Innovate or die: Thailand's top industrial firms ramp up R&D budgets

By Khettiya Jittapong BANGKOK (Reuters) - - GRAPHIC: R&D budgets: http://link.reuters.com/huk44w Thailand's two biggest industrial groups are raising their R&D spending to develop higher-end products, leading a growing troop of Thai companies under pressure to quickly evolve their low-value and increasingly uncompetitive business models. Thai companies are expanding their line-up of premium products as rivals in neighbouring Vietnam win more orders for low-margin, commoditised goods with cheaper prices. A recent hike in Thailand's minimum wages has also dampened the country's competitiveness, forcing some foreign investors to shift operations to other Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam and Myanmar where labour costs are lower. Siam Cement, a barometer of Thailand's economic health, lifted its research and development budget to a record 4.8 billion baht (98.3 million pounds) this year, or 1.0 percent of projected sales. That compares with 2.7 billion baht, or 0.6 percent of sales, in 2014. Thailand's third-largest listed company is no stranger to high value-added products, which accounted for 35 percent of its sales last year compared with just 4 percent a decade ago. These days, Siam Cement is focussing on higher-margin petrochemical products including high-end plastics and food packaging such as glassine paper. To encourage innovation, the Thai government has increased R&D corporate tax deductions equal to 300 percent of R&D spending, from 200 percent previously. PTT, the country's biggest oil and gas company and the largest firm on the Thai bourse, aims to spend 2.25 billion baht on R&D in 2015, versus 2.08 billion baht in 2014. The group has a policy of spending 3 percent of its income on R&D. The state-controlled company is expanding into speciality products including biodegradable coffee cups and high-density polyethylene used to make fluorescent nets for night-time fishermen. "It's in line with global trends as major petrochemical producers shift from commodity-grade products to speciality grade, and that's why they need to spend more on research," said Songklod Wongchai, an analyst at Finansia Syrus Securities in Bangkok. "But given the weak economic outlook and poor domestic consumption, I'm worried about demand because everyone needs to control costs. Prices of premium grade products are much higher than normal." (Editing by Ryan Woo)