Small businesses across Europe are bullish on growth

Small businesses across the UK, Republic of Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic have thrown off their austerity shackles and are forecasting growth over the next two years, a report has found.

According to the Vodafone SME Digitisation Report, which surveyed 1,736 small business owners across six European nations, 80pc said that they were confident that their businesses would grow in 2014 and 2015.

Via The Telegraph

World Bank asked to map out Thai SME promotions

Thailand is seeking help from the World Bank to map out its five-year promotion plan for small and medium-sized enterprises starting in 2017 in a bid to increase the gross domestic product (GDP) of SMEs to pre-financial crisis levels.

Through the partnership, Thailand will have access to the World Bank's expertise and database of countries. The World Bank has previously worked with China and Malaysia to develop a country strategy and is currently in talks with South Korea and Vietnam.

Via Hispanic Business

Automakers say govt rushing into Eco-Car project's Phase 2

Automakers who had participated in the eco-car project are not happy with the government's decision to launch Phase 2, claiming it's too soon to introduce it.

The comments came during a seminar organised by the Thai Automotive Journalists Association earlier this week that brought together representatives from the government as well as the industry to exchange views on the Eco-Car Phase 2 project.

Suparat Sirisuwannangkura, vice chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries and chairman of the Automotive Industry Club, said the eco-car project has been highly successful due to several reasons.

"It was able to win over customers from the motorcycle market, plus the rising fuel prices caused consumers to switch over to more efficient small cars," he said.

Since the project was launched in 2010, some 712,000 vehicles have been produced, with almost half of these being exported (343,000 vehicles exported versus 369,000 for the domestic market). Suparat said the market share of eco-cars has also risen dramatically, from 5 per cent in the passenger car market in 2010 to as much as 27 per cent this year.

Via THE NATION

Thai unrest has Japanese firms worried about future...

Japanese investments in 2012 in Thailand were 10 times higher than those off all European nations combined. 

But because of the protests in Bangkok, Japanese companies might re-examine their investment strategies in Thailand, according to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri.

Japanese investors regard Thailand as an important production base. If they feel they must move elsewhere, it could spell disaster for the Kingdom's export sector, which is already in bad shape.

According to the Thai Board of Investment, Japan is the largest investing country in Thailand. For Japanese automakers and electrical-appliance manufacturers, this country is a leading production base.

The Japan External Trade Organisation reported that 1,458 Japanese companies were operating in Thailand as of April. In 2012, Japanese companies made 761 investments worth a total of Bt348.4 billion.