Comworld 2008 to offer incentives to Thai IT shoppers

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Comworld 2008 to offer incentives to Thai IT shoppers
Bangkok Post: 1 Oct 2008
COMWORLD 2008 Incentives and new products to greet IT shoppers

IT shoppers will see many incentives to spend at the upcoming Comworld show, ranging from ''buy one get one free'' campaigns where buyers of PCs will also receive a free netbook, to an offer from Krung Sri GE bank's of a 10 percent discount on top of zero percent interest. Highlighting a concept called ''Freedom2,'' Comworld will be held from October 16 to 19 at Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon and is organised by the Aspirers Group (TAG).

According to TAG general manager Wiroj Assawarungsi, Freedom2 focused on four significant changes in technologies, Centrino 2, the second wave of the Asus netbook, multi-touch PDA phones, and a power battery for new notebooks with power saving chipsets, LED displays and SSD drives that enabled notebooks to be used for up to 18 hours.

According to AsusTek Computer (Thailand) country manager Pornthep Watchara-Amnuay, the second generation netbook would offer more features.

''The netbook that today uses WiFi via an access point will be able to connect with a built-in SIM card and have either an SSD or an HDD with a larger, 10-inch display,'' he said.

The Eee PC platform would diversify into a small form of PC that Asus calls an ''E-Box'', a tiny Atom desktop PC running on open source which users can connect to a larger display.

In addition, Asus will launch the Galaxy 2, the world's smallest 105-gram PDA phone featuring WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and with 3.5G support.

Wiroj noted that the exhibition would offer buyers more purchasing power with Krung Sri GE Bank's promotion offering zero percent interest rate with ten months of instalments and a ten percent reduction in the form of cash back from Krung Sri GE Bank.

The show also offers a ''buy one get one free'' for any purchase of a PC with a free netbook, and cross-selling programs for those buying certain models of SLR camera, offering either a free netbook or free external storage.

IDC Thailand research manager Thaweesit Kun-Ongkhananon noted that the US financial crisis had had an indirect impact on IT businesses here. If the US could control the maelstrom, the impact would be limited to the US or Europe, with only a little effect in Asia, he said.

He said the worst case scenario would see the private sector here, especially banks, telcos and manufacturers, postponing their IT spending for another 3-5 years, but the best case would be for around one or two years.

IT procurement would not be over, but there would no large scale projects.

However, Thaweesit said the consumer and SME market would be a growing sector as there would still be seminars, roadshows, events and promotions. ''This sector will increase to 5-6 percent of total IT market value this year which is worth around 50 billion baht.''

IDC might adjust the growth of the overall IT market from 15 percent forecasted early in the year to be around 12 percent. However, the research manager said the performance of the third and fourth quarters had to be seen.

Thaweesit said the lack of continuity in IT policy of the government had had the most severe impact on the industry.