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SET-listed developer Sansiri Plc (SIRI) plans to have solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftops installed at the clubhouses of all new housing projects launched from next year to reduce the electric bill by 15%.

Uthai Uthaisangsuk, chief operating officer, said all new projects involving single houses, duplex houses and townhouses that the company will launch in 2019 will have a solar PV rooftop installed at the clubhouse to save power costs at the projects.

The system being installed at the new projects, including existing ones developed by Sansiri, will be invested in and managed by SET-listed renewable energy firm BCPG Plc, which will also provide blockchain-based energy trading technology.

“This will be the world’s largest real-time blockchain-based, peer-to-peer energy trading platform for residential projects, and Southeast Asia’s first public-private-people partnership model for self-sustained energy management,” Mr Uthai said.

The blockchain-based application lets users trade electricity from a renewable source in real time with a peer-to-peer network, in a secure and transparent manner. As a result, consumers can make use of electricity at a lower price.

The electricity trading pilot project is at Sansiri’s township project, Town Sukhumvit 77 (T77), located on a 50-rai site of Sukhumvit Soi 77.

With total power-generating capacity of 635 kilowatts (kW), the project will start operations next month.

At T77, solar rooftops are installed on Sansiri’s Habito Mall, which will generate 54kW; Bangkok Prep International School (413kW); and Park Court Condominium, an apartment for rent owned by SET-listed M.K. Real Estate Development Plc (168kW).

Mr Uthai said energy generated from the pilot project will represent up to 20% of the total electricity used in T77, helping to reduce electric bills by 15%.

“Consumers will turn to prosumers as they both consume and produce electricity and can sell excess solar energy to others in the community at a lower price than they pay [to the Metropolitan Electricity Authority],” he said.

Sansiri has also installed the system at its precast factory on 100 rai in Pathum Thani, with a capacity of 150kW. That instalment can help save up to 50% on electric bills.

There is also the clubhouse of the townhouse project Siri Place Suksawat and Satit Pattana School in Khlong Sam Wa, before expansion to 20 additional projects by the end of 2018.

By 2021, the company plans to install solar rooftop panels with blockchain-based energy trading at 31 new projects with total power-generating capacity of 2 megawatts.

Mr Uthai said BCPG will help seek funding for Sansiri’s existing customers at single-house, duplex-house and townhouse developments who want a solar PV rooftop system on their unit.

The system, which can generate 20kW, costs about 100,000 baht for a single house or duplex house and 50,000 baht for a townhouse. The break-even period is roughly seven years.

“It’s quite difficult for a condo unit, but in Australia there is a solar window coated with a solar cell,” Mr Uthai said. “It’s under a test.”

SIRI shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 1.63 baht, down one satang, in trade worth 60.1 million baht.

Source: Bangkok Post

The Waldorf Astoria Bangkok hotel has officially opened.

Managed by Hilton, the luxury hotel is the first Waldorf Astoria in Southeast Asia. In Asia, it has previously opened in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, China.

Waldorf Astoria in Bangkok is located in the Ratchaprasong intersection, near the Erawan Shrine, Gaysorn Village mall and both lines of Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) Skytrain.

Martin Rinck, executive vice president and global head, Luxury & Lifestyle Group, Hilton, through a statement said the Waldorf Astoria brand had a long-standing legacy of defining the hospitality experience for the modern-day traveler.

Hong Kong-based architect André Fu and his design studio AFSO took a holistic approach that united the building’s contemporary architecture with Thai tradition.

The hotel has 171 guest rooms and suites, and its top three floors comprise three dining outlets. There are Bull & Bear that specializes in grilled meats and seafood, The Loft bar that was inspired by the original 1935 Waldorf Astoria Bar Book and The Champagne Bar that offers a more intimate environment.

Meanwhile, chef Fae Rungthiwa Chummongkhon helms the hotel’s signature restaurant Front Room, bringing a touch of Nordic to Thai flavors based on her experience of working at Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe.  The Brasserie serves traditional French brasserie fare daily from breakfast through dinner, and Peacock Alley caters afternoon teas and light meals.

Waldorf Astoria Bangkok is located at 151 Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

source: The Jakarta Post

Bangkok’s property market has prospered under a booming economic trajectory and infrastructure initiatives and high quality property projects in prime locations are highly demanded by overseas investors. Golden Emperor Properties held a seminar over the past weekend to launch Thailand’s listed developer, Sansiri’s latest smart residence, XT Phayathai. The residence sits at the center of a BTS transit hub and airport express station, further, King Power shopping center is merely a 3 minute walk from the residence with nearby office buildings to attract a number of quality tenants. The project was a successful launch attracting a number of investors over the 2-day event.

Photo Above: Mr. Terence Chan, Managing Director of Golden Emperor Properties, discusses the trend and provides insight’s of Bangkok’s property market.

Photo Above: The event was highly anticipated by investors who bought units for both self-ownership and as an investment.

Thailand’s trade with free-trade agreement (FTA) partners rose by 14.2% year-on-year in the first half of the year.

Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, said the trade value between Thailand and 17 trading partners under the 12 effective FTAs amounted to UScopy48.2 billion, with exports contributing $73.79 billion, up 13.3% year-on-year, with imports valued at $74.41 billion, up 15.2%.

The top five FTA partners that Thailand exported to for the period were Asean, China, Japan, Australia and India.

Thai shipments to Asean rose 13.6% in the first half to $32.82 billion, with key exports including vehicles and auto parts, chemicals, plastics, machinery and equipment.

Exports to China totalled copy4.93 billion, up 7.5% from the same period last year, with the main exports including plastics, rubber, chemicals, computers and electronic equipment.

Shipments to Japan soared by 17.9% to copy2.55 billion, with vehicles, equipment, processed chicken, faxes and telephones being the key exports.

Exports to Australia rose 12.3% to $5.52 billion, consisting of vehicles, equipment, air conditioners, plastics, processed and canned seafood, and rubber.

Thailand’s exports to India were worth $3.93 billion, up 29.3%, with main exports including chemicals, plastics, air conditioners, vehicles and equipment, and gemstones and jewellery.

The top five FTA partners that Thailand imported from in the first half of 2018 were China, Asean, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

Thailand’s imports from Asean totalled $22.57 billion, up 13.2%, with those from Japan up 12.3% to copy7.26 billion, South Korea, up 16.4% to $4.52 billion, and Australia worth $2.56 billion, up 34.9%.

According to Mrs Auramon, Thailand’s exports to almost all FTA partners except Peru increased in the first half of this year.

Thailand’s shipments to Peru declined by 6.5% from the same period last year, she said.

“Although the world’s economic situation is facing risks from the trade dispute between the two giant economies, and growing policies by many countries to reduce imports, trade between Thailand and 17 FTA partners continued growing in the first half of 2018, making up 59.7% of Thailand’s international trade,” Mrs Auramon said.

Thailand has 13 FTAs in place, including the Asean-Hong Kong FTA and an investment agreement scheduled to take effect in January 2019.

The country is continuing FTA talks with dialogue partners such as Pakistan, Turkey and Sri Lanka.

Negotiations with Turkey and Pakistan are set to conclude this year.

source: Bangkok Post

Thailand’s economic growth eased in the second quarter but beat expectations, buoyed by steady growth in exports and improvement in domestic demand and private-sector spending.

Gross domestic product expanded 4.6% from a year earlier in the April-June period, decelerating from the revised 4.9% growth for the previous quarter, according to the National Economic and Social Development Board, the government’s economic planning arm. The board said some softness in manufacturing, tourism and government spending weighed on economic growth in the quarter.

The growth came in faster than the median 4.5% forecast by 11 economists polled earlier by The Wall Street Journal.

The data highlighted that domestic demand improved during the quarter as private consumption rose 4.5% from a year earlier, compared with a revised 3.7% gain in the first quarter. Private consumption makes up just under half the Thai economy.

Government spending grew by 1.4%, after rising 1.9% in the previous quarter.

Public investment rose 4.9% after rising 4% in the first quarter. The agriculture sector expanded 10.4%, compared with 6.5% growth in the preceding quarter.

Exports of goods and services, fueled by technology demand and higher commodity prices, also supported growth, expanding 6.4%, compared with a 6.0% gain in the first quarter. However, some economists question whether the gains in exports can continue over the coming quarters against a backdrop of escalating global trade tensions and a peaking tech cycle.

Private investment rose 3.2% after increasing 3.1% in the previous quarter.

On a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, the economy expanded by 1.0%, meeting expectations but lagging behind the revised 2.1% growth for the first quarter.

source: NIKKEI ASIAN REVIEW