How the flu scare has changed Thailand's business landscape
By Jon Fernquest
For
some businesses a global flu
pandemic
is a business
opportunity.That is the subject of today's article after the vocabulary.
(Photo on right of a technician using special equipment to disinfect the air in an office)
business landscape -
all the conditions that businesses face in doing business
business opportunity - a situation that might allow you to run a profitable business
technician - a worker who does skilled practical work with scientific equipment
disinfect - clean to kill germs
business opportunity - a situation that might allow you to run a profitable business
technician - a worker who does skilled practical work with scientific equipment
disinfect - clean to kill germs
A few niche winners in light of flu scare
DARANA CHUDASRI27/07/2009
Frozen food and canned food producers may be among the few beneficiaries from the H1N1 pandemic, as consumers shy away from public restaurants and shopping malls for fear of catching the flu, according to local analysts.
Home delivery services, home entertainment and even internet and e-commerce operators may also see a pickup in business as consumers stay home.
But any gains will certainly come at the expense of the overall economy. Kasikorn Research Center expects the global pandemic to account for a loss of at least 0.6 percentage points from gross domestic product growth this year, due to the slowdown in consumer spending and investment.
"The negative impact on tourism and other sectors [from the H1N1 flu] will cost the economy this year no less than 60 billion baht, or 0.7% of GDP," according to Kasikorn Research.
The economic think-tank, a unit of Kasikornbank, forecasts an economic contraction of 4.1% this year, down from a prediction of a 3.5% contraction made last month. The downturn may be less than feared if the global economy picks up, helping local exports and the government accelerates new investment spending.
Kasikorn Research said hospitals and medical-equipment manufacturers would almost certainly see higher revenues because of the H1N1 flu.
Canned and frozen-food producers and quick-meal restaurants may also benefit as people curb their outside entertainment spending.
Paiboon Nalinthrangkurn, chief executive of Tisco Securities, said the frozen-food industry was already set for a strong year, with leading producer Charoen Pokphand Foods increasing its introduction of frozen ready-to-eat meals in the market to take advantage of changing market behaviour.
"Now the 2009 flu pandemic may accelerate the trend toward convenient, frozen foods. As far as exports go, the global economic crisis has led many households to cut back restaurant spending, leading to higher demand for frozen food," he said.
Sombat Narawutthichai, the secretary-general of the Securities Analysts Association, estimated that the flu scare has caused a 10% decline in traffic in shopping malls and public spaces.
But any increase in home entertainment and dining was unlikely to offset losses for the economy overall, as lower consumer spending hurt a wide range of industries and service sectors, he said.
(Source: Bangkok Post, business, A few niche winners in light of flu scare, DARANA CHUDASRI, 27/07/2009, link)
niche - a small
specialized area
niche winners - businesses that are doing well and profitable because their specialty is suddenly in demand
in light of Y- given the fact of Y
the flu scare - when many people suddenly panic and are scared of catching the flu
beneficiaries of Y - people who gain from Y
H1N1 flu pandemic - the process of the H1N1 flu spreading over the entire world
epidemic – a large number of cases of a disease happening at the same time in a particular community
pandemic – a disease that affects almost everyone in a very large area โรคที่มีการแพร่กระจายหรือระบาดไปทั่ว
public restaurants - meaning: in a restaurant you eat next to people (all restaurants are public)
local analysts - experts on the subject in Thailand
home delivery services - restaurants that will send meals to your home
pick up - go faster, quicker
see a pickup in business - experience an increase in business
X come at the expense of Y - if good thing X happens, then you pay price Y
Kasikorn Research - (See website)
global pandemic - a disease that is spreading all over the world
GDP, Gross Domestic product - a measure of economic activity in a country, the value of the country's output of goods and services. GDP is defined roughly as: GDP = Household Consumption + Business Investment + Change in Inventories + (Government Spending - Taxes) + (Exports - Imports) (See Economist Glossary)
think tank - a non-profit organization that does research work in areas such as economic policy, government policy, political strategy, science, and military issues (See Wikipedia)
economic contraction - a period of reduced economic activity, growth, and incomes
global economy picks up - when activity in the world economy starts increasing again and economies resume positive growth
curb - stop or reduce
outside entertainment spending - spending money for entertainment outside of the house (restaurants, movie, tourism)
frozen ready-to-eat meals - meals that you microwave and eat (quick eating)
changing market behaviour - customers and companies are buying different things, supply and demand is changing
accelerate the trend toward - more and more people or companies are doing this
convenient - easy to do or use
public spaces - places where every person can go (for example: shopping malls, parks, markets...)
offset losses - gains that reduce losses
consumer spending - families and individuals spending money (not businesses or government)
niche winners - businesses that are doing well and profitable because their specialty is suddenly in demand
in light of Y- given the fact of Y
the flu scare - when many people suddenly panic and are scared of catching the flu
beneficiaries of Y - people who gain from Y
H1N1 flu pandemic - the process of the H1N1 flu spreading over the entire world
epidemic – a large number of cases of a disease happening at the same time in a particular community
pandemic – a disease that affects almost everyone in a very large area โรคที่มีการแพร่กระจายหรือระบาดไปทั่ว
public restaurants - meaning: in a restaurant you eat next to people (all restaurants are public)
local analysts - experts on the subject in Thailand
home delivery services - restaurants that will send meals to your home
pick up - go faster, quicker
see a pickup in business - experience an increase in business
X come at the expense of Y - if good thing X happens, then you pay price Y
Kasikorn Research - (See website)
global pandemic - a disease that is spreading all over the world
GDP, Gross Domestic product - a measure of economic activity in a country, the value of the country's output of goods and services. GDP is defined roughly as: GDP = Household Consumption + Business Investment + Change in Inventories + (Government Spending - Taxes) + (Exports - Imports) (See Economist Glossary)
think tank - a non-profit organization that does research work in areas such as economic policy, government policy, political strategy, science, and military issues (See Wikipedia)
economic contraction - a period of reduced economic activity, growth, and incomes
global economy picks up - when activity in the world economy starts increasing again and economies resume positive growth
curb - stop or reduce
outside entertainment spending - spending money for entertainment outside of the house (restaurants, movie, tourism)
frozen ready-to-eat meals - meals that you microwave and eat (quick eating)
changing market behaviour - customers and companies are buying different things, supply and demand is changing
accelerate the trend toward - more and more people or companies are doing this
convenient - easy to do or use
public spaces - places where every person can go (for example: shopping malls, parks, markets...)
offset losses - gains that reduce losses
consumer spending - families and individuals spending money (not businesses or government)
(Source: Bangkok Post, business, A few niche winners in light of flu scare, DARANA CHUDASRI, 27/07/2009, link)
