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Handicrafts in cyberspace — The Nation
March 28, 2001

NARAIPHAND, a 64-year-old handicraft-manufacturing company, will tie-up with e-commerce channel Thailand.com, in a bid to expand its global market base.

Their 50:50 joint venture, Naraiphand.com, with capital of Bt10 million, will promote Naraiphand products via the Thailand.com venue. Trading will start in the middle of the year with about 30,000 items on offer.

Rachnida Supangkasen, president of Naraiphand, said that it expects to realise Bt30 million from online sales, accounting for about 10 per cent of the manufacturer's total annual revenues.

Naraiphand forecasts Bt280 million in sales this year, up from Bt190 million last year.
Thailand.com has also promoted Naraiphand items on other big name sites, including eBay.com and Yahoo.com, said Sermsin Samalapa, president and chief operating officer of Thai Portal, owner of Thailand.com.

Rachnida Group has a 70 per cent stake in Naraiphand, while the Industry Ministry controls the rest.

Thailand.com, a portal site operated by Thai Portal, was founded by the Nation Multimedia Group, the owner of The Nation.

Naraiphand has also re-launched its own e-commerce site, Naraiphand.com, to enhance its online sales activities.

In addition, it has developed new product lines for its online sales. Among them are silk products, wooden handicraft products, brass goods, and lacquer and ceramic items.

Thailand.com chairman and chief executive Thanachai Theerapatvong said the venture with Naraiphand was one of three new projects due to be launched this year.

Thanachai said the portal had also formed Meetworldtrade.com, a US$1 million (Bt44.30 million) joint venture with US-based MeetChina.com, to provide Thai exporters with online trading channels. The initiative was expected to begin next month.

Thailand.com also planned to set-up a business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce joint venture with an unnamed IT e-commerce site.

BY USANEE MONGKOLPORN

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