The Thailand Futures Exchange plc (TFEX), under The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) group, will launch USD futures on June 5, enabling Thai investors and business operators to manage Thai baht through the derivatives market, enhancing long-term benefits for the country and all players concerned.
TFEX and 31 member companies got approval last week from the Ministry of Finance to conduct currency-related transactions, and are ready to launch USD futures on June 5. This product will enhance trading opportunity and help managing foreign exchange rate risk, said TFEX Managing Director Kesara Manchusree.

“This is the first time that Thai nationality and residents are able to trade currency futures without FX underlying thanks to the approval of Finance Ministry, Bank of Thailand, and Securities and Exchange Commission. It is also the opportunity for investors and business operators to use this financial tool to manage foreign exchanges more freely which will be useful in preparing the country for liberalization of the financial and real sectors,” Kesara said.

Initially, investors must be Thai nationality or resident in Thailand and the market has yet to open for non-residents. The trading hours will be the same as other key derivatives products, which are morning session (09:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) and afternoon session (2:30-4:55 p.m).
USD Futures have four maturities, which are three nearest consecutive months plus the next quarterly months. Given the June launch, the contract months will be June, July, August, and September. One USD Futures contract values USD 1,000. The contract is cash-settled, so there is no physical USD dollar delivered on the expiration date. Investors who are Thai residents have to open trading account with those 31 brokers or use the existing TFEX trading account if they already have one. Initial margin is less than two percents of contract value, or about THB 500 per contract. The commission is about THB 11 per contract. For details, investors should contact TFEX full-member brokers.
For more information, please visit www.tfex.co.th or call S-E-T Call Center 0 2229 2222.

A recent preliminary assessment by WWF of 63 legally protected areas in seven tiger range countries shows that the minimum standards for protection according are only maintained in 22 of these areas, or 35%. This indicates that the areas set up to protect tigers and other threatened species are not necessarily the refuge they are designed to be.
“Poaching is the most immediate threat to tigers and protected areas are the first line of defence against poaching,” says Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. “If this preliminary assessment reflects the full situation on-the-ground, then protected areas are not functioning as an effective safe haven for tigers. Without places tigers can be safer from poaching, there is no hope to meet the target of more than 6,000 tigers by 2022.”

In November 2010 at the “Tiger Summit” in St. Petersburg hosted by the Government of Russia and the World Bank, the 13 Tiger Range Governments and partners committed to doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022. From 15-17 May 2012, they will meet again to assess progress and plan the next steps.

Poaching of tigers, to meet consumer demand for their body parts and products, is now the main factor reversing the gains made by governments, donors and other partners working towards the 2022 goal. The meeting in New Delhi next week provides a perfect opportunity for the 13 countries to immediately launch an elevated operation to improve the protection of sites critical to tigers and take deliberate action towards Zero Poaching.

WWF’s internal preliminary assessment covered 84 locations, 63 of which are legally protected areas, in seven of the 12 countries where WWF currently works on tiger conservation. Scientists, researchers and managers working in the field, have determined these sites to be critical for wild tiger population growth.

Each site was evaluated on three critical factors for protecting tigers: the number of protected area staff, the use of law enforcement monitoring tools, and whether the park was officially protected by law. Data for the assessment was collected from published sources and through a survey of WWF field staff and managers of the sites wherever available.

Results from the assessment showed that staff and WWF field personnel from 41 of the 63 protected areas, or 65%, feel there are not enough staff to protect those areas and achieve Zero Poaching. One example is Malaysia’s Royal Belum State Park, critical for the survival of the Malayan tiger and where considerable poaching activity has been documented. Although occupying an area of over 1,000 km2, the park only has 17 enforcement staff. In contrast, protected areas such as Kaziranga National Park in India, with approximately 800 enforcement staff for about 860 km2, have been able to stem poaching activity. In Nepal, 2011 was recently celebrated as a Zero Poaching year for rhinos, which was largely attributed to the increase of range posts across several protected areas from 7 to 51.

The assessment also indicated that only 18 of the protected areas surveyed, or 29%, are currently using computer-based, law enforcement monitoring systems to help them manage their sites more effectively; the majority still rely on manual analysis. The number using computer technology should increase as two new systems, MSTrIPES and SMART, are rolled out in many protected areas in the next few months.

“Clearly, a large number of areas important for tigers urgently need increased investment in protection and enforcement,” said Mr. Craig Bruce, WWF’s expert on enforcement and protection of wild tigers. “Tiger range governments should immediately and dramatically increase their commitment and investment in securing these sites. They should ensure there are sufficient, effective and dedicated enforcement teams on the ground, working towards Zero Poaching.”

WWF has identified three actions tiger range governments can take immediately to launch an elevated operation towards Zero Poaching. These include identifying and delineating the most important sites requiring good protection from poaching, and ensuring these sites have sufficient numbers of enforcement staff who are well trained to monitor and improve their effectiveness by using monitoring systems. WWF also suggests that the police and judiciary need to help to ensure strict punishment on poaching and to actively engage local communities living adjacent to important tiger conservation areas.

In Thailand, WWF and Kuiburi National Park began an experiment to reduce poaching by enlisting the support of surrounding communities. A main goal of the project was recovery of tiger prey, which had been poached to such scarcity that tigers were on the verge of extinction.

Tiger Conservation in Thailand reached out to three strata of local village society that we thought could help stem the tide of poaching: adult villagers, their children, and local leaders and government officials. To evaluate the effects of these activities, we monitored prey population trends and poaching pressure. Between 2006—2011, distributions of gaur, sambar, wild pig, and muntjacs—the main prey of tigers—more than doubled, based on repeated camera-trap surveys throughout the park. Such increases would be unlikely unless hunting decreased. Indeed, hunting pressure declined every year since 2008, with ranger patrols finding 63% fewer hunting signs (such as shotgun shells and camps in the forest) in 2011 as in earlier years. A behavioral survey indicated that the main driver of the decline in poaching pressure was increased awareness from park outreach. Our experience at Kuiburi indicates that the short-term changes in human behavior needed to recover wildlife can be achieved through park outreach that builds partnerships with local people.

Note to Editors:
A brief on the assessment How vulnerable are wild tigers to poaching in the sites critical for their survival? and its results is available at

http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_tai_tiger_vulnerability_to_poaching_report_2012.pdf

For further information:
Ua-phan Chamnan-ua, Communication Manager, Tel +66819282426, email: uchamnanua@wwfgreatermekong.org

About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

A recent preliminary assessment by WWF of 63 legally protected areas in seven tiger range countries shows that the minimum standards for protection according are only maintained in 22 of these areas, or 35%. This indicates that the areas set up to protect tigers and other threatened species are not necessarily the refuge they are designed to be.
“Poaching is the most immediate threat to tigers and protected areas are the first line of defence against poaching,” says Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. “If this preliminary assessment reflects the full situation on-the-ground, then protected areas are not functioning as an effective safe haven for tigers. Without places tigers can be safer from poaching, there is no hope to meet the target of more than 6,000 tigers by 2022.”

In November 2010 at the “Tiger Summit” in St. Petersburg hosted by the Government of Russia and the World Bank, the 13 Tiger Range Governments and partners committed to doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022. From 15-17 May 2012, they will meet again to assess progress and plan the next steps.

Poaching of tigers, to meet consumer demand for their body parts and products, is now the main factor reversing the gains made by governments, donors and other partners working towards the 2022 goal. The meeting in New Delhi next week provides a perfect opportunity for the 13 countries to immediately launch an elevated operation to improve the protection of sites critical to tigers and take deliberate action towards Zero Poaching.

WWF’s internal preliminary assessment covered 84 locations, 63 of which are legally protected areas, in seven of the 12 countries where WWF currently works on tiger conservation. Scientists, researchers and managers working in the field, have determined these sites to be critical for wild tiger population growth.

Each site was evaluated on three critical factors for protecting tigers: the number of protected area staff, the use of law enforcement monitoring tools, and whether the park was officially protected by law. Data for the assessment was collected from published sources and through a survey of WWF field staff and managers of the sites wherever available.

Results from the assessment showed that staff and WWF field personnel from 41 of the 63 protected areas, or 65%, feel there are not enough staff to protect those areas and achieve Zero Poaching. One example is Malaysia’s Royal Belum State Park, critical for the survival of the Malayan tiger and where considerable poaching activity has been documented. Although occupying an area of over 1,000 km2, the park only has 17 enforcement staff. In contrast, protected areas such as Kaziranga National Park in India, with approximately 800 enforcement staff for about 860 km2, have been able to stem poaching activity. In Nepal, 2011 was recently celebrated as a Zero Poaching year for rhinos, which was largely attributed to the increase of range posts across several protected areas from 7 to 51.

The assessment also indicated that only 18 of the protected areas surveyed, or 29%, are currently using computer-based, law enforcement monitoring systems to help them manage their sites more effectively; the majority still rely on manual analysis. The number using computer technology should increase as two new systems, MSTrIPES and SMART, are rolled out in many protected areas in the next few months.

“Clearly, a large number of areas important for tigers urgently need increased investment in protection and enforcement,” said Mr. Craig Bruce, WWF’s expert on enforcement and protection of wild tigers. “Tiger range governments should immediately and dramatically increase their commitment and investment in securing these sites. They should ensure there are sufficient, effective and dedicated enforcement teams on the ground, working towards Zero Poaching.”

WWF has identified three actions tiger range governments can take immediately to launch an elevated operation towards Zero Poaching. These include identifying and delineating the most important sites requiring good protection from poaching, and ensuring these sites have sufficient numbers of enforcement staff who are well trained to monitor and improve their effectiveness by using monitoring systems. WWF also suggests that the police and judiciary need to help to ensure strict punishment on poaching and to actively engage local communities living adjacent to important tiger conservation areas.

In Thailand, WWF and Kuiburi National Park began an experiment to reduce poaching by enlisting the support of surrounding communities. A main goal of the project was recovery of tiger prey, which had been poached to such scarcity that tigers were on the verge of extinction.

Tiger Conservation in Thailand reached out to three strata of local village society that we thought could help stem the tide of poaching: adult villagers, their children, and local leaders and government officials. To evaluate the effects of these activities, we monitored prey population trends and poaching pressure. Between 2006—2011, distributions of gaur, sambar, wild pig, and muntjacs—the main prey of tigers—more than doubled, based on repeated camera-trap surveys throughout the park. Such increases would be unlikely unless hunting decreased. Indeed, hunting pressure declined every year since 2008, with ranger patrols finding 63% fewer hunting signs (such as shotgun shells and camps in the forest) in 2011 as in earlier years. A behavioral survey indicated that the main driver of the decline in poaching pressure was increased awareness from park outreach. Our experience at Kuiburi indicates that the short-term changes in human behavior needed to recover wildlife can be achieved through park outreach that builds partnerships with local people.

Note to Editors:
A brief on the assessment How vulnerable are wild tigers to poaching in the sites critical for their survival? and its results is available at

http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_tai_tiger_vulnerability_to_poaching_report_2012.pdf

For further information:
Ua-phan Chamnan-ua, Communication Manager, Tel +66819282426, email: uchamnanua@wwfgreatermekong.org

About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Elite Membership Program Goes Online

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, A Luxury Collection Hotel, has launched a website for its new premier membership program, “The Grande Club”.
Now discerning individuals can discover the benefits of the elite membership program online, explore the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit’s lifestyle and sign up for membership at www.thegrandeclub.com. The easy to use website includes full details of The Grande Club benefits, information about the hotel and its renowned restaurants, links to special offers, and a convenient online application form.
The Grande Club provides its members with the best there is to offer in one of the world’s finest hotels. For an annual membership fee of just Baht 7,900, Thai residents and foreign nationals registered as residents in Thailand enjoy special room rates, exceptional discounts on dining at award-winning restaurants and special events, discounts on exquisite treatments at The Grande Spa, and much more.
*Unrivaled benefits include:
– The first Baht 7,900 spent will be with the hotel’s compliments.
– 30% discount on food and beverage irrespective of the number of diners at BarSu, basil, Orchid Cafe, Rossini’s, The Living Room, Sunday Jazzy Brunch and The Sala
– The Grande Club members dining together can each present their cards allowing for all to receive their Baht credit bonus.
– 20% discount for special occasions including Rossini’s renowned gourmet Wine Dinners, Wine Tastings, Christmas and New Year celebrations, Special Jazz performances, Art Theatre events, and more.
– One (1) complimentary voucher for a 1-night week-end stay in a Deluxe Room at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. Week-end identified as Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights
– And much more…
A world of unparalleled benefits and rewards at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, A Luxury Collection Hotel are now just a click away. To discover more visit www.thegrandeclub.com
*Conditions apply.

Bangkok Bank’s Senior Executive Vice President Chansak Fuangfu (4th from right) and Executive Vice President Rushda Theeratharathorn (2nd from left), along with Sansiri’s Chief Executive Officer Apichart Chutrakul (4th from left) and President Srettha Thavisin (3rd from right) signed a loan agreement valued at Baht 1.5 billion. The funds will be used to develop three residential projects including ‘SARI Sukhumvit 64’, an 8-storey condominium project with two buildings totaling 192 units, ‘The Base Rama 9-Ramkhamhaeng’, a 35-storey condominium totaling 923 units, and ‘Town Avenue Rama 2 Soi 30’, a 5-metre wide frontage townhouse project with public space of 170m2 totaling 120 units. The three projects have already received strong interest and attention from customers.

Save 20% or 30% and Discover Online BookingBook any treatment at any time ONLINE and save 20%. ‘Early Birds’ (those who book online for appointments between 10 am — 1 pm) receive a 30% discount. Whether you are an Early Bird or a Later Gator, YOU WIN during Oasis Spa’s online booking introductory special. But, you must be Quick Chick or you will miss out Trout (offer ends 31 July 2012). Find out more @ www.oasisspa.net

Cake Shop of The Emerald Hotel invites everyone come to taste the special of the month “Chicken Curry Mini Pot Pie” and varieties of baked item such as cake, puff, pie, cookie, mousse and chocolate.
Special Promotion: 50% discount every day from 19:00-20:00 hrs. (take away only)

For more information, kindly call 0-2276-4567 ext. 8797

The Public Relations Department.
Tel. 0-2276-4567 ext. 8314, 8317
E-mail : pr@emeraldhotel.com

The Institute of International Education (IIE) celebrated 50 years of operations in Southeast Asia with a gala dinner in Bangkok on May 17, 2012. At that event held at the InterContinental Hotel in Bangkok, Vice President for International Development and Operations Melanie Sanders-Smith thanked the many organizations that have sponsored and supported IIE’s educational activities, including representatives from leading Thai universities, NGOs, international organizations, and private donors. U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Kristie A. Kenney, who also spoke at the dinner, commended IIE for its efforts to advance educational opportunities in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Vice President Sanders-Smith also took the opportunity to welcome James Warren as IIE’s new Regional Director for Southeast Asia following the retirement of Dr. Chalintorn Burian, who led the office for 15 years. Mr. Warren comes to IIE with nearly 20 years of experience working in Asian countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
IIE President and CEO Allan E. Goodman recently remarked that “through this office in Bangkok, IIE has been able to launch new projects, reach out to other countries in times of difficulty and transition, and pave the way to build entirely new organizations and approaches to develop the capacity of those in Asia to create the next generation of scholars and specialists in the region.” He also added that “the Institute is grateful for the dedicated support provided by the organizations attending this dinner, and for the half-century of presence that IIE has been able to maintain in Bangkok thanks to the openness of the people of Thailand.”
Headquartered in New York, IIE is a private, non-profit educational organization that works to foster international education exchange and advancement with the mission of “opening minds to the world.” It is the oldest and largest agency for educational exchange in the United States. Since its founding in 1962, IIE Southeast Asia, Bangkok has been engaged in activities related to standardized testing, advising and scholarship administration, as well as managing training and education capacity-development programs.

For more information please contact:
Mr. James Warren (Jim)
Institute of International Education/Southeast Asia
Tel: 02-652 0653
Email: jwarren@bkk.iie.org
Website: www.iiethai.org

SETTE, the contemporary Italian style fine jewellery showcased its exclusive Bridal Collections with special promotion for couples at the wedding event, “Wedding Library by The Peninsula Bangkok” at Sakuntara Ballroom on Saturday 12 May, 2012.
SETTE presents the Bridal Collections, Fiore dell’ Amore, the Engagement Ring and iL Mio Amore, the Engagement and Marriage Set Rings with additional touch of your personalization. Lui e Lei BRIDE&GROOM Ring, the Wedding Bands especially customized to only you and your lover. SETTE was overwhelming welcomed by guests who joined the event. The magnificent diamond jewellery set from SETTE was elegantly presented on the runway of the wedding event fashion show.
The Sakuntara Ballroom was adorned with millions of delicate flowers and beautiful bouquets to make the conceptual wedding ceremony more adorable and romantic for the wedding couples and for the couples to experience new ideas for their own wedding.
For couples who missed the event and would like to explore our elegant Bridal Jewellery Collections, please feel free to arrange a viewing with our professional team at SETTE Boutique, M Floor, Siam Paragon or Tel. 02-129-4847-8

*BANGKOK BOUTIQUE*
Siam Paragon Shopping Center, M31 Main Level, 991 Rama I Road, Pathumwan,Bangkok 10330 Thailand
T: +66.2.129.4847, +66.2.129.4848 | F: +66.2.129.4849

Celebrates the new route with all-in fares from as low as MYR249*from Kuala Lumpur

AirAsia X is expanding its network further into China with the introduction of direct flights to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.
From June 22, 2012, AirAsia X, the long-haul low fare affiliate of AirAsia will commence 4 times weekly flights from its hub in Kuala Lumpur to Beijing Capital International Airport, offering direct access to the capital of People’s Republic of China. AirAsia X will increase its flight frequency to Beijing from August 6, 2012 onwards, and will commence direct daily services to the capital.
The new service was officially announced today in Beijing. The announcement was made official by AirAsia’s Group Regional Head of Commercial, Kathleen Tan. Also present was AirAsia X’s Head of Commercial, Senthil Balan, business partners and members of the media.
To celebrate this achievement, AirAsia X will be offering launch fares to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur from as low as MYR249*one way on Economy and from just MYR1,129* one way on its Premium Flatbeds. The launch fares are available for online bookings from 17 to 20 May, 2012 for the travel period between 6 August, 2012 to 22 May, 2013. For more details, log on to www.airasia.com.
Kathleen Tan, AirAsia’s Group Head of Commercial said, “We are ecstatic that we are finally here and our network would not be complete without Beijing, the heart of China. Our guests from Beijing have been waiting for years and we are finally able to meet the robust demand for this exciting destination. Our first flight into China took off eight years ago, and since then we have carried more than 12 million guests from seven destinations in China namely Chengdu, Hangzhou, Guilin, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Guangzhou and Chongqing. We are confident travel demand to Beijing will be strong and hope many will take the opportunity to visit Malaysia and use AirAsia as a gateway to the many exotic, far-flung destinations across the region.”
“China National Tourism Administrative named Malaysia as one of the preferred destinations for China tourists. The number of Malaysians travelling to China has also grown tremendously. We are confident that our low fares will help to stimulate and trigger new travel demand, and will help to boost tourism potential on both ends.” she added.
Beijing being China’s second largest city by urban population provides a gateway into China. The country’s political, cultural, and educational centre is home to the headquarters for most of China’s largest state-owned companies and a major transportation hub with a sophisticated network of national highway, expressway, railway and high-speed rail network. Beijing’s Capital International Airport is the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic.
Guests will also be able to book Fly-thru flights from Beijing to Australia (Melbourne, Gold Coast), Indonesia (Bali, Surabaya, Jakarta), Thailand (Phuket, Bangkok, Krabi), and Singapore. The Flu-thru service allows passengers to seamlessly purchase two fight sectors and connect via Kuala Lumpur.
Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X said, “AirAsia X is delighted to offer direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing Capital International Airport from 22 June 2012. China is a key market for AirAsia X, and our entry into Beijing is another major milestone for us, which supports the Malaysian Government Economic Transformation that seeks to enhance connectivity between Malaysia and Beijing. The launch will allow for new segments of travellers between Malaysia, South East Asia and Beijing, leveraging from AirAsia’s exciting low fares and extensive South East Asia network. We believe our award winning low fare AirAsia X service will be well received in Beijing.”
“At the same time, we will be suspending our flights into Tianjin effective 21 June, 2012, but we will allow all impacted passengers the flexibility to transfer their flight bookings into Beijing (which is 111 km from Tianjin). AirAsia X will be communicating directly to all impacted Tianjin passengers our service recovery measures.”
The Beijing – Kuala Lumpur route will be operated on the Airbus A330-300 aircraft with a configuration of 12 Premium flatbed seats and 365 Economy seats.
AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position.
The Premium flatbeds feature universal power sockets, adjustable headrests and built-in personal utilities such as tray table, drink holder, reading light and privacy screen. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 20kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Blanket.

AirAsia was named World’s Best Low Cost Airline in the annual World Airline Survey by Skytrax for three consecutive years in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Earn BIG Points with BIG, AirAsia’s Loyalty Programme when you purchase flight tickets and travel packages. Sign up now at tune2big.com to redeem BIG Points for free flights with AirAsia.

AirAsia keeps abreast with the social media community via their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Guests are able to receive real-time updates on latest promotions and interact with AirAsia via facebook.com/AirAsia and twitter.com/AirAsia.

Guests can also log on to AirAsia’s one-stop travel portal at AirAsiaGo.com which offers a range of more than 80,000 three-star, five-star and boutique hotels, tour packages and transfers to choose from.

*Promo Fares include airport taxes and fees (all in fares)
Flights and fares are subject to availability and are for one way travel only.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE FOR KUALA LUMPUR- BEIJING, CHINA EFFECTIVE 22ND JUNE 2012

Flights From Departure/ Arrival Flight No. Frequency

Kuala Lumpur to Beijing 18:45/00:50 D7 316 3,5,6,7

Beijing to Kuala Lumpur 02:05/08:30 D7 317 1,4,6,7

1- Monday, 3- Wednesday, 4- Thursday, 5- Friday, 6-Saturday, 7-Sunday

For more information, please visit www.airasia.com.