailand has the potential to create innovative products from a variety of raw materials, especially fruits,” says Wirawat Piamwiwattikul, CEO of Pornthip Premium, the manufacturer of Orta, an instant durian drink which won an award for innovation at the 7 Innovation Awards 2016.

The company collaborates with academic researchers to help produce innovative products.
“We believe that the food industry is already an attractive sector, and we want our products to compete in regional markets,” he says. “For our research and development (R&D), we work with Silpakorn University.”

With so many different varieties of the tropical fruit, Piamwiwattikul says that it was most important to choose the right one in making Orta. “We use monthong because the meat contains more fibre, while other species have more sugar, so [with them] it is hard to balance texture and taste,” he explains.

Piamwiwattikul says Orta has received much positive feedback from customers in South Korea, China, Indonesia and Singapore. This has encouraged the company to further diversify its production line and markets.

“Towards the end of 2016, we plan to release another five or six products, such as durian spread and durian coffee, which have already been through the R&D process,” he says. “Our main goal is to expand into the Middle East and West as well.”

Piamwiwattikul believes Thailand’s location sandwiched between the potential markets of Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia is a strength it should capitalise upon through greater regional cooperation. “It’s better for our competitors to become our partners so we can grow together,” he says, adding that in the future the company might develop a product under an AEC brand.

Piamwiwattikul also advocates companies to follow King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s philosophy of implementing a sufficiency economy by adding value by investing less. “Success will not be too difficult,” he says.

For more information, please visit www.pornthipphuket.com

Words by Natthinee Ratanaprasidhi

 

Tags: DITP | THAIFEX | Durian | Orta | Fruit | R&D

Issue 53

Thai exporters are discovering that the market for the country’s key export crop is varied and lucrative.

Rice remains Thailand’s main export crop. According to the Strategic Planning Alliance (2011-2016), prepared by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), rice generated approximately 170 to 200 billion baht (US$4.8 to 5.7 billion) per year across the period.

Although the situation of the Thai rice industry remains positive due to the variety of consumer lifestyles and the current health-conscious trend, there is still the potential for more products. Many companies are using the strength and unique characteristics of Thai rice to expand their product line.

Research conducted by the New York branch of the DITP, released on September 10, 2015, highlights the potential growth for gluten-free and allergen-free products. This includes rice cereals, naturally coloured rice, gluten-free rice pasta and whole grain brown rice vermicelli.

Food Specialize has been a supplier of various kinds of seasoning sauces for more than 46 years. A couple years ago, the company realised the concern about gluten allergies from wheat flour was increasing in European consumers. So, the company looked to new products that could meet the changing consumer demand. It found that Thai rice could produce pasta. Consequently, it developed an organic brown rice pasta under the brand ‘Pasmily’ – standing for pasta that the whole family can eat.

“Our brown rice pasta contains high nutrition,” Sarute Nakaratanakorn, the company’s sales and marketing manager, says. “It’s gluten free and good for the health. We’ve got very positive feedback from customers, although our product was only launched at the beginning of 2016. Our main customers now are from European countries such as German, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg, and we plan to expand to other countries soon.”

Nakaratanakorn believes there is much scope for other processed rice products due to the worldwide recognition of the quality of Thai rice.

Ornticha Tangjaichertchutam, export sales manager for Diamond Preserved Food, agrees.
“Our customers always say that when they see the product labelled ‘Thai Rice’, it makes them want to buy because Thailand is regarded as the finest product,” she says. “Therefore, Thai rice and processed rice products will grow continuously for sure.”

The company has supplied food dressings for over five years. Now, it retails a jasmine rice vinegar under the brand Signature Thai.
“Our jasmine rice vinegar gets very good feedback from customers, especially in the Middle East because it tastes delicious, and it provides natural sweetness and the sweet smell of the rice,” she says. “Importantly, it truly is a healthy product.”

For more information, please visit: www.ditp.go.th, www.foodspecialize.com, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Words by: Patcharee Taedangpetch, Photo courtesy of Food Specialize Co Ltd and Diamond Preserved Food Co Ltd

 

Issue 51

Islamic tourism represents a huge growth market for Thailand, something recognised by the government as it promotes the country as a Muslim-friendly destination.

Halal tourism is big business. According to the Halal Travel 2016 report by UK research company Context Consulting, the number of halal tourists will reach 150 million by 2020 with spending rising to US$200 billion, compared with US$145 billion in 2014.

This is good news for Thailand, which was ranked second on the list of non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations for the second consecutive year in the Master Card Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index 2016.

However, despite the large pool of international standard hotels, Thailand did not have one specifically designed for Muslim travellers until four-star halal hotel Al Meroz opened in Bangkok’s Ramkhamhaeng district in November 2015.

“I own Sophia halal restaurant and have served Muslim tourists for decades,” says Rausak Mulsap, president and CEO of Al Meroz. “My foreign customers and tour agents always asked me why Thailand does not have 100% halal accommodation and that inspired me to open this hotel. The concept of a halal hotel is serving food with halal certification as well as providing a Muslim-friendly environment, and safety and hygiene conforming to the religious belief.”

As you enter the hotel, visitors are immediately struck by the Arabic style of the architecture and music. Then they are greeted by receptionists in traditional Islamic uniforms. Sixty percent of Al Meroz’s staff are Muslim.

Most of the guests come from Europe, the Middle East, China and ASEAN, in addition to Thais.

Sanya Saengboon, managing director and general manager of Al Meroz Hotel, explains that the hotel is not just for Muslims.

“Al Meroz has welcomed a lot of European guests who prefer staying in a clean, safe and quiet
hotel,” he says. “Our guests can easily travel within Bangkok or elsewhere because of the good transportation network in this area including the airport rail link and expressway.”

Mulsap believes that more halal hotels will open in the next few years because of the high demand.

“Al Meroz is the pioneer in the halal hotel market,” he says. “Several investors have invited me to expand our business to other tourist destinations in Thailand such as Pattaya and Hua Hin because they recognise the growth potential. For now, I focus on Al Meroz Hotel and there is the possibility to form a joint-venture and open halal hotels in other provinces in the future.”

For more information, visit www.almerozhotel.com

Words by Somhatai Mosika 
Tags: ASEAN | Halal | Hotel | Tourism

Issue 52

Pioneering research into the way that stroke victims communicate with the outside world has applications beyond Thailand.

Each day 36 people die from suffering a stroke in Thailand. That’s 13,353 per year, according to information from the Ministry of Public Health. Currently 751,350 Thais have suffered a stroke and the figure continues to escalate.

Piyasak Bunkhomrat, managing director of Meditech Solution, believes there has been a major change in the attitude of Thais towards their health.

“What we see now is that people are paying much more attention to their health, especially the elderly,” he says. “So we see the opportunity for innovation in medical science.”

One such innovation is SenzE, an eye-communication aid designed for paralysis patients. Certified and funded by the National Innovation Agency, it won the Thai IT Tycoon award and a bronze award at the TRUE Innovation Awards in 2012. It has been trialled at Prasat Neurological Institute.

“It is the world’s first Eye Tracking System embedded with Thai software,” explains Bunkhomrat. SenzE allows stroke and ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) patients, who can not write or speak, to communicate with their eyes.

“Five years ago, I was talking to a friend who takes care of his father who suffers from ALS, and we discussed how technology can help these patients communicate,” says Bunkhomrat.

After studies, he discovered that only three countries – the USA, Sweden and Germany – have eye tracking technology to help patients communicate.

“I took the idea to the National Innovation Agency (NIA) and got research funding from the NIA and Chulalongkorn University,” he says. “We have a medical professor from the Institute of Neurology as our medical advisor and a professor from King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok as a technical advisor.”

Although the use of SenzE is still limited, Bunkhomrat is looking into more commercial applications. “We are talking with developers to reach markets in Asia and Japan by 2017,” he says.

His experience has lead to Bunkhomrat realising that many good ideas are discarded at the planning stage.

“Thai entrepreneurs have really good ideas, but only a few of them become practical projects,” he says. “Most research ends with papers or prototypes that rarely reach the real market. So it’s time to get out of the box and see the opportunity.”

For more information, please visit www.meditechsolution.com
Words by Natthinee Ratanaprasidhi

 

 

Issue 50

A greater emphasis on design and creativity could help Thailand’s rubber industry tap into overseas markets.

Thailand's rubber industry has a great potential for growth if more emphasis is placed on design while producing rubber products. This is the view of Phinyo Kongsuphapsiri, managing director of Zense Design, the company that produces natural rubber brand Rubberly

Kongsuphapsiri plans to develop the reputation of Thailand’s rubber products globally, thus turning the natural product into one of the country’s major exports. Started 30 years ago as a family business manufacturing toys, it is only recently that the company established the brand Rubberly to expand its product line.

“Three years ago, when the price of natural rubber in the country was very low, our idea was to create more diverse rubber merchandising apart from rubber toys. We have started with lifestyle products such as bags, shoes, wall decorations and so on,” says Kongsuphapsiri. “We want to spread rubber in many ways. As an architect, we look at the construction industry i.e. schools, hotels, hospitals, apartments and condominiums.”

More recently Zense Design has considered 3D wallpaper, which is non-toxic, 100% made ​​from natural materials, durable and soft. “Most wall protection products available in the market today are made of plastic or fiberglass, neither of which is soft to touch,” he says.

Zense Design’s products conform to both the EU’s EN71 and US’s ASTM standards, although currently 80% of sales are domestic with the majority of exports within Asia, particularly Malaysia, Taiwan, China, Japan and Hong Kong.

In 2015, Thailand produced 4 million tonnes of rubber. More than 80% of the 3 million tonnes exported was raw rubber. While Malaysia processes 50% of the rubber it taps, Thailand only processes 12%, according to Kongsuphapsiri.

“We have good materials to hand, but we quickly sell it before developing it to add value,” he says. “If people pay more attention to the design of rubber products, it will help open up new channels for the industry to grow. Today rubber products are mainly in the form of pillows or mattress.”

Kongsuphapsiri’s goal is to create a partner network in order to export a greater variety of rubber products to strengthen the industry.

For more information, please visit rubberly.lnwshop.com

Words by Natthinee Ratanaprasidhi

 
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