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THE AMATA TIMES News from Thailands leading industrial estates FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2006 INSIDE PAGE 2 Thai economic competitiveness BOOSTING WORKER HEALTH CARE The new Amata Medical Center ranks high in surveys and FDI helps businesses lower the costs of compliance with occupational health regulations while upgrading care for their employees. The 24-hour clinic and to China by 28%. provides check-ups and emergency Exports, foreign direct economies with populations of over Both countries have services like ambulances. 20 million. In 2002, Thailand ranked investment and expert made "Early Harvest" 11th in the survey, which analyzes trade agreements LOW COSTS FAVOR THAILAND 60 countries economic perfor- opinion all reflect the with Thailand. Research shows that the costs of mance, government efficiency, busi- Thailand's rising doing business in Thailand are nation's rising economic ness efficiency and infrastructure. rank in investment among the lowest in Asia. Wages, The rising national ranks and performance. surveys is highlighted rents, utilities and expatriate living figures were reflected in Amata by the 2005 Global In- costs help foreign firms attain prof- Corp.'s record operating perfor- hai competitiveness is coming vestment Assessment its more easily than in other places. mance in 2005 (see below). Ton strong, as new statistics and (GIPA) report, from surveys show. Foreign investment the United Nations BEST BUSINESS LOCATIONS, 2005-2006 applications surged to US$12.5 bil- Conference on Trade INSIDE PAGE 3 Asia & Pacific lion in 2005, up 62% from the year and Development before. Thai exports hit a record, last (UNCTAD). Thailand 16 China 56 Malaysia year, exceeding US$100 billion for the ranked as the third 26 India 66 Indonesia first time. The world's key FDI sur- most attractive busi- 3 Thailand 76 Vietnam vey again ranked Thailand the third ness location in Asia, 46 Republic of Korea 86 Singapore most attractive investment location and ninth in the Source: UNCTAD Global Investment Assessment in Asia, after India and China. world. The GIPA report Investors came from all over the integrates three global WORLD COMPETITIVENESS YEARBOOK world, especially the European surveys of over 300 2005 Rank of 60 key economies HEART FOR ART Union, Switzerland, the U.S., Taiwan, transnational corpo- Underprivileged Bangkok kids got Hong Kong and neighbors like rations, FDI experts Rank Economy 1 USA a boost when Amata Foundation Singapore and Malaysia. Japanese and investment pro- 2 Canada members spent a day helping companies maintained their posi- motion agencies. 3 Australia them paint their own tee-shirts. tion as the largest investors with Thailand's com- 4 Taiwan US$4.4 billion in net applications to petitiveness ranking 5 Zhejiang, China Thai art got a boost from exhibits Thailands logistic efficiency will rise with the improved capabilities offered by Suvarnabhumi the Board of Investment. The BOI climbed to ninth in the 6 Japan in the Foundation's annual Airport, at twice the cargo capacity of Don Muang% award competition. aims to build and diversify invest- 2005 issue of the World 7 United Kingdom 8 Germany ment in 2006 with its new incentives Competitiveness Year- 9 Thailand in industries like pharmaceuticals, Record exports showed high New Free Trade Agreements helped book published by the Institute for 10 Malaysia INSIDE PAGE 4 business process outsourcing, alter- growth in automotives and parts, exports expand in new markets. Management Development (IMD). native energy, and the electrical and electronics, processed fruits and Shipments to India leaped by 63% Thailand's rank covered the Source: Survey of 60 countries by Switzerland's Institute for Management Development (IMD) electronics sector. vegetables, jewelry, and chemicals. during the first 11 months of 2005, Institute's Group One category of key AMATA VIETNAM 2005 OPERATING PERFORMANCE Bien Hoa industrial estate EUROPE TAKES ROYAL TROPHY Captained by Seve Ballesteros, Eu- rope trumped Asia, 9-7 in the inau- epitomizes Vietnam boom Clients held many gural Royal Trophy tournament at Amata Spring Country Club. The Asia festive grand team was boosted by Thailand's openings recently% own Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn ietnam is among the world's and regulations as a step toward join- been growing at annual rates near 15% At Dutch-affiliated Wiratchant. Vmost dynamic economies these ing the World Trade Organization," over the past five years, creating a big- Tana Netting, a days, growing by 7.5% a year over the said Dr. Huynh Ngoc Phien, president ger domestic market. With all these in maker of mosquito past five years thanks in part to surg- of Amata Vietnam. mind, foreign direct investors have nets, managing ing foreign direct investment. One of The new Enterprise Law, for ex- poured in sums ranging from US$4.3 director Nicolas the epicenters of the boom is Amata ample, has helped create 200,000 new to US$5.8 billion a year during the past Pierson was City, Bien Hoa, the industrial estate private companies over the past five two years, according to Vietnam In- congratulated by near Ho Chi Minh City, whose sales years, while other pro-business mea- vestment Review. Amatas Viboon grew by 186% in 2005. Amata hosts sures include revisions to the Civil Like Thailand, Vietnam is prov- Kromadit% companies from all over Asia, Europe Code, Commercial Law and other ing to be a good alterative to China and America that are benefiting from laws regulating bankruptcy, compe- for many investors, thanks to lower tition, commercial arbitration, im- Amata sales, profits Vietnam's new strengths. costs and fewer problems with intel- CHONBURI GOES ITALIAN "For the past 10 years, foreign port/export duties, intellectual prop- lectual property rights infringement, Gourmands at Amata Nakorn can and local investors have looked for- erty, and the stock market. according to Phien. "Korean Cham- rejoice in their favorite Medittanean ward to Vietnam fulfilling its high Other investment attractions in- ber of Commerce officials, for ex- reach record levels dishes at Diciotto. This new pre- potential. Now it is really happening, clude Vietnam's low costs, highly ample, tell me that among Korean motivated workforce, strategic loca- companies investing overseas, some mium restaurant is featured at Amata due to many factors, including the ecord sales of both land and ser- increase of 472 rai from the year be- tion, and security. Retail sales have 60% of their projects in Vietnam are Spring Country Club, and is open to government's efforts to reform laws Rvices, together with increased ef- fore, bringing the total of sales from profitable, compared to just 10% in non-members. Ameneties include a ficiency lifted Amata Corp. PCL's op- land to 3,718 million baht, or a 51% China," he said. full wine cellar and cigar lounge. erating performance to its highest increase in value terms from 2004. Vietnam's workforce is young; level ever in 2005. Total net profits Cost controls helped make these some 62% of the populace is below reached 1,078 million baht, the higher sales more profitable as well. the age of 30. company's best ever, on record rev- The year's investors represent a wide Quote of the day "Investors often tell me their train- enues of 4,343 million baht. Net range of industries, led by Japanese- ing costs in Vietnam are lower than profits from ordinary items marked owned automotives firms. Many expected. The reason is that these a 52% increase from the year before. other firms came from Thailand it- young Vietnamese workers are highly "Factory investors are choosing self, as well as from the U.S., Korea, "Factory investors are motivated to learn. Most have com- Thailand because it has become Finland, Italy, China, Malaysia and pleted secondary school or entered choosing Thailand one of the world's best places to the U.K. university, so they have the proper manufacture. And after they choose Beyond land sales, Amata en- because it has become background to study effectively," said Thailand, they choose Amata be- joyed higher sales from sales of wa- Phien, who long served as advisor to one of the world's best cause our full-service approach ter, power, wastewater treatment and the company before becoming its places to manufacture saves them time and money com- other services to the factories it hosts. president in 2005. Prior to joining pared to other industrial estates," The total income for such services Amata, Phien was a professor of math- said Viboon Kromadit, executive reached 625 million baht in 2005, up ematics and computer science at the Viboon Kromadit vice president of Amata. "These fac- 33% from the year before. Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in tors will continue in 2006, which I "This 33% increase in recurring Executive Vice President Bangkok, holding the position of expect to be an even better year for revenues shows that we are on track dean for six years. Amata Corp the company." toward our goal of attaining 50% of As growing investment, consumer spending and structural reforms helped Amata sold 1,479 rai (236 hect- revenues from services by 2010," See Factories booming Page 3 Vietnam's economy boom, Amata City Bien Hoa's sales grew by 186% in 2005% ares or 584 acres) of land in 2005, an Viboon said. 2 SPECIAL PUBLICATION FRIDAY MARCH 31, 2006 INDUSTRIAL LOCATION LOGISTICS TECHNOLOGY RFID has not matched its hype, Low costs favor Thailand but big benefits are on the way hile skills, services and infra- experts CB Richard Ellis. By contrast, broadband internet service, for ex- Wstructure keep improving, the Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City have ample, was found to be cheapest, at Monthly Prime Office Rents (as of Q3 2005) ndustrial es- costs of doing business in Thailand the most expensive just US$15 per Itates and the factories in them have stayed low, often ranking prime office space at Office space in month, compared will be heavy us- among the world's lowest.