Siam News

The pressure to discount can be overwhelming. These conversational tricks can help you push back.Here’s a sentence no seller wants to hear: “Can I get a better price on that?”The information explosion, globalization and economic pressures have created an environment in which everyone believes that they can get anything you are selling for a lower price. Buyers have access to many more suppliers and can make a decision with greater confidence–even without a personal or local relationship.Here are six smart ways to win sales without having to compromise on price.1. Bring new information.Often the buyer is using inaccurate information or inaccurately applying information. By bringing new insights and new facts to the conversation, you can move the conversation from “price only”

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Twenty minutes of footage from “Raise the Red Lantern” director Zhang Yimou’s latest film was screened for prominent U.S. film distributors and the media at the Toronto International Film Festival Friday morning. “The Flowers of War,” a World War II drama whose working title was “Heroes of Nanking,” stars Christian Bale as an American caught in the former Chinese capital amidst the infamous “Rape of Nanking” by the Japanese Imperial Army, in 1937. The American becomes an unlikely savior for two very different groups trapped in a Catholic church: a bevy of young schoolgirls and 13 notorious courtesans. Based on the novel “13 Flowers of Nanjing” by Geling Yan, “Flowers” was adapted by Liu Heng, who previously wrote the screenplays for Mr. Zhang’s “The Story of Qui Ju” and “Ju Dou.” The movie was produced by Mr. Zhang’s long-time associate Zhang Weiping. The $100 million budget makes “Flowers” mainland China’s most expensive production to date. The movie is to be released in China in December and is currently looking for a U.S. distributor to play the film in time for awards season. The preview footage, which featured some temporary visual effects, begins with scenes of Japanese army tanks invading Nanking and mowing down Chinese soldiers. Continue reading on Speakeasy

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I’m writing this entry out of frustration, because to be honest I’ve just been amazed by the behaviour of many Chinese recently. As I mentioned in my last entry, amid the ongoing radiation fears following the earthquake in Japan that crippled several nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant, residents in major cities including Beijing and Shanghai rushed out to buy iodized salt. Why?

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Thailand can learn something from other countries in implementing successful efforts to fight corruption. One lesson is that, as the local saying goes, “You can’t clap with one hand.” Thailand Business News

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This is a critical time for Thailand, with the country recovering from the recent political events of April and May and preparing for elections next year. Thailand Business News

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The baht is expected to strengthen further and stay at 30.50 to the US dollar by the end of this year Thailand Business News

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Minister of Information and Communication Technology Chuti Krairiksh said he had ordered a revision on the planned bidding to launch the innovative 3G network services to allow Thai investors to co-invest with foreign firms. Thailand Business News

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PTT Plc, the country’s largest oil conglomerate, is looking into the possibility of buying out Carrefour (Thailand) to further expand its retail operations, reports said, citing an informed source at the PTT.

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