CALL TO IMPROVE LOGISTICS SERVICES

       Logistics service providers should improve their services and be ready to cash in as the world economy recovers, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (Fiata) has urged.
       William M Gottlieb, president of Fiata, said last week that while the world economy is slowly recovering, he wants logistics services providers to review and restructure their organisations as well as develop human resources.
       He said they should not only be blaming external factors such as rules and regulations as a limitation, he added.
       Speaking at the sixth Thailand International Logistics Fair 2009 symposium held by the Department of Export Promotion from September 9-13, Gottlieb said Asean is becoming more important to international trade and investments.
       He expected the upcoming world Fiata forum, which will be held in Thailand in October, to bring participants from around the world to Thailand and turn the spotlight on the country.
       Suriya Khumsuwan, logistics board member under The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said the most important factor in logistics service is manpower. If they are well trained, this would translate into cost benefits for companies.
       Mark Millar, managing director of M Power Associates, said the world economy is shigting to Asia, where emerging economies like India and China are making strong progress. China is the fastest-growing economy. Which has significantly increased trade with Asean, including Thailand, since 2006.
       Qingquan Jiang, vice president of Business and Management Department, Xiamen Xingcai Vocational College, said though total logistics value in China dropped 8 per cent for the year to September in 2008 and recorded a slow growth in 2009, total outsourcing expenses of logistics service providers in China since 2006 has been increasing. "China has become a major market for Asean exports," said Jiang, adding that trade between China and Asean is expected to grow 20 per cent annually as demand for growth was spurred by the government's economic stimulus measures.
       Meanwhile, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot stated that amidst the world economic recession, logistics play an increasingly important role in the export industry.
       All the speakers gave their speeches in separate panels and seminar dates.