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Fuel for Thailand’s Future – Economic Update

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Tevin Vongvanich examines the Bongkot oil platform in the Gulf of Thailand. As domestic reserves are being depleted, PTTEP is in a quest to boost its production capacity.

 

BANGKOK – Energy consumption in Thailand is set to jump by 75% over the coming two decades as the economy expands and a more affluent society takes to the roads in increasing numbers, according to a new report. However, this new growth and mobility will come at a cost, with dependence on oil imports set to rise and increasing susceptibility to external price shocks.

A recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) on the energy outlook for South-east Asia, released on October 2, found that Thailand’s oil import bill could climb to $70bn by 2035, three times its present level.

According to the report, Thailand is the second-largest energy consumer in the region, ranked behind just Indonesia. Its energy requirements amounted to 118m tonnes oil equivalent (TOE) in 2011, with almost all of this met through imports. The IEA estimates that Thailand’s energy consumption will hit 206m TOE in 2035, amounting to a 75% increase over the two-decade-plus period. While the agency says the country’s population will remain relatively stable, the economy will treble in size over the coming 22 years, driving the higher demand for energy, with oil continuing to be the fuel of choice.

“Fossil fuels are by far the most important source of energy in Thailand and are projected to remain so through to 2035, with their share of the primary energy mix remaining above 80% throughout the period,” the report said. “Oil keeps its position as the dominant fuel, with demand rising from 1m barrels per day in 2012 to 1.6m barrels per day in 2035.”

Coal to play increased role in power generation

However, coal is seen as the potential replacement for at least some of Thailand’s oil and gas consumption, with usage expected to rise by 4% per year to reach 47m TOE by 2035, equivalent to 23% of the projected total. Most of this will be consumed by power stations, as demand for electricity continues to increase. According to the IEA, coal-fired plants will provide just over one-third of the nation’s needs in 2035, while the share of natural gas will fall from 68% to 52%.

The biggest single call on energy, and in particular oil, will be the transport sector, which will use 41m TOE per year by 2035. For the most part, the rise will result from a growing number of private vehicles on the road, which is set to jump from 3m to 10m. Thailand will also see many more buses and commercial vehicles take to the nation’s roads, pushing up diesel consumption as well. The IEA puts Thailand’s fuel mix for 2035 at 84% oil-based, 10% gas and 6% biofuels, with oil’s contribution only marginally down from that at present.

Risk of external shocks

The IEA also warned that the Thai economy was particularly vulnerable to external shocks, disruptions to its energy supplies and oil cost escalation. According to a report issued by Bank of America (BofA) Merril Lynch in early September regarding the possible impact of the Syrian conflict on Asian economies, Thailand was more exposed than most countries in the region to any destabilisation of the global oil market.

A 10% increase in international oil prices would cut Thai GDP by 45 basis points, while pushing up the consumer price index (CPI) by 25 basis points, the report said. Of the 11 countries surveyed, only South Korea would see a greater impact in terms of GDP, while the effect on CPI would be higher in just four countries – Indonesia, the Philippines, India and Malaysia.

One measure that the IEA put forward to ease the high rate of oil usage was scaling back subsidies. At the end of June, the government said it was considering following the lead of both Indonesia and Malaysia and reducing fuel subsidies, which cost the state some $8bn in 2012.

Savings could be redirected into energy infrastructure, with more fuel-efficient coal-fired power stations being an obvious investment. Though the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand has plans to bring another four power stations using clean coal technology on-line by 2028, doubling the present number in operation, this additional capacity will likely fall short of demand. The gap could be filled by the private sector, either acting in partnership with the state or alone, though any new plants will be dependent on imports to fire their turbines.

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PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

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(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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water

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

water

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP

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