Bangkok Bank, led by Executive Vice President Manager, Head of Metropolitan Business Banking, Mr. Sahapol Wannasusri, organized a free seminar to continuously strengthen Thai SME potential. As a leading regional bank, committed to be “a trusted partner and reliable close friend”, the Bank aims to support SME to transform their businesses to be in line with ESG principles (Environmental, Social and Governance) in a substantial way and prepare them for challenges and opportunities arising from new global regulations and standards which is not just trends but essential for business to maintain long term competitiveness. To kick off 2025, in line with global trends, the seminar topic will be “ESG - Guidelines and Adaptation for Thai Entrepreneurs, especially SMEs” and it will be held on April 4, 2025 from 13:00 - 16:00 hrs.

Seminar participants will learn about economic development guidelines through the BCG Model, which promotes a Green Economy that grows sustainably and competitively on a global scale, and insights from experts who drive the BCG model will be provided under the following topics:

• “ESG - Guidelines and Adaptation for Thai Entrepreneurs, especially SMEs” By Dr. Saowanit Bunyasuwat, Vice Chairman committee of the BCG Model working group of the FTI
• “BBL Transformation Loan”by Bangkok Bank Assistant Vice President, Metropolitan Region 1 Manager, Mr. Praphan Tanmisuk

Bangkok Bank has paved the way for Thai businesses to enter the global market while responding to the green economy and low-carbon trends. The Bank invited experts and executives from leading private companies to share their success strategies through 'The Great Green Transition' seminar. The event addressed key challenges such as climate change, trade laws and measures, and inspirations for entrepreneurs. The Bank is ready to be a 'trusted partner and reliable close friend,' helping businesses adapt through knowledge, business networking, and financing to seize business opportunities and achieve sustainable growth.

Bangkok Bank President Mr. Chartsiri Sophonpanich stated at the opening of the seminar 'The Great Green Transition' that the world is undergoing a significant shift from global warming to global boiling, leading to more frequent and intense natural disasters across all continents, affecting both developing and developed countries. Environmental issues are becoming a global challenge with increasing impacts on the economy, trade, and investment. Major countries around the world are continually implementing regulatory measures and increasing their intensity. For example, the European Union has introduced the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which imposes additional fees on products with CO2 emissions higher than the approved standard.

All sectors need to understand how to measure the CO2 emissions of their businesses, how to move towards a low carbon supply chain, how to decarbonize their main production processes, and how to create and implement green innovation as a competitive advantage. This means everyone must move towards a transition known as the Green Transition and must achieve it.

For this reason, Bangkok Bank has initiated 'The Great Green Transition' project as a crucial start to build on environmental concepts and innovations, promote sustainable and eco-friendly growth, create networks, and enhance the capabilities of Thai entrepreneurs towards achieving ‘Green Thailand’.

To develop this concept into activities that support entrepreneurs to adapt, the 'The Great Green Transition' seminar was organized to serve as a platform for exchanging knowledge, experiences, and perspectives from experts and senior executives from leading organizations, all of whom support the transition of Thai businesses towards a green and low-carbon economy.

“Bangkok Bank is dedicated to helping Thai businesses adapt to new environmental standards and smoothly transition to a low-carbon economy. We believe that 'The Great Green Transition' project will be a crucial tool for Thai entrepreneurs to navigate changing global regulations, create market expansion opportunities, and enhance business value. This initiative will also contribute to Thailand's goal of achieving Net Zero Emissions. Bangkok Bank is ready to be ‘a trusted partner and reliable close friend,' supporting Thai entrepreneurs to make a business transition into the future,” said Mr. Chatsiri.

Bangkok Bank is not only supporting knowledge but also offering a range of financial products and services to help customers transition smoothly to new business models. These include the Bualuang Transformation Loan for businesses wishing to enhance their operations in the digital age and adapt to the next normal by leveraging digital technology, adopting environmentally-friendly practices, or utilizing future innovations. Additionally, the Bank offers the “Bualuang Green Loan” and “Bualuang Green Solar Energy Loan” to meet environmental goals and align with ESG principles. The Bank has also prepared staff to assist customers from the initial stages of business adjustment planning to closely monitoring the situation and supporting problem solving.

The Bank has consistently organized activities to promote knowledge about these issues for entrepreneurs. One such event was the “Green Innovative Solutions Startup Pitching”, in which Thai startups with expertise in green business innovations were invited to present solutions to help Thai entrepreneurs transition effectively into the new competitive landscape. The event received participation from 44 startups, with 10 outstanding projects selected to exhibit their products and services at the seminar. Additionally, the top three startups were chosen to present their innovations on the seminar stage.

The Bank is also set to launch the “Green Transition Academy” training course, offering in-depth knowledge and practical training on climate change measures and regulations. Meanwhile, the Bank will create an official Facebook fan page, “The Great Green Transition by Bangkok Bank”, to serve as a hub for sharing knowledge, providing information on environmental trends, providing updates about regulatory measures affecting business operations, and offering organizational management guidelines for transitioning to new-era business practices. This platform will emphasize practical methods and examples that entrepreneurs can apply to their businesses.

Creating Business Leaders in the Digital Era – Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Mr. Kobsak Pootrakool, joined Chulalongkorn University President Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, Director of the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT Sloan School of Management Professor Yanchong Karen Zheng, and Senior Lecturer in Operations Management and Executive Director of the Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) Program Mr. Thomas Roemer, to launch the “Chula-LGO” program. This program aims to develop future leaders with comprehensive expertise who can integrate knowledge in engineering, business operations, and industrial systems management as well as precisely analyze and make decisions in complex situations in order to drive organizational success in the digital era. Bangkok Bank, as a “leading regional bank” and “trusted partner and reliable close friend,” focuses on developing technological innovations to create and enhance products that meet the needs of customers and businesses, providing excellent experiences and strengthening and leveraging the digital financial ecosystem. The Bank also offers students internship opportunities with its expert teams and builds bridges between the academic and business sectors to produce well-rounded, and highly capable, next-generation leaders who will play a crucial role in driving Thailand’s economy towards a sustainable future.

The “Chula-LGO” program is a two-year master’s degree designed to provide interdisciplinary learning experiences. Students will earn a master’s degree from the Faculty of Engineering and an MBA from the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy at Chulalongkorn University. The curriculum is deeply integrated with both theoretical and practical learning, including a two-week study program at MIT LGO and a six-month research and internship project in the industry, ensuring students are well-prepared for the real world.

Bangkok Bank, as a “leading regional bank” is committed to creating value and sustainably elevating Thai education to an international level. The Bank supports the Chula-LGO as a Founder of the program, in collaboration with other private companies. This aligns with our ongoing partnership with MIT since 2014, through initiatives in research and innovation development, such as the Action Learning project, which allows MIT students to develop projects with local companies, and joint training/seminar programs to exchange perspectives with executives from leading private companies on technological and environmental impacts. Similarly, our continuous collaboration with Chulalongkorn University covers supporting training/seminar events, scholarships, special lectures by the Bank’s executives and experts and this new partnership program. The Bank aims to build not only a network of next-generation leaders who can adapt and lead organizations toward global success but also to contribute to Thailand’s human resource development plans, where Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Industry 4.0 technologies are transforming the world.

Bangkok Bank has demonstrated exceptional performance by winning seven excellence awards in bonds from the Thai Bond Market Association. The Bank received the prestigious Best Bond House and Top Underwriter awards, along with three notable awards for environmental, social, and sustainability bonds. This shows that the market in 2025 is interested in shorter-term bonds compared to the previous year and is avoiding high-risk industries. The Bank continues its journey as a Sustainability Bond House, emphasizing its role as a trusted partner and reliable close friend, supporting all financial and investment matters.

Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President and Corporate Finance Department Manager Mr. Prasert Deejongkit said the Bank received excellent bond awards from the ThaiBMA Best Bond Awards 2024 organized by the Thai Bond Market Association. This year, the Bank received seven awards as follows:

1. Best Bond House – awarded to a financial institution with excellence in bond transactions in primary and secondary markets and for outstanding contributions to the development of the bond market.
2. Top Underwriter – awarded to institutions with the highest total value of long-term corporate bond issuances.
3. Best Primary Market Contributor – awarded to the financial institution with the highest allocation of government bonds in the primary market through participation in auctions of government bonds issued by the Ministry of Finance in the 2024 fiscal year.
4. Best Secondary Market Contributor – awarded to financial institution with the highest allocation of government bonds in the secondary market, based on the trading value of government bonds issued by the Ministry of Finance in the 2024 fiscal year.
5. Most Innovative Deal – awarded to the issuer and underwriter of sustainability-linked bonds who demonstrated innovative fundraising which serves as a model for other bond issuers. The awarded bond was for Minor International PCL’s No. 1/2024 tranche 1 and No. 1/2024 tranche 2.
6. Government Sector ESG Bond of the Year – awarded to government bonds and underwriters of government bonds under the Ministry of Finance's fundraising framework for environmental, social, and sustainability in the first round in the 2025 fiscal year.
7. Deal of the Year – awarded to bond issuer and underwriter of most outstanding private sector bond transaction in all aspects, which was the Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited's bonds batch 1-5 of the first round in 2024.

“Receiving these awards is a great honor as we have received a total of seven awards, including the prestigious Best Bond House Award, which is considered the highest award. The evaluation is based on excellence in various dimensions, including bond transactions in the primary and secondary markets and the Bank’s prominent role in the development of the bond market. We also received the Top Underwriter Award, as we have underwritten the highest total value of long-term private bonds in the past year, reflecting the confidence of both bond issuers and investors have in the Bank as a "leading regional bank" with expertise and experience in the finance, as well as a clear commitment to operate in accordance with sustainable development guidelines.”

In addition, three of the awards came from outstanding performance in the issuance of bonds to raise funds for environmental, social and sustainability. One of which is the Government Sector ESG Bond of the Year award for underwriting government bonds under the Finance Ministry’s framework of fundraising for environmental, social and sustainability. This reflects the Bank's commitment to be part of sustainable development covering environmental, social, and governance (ESG).

Mr. Prasert also said that the new private bond which will be launched in 2025 is expected to have an offering of similar value to last year, but the average maturity is likely to be shorter, and most of the bonds will be issued to refinance existing bonds or repay loans, rather than investing in new projects as a result of the recent slowdown in private investment.

Despite the increasing investment demand among institutional investors they are still quite cautious as they tend to invest in bonds rated A or higher. In the case of bond funds, investors are interested in investing in Zero Coupon Bonds with a maturity of not more than 3 years, which meets the needs of better risk management and has higher liquidity in the secondary market. Meanwhile, individual investors prefer 2-4 year bonds with a credit rating of BBB or higher, but they are still cautious about investing in some industries that are affected by the current economic conditions.

“Although investors are interested in investing in bonds to diversify risks, it is clear that they are being more careful in the selection of bonds. The Bank strives to select bonds with appropriate risk and provide customers with appropriate returns. The Bank maintains its policy of being a Sustainability Bond House that focuses on five strengths: Trust - building trust with both bond issuers and investors, Service - providing services that exceed customer expectations, Market Development - collaborating with various agencies to develop the bond market, Product Development - creating products and innovations, especially in the field of ESG, and finally, People Development - developing quality personnel with moral qualities and expertise to be "trusted partners" to advise and offer products that best meet the needs of each customer group," Mr. Prasert said.

In response to market volatility and low interest rates, Bangkok Bank has seen growing customer demand for long-term savings options that minimize risk and ensure consistent returns. The Bank is partnering with Bangkok Life Assurance to launch "Gain 1st Savings 10X 15/10", a new savings insurance product for customers who seek financial stability. Ensuring long-term financial planning confidence, this policy requires premium payments for just 10 years, while providing coverage for 15 years, an annual return of 10% of the insured amount, a lump sum payout of 10 times the insured amount upon maturity and life coverage up to 2,100%. "Gain 1st Savings 10X 15/10" is available exclusively at Bangkok Bank, a “trusted partner” that understand customer’s financial planning for the future.

Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Ms. Pornpimon Trongtiengdham stated that given the high volatility in both the Thai and global economies and the country's transition to a completely aged society, working adults, responsible for both their parents and children, are seeking long-term savings options that provide steady returns to reduce risk and secure their stability. As a "trusted partner" in financial planning for all customer groups for over 80 years, Bangkok Bank has collaborated with Bangkok Life Assurance Public Company Limited to launch "Gain 1st Savings 10X 15/10". This savings insurance plan addresses the need for long-term financial stability with valuable returns, minimizing the risk of principal loss, and providing life coverage as a guarantee for family members. Additionally, it offers a personal income tax deduction of up to 100,000 baht. The "Gain 1st Savings 10X 15/10" is one of three products designed to meet the needs of all three generations in Thai society, and we will launch two other products soon.

"The Bank has a substantial customer base of people aged 45 and above who are financially stable, have good purchasing power and the ability to save, and seek long-term security, and “Gain1st” is a popular savings insurance product among this group of customers. This year the Bank has introduced "Gain 1st Savings 10X 15/10" to more precisely meet their specific needs by giving steady returns, reducing market volatility risks, and providing high life coverage with additional accident coverage. This policy is easy to purchase without any need for a medical examination or health-related questions Therefore it is suitable for working individuals, whether they are company employees or business owners, who are looking for financial planning tools to ensure long-term stability," Ms. Pornpimon added.

Mrs. Laddawan Sitthiworranant, Executive Vice President of the Bancassurance and Partnership Distribution Division at Bangkok Life Assurance Public Company Limited, stated that in the current environment of declining deposit interest rates, effective financial planning is crucial for success. The "Gain 1st" insurance policy, a savings insurance product jointly developed by Bangkok Life Assurance and Bangkok Bank, has been available for a considerable time. Presently, the Gain 1st product offers a variety of insurance options tailored to different needs and is widely accepted by Bangkok Bank’s customers, particularly those in the working-age group. This is due to its notable features, including higher returns compared to deposits and its ability to provide financial security and life insurance coverage, meeting the requirements of long-term financial planning.

The latest product, "Gain 1st Savings 10X 15/10", has been launched to cater to the needs of potential customers, particularly middle to high-level executives and new-generation business owners. It is exclusively available through Bangkok Bank’s channels. The key feature of this product is that you pay premiums for only 10 years but receive life insurance coverage for 15 years. Additionally, you receive a fixed return of 10% of the insured amount per year during years 1-14, which is tax-free. Upon contract maturity, you will receive a substantial lump sum of 10 times, or 1,000%, of the insured amount. Furthermore, there is a continuous increase in death coverage up to 1,050%, and in the event of death due to an accident, the life insurance coverage increases to 2,100% of the insured amount.

The "Gain 1st Savings 10X 15/10" insurance policy is ideal for individuals seeking a financial planning product that allows them to grow their existing funds without taking investment risks. Additionally, simply saving money can lead to lost opportunities due to inflation, which diminishes the value of savings over time. This policy is also well-suited for those planning to start a family, as it helps create financial stability. The policy offers a money-back guarantee and provides life insurance coverage of up to 2,100%, ensuring peace of mind for the family. Furthermore, it offers tax benefits, allowing policyholders to use the insurance premium to reduce personal income tax as specified by the Revenue Department, up to a maximum of 100,000 baht.

For those interested in the "Gain 1st Savings 10X 15/10" insurance plan, you can apply at any Bangkok Bank branch nationwide without needing a health check or answering any health questions. For more information, please visit any Bangkok Bank branch, call Bualuang Phone at 1333, contact Bangkok Life Assurance Public Company Limited at 0 2777 8888, or visit www.bangkoklife.com

• Papa Paper under Simply Décor Company Limited: a business focusing on sustainable materials turning agricultural waste into paper to reduce waste, burning and carbon emissions.
• T-Smart under TIE Smart Solutions Company Limited: a business focusing on implementing AIoT to reduce energy consumption of the HVAC system through the AIoT controller.
• Videnvaren+ under Bangkokphraiya Group Company Limited: a business focusing on environmentally friendly building materials with an interlocking passive brick solution. 
• Zeroboard (Thailand) Company Limited: a platform for sustainability management through ESG related data collection, calculation and accurate reporting to help businesses easily manage their sustainability efforts.
• Carbon Crunch : a startup focusing on innovating animal feed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are currently developing their business idea from a project by students from Srinakarinwirot University.
• Smart Hybrid Aerator under Smart Hybrid Aeration System Company Limited: an innovation company that has developed a system to lower energy consumption during wastewater treatment.
• Rewastec Company Limited: a company focusing on transforming plastic waste and agricultural residues into new value-added products such as plastic pellets and composite ropes.

"Throughout the years, the Bank has been part of promoting the building of networks to share experiences, knowledge, opportunities, and innovations. The Great Green Transition project aims to provide a platform for startup networks with potential innovations to present their projects to entrepreneurs seeking innovative solutions to enhance their operational efficiency while transitioning towards a low-carbon economy, which is the new direction for the future world. The Bank intends to continue these projects to emphasize its commitment to being a ‘trusted partner and reliable close friend’ ready to support the growth of entrepreneurs, enabling them to move forward confidently and adapt to ongoing challenges,” said Dr. Pichet.

The Great Green Transition seminar will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok. Participants can view presentations from 10 startups and receive innovative green ideas from the 3 winning startups. Participants will also get updates on the global climate change situation, related trade laws and regulations, business survival strategies through green innovation, and adaptation for strong and sustainable survival in the face of global climate change. Experts and senior executives from leading private companies in Thailand will present as follows:

• Special lecture on "Global Boiling and Its Impact on Thailand" by Mr. Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director General Department of Climate Change and Environment.
• Special lecture on "Green Innovation: The Path to Survival for Thai Businesses" by Mr. Tim McCaffery, Global Investment Director, Siam Cement Group Public Company Limited.
• Panel discussion on "The Great Green Transition: How Businesses Must Adapt?" By: 
• Mr. Peerapong Krinchai, Executive Vice President - Central Engineering, Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited.
• Mrs. Gloyta Nathalang, Senior Executive Vice President, Sustainability Management and Corporate Communications, Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited.
• Mr. Mongkol Tangsiriwich, President overseeing Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar Schneider Electric (Thailand) Company Limited.
• Moderated by Mr. Kobsak Pootrakool, Senior Executive Vice President and Corporate Secretary, Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited.

• Shell V-Power card is for customers who only want Shell's highest performance premium fuel in the V-Power category. The card is valid for 1 year.
• Shell All Product is for customers who fill up any type of fuel, shop at Select convenience stores, the Shell Cafe and use the oil change service. The card is valid for 1 year.

“Many SME need cars to support their work on a regular basis. Some companies currently manage the cost of refueling by using a corporate credit card or a fleet card. However, many small entrepreneurs may not be eligible to apply for a fleet card. This is a market gap, so Bangkok Bank as a "trusted partner" who understands and is ready to stand by all groups of entrepreneurs has joined with Shell, the country’s leading gas station, to serve these needs. The Bank is offering an easy-to-use, convenient, secure and highly flexible prepaid card as there is no required minimum purchase and no fee for a purchase of 1,000 baht and above. Businesses may also choose to use this card as a gift for customers or for marketing campaigns. As a result of this collaboration, the Bank expects to be able to issue 55,000 cards, totaling 110 million baht in the first year,” said Miss Sudrutai.

Miss Suwara Supreeyathitikul, Deputy Executive Director Retail Marketing Department, Shell (Thailand) Company Limited said “I am very pleased that Shell has partnered with Bangkok Bank, a leading regional bank, to co-launch the SHELL-BBL Prepaid Card. The card is easy to use and helps to control expenses, which is important. Especially in an economic slowdown, where controlling the expenses of various organizations through refueling cash cards is also a popular option. Currently, Shell has more than 720 gas stations nationwide and 3,200 EDCs that facilitate a variety of payment methods.

“Shell has been operating gas station businesses in Thailand for over 133 years. Beyond its image as a leader in premium fuel with the highest sales in Thailand, Shell has continuously developed various solutions to meet customer needs in the digital era. The SHELL-BBL Prepaid Card is one of the products that supports the needs of general customers and business organizations. More than 80% of this card’s customers are business organizations looking to securely control expenses. This collaboration with Bangkok Bank will further strengthen confidence as operations are conducted under strictly enforced high-security standards," said Miss Suwara.

Those interested in the SHELL-BBL Prepaid Card, including customers and entrepreneurs, can now purchase the card from all Bangkok Bank branches nationwide or at the Shell Card Service Center by convenient payment can be made through 3 main channels: 1. Bangkok Bank branches nationwide, 2. Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking, and 3. Bualuang iBanking. The card can be used to pay for fuel at Shell service stations nationwide starting from March 15, 2025. For more information, please contact Bangkok Bank Card Member Services Department at 0 2638 4444.

Highest Honor – Bangkok Bank has been awarded the “Sao Sema Dharmachakra Award 2024”, the highest honor for promoting and contributing to Buddhism. The Bank takes great pride in being the first and only financial institution and commercial bank to achieve this recognition while reinforcing its status as a “trusted partner” to Thai society. The Bank’s executives and staff have joined and preserved Buddhist activities that are organized each year, such as the Royal Kathin robe offering ceremony for 58 years and the ceremony to celebrate graduates of the 9th Grade Buddhist Theology exam for 51 years, as well as participating in other religious activities.

Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Miss Pochanee Kongkalai represented the Bank in receiving the “Sao Sema Dharmachakra Award 2024” from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in the category of associations, organizations, foundations and agencies with activities promoting Buddhism. This is considered the highest honor in religion, and is organized by the Department of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Culture, to promote and honor good deeds and announce honors to those who have done good deeds for Buddhism. Bangkok Bank is the first and only financial institution and commercial bank to receive the “Sao Sema Dharmachakra Award 2024”, which reflects the success and pride in being committed to conducting business responsibly and creating sustainable value for society in terms of promoting and maintaining Buddhism in line with the Bank's sustainability policy for 80 years. religious activities.

Miss Pochanee said that: “Throughout the past 80 years, Bangkok Bank has adhered to the principle of operating its business with responsibility and creating sustainable value for society, in accordance with the policy of managing the organization for sustainability under ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles, especially in the social and religious dimensions. The Bank has continuously placed great importance on the preservation of Buddhism through various activities, in order to pass on good traditions and cultures while strengthening relationships with the community as well as promoting morality and ethics within the organization.

The Bank has been committed to conducting activities to promote Buddhism for half a century. The activities organized annually include:

1. Organizing the Royal Kathin Robe Offering Ceremony: Bangkok Bank is the first financial institution to receive the royal grace of presenting the Kathin robes to royal monasteries in every region of the country for 58 consecutive years since 1967 with the hope of lightening the royal burden and preserving Buddhism, culture, and traditions for the benefit of Buddhist monks. At the same time, the Bank has invited its executives, staff, customers, and the general public, including local people, to jointly restore the buildings and religious sites in each temple where the Kathin robes have been presented, with an aim to create participation and happiness for Buddhists who are an integral part of the sustainable continuation of Buddhism.
2. Organizing the ceremony to celebrate graduates of the 9th Grade Buddhist Theology exam to pay homage and express congratulations to the monks and novices who have diligently studied until they successfully passed the 9th Grade Buddhist Theology exam, which is the highest level of education in the Pali section of the Thai Sangha. Bangkok Bank is the first and only private sector company that has organized the celebration ceremony for monks who successfully pass the 9th Grade Buddhist Theology exam every year since 1974, which is the 51 consecutive years, demonstrating the Bank's strong determination to support and sustain the education of the Thai Sangha.
3. Organizing activities to bring the Bank’s directors, executives and staff to pay homage and perform Samijikamma (ask for forgiveness) to the members of the Sangha Supreme Council and senior monks during the Buddhist Lent festival. This is a tradition that Bangkok Bank has continued to practice for a long time.

Bangkok Bank is pleased with the excellent success of “The Big Blue Ocean Season 3” training course, which has encouraged the new generation of Thai entrepreneurs to prepare themselves for Digital Transformation. The program showcases success through special project competitions where participants gain hands-on experience using technology and AI to create solutions for business challenges, both reducing costs and increasing competitive capabilities. The bank hopes entrepreneurs will enhance their organizational efficiency and smoothly transition into the digital era. The program expands knowledge and builds business networks while standing beside entrepreneurs as a ‘trusted partner’ to support Thai businesses to adapt sustainably through disruption.

Bangkok Bank President Chartsiri Sophonpanich expressed his admiration and congratulated the winner at the closing ceremony of “The Big Blue Ocean Season 3” and said that the bank is strongly committed to encouraging entrepreneurs to recognize new dimensions of change as the world enters the digital era. This is particularly important given the rapid technological advances, especially in AI (Artificial Intelligence), which is transforming production and service sectors across almost all industries. These changes are rapidly shifting customer behaviors and demands, making it a crucial challenge that the bank wants entrepreneurs to be highly aware of. The current season of "The Big Blue Ocean" program focused on digital transformation, helping business owners and next-generation entrepreneurs transform businesses into the digital era. The program aims to equip participants with practical knowledge that can be immediately applied to modernize their businesses.

“Although technology and innovation will trigger points that require businesses to adapt and change, they are also opportunities for businesses to reduce costs and expand their businesses to meet customers’ needs in new ways. For example, using intelligent robots in the production process for precision and cost reduction, using AI technology to develop services, ranking from product recommendations to creating specific and effective marketing campaigns, etc. The important thing is that businesses must adapt by creating an organizational culture that is open to new things, understanding customer pain points, and using the capabilities of digital technology to develop sales channels, both online and offline, to reduce costs and increase business efficiency, as well as using AI to collect data and analyze in-depth to help businesses make decisions quickly and accurately. All of this is the intention of the Bank in designing the “The Big Blue Ocean” course, taking into account being “a trusted partner and reliable close friend” who is ready to drive and support businesspeople to adapt smoothly,” said Mr. Chatsiri. Mr. Kobsak Pootrakool, Senior Executive Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Bangkok Bank, said that the third season of The Big Blue Ocean is not only focusing on technology and the use of AI to further develop businesses, participants will also have a special opportunity to compete in a project competition under the concept of Transformation by using information, knowledge, and experiences gained throughout the course to jointly create solutions to solve problems and increase business potential. It was found that there were many interesting ideas that could help expand businesses, drive market access, and actually help reduce business costs. In addition, the closing ceremony also presented awards to participants who presented projects that could make the most of digital technology to create new business opportunities. The winning group was the Packaging & Envelope, which presented a packaging design using AI technology that reduced both production steps and time, met customer needs, and solved problems for the current printing business.

Mr. Sun Jantaveesomboon, Sales manager at S.R.C. Envelope Co., Ltd., a participant in the third season of "The Big Blue Ocean" and a member of the winning team winning the Digital Transformation Award and Innovation Award, said that his company has been in the printing and design business for more than 50 years. The company currently faces the challenges of higher competition and changing consumer behaviors, which demand products fast, while ordering fewer pieces but still need a unique design. Therefore, the traditional graphic design and production process does not meet the needs of small production and takes a long time to design. This training course shows that businesses can apply AI technology, so it can design accurately, quickly, and cover a wide range of products to meet customer needs.

"This project happened because the group wanted to reduce the gap and reduce the complicated process between the customer, the design team, and the printing house, so that customers could see the actual parts before production. It helps the printing house expand its business to more small customers who want to have their own branded packaging. Prior to participating in this training course, I considered that the modification of a large printing house would require high investment and hassle. But this training course exposes possible practices without the need for all the modifications. You can choose only the right thing for your business to deploy to the maximum benefit. After completing this training course, I will apply AI in my own business more seriously," said Mr. Sun.

Mr. Oran Klongchit, Chief Executive Officer at Eastinnova Co., Ltd., as the chairman of the third season of “The Big Blue Ocean”, said that he received advice from the previous season’s participants about the practical benefits of this course, which helped the business sector adapt to the digital age. The course content also helped update digital trends and new technologies, including listening to ideas and experiences from many speakers who are experts and gurus in various fields. In addition, it was an opportunity to meet and build relationships with business owners and successors in the same industry and across industries, resulting in knowledge exchange and the creation of in-depth networks that can be further developed together in the future.