Thai Business Excellence Awards 2018

APAC INSIDER / Thai Business Excellence 2018 5 NEWS , Jetts successfully pi- oneered the 24/7, no lock-in contract, cus- tomer-centric model in Australia a decade ago, sparking a national fitness revolution. The launch into Thailand will provide members with the same opportu- nity to work out on their terms and enjoy free reciprocal access to each of Jetts’ 250+ clubs across Australia, Thailand, New Zealand, the Nether- lands and the United Kingdom. The move is backed by the owner- ship of Fitness and Lifestyle Group (FLG), Australia’s largest gym and fitness company, which has more than 8 customer facing brands that total over 450 clubs, 725,000 mem- bers and 6,000 teammembers. CEO of FLG, Greg Oliver, said he was confident the ‘workout on your terms’ mantra, Jetts is renowned for, will spark a fitness revolution in Thai- land, with a further eight clubs to be opened later this year, making a total of 15 clubs by the end of 2018 and an exciting pipeline ahead of 35+ clubs across Thailand’s provinces. “As with the global health and fitness sector, Thailand is experiencing a surge and Jetts will tick all the box- es for health conscious consumers that demand a gym that is simple, affordable and fits into their busy life- styles,” Mr. Oliver said. “We’re excited to be making fitness available to the population of Thai- land and look forward to becoming the number one new player in the local fitness market.” Jetts Asia Managing Director, Mi- chael David Lamb, said he was confident the simple convenience and member-centric approach that has made Jetts an international suc- cess would be warmly welcomed in Thailand. “Jetts will ultimately inspire more people to live a healthier life by mak- ing it easy and affordable for them to get moving, just as it has in Australia for more than a decade,” he said. “By making the clubs accessible 24/7 by use of a swipe card, every- one from shift workers to busy par- ents will be able to workout at a time that fits into their busy schedules.” In addition to 24/7 access and free reciprocal membership to all Jetts gyms, members also have access to one-on-one personal training servic- es through in-house trainers, group exercise programs, including the internationally renowned Les Mills classes, and high-quality equipment comprising cardio, free weights, pin loaded equipment, functional train- ing zones and suspension training. The grand opening of the four new clubs in Thailand was attended by health-conscious, athletic super- stars, sport stars and celebrities in- cluding Mint Chalida Vijitvongthong, Jam Neko Jump Charattha Im- raporn, Joy Chonticha Nuamsukon and Attila Arthur from The Face All Star. These 4 newly opened Jetts clubs are all based in city-center locations, with close proximity to mass transit lines in Bangkok: Stadium One, a Lifestyles Sport Community located near BTS National Stadium station, The Street, a Shopping mall located in Ratchada) near MRT Thailand Cultural Centre station, The Phyll, a Coworking Space located in On Nut area near BTS On Nut station and Silom Connect, a Shopping Center located in Chong Nonsi near BTS Chong Nonsi station. The existing 3 Jetts clubs in Thailand are located at Suanplern Market, a Community Mall located in Rama 4, Nawamin City Avenue, a Community Mall lo- cated in Kaset Nawamin and The Scene, a Community Mall located in Town in Town area. given its good mobile, internet and digital infrastructure. The Chinese conglomerate’s e-commerce platform, she added, can help bring Thai products to the global market with greater efficiency. At present, an increasing number of Thai products, such as beauty products, are becoming very popular in China and in other Asian markets. In addition, Alibaba is ready to provide e-commerce and technology training to Thai SMEs to equip them with more skills to succeed at the global market, Ms. Zhao said. The food and agricultural industry is another area where Thailand can be a dominant factor globally, said Mr. Alan Willits, Chairman of Cargill Asia Pacific Holdings Pte. Ltd. Willits cited four major reasons – strategic location, good infrastructure, skilled workforce and investor-friendly environment – as the major factors that have been driving Cargill’s success in Thailand throughout its presence on the local market in the past 50 years. Cargill currently has 14 offices and employs 17,000 people around Thailand. Mr. Willits noted that research, development, and innovation were important in increasing the productivity and income of farmers. Skills training and the adoption of new technologies, such as Internet of Things (IoT) will help people in the agricultural sector transform themselves into “smart farmers”. Technology will also play an important role in addressing the challenges that the nations of the planet face in global food security. Mr. Duncan Yu, Executive Vice President of the BGI Group, a leading research house, agreed at the seminar that research and development were crucial to economic and social development. New understanding and discoveries in science and technology will help Thailand improve the health and the quality of life of people and also support economic development. The Population Genome project, for example, will help ASEAN governments handle thalassemia and reduce neonatal deafness. In the agricultural sector, new knowledge on food science and technology can improve productivity and the quality of farm products and aquaculture. It is with such views in mind that the Thai government, which understands investors’ concerns and needs, has made infrastructure Australia’s Leading 24/7 Gym to Move into Thai Market development as well as research and development top priorities, according to Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Somkid Jatusripitak. The government has been investing in mega projects such as the electric train network in Bangkok and outskirts, a dual-track railway system and a high-speed train that will connect Thailand with neighbouring countries more efficiently. Somkid added that ongoing improvements of Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang and U-Tapao airports are also part of infrastructure development. In the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), which is designed to be the key driver of Thailand’s economic transformation, the government has introduced a 236-billion baht high-speed train project that will link the three airports together. Another 200 billion baht will be spent on expanding U-Tapao International Airport and the Eastern Airport City. More than 260 billion baht will be invested in the expansion of Laem Chabang Seaport and Map Ta Phut Seaport. To support the transformation of the digital economy, the government has continued to invest in digital infrastructure, ensuring that all the 75,000 villages nationwide have access to broadband internet soon. Such infrastructure development will also increase efficiency in education, healthcare and many other public services. At the same time, people and digital skills development will be promoted through cooperation with the private sector in education and training. E-government and the adoption of technology in public services will also be expanded to encourage everyone to become an integral part of the country’s digital economy. BOI, as the government’s arm in promoting investment, has supported such development through extensive investment incentives packages. These incentives range from corporate income tax exemption to import duty exemption. Non-tax incentives include land ownership and permission to bring in foreign experts. Under the current incentive scheme, technology and people are top priorities. As a result, additional incentives are given to projects with additional investment to adopt or develop new technology, research and development as well as human resource development.