OMEGA Opens Boutique In Vancouver For The Olympic Winter Games

OMEGA, the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games, celebrated the opening of its Boutique in the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver today. The breakfast event and ribbon cutting ceremony featured Caroline Faivet, CEO of Swatch Group North America, OMEGA Brand Manager North America Gregory Swift, Dave Cobb, Executive Vice-President and Deputy CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), 1980 Bronze Medallist Olympian Steve Podborski, and six time Paralympian medallist Karolina Wisniewska.


The OMEGA Boutique will remain open throughout the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and will host all of the events featuring the brand’s family of ambassadors scheduled to take place throughout the Games. The Boutique occupies a space of nearly 50 square metres on the ground floor of the Fairmont and showcases a full range of OMEGA’s timepieces, including the Olympic Games-themed Timeless Collection and the Seamaster Diver 300M “Vancouver 2010” Limited Edition watch created to commemorate the 24th time that OMEGA has served as Official Timekeeper for the Olympic Games.

The Boutique is the first retailer in Canada to offer OMEGA’s completely redesigned Constellation line. The popular, instantly recognizable Constellation will be presented with the brand’s three other main watch families, De Ville, Seamaster and Speedmaster. In addition to the timepieces on which OMEGA has built its reputation since 1848, the Boutique at the Fairmont will feature OMEGA’s Fine Leather Collections as well as the new Aqua Terra Eau de Toilette pour Homme, OMEGA’s first fragrance.

The OMEGA Boutique’s façade has been designed around the themes of the sun, water, the earth and, of course, time. Brilliant lighting illuminating the products in the show window represents the sun’s energetic light rays.

A stroke pattern above the displays casts shadows and reflects light – a perfect depiction of clouds, which gather water to generate the rain. Vertical tracks express rainfall. The rain, in turn, symbolizes time which is never still and which never returns in exactly the same form.

Finally, below the displays, chiselled and silvered glass represents an exposed cross section of the earth intended to convey a history of time.

The OMEGA Boutique has a multilingual international staff selected from the brand’s headquarters in Switzerland and from other OMEGA Boutiques around the world. The staff will also include a watchmaker who will have a fully outfitted bench in the Boutique, allowing visitors a chance to see how the horologists do their detailed, precision work on OMEGA’s legendary watches.

The Vancouver Boutique is one of just four exclusive OMEGA Boutiques in North America. The other three are located in Beverley Hills, Mexico City and New York City, which opened in April of this year.
About OMEGA and the Olympic Games

OMEGA, as the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games, is not only responsible for timing every Olympic event, but also for data handling, the display of the results at the venues, and the distribution of the results to the world's media.

At OMEGA’s first timekeeping assignment for the Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany in 1936, a lone OMEGA technician brought 27 stopwatches that were used to time each event at the Games.

Seventy years later in Turin, OMEGA deployed 208 professionals – 127 timekeepers and 81 data handlers – armed with 220 tons of equipment.

Those numbers will be exceeded at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games as OMEGA mobilizes the largest timekeeping contingent in the history of winter sport.

OMEGA began its Olympic Games timekeeping tradition at the Los Angeles 1932 Olympic Games. In addition to its prominent role at the Olympic Games, OMEGA has been behind many of the most important technological developments in all of sports timekeeping.

The Games in Vancouver will take place over a 17-day period beginning on the 12th of February. More than 5,500 athletes and officials from more than 80 countries will make it the largest Olympic Winter Games ever. The Paralympic Winter Games, for which OMEGA is also Official Timekeeper, start on the 12th of March and will continue for ten days. The Games’ organizers anticipate that the Paralympic Winter Games will attract 1,350 athletes and officials from more than forty countries.

Innergize your work place while supporting the future of the Thai sports industry

In conjunction with the Asia Fitness Convention (AFC 2009), taking place 27-29 November at CentralWorld, Jess Gronholm, National Yoga Director of Crunch, will be giving private Yoga sessions to various organizations around Bangkok from 3-12 November 2009.

"Innergy" is a combination of "inner" and "energy". It is a concept based on the Sanskrit word "Prana" which means "vital life force".

Book a special corporate yoga class and allow busy staff members to increase their internal energy levels, resulting in more vitality and focus, and reduced stress and anxiety, ultimately leading to optimal health and an illness free body.

All you need is 10 (stressed) employees and a quiet comfortable space (boardroom, spare office, lunch room), comfortable clothing, music/computer (optional) and of course a yoga mat (great holiday gift for your employees).

Whatever you contribute to Innergize your workplace, AFC 2009 will match. All contributions will go to a Scholarship Fund for Sports College Students.

Puma profit plummets

       German sportswear company Puma AG said yesterday its net income fell 24% in the third quarter due to a drop in sales, especially for footwear and in its American markets.
       Puma, based in Herzogenaurach, said net income amounted to 68 million ($101 million) in the July-September period, down from 89 million in the third quarter of 2008.
       Revenue for the period was 6% lower at 673 million from 713 million in the third quarter of 2008.
       Puma is the world's third-largest sportswear company after crosstown rival Adidas AG and Nike Inc of the US.
       "The business environment has continued to be as challenging as we had expected, which resulted in a decrease in sales and profits," Jochen Zeitz, Puma's chief executive said in the company's report.
       "Despite this most difficult market,we generated a profit in all three quarters so far and we expect to be profitable in fourth quarter again. We hope to see first signs of an improving business environment in the run up to the World Cup in South Africa, where Puma -through its strong ties with African football - has a home field advantage."
       The world soccer championship in South Africa next year is expected to add significantly to the company's revenue and earnings in coming months as fans snap up jerseys, balls and even cleats in the run-up and during the monthlong tournament which starts June 11. It is the first such tournament ever to be held in Africa, and Puma supplies 11 African national teams, including Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Senegal - the most of any sportswear company.
       Puma said its revenue fell 10.4% on a basis in the Americas, while Europe,the Middle East and Africa saw a 5.6%decline. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region saw a 1.2% increase in revenue.
       The footwear division saw a 13% decline in revenue and apparel saw a 3%decline during the quarter. Revenue for accessories rose 40.4%.
       For the first nine months of the year,Puma reported a 50% decline in net income to 112 million on revenue of 2billion, which was nearly unchanged.
       Puma is majority held by French luxury goods company PPR.

Puma opens product development centre in Vietnam

       German sporting goods company Puma AG opened a new product development centre in Vietnam yesterday, part of an effort to streamline the creation of new apparel and reduce costs.
       Puma said the centre in Ho Chi Minh City pulled together suppliers, researchers and developers under one roof.
       The concept "will increase Puma's speed to market, reduces our cost base and makes sure that our products are of excellent quality," chief executive Jochen Zeitz said in a statement.
       Footwear and apparel will be developed at the new complex.
       Herzogenaurach, Germany-based Puma is the world's third-largest sporting goods company after crosstown rival Adidas AG and Nike Inc of the United States.

New Converse CEO

       The athletic footwear and apparel maker Nike Inc said on Monday that the CEO of its Converse brand would leave at the end of the year.
       Michael Spillane will replace Jack Boys.Spillane joined Converse in 2007 as president of North American footwear before becoming president of North America and global products. He was previously chief executive at Polartec and Malden Mills.
       Boys had been CEO since 2001.

In the rough at ST Andrews, Bangkok

       Two hackers discover the joys of playing one of the world's most popular golf courses, in air-conditioned comfort It was an amateur player's dream come true - a round at the home of golf, the famous St Andrews course in Scotland. But as my playing partner and I teed up on the first hole, there was none of that chilly wind the area is famous for, no waiting for another group to hit off, and most importantly for two not very confident mug amateurs, no spectators to giggle when we fluffed our shots.
       FOUR: A player hits a drive at the ‘Pebble Beach’ course.
       As I took a practice swing and looked down the intimidating fairway to see which part of the rough or the water my ball would probably land in, the only sound was the gentle purr of the air-conditioning. We may have been hitting off on the iconic old course at St Andrews, but we were actually in the basement of a new office tower in the heart of Bangkok.
       We were trying to improve our game by taking a lesson and playing a round at the Wilding Golf Performance Center, which opened in August at the Interchange Building on the corner of Asoke and Sukhumvit roads. We were teed up in front of Asia's first 3D SimSurround Simulator, which was set up in a mini amphitheatre, with three huge screens - one directly in front of us and one on both sides. Our instructor, experienced Australian professional coach Koray Safak, wanted to see us hit a few balls before he started giving us some tips on how to improve our games, and we'd chosen to play the old course at St Andrews.
       My playing partner, a colleague called the Wombat (a stocky, hairy, burrowing Australian marsupial with short limbs), did his best to get an edge as I prepared to tee off: "If this technology is accurate, your ball should land in the long grass in the rough," he said reassuringly.
       ON A ROLL: A putting instructor with a student.
       After a couple of practice swings in a vain attempt to loosen up, I teed up my ball and belted it - straight into the long grass in the rough on the right side of the fairway. The Wombat cheered. Then it was his turn.
       "Watch out for that deep bunker on the left," I said as he sized up the long hole in front of us. My advice was enough to put him off - he topped his tee shot and while it did go straight, it covered only about 100 metres. After only one poor shot each, coach Koray stepped in.
       In no time at all, he had us both hitting longer and straighter.
       Thanks to the many cameras set up in the amphitheatre which are connected to the main computer and which record every stroke, he was able to replay our shots in slow motion (even comparing them side by side with a video of PGA pro Stuart Appleby), point out when our arms should have been straight or bent, and see just what we were doing right and what we were doing wrong. The "wrongs" were in the majority.
       The beauty of playing a realistic round of golf controlled by a computer is that not only can you play some of the best courses in the world, you can also replay each shot to see why your ball ended up buried in one of those diabolical Scottish bunkers or plunged into the water faster than a bird of prey after a fish. And if you're not taking things too seriously, like us, with the click of a mouse you can also delete that wayward tee shot that bounced off the Rolls Royce in the car park or the one which went through the window of the clubhouse and emptied the 19th hole bar in record time.
       FINE TUNING: A technician helps a player adjust her swing.
       Another great thing we noted was we could play a round really quickly as there was no walking involved - after four holes neither of us had raised a sweat. We didn't have to walk to our next shot - the computer took us there automatically. We were sipping cool drinks, the air-conditioning was perfect, and the old course at St Andrews stretched out before us. The only thing that wasn't perfect was our game, but it was improving, thanks to our coach.
       The most challenging hole we played was the notorious "Road Hole" at St Andrews made famous by Japanese golfer Tommy Nakajima in 1978, who took four shots to get out of the deep pot bunker next to the green when in contention for the British Open. Since then the bunker's been dubbed the "Sands of Nakajima" and St Andrews' 17th - a dog-leg to the right, very close to the beautiful stone building on the course which houses a hotel - is considered the hardest par-4 in the world.
       By this stage our confidence was growing, thanks to some helpful hints from our mentor Koray, and we both chose to tee off with an oversized driver - a mean looking weapon by golfing standards.
       CUSTOMISED: Clubs are made to fit.
       I gave my tee shot everything I had - which admittedly wasn't much - and it took off like a rocket, straight over the fence and into the grounds of the hotel. "You just killed a gardener," the Wombat sniggered.
       Then it was his turn. His shot started well, then mid-flight it took a right turn, sailed over the fence into the hotel grounds and bounced off a window. "They sure do make tough glass in Scotland," I said. With the click of the mouse we deleted both shots and tried again, this time with a three-wood. We realised we weren't quite ready to wield heavy weapons.
       At the end of our very enjoyable round, we were both over the moon. Not only had we played some of the most famous holes in golf, we had also had some first-class coaching and our games had improved, all without walking anywhere or raising a sweat.
       The centre is the brainchild of Shane Wilding, who has more than 15 years of top level teaching and coaching experience in the US, Australia and Asia. Wilding, who coached on the PGA seniors tour from 2003-2006 with renowned players such as Curtis Strange, Ben Crenshaw, David Eger and Graham Marsh, as well as Australian PGA players including Peter Lonard, Rod Pampling and Paul Gow, now puts his efforts into lifting the standards of young Thai golfers.
       THE CROWD GOES WILD: This player had his cheer squad along.
       One of Wilding's success stories is Suchaya Tangkamolprasert, who was recently crowned the world's top junior for girls aged 13-14 at the World Junior Championship in San Diego. "The Thai juniors we train are a very talented group," said Wilding. "It's important to train them young and here we have the equipment and technology that's not available anywhere else in this part of the world."
       The Wilding Golf Performance Center uses an impressive array of equipment and technology which includes 12 swing bays using the high-tech AboutGolf Simulators, two putting studios and a VIP Corporate Suite complete with Asia's first 3D SimSurround Simulator, all set up in a mini amphitheatre.
       The Performance Center is staffed by a team of professional, multi-lingual instructors and utilises an exclusive array of multiple-angle video cameras, swing and putting-analysis software, motion sensors and launch monitors.
       Also available are custom club-fitting facilities in the Equipment Performance Lab that uses the world's top radar tracking system to match a golfer's particular swing and body type to the equipment best suited to his or her game.
       TECHNICAL HELP: Young players study their swings.
       "Soon we will have another big centre opening up in Thong Lor and it's a monster with 25 bays," said Wilding. "We also have a center up and running in Ratchadamri and we're searching for a suitable site in either Sathon or Silom roads."
       Now that the Wombat and I had conquered - sorry, played - St Andrews, and came away with a renewed confidence in our games after some very helpful tips, we have set our sites on demolishing another tough course - Pebble Beach.
       Relate Search: Wilding Golf Performance Center, PGA pro Stuart Appleby, Rolls Royce, Curtis Strange, Ben Crenshaw, David Eger, Graham Marsh, Peter Lonard, Rod Pampling, Paul Gow

GRAND SPORT ANNOUNCES FIRST ANTI-PIRACY BUDGET

       Grand Sport Group has set a budget for the first time to prevent pirating of its sportswear, as the problem has grown serious.
       "Without the preventive measures, we might lose 20 per cent of our sales or about Bt20 million to Bt30 million a year," president Suchada Nimakorn said yesterday.
       The company has spent about Bt10 million to set up an investigation team to monitor sellers nationwide and hire lawyers to help push legal cases against pirates.
       The company planned to grow 20 per cent this year to Bt800 million, but the surge in counterfeit products from last year until early this year is pulling down its sales target.
       The company's sales should be enjoying growth of more than 30 per cent, she said.
       The problem of pirated products is more serious than the economic slowdown, she said.
       The slump did not spill over to the sportswear business much because of government support for sports and the public's fever for the Thai Premier League.
       Grand Sport is the first local company to join with the Commerce Ministry in informing apparel makers and sellers nationwide about the Copyrights Act and Trademark Act, she said.
       "We have to protect Thai brands' rights before it's too late. This is also our preparation to serve the rising demand from sports-related persons because they have to prepare teams for the coming season's tournaments," she said.
       Grand Sport plans to increase production capacity by 20-30 per cent in response to the move, while 10 apparel factories are interested in producing sportswear for the company.
       "After holding a seminar to educate our sellers about pirated products, we'll start talking with the apparel makers to produce sportswear," she said.
       Sportswear accounts for 80 per cent of Grand Sport's sales and athletic equipment 20 per cent.
       The company targets 20 per cent in sales growth next year.

Step on it!

       ABBC wildlife documentary narrated by the godly voice of David Attenborough is on the television. The camera pans in on a vast savannah, empty but for a small, docile herd of grazing kick scooters.Attenborough describes how tranquil things are until he utters a line that indicates a dramatic change is about to occur in the story.
       "But little do these creatures know of the impending danger."
       The camera cuts to a bicycle approaching in the distance,using the tall, dry grass as cover. After a couple of words from Attenborough to build up tension, followed by some shots of the kick scooters taking notice of the possible threat, a burst of movement from the bicycle initiates a chase scene. Amid the impending mayhem a young kick scooter trips and is caught by the bicycle, its demise seemingly assured.
       "But what's this?" asks Attenborough."It appears that the bicycle has taken an interest in this female kick scooter."
       Three months later the inter-species couple give birth to a hybrid creature that the Dutch would label a "step".
       Sadly, David Attenborough doesn't live in Bangkok and there are no recorded cases of bicycles and kick scooters mating. However, the step is a real transportation device.It's popular in parts of Holland for sight-seeing purposes and has reached Thailand thanks to Dutchman Michael Hoes, a man who bears a striking resemblance to Sir Anthony Hopkins, if only the Welsh knight starred in more Disney movies. Established in 1989, Hoes's company ABC Amazing Bangkok Cyclist is responsible for most of the bicycle tours you see around town.
       To put things simply, the step is part bicycle and part kick scooter. The front wheel is big like a bicycle's while the rear wheel is small. The pedalling mechanism of a bicycle is replaced with a flat board to stand on while one leg kicks the ground to accelerate. A single good kick can propel the rider almost 10 metres and balancing is surprisingly easy since the platform you stand on is only 10 centimetres off the ground.
       Seeing that my wait for Cherry Coke to return to Thailand after disappearing from the market over a decade ago has proven futile, I've lost the will to live. I figured that dying a violent death involving this new mode of transport would at least put me on the front page of one Thai newspaper.
       OK, so maybe I don't want to die but I was willing to go on a stepping tour with Michael.
       me the kind of safety reassurance that emo kids try to avoid. Thoughts on my mind: Is the Bangkok traffic and road quality going to make this dangerous? Where will he take me?8:30am:After some safety coaching ("follow me," and "approach speed bumps from the side,") and a double espresso from Hoes's coffee machine the tour begins. The only other customer on the tour today is Olaf, a holidaying Dutch banker. The rest of the stepping crew consists of Hoes and his cheery Thai staff, comprised today of three women and one man. They are all clad in trademark pink shirts.
       Hoes's customers are usually European visitors who want to see non-touristy sights. However, he does get the occasional adventurous Thai person who is interested in the city where they live.8:45am:At first I feel a bit tense on the step but soon get the hang of it, as does Olaf. There is an initial strain in my thighs and buttocks but after a while I don't feel anything (like prison). It's surprisingly fun to glide around but speed bumps and potholes can lead to disaster for the careless. Although at such low speed you're not going to suffer a serious injury.
       We travel in single file as the guide - Hoes for today takes the lead so that we know where to avoid bumps. It definitely works well on Bangkok streets and the step is surprisingly easy to lift up and down sidewalks.9am:We have made it to a back soi between Sukhumvit Soi 22 and Soi Phai Singto. This seems to be a Chinese neighbourhood that I never knew existed. There are small townhouses lined up all over the place with very narrow streets between them. Somehow, cars are parked in these tight spaces.
       "Where are we?" I ask."And you live in Bangkok?" Hoes replies.I blush in embarrassment, but only for a while since it's hard to stay mad at Disney Hopkins for long.It's interesting that the tour brings surprises even to someone from Bangkok. How often do we venture into random neighbourhoods that we don't have any tangible reason to go to? There's always the fear of getting mugged I suppose but with our guide it just feels like any other tour.
       One point of interest in this area is a shophouse that makes leather shoes. Hoes points it out as he stops to greet the owner, who has obviously met him before.9:15am:We step towards Rama 4 Road. An obese Chinese man who - maybe from a combination of his ethnic heritage and high body mass index - has eyes like Chairman Mao squinting in the sunlight, sits up in surprise."Yo, yo!" he yells.
       A curious man sitting at an amulet store nearby politely asks a question about our steps,with one of the female guides more than happy to oblige with an answer.9:30am:After traversing Rama 4 Road, we cross over a canal via a wooden walkway.There's some old people here partaking in an illegal form of Thai craps with a makeshift playing board fashioned from cardboard. There is a stack of cash on the table. I'm tempted to take the money and step away as fast as I can, but the thought of escaping on a mode of transport with a top speed of around 25 kilometres an hour doesn't seem like a good idea on the mean Klong Toey streets.9:33am:We arrive at the lively Klong Toey market. There is a circus of activity as traders go about their business. They yell out the day's prices as diminutive, muscular men push trolleys to deliver goods to their respective stalls.
       Despite the market having the feel of a rugby field full of ogres waiting to tackle you,the step is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre since there are no seats to climb off like on a bicycle. Spotting us, a trolley pusher armed with an entire farm's worth of herbs grabs Disney by the arm.
       "Looks fun! Please take me with you!" he jokes with a smile so warm it could replace the Hallmark Channel. I cry a little on the inside.
       We spend some time looking at all the crazy sights of the market. Live chickens, frogs and even eels are sold for human consumption here so this would be an epic place to take that hot girl you met from PETA on a date. It's not really the kind of place that most middleclass shoppers would ever go to really, since the invention of air-conditioned supermarkets.
       Most of the market people stare at us but being so busy they just go back to their business. The aroma of chicken poo from the poultry zone is exceptionally phenomenal but despite the smell the market is always an awesome stop.10am:We arrive at Benjakiti Park where we take a break under a tree to eat fruit. We take some photos, making silly poses with the lake and Sukhumvit skyscrapers as a backdrop. The tour stops anytime you feel that you just have to take another cool snap for your Facebook account.10:45am:We head back to HQ. Being kind and considerate, Olaf turns back to see how the other steppers behind him are doing only to trip over a pothole on the Sukhumvit sidewalk near Soi 22. His only injury though is a very mild scrape on one of his knuckles.11am:We're back at ABC drinking another coffee and laughing away about an eventful morning. From a tourist's point of view you really do get to see some unique little alleyways and areas that wouldn't usually be included in a typical Bangkok tourism brochure.
       As a Bangkokian, the stepping tour really allowed me to see a whole different side of this humongous city that didn't involve a mall or a nightclub. I also got some exercise and sunshine in the process.
       Overall, it was seriously fun to be able to glide through the city with the ABC crew.Crossing roads under the direction of these guys felt safe. By staying off the main roads for the majority of the trip we rarely had to deal with pollution or the possibility of becoming some flashy looking road kill. And with the route being individually tailored to each tour group you are almost guaranteed never to travel the same way twice.G
       Contact Tours begin at 8:30am,9:30am, and 10:30am daily, ABC Amazing Bangkok Cyclist, Sukhumvit Soi 26.C02-665-6364 or 081-812-9641,www.steppinginbangkok.com.PB1,200 for a three-hour trip and B1,500 for four-hour trip which includes lunch with a crash course in street food.

BUSINESS WITH A KICK

       Virapol Gym builds a global reputation for Muay Thai training, writes Somporn Thapanachai
       Muay Thai or Thai boxing is a well-known martial art worldwide and many gyms offer training in cities across the globe. But Thailand is still by far the best place to learn the demanding art, and the best-recognised training centre in the heart of Bangkok is Virapol Gym.
       Located inside the compound of the former Pre-Cadet School on Rama IV Road next to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar,Virapol Gym offers Muay Thai training every day for 600 baht for two rounds, from 7-10 am and 3-7 pm, said owner Nikom Pheisiri.
       The gym has trained thousands of foreigners in its five years of establishment. They come from countries as far away as Chile and as close as China and Japan.
       Many trainees choose to stay at the gym, which can accommodate up to 50 people at one time in separate male and female dormitories,and pay 300 baht a night.
       Mr Nikom,40, said the gym expected to train all comers to be capable in Muay Thai so they can actually use the martial art.
       "We have no intention of withholding the knowledge and tricks of Muay Thai.We teach everything to trainees so it's up to their body conditioning to sustain the training as Muay Thai uses all parts of the body. It's tough for students who seriously want to take up this martial art," said the former Thai boxer who has spent many years teaching Muay Thai in other countries.
       The majority of students at the Virapol Gym want to take up boxing seriously or become trainers in their own countries,so there are few tourists in the sessions.About half of the students are female.Trainees normally take at least a week to a few months of training. The gym has six trainers.
       Mr Nikom said practising Muay Thai can require a long period of training.Foreigners generally start at a much older age than Thai fighters, who usually start training when they are six or seven years old and retire at around 25.
       In each round of training, the procedure starts with a Thai oil massage,warm-up and 5-10 kilometres of running to relax the muscles. Jumping rope fo-
       lows, and after that shadow-boxing, heavybag boxing, Thai pad training, which involves practice punches, kicks,knee and elbow strikes with a trainer, along with a variety of other moves.The number of trainees each day depends on the situation.
       "Trainees do the same things every day. If we find they are good enough, we will send them to test their ability at Lumpini Boxing Stadium," said Mr Nikom,whose trainees will get into the ring this coming Saturday.
       He also sends trainees to fight at Thai boxing events in other countries and recently signed a five-year agreement to send fighters to Beijing. His trainees have also fought in several European countries, but he has not yet sent any to the United States despite receiving some requests.
       Trainees who join for only a half-day will be charged half the daily rate. A monthly rate of 15,000 baht is also available.
       A convenient location allows trainees to spend their free time enjoying Bangkok, but the lease could soon be terminated as the area has been leased to develop a new commercial complex by Central Pattana Plc. Mr Nikom says he has already found a new location to continue his business if this occurs.

STEP UP THE QUALITY OR FACE THE BOOT

       Nike's decision to relocate to Vietnam is a dire warning for Thai industries to pull their socks up. The recent announcement that Nike, the international sports goods and sports shoe maker, is planning to relocate its production facility from Thailand to Vietnam is a warning to Thai industry it needs to upgrade quality and production levels. Nike plans to relocate this facility in late February 2010, according to Sakon Sikamamat, president of the Thai Footwear Association. The international brand says it plans to move to Thailand's competitors Vietnam and Indonesia because of the lower production costs in those two countries; this according to a plan to cut production costs from the company's headquarters in America. The relocation to a cheaper source of production is predictable. Amidst the current global economic slump, the company, like so many others, is looking to cut its production costs in order to remain competitive.
       While the Thai agencies concerned should be prepared to assist those who are laid off, Nike's intention should serve as a dire warning to all industries in Thailand. If they fail to improve their quality, they will be quickly caught and overtaken by the emerging economies in Asean and beyond.
       Sakon said that apart from the Nike relocation plan, other foreign-brand shoe companies have reduced their purchase orders due to the economic situation. Low-end footwear products from Thailand are still popular in neighbouring countries such as Cambodia and Laos. But the producers of these budget products are unlikely to maintain their share in those markets for long. This is due to cheaper imports from China taking over the markets in Indochina. Chinese producers can offer far cheaper products than Thai manufacturers.
       But there is still light at the end of the tunnel. The Thai shoe industry is perceived as having potential because the quality of Thai products is seen as medium- to high-end by consumers in the US, Europe and Japan. This perception of consumers overseas shows that the Thai shoe industry will have room to grow if it manages to constantly improve quality so that it does not have to compete directly with the newly-emerging economies and their lower production costs.
       Ironically, in spite of the news of the relocation of plants, skilled labour is still in high demand in Thailand. Sakon said the leather-shoe sector faces a shortage of designers and some 4,000 skilled workers. Indeed, Thai leather products have increasingly gained an international reputation for high quality and good design. If the industry manages to increase the number of designers to shore up production value, it will shine in the future. Educational institutions and companies should also work to produce qualified personnel to serve the industry. Practical training in factories, where design students can experience the work environment and real market demand, will help prepare them for the industry.
       To secure market share in the long term, Thailand should not only serve as a production base for global brands. International brand names are ready to move their production facilities to anywhere that offers cheaper costs aligned with quality workmanship. Nike is an example. Thai industries must also think about the possibility of establishing and building up their own brand names. This can be done by highlighting the strengths of products made in Thailand through attention to detail and quality.
       The current economic slump will be a big test for the survivors. Non-competitive industries that depend on cheap labour will not be able to maintain their market share for long because of the fierce competition from other labour-intensive production bases. Only those industries with the potential to find a niche in the crowded market place will emerge as winners amid the current doldrums.
       If shoe producers fail to upgrade quality, and those involved fail in their initiatives to create awareness of the quality of Thai-made products, then they will bite the dust. And we will see more plant relocations to other countries with no return to Thailand.

Thai bikinis rule!

       With the Miss Universe Contest 2009 all wrapped up, ICC International PCL can give themselves a pat on the back for their contribution to the success of the event. After all, they provided the BSC swimsuits for all the contestants during the sunshine days in the Bahamas.
       This is a source of pride for BSC, a local Thai company, whose swimsuits and bikinis have adorned the Miss Universe set for the past five years. This year, they sent almost 600 swimsuits for the 84 contestants. The design theme this year was "Natural and Environmental Conservation" with the colour theme being turquoise and coral, the hot colour trend for 2010, which also reflected the beauty of the Bahamas.
       Highlight of the swimsuit collection was the hand-embroidered coloured stones and coral beads to add to the luxury look.
       Two different designs were provided for the event: the Competition Suit in coral and the Fun Suit in turquoise.
       The competition suit was available in both one-piece and bikini. The bikini had a white embroidered top while the onepiece suit was coral with embroidered stones. Needless to say, all the contestants chose the bikini for the competition.
       The Fun Suit in turquoise was worn during activities and photo shoots.
       Apparently, the swimsuits were so attractive that even Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe pageant, asked to take one back with her as a memento of the event in the Bahamas.

ICC helps Speedo build Asian sales

       ICC International Plc, the fashion, cosmetics and swimwear distributor of the Saha Group, is expected to become a production hub for Speedo swimwear in Asia over the next two years.
       Speedo expects Asia to contribute its highest growth in the next five years,and recently set up a regional office in Hong Kong.
       ICC vice-president Chailert Manoonpol said the company was developing Asian sizes for Speedo, which before offered only international fits.
       Speedo will move 20% of its production capacity from Sri Lanka to Thailand next year. Saha Group's capacity will rise to between 1.4 million and 1.5 million Speedo suits per year,from 1.2 million. About 70% of the output will be exported to Europe and Asia. Speedo has three production bases in China, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
       "Thailand has good infrastructure and Saha Group provides better services and delivers products on time," Mr Chailert said.
       Apart from Speedo, ICC is taking its own BSC swimwear brand international. BSC has been an official swimwear sponsor for the Miss Universe pageant for five years, including the one to be held on Aug 23 in the Bahamas.
       "We have spent almost 100 million baht on sponsorship but got back more than that. The result is not only for swimwear but also for other products under the BSC brand," he said.
       Sponsorship marketing has brought BSC an international brand image. As well, the company has learned more about women's body shapes globally and can adapt products accordingly.
       "Through the Miss Universe contest,each year people in more than 84 countries see our products. We believe the BSC swimwear brand will be etched in consumers' memories," he said.
       To strengthen its global image, ICC has renamed the brand "BSC International" and is dealing with foreign partners to export BSC swimwear.
       Currently, BSC offers products in more than 10 categories from lingerie,to jeans, cosmetics, handbags, swimwear and food supplements.
       BSC cosmetics and lingerie are exported to Vietnam, the Philippines,Indonesia, Laos and Burma and will be available in Japan, Singapore and Malaysia soon.
       Currently, the market value of swimwear sold through department stores is estimated to be worth one billion baht. ICC sells four brands - BSC,Speedo, Streamline and Elle - with Speedo accounting for half of its sales.

GEAR UP FOR THE BIKE

       August is high season for cyclists as millions of people inspird by the eic rides of the Tour de France get out on two wheels themselves.
       But without the right preaparetion and equimment, a cold or sunburn might be the consequeneces of an afternoon in the saddle.
       The basic rule for buying cycling gear is that it must be lightweight, notes Bettina Cibulski of Germany's ADFC, an organisation government transport policy.
       "A cotton wool shirt," she adds, "will absorb sweat and then the wind absorb sweat and then the wind will cool you down. Synthetic fibre jerseys, on the other hand, direct the sweat outwards."
       Peter Nickel of the German cycling association Bund Deutsche Radfahrer says the best jerseys are
those with climate zones. They ensure you sweat less and that moisture dries faster.
       Jersey maker Gore manufactures the Xenon brand, with a mixture of five differnt matrials and is attuned to the body's climate zones.
       The Fission jersey from Vaude is supposed to provide good ventilation on hot summer days. It jersey has fine mesh sections on the back and under the arms to allow maximum ventilation.
       To achieve the least amount of wind resistance on a bike, you need to pick the right-sized jersey. Helmut Loetzerich, a cycling expert at Cologne's sport high school, points out that many beginner cyclists make the mistake of following their T-shirt size when buying a new jersey.
       "A jersey must tightly fit the body-otherwise it will flap about in the wind."
       And it should leave no part of the back exposed when you're bent over the handlebars.
       Loetzerich says cyclists should choose shorts that have as little stitching as possible, especially when it comes to areas where friction will occur.
       Another aspect to consider is padding. In a normal seated position, most of the body's weight is resting on the sitting bones, but while cycling weight is spread across the posterior and public bone.
       To allow for more comfort, most cycling shorts have integrated padding. "Not everyone likes that," says Cibulski, so some dodels allow you to remove the padding. Gore places extremely thin padding in its Xenon shorts.
       The sports clothing company X-Bionic makes a unique pair of shorts called Fennec, using a silver
reflective material that reflects the sun's rays to keep the body cool.
       As to cycling shoes, a smi;le rule applies - the lighter the shoe, the more expensive-but all models are compatible with the three standard pedal systems.
       Nickel also favours wearing gloves with padding on the palms to prevnt sweaty hands for losing grip on the handlebars. During long trips in the summer, gloves also protect the backs of hands from sunburn.
       Clothing maker Roeckl makes a model that allows sunrays to pass through the material, thus preventing the formation of tan lines as can happen with short-fingered gloves.

Head seals debt deal

       The sporting goods manufacturer Head NV struck a crucial bond deal yesterday, allowing it to slash its debt levels and cementing gthe hedge fund Octavian Advisors' position on its board.
       Investors supported an exchange which reduces debt levels at the Austrian maker of skis and tennis racquets by almost 40 million ($57.1 million) and which offers them a mixture of new bonds and shares.
       The company was over-leveraged and its performance depends on the economy and snow conditions, making it a difficult credit, said one credit analyst, asking not to be named.
       Head said 85.7 million of its 135 million high-yield bond had been tendered, which would be exchanged for
       43.7 million of new secured notes and 22.5 million ordinary shares in the group.
       The success of Head's exchange comes days after Germany's Escada failed to secure the support of bondholders for a similar exchange, forcing it to file for insolvency.
       The deal solidifies the position of Octavian Advisors, a distressed debt fund with a major holding in Head's bonds,which now sits on the company's board.
       Head's Swedish chief executive and major shareholder Johan Eliasch will provide the company with a 10 million ($14.3 million) liquidity line as part of the deal, a source with knowledge of the situation said.
       "The environmental campaigner and film backer's credit line will allows Head to build up stocks ahead of the European winter season," the source said.
       In July Head said it would require additional liquidity of 10 million to see it through the third and fourth quarters of the year.
       The exchange deal, organised by Merrill Lynch, cuts the company's annual interest payments by about 3 million and its leverage ratio (net debt to earnings before interest, depreciation, taxes and amortisation) from about 8.5 times to 6 times, said the analyst.
       First announced in April, the bond exchange was repeatedly extended as the company negotiated terms with bond holders.