Bangkok--2 Jun--KASIKORNBANK
KASIKORNBANK has cooperated with the Organization to Promote Japanese Restaurants Abroad (JRO) to support Thailand as a center for Japanese restaurants in ASEAN. This cooperation include offering credits, financial services, advices, and knowledge. Both parties believe in positive Japanese restaurant business outlook in Thailand where the number of Japanese restaurants ranks the world’s fifth largest with 10-15 percent of annual business growth and more than 8 billion Baht of cash expenditures. Within the next three years, the overall market size in the business is expected to reach 10 billion Baht.
Mr. Pakorn Partanapat, Executive Vice President of KASIKORNBANK, said Japanese cuisine has become more popular among Thais resulting in a continued growth of 10-15 percent in Japanese restaurant business. To support Japanese restaurant operators in business expansion, KBank and JRO have joined forces to support JRO members who are SMEs operating Japanese restaurants in Thailand. A complete financial service is offered in four categories as follows :
Funding & Borrowing are for start-up business operators that require revolving fund or need business expansion, for example, K-Klean Credit and K-SME Start-up Solutions.
Operation & Transaction are for daily funds receiving and payments of businesses. They include payments via credit and debit cards with the Bank’s electronic data capture (EDC). The Bank offers both terminal EDC and mobile EDC. Moreover, the Bank offers K-Payroll Plus in which employees receiving monthly salary via KBank accounts. In addition, special privileges will be provided including a maximum insurance coverage of up to 120,000 Baht and K-Home Loan service.
Saving & Investing are for JRO members with cash and demand for short-term investment with KBank. The Bank offers special interest rates for fixed deposit accounts. For those who already have credit limits with KBank, their saving rate will be added by 0.25 percent for the whole of 2010.
Protection & Information are services offering information, advices, and risk protection by experts from KASIKORNGROUP including research papers on businesses, foreign exchange information, and Japanese Business Information Center (JBI) where all information and discussion will be done in Japanese language. In addition, KBank offers special service in marketing promotion by holding co-promotion campaign with KBank credit cards.
Mr. Pakorn added that Japanese restaurants is a major market and are consistently growing as Thais are fond of Japanese foods which, they believe, are healthy cuisine. Currently, there are more than 1,000 Japanese restaurants in Thailand operated by 500 companies, the world’s fifth largest in terms of number following the United States, China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Most of them located in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chon Buri and are operated by Thais. In 2010, Japanese restaurant market size will be 8 billion Baht. With a growth of 10-15 percent per annum, the market will reach 10 billion Baht within 2012.
Mr. Yasumasa Asai, Branch Manager of JRO, said the cooperation with KBank with complete financial services and knowledge offered to JRO members in Thailand will provide utmost benefit as to smooth and stable operations of the members’ businesses. This is in line with the objectives of JRO that focus on activities that benefit members in promoting Japanese cuisine in Thailand together with an efficient business operation.
Mandated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, JRO is an independent organization that promotes Japanese restaurant business abroad. JRO has currently 14 branches worldwide. Established in Thailand in 2008, JRO has persistently conducted activities to promote members’ businesses in Thailand including providing a manual for Japanese restaurant business operation in Thailand focusing on detail of business operation and relevant regulations for Japanese businessmen. The organization also held seminars with interesting topics in order to provide knowledge of efficient business operation for Japanese restaurant owners.