Local handset distributors teaming up to lift standards
Bangkok Post (9 October 2007)
A group of local mobile handset distributors is moving to establish Thailand's first mobile-phone dealers' and distributors' club in an attempt to protect the interests of both operators and consumers. The drive is partly a response to the controversy surrounding recent fraud allegations levelled by the handset distributor Sam Corporation against Thai Samsung Electronics. The South Korean handset maker's major distributor claimed in their criminal complaint that Thai Samsung had caused it 63 million baht worth of financial damage from deceiving it into buying outdated products from parent Samsung Electronics. Thai Samsung executives had signed a letter last year appointing SET-listed TWZ Corporation, the parent of Sam Corporation, as the sole distributor in Thailand. The exclusive rights were transferred to Sam Corporation this year. Puttachat Rungkasiri, founder and managing director of TWZ, said that up to 20 handset dealers and distributors were expected to join the club, which would be formed this month. The goal is to prevent mobile manufacturers from taking advantage of dealers as the added costs are inevitably passed on to consumers. It will also allow operators to exchange ideas to set up industry standards. ''The move is expected to enhance our local distributors' bargaining power with handset suppliers and urge them to create fair competition in the industry for sustainable growth,'' Mr Puttachat said. He also cried foul over Samsung's move to cut handset prices by more than 10% in the local market in response to a dispute now before the courts. ''The price cut has forced us to face further losses, not counting those on mobile phone stocks purchased from Samsung worth 300 million baht that have been unsold,'' Mr Puttachat said. He also urged Samsung to return the exclusive rights to TWZ if it wins the case in civil court, which could be decided by the end of this year. Mr Puttachat admitted that TWZ would miss its sales target of eight billion baht by 20% this year, due mainly to the dispute with Thai Samsung Electronics. But he said the company was switching to sell more Nokia and Motorola phones to replace the Samsung figures. TWZ shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 13.80 baht, up 10 satang, in trade worth 6.44 million baht.
Bangkok Post (9 October 2007)
A group of local mobile handset distributors is moving to establish Thailand's first mobile-phone dealers' and distributors' club in an attempt to protect the interests of both operators and consumers. The drive is partly a response to the controversy surrounding recent fraud allegations levelled by the handset distributor Sam Corporation against Thai Samsung Electronics. The South Korean handset maker's major distributor claimed in their criminal complaint that Thai Samsung had caused it 63 million baht worth of financial damage from deceiving it into buying outdated products from parent Samsung Electronics. Thai Samsung executives had signed a letter last year appointing SET-listed TWZ Corporation, the parent of Sam Corporation, as the sole distributor in Thailand. The exclusive rights were transferred to Sam Corporation this year. Puttachat Rungkasiri, founder and managing director of TWZ, said that up to 20 handset dealers and distributors were expected to join the club, which would be formed this month. The goal is to prevent mobile manufacturers from taking advantage of dealers as the added costs are inevitably passed on to consumers. It will also allow operators to exchange ideas to set up industry standards. ''The move is expected to enhance our local distributors' bargaining power with handset suppliers and urge them to create fair competition in the industry for sustainable growth,'' Mr Puttachat said. He also cried foul over Samsung's move to cut handset prices by more than 10% in the local market in response to a dispute now before the courts. ''The price cut has forced us to face further losses, not counting those on mobile phone stocks purchased from Samsung worth 300 million baht that have been unsold,'' Mr Puttachat said. He also urged Samsung to return the exclusive rights to TWZ if it wins the case in civil court, which could be decided by the end of this year. Mr Puttachat admitted that TWZ would miss its sales target of eight billion baht by 20% this year, due mainly to the dispute with Thai Samsung Electronics. But he said the company was switching to sell more Nokia and Motorola phones to replace the Samsung figures. TWZ shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 13.80 baht, up 10 satang, in trade worth 6.44 million baht.
No comments:
Post a Comment