Bangkok--Jan 27--Weber Shandwick
The Japan External Trade Organization or JETRO Bangkok is proceeding with promotional activities on logistics in the first quarter of 2005 in order to expand the awareness of the crucial role of logistics management and to boost Thailand’s logistics competitiveness to facilitate more efficient economic activities and attract more investment from other countries.
“The goal of Japan to foster Thailand’s logistics competency is also in line with the policy of the Thai government. For Japanese firms here in Thailand, a more efficient logistics system is also urgently required since Thailand is becoming “The Hub of Asia” for their operations in ASEAN and India, in the midst of an expanding FTA network in Asia as a result of Thai initiatives,” said JETRO Bangkok President Atsuo Kuroda.
There are altogether four logistics activities to be implemented by JETRO and its counterparts in the remaining 2004 Japanese fiscal year (April 2004-March 2005). The first activity - a logistics awareness seminar aimed at enhancing human resources and strategies for logistics competitiveness - was launched last November by JETRO and the Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC). The event was well-received by more than 400 businesspeople, government officials and academicians.
The next upcoming activity - another mobile awareness seminar for the eastern region of Thailand entitled “Strategic Logistics Management” — is to be held at the Dusit Resort and Spa in Pattaya on February 1. The event is a one-day seminar that features breifings and real-world practice on logistics management as well as examples of successful logistics applications, such as evaluting logistical operation to create cutting-edge logistical systems or improving logistics in Distribution Centers. Free registration can be made at 0 2679 7555 Ext 132 from now until the end of January.
“In this seminar, JETRO and our counterpart TNSC join hands with major organizations, including Thammasat University, Japan Shippers’ Council, and the Ministry of Transport. We hope that our participants can make the most out of these practical lessons and be able to implement or even improve on them,” Mr. Kuroda added.
The third activity, “International Logistics Workshop for Executives”, is a week-long, intensive workshop to be held from February 28 to March 4, comprising a lecture and group discussion and presentation in order to obtain practical knowledge, including global logistics, supply chain management and IT systems, from Japanese experts and share experience among participated executives.
JETRO is now also establishing the first “Logistics Curriculum and Textbook” in Thai for training courses in order to introduce Japanese know-how on logistics improvements at sites with a Japanese logistics curriculum and training method. The target trainees of this curriculum and training course are supervisors at logistics sites. They can learn, for example, how to grasp real logistics costs as well as how to adopt “Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)”.
“Good logistics is already an efficient way to cut operation costs and increase profits not only for the national economy as a whole but also for each company. Therefore, JETRO would like to continue its support of this kind of logistics activity in Thailand this year,” Mr. Kuroda concluded.
For more information, please contact:
Chutima Duangpanich
PR Dept., JETRO Bangkok, Tel. 0 2553 6441 ext. 147 End.