On June 5, 2019, Mr. Boonyasit Chokwatana, Chairman of the Saha Pathanapibul Group, revealed that over the past two months, the economy has been quite sluggish due to the unstable formation of the government. He hopes to see a clearer picture by June; otherwise, foreign investors may lose confidence and choose to invest in neighboring countries like Vietnam and Indonesia instead. This would certainly cause Thailand to miss out on foreign investment opportunities.

          The company's investments have also been delayed. Initially, it was anticipated that with a new government and stable politics, investments for 2019-2020 would be 2-3 times higher than the previous year. However, given the current situation, this has been delayed. Once the new government is established, he hopes there will be measures to support lower-income citizens, particularly by injecting funds to stimulate spending, as purchasing power has been quite sluggish.

          "Trading is like driving a car; when the situation is good, we accelerate, but when it's not, we slow down or hit the brakes. The economic conditions in Thailand, both in exports and domestically, have not been very good. This situation is not unique to Thailand. The group's growth, which was set at 5-6%, may only see slight growth or be halved from the target," Mr. Boonyasit stated.

          For the Saha Pathanapibul Group's operations in 2019-2020, there are several sectors, including partnerships to attract foreign investors into the group's industrial parks in Kabinburi, Lamphun, and Mae Sot. The area in Sriracha is already quite full. These partners are from Japan, with a market cap of 700-800 billion baht and are among the top ten trading companies in Japan.

          Additionally, they are preparing to collaborate with the Tokyu Group to develop real estate projects, including residential projects like condominiums and hotels located behind J Park, with an estimated investment value of at least 1 billion baht, as well as investments in the King's College International School in the Rama 3 area.

          Mr. Boonyasit mentioned that the company is also experimenting with stores that do not have staff to serve customers, which is a way to incorporate technology to meet consumer needs and enhance service levels. Furthermore, there is a need to develop products that better meet market demands, not just by looking at current trends but also by considering future product trends that need to reach diverse and specific consumer groups.

          Nevertheless, the 23rd Saha Group Fair will be held from June 27-30 at BITEC Bangna under the concept "Wow, Everyone's Favorite Generation," featuring a variety of products, services, and cultures that cater to the needs of all generations and stimulate consumer purchasing power during this period.

 

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