Category Archives: Internet

Hold the phone, Thailand telcos “worse than unanaesthetised root-canal”

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Hold the phone, Thailand telcos "worse than unanaesthetised root-canal"

Getting connected to mobile phone and data services in most countries of the world is a simple matter of buying a SIM card, inserting it into your phone or mobile device, registering on the network and adding some calling credit. The exception to the rule is Thailand where Thailand telcos do a fair impersonation of seven seas pirates and where the regulating body, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission of Thailand (NBTC), has become the butt of jokes over its failure to introduce meaningful consumer protection regulations and accountability, criticism of its 3G bandwidth auction, and where non-Thai speaking customers are treated as third-rate consumers not even deserving of English language support 24/7. With ineffective and minuscule penalties, a system … Continue reading →

Backflip on Thailand TPP membership talks

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Anti-TPP protests in New Zealand

In an apparent backflip on a proposed Thailand TPP membership application Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Saturday that she will not be discussing an application to join the controversial Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact with US President Barack Obama when he visits the country on Sunday. Last Monday the Thai cabinet agreed to a proposal by the Commerce Ministry to have Prime Minister Yingluck announce discussions of Thailand’s TPP membership application in a joint media briefing with President Obama, drawing and immediate barrage of criticism from academics, elected officials and activist groups. Criticism and warnings on the negative effects Thailand’s TPP membership would have on the Thai services industry were first raised by the Thai Chamber of Commerce, … Continue reading →

Thailand’s TPP application threatens to overshadow Presidential visit

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Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will now not discuss Thailand's TPP membership application with US President Barack Obama during visit

Bangkok is abuzz at the imminent visit of freshly re-elected US President Barack Obama on a whirlwind three-nation tour to shore up US support in the region, however trade discussions threaten to overshadow the stated purpose of the visit, a courtesy call to mark 180 years of Thai-US relations. While details such as the number of security personnel to be deployed (more than 1,000), snipers being stationed on Bangkok rooftops (nothing new in that) and details such as the US President travels with his own bottled water supply and his advance team are concerned about giant water monitors at Government House have proved entertaining reading, it is trade that is capturing the most interest. On Monday the Thailand government announced … Continue reading →

Media wars – How to fail at international media relations the UDD way

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Publishing defamatory statements about people is punishable by jail and financial restitution in Thailand

In the techno-savvy 21st century where the latest breaking news is just a 140-character tweet away and where even radio has been relegated to a back-row seat, it’s now more important than ever for corporations, organizations and lobby groups to tightly control and monitor their media relations. While maintaining good relations with the vernacular media is a necessity that goes without saying, good relations with the international media is (should) have been almost as important. For the past 18-days the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), aka the “red-shirts”, have been holding a mass rally on Phan Fa Bridge in central Bangkok in its latest – possibly a do or die – attempt to force Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit … Continue reading →

Page rank and green dots no substitute for $$

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Thai handicrafts such as these delicate soap carvings in Chiang Mai

It occasionally comes as somewhat of a surprise that when some people discover the term “search engine optimization” (SEO) that all rationale and logic to what otherwise might be a sound business strategy flies out the window in pursuit of little green dots in page rank graphs, or search engine results page (Serp) position. Now don’t get me wrong, page rank and where a website appears in organic search results is important if a site is to attract web traffic and if the internet is going to be an effective marketing tool for the products and/or services a company offers. However, if too much attention is spent on these factors the risk is that the overall aim – that of … Continue reading →

Online travel bookings soar but online video advertising flops

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57 per cent of British travellers booked their last international trip online

Research conducted by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) gives an interesting insight into the travel purchasing methods of British travellers, while  research conducted in America paints an interesting picture on the effectiveness of online advertising. Delegates at the annual ABTA travel convention were told earlier this week that a survey conducted on behalf of the association has revealed that 57 per cent of British holiday makers booked their last international holiday online, with a further 19 per cent doing so by telephone. According to ABTA, which represents more than 5,500 UK travel agents and a further 900 UK tour operators having almost 7,000 association-registered websites between them, only 35 per cent of Britons traveling abroad booked through a … Continue reading →