Rose branches out with a new name, seeks foreign partners
Noppadol and the poster for ‘Masked Rider Hibiki’, which will hit screens on April 27.
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Rose Video Ltd, a leading Thai manu-
facturer and distributor of VCDs and
DVDs, will change its name to Rose
Media and Entertainment Plc as part of a rebranding strategy to diversifying its operations.
The company plans to list itself on the Thai stock market to raise funds for expansion. "We are looking for new opportunities for joint investment with foreign partners for film production or to run Thai television stations," said Noppadol Monphichit, son of Pheeraphon Monphichit, who founded Rose Video 15 years ago. Pheeraphon is now chairman of the company. Rose Video is undergoing a transition allowing the young Monphichits to take more responsibility in operations and business direction. Noppadol, 24, graduated in political science from Sydney University in 2001 and is now manager of Rose Video's animation business. His sister Oraphan, 26, is the managing director of a subsidiary, WPM Film International, and looks after the purchase and distribution of foreign movies. Younger sister Naruemon, 23, is the general manager of Rose Video and responsible for purchasing material and supplies such as posters and packaging. "The rebranding will support our plan to go beyond home entertainment," said Noppadol. He said Rose Video was now focusing on importing the full licences of Japanese cartoon superhero series, which are seen as offering tremendous opportunities in Thailand and beyond. Noppadol said the company planned to ask for the regional licences, covering content, broadcasting rights and merchandising, of well-known Japanese cartoon series to be marketed in Asia. Rose Video now handles the content and merchandising licences of Japanese cartoon series Naruto, Abaranger, Sonic X, Keroro Gunso, Mushi King, Perman, Garo and Zaruba, and Doraemon. "We are entering a new era when we can reach audiences through many channels rather than just VCDs and DVDs," said Jirath Pavaravadhana, 33, vice president of Rose and son-in-law of Pheeraphon. He added that the rebranding would begin in the next few months. He said Rose was the country's first supplier of karaoke and music-video laser discs. The introduction of VCDs in Thailand about 10 years ago opened new possibilities in animation, foreign movies, slapstick stage comedies and other variety shows, Jirath said. The company decided five years ago to buy foreign movies and their rights from overseas production houses rather than through Thai agents. The first film directly imported five years ago was Austin Powers. Rose Video is now in the top three independent film-distributors in Thailand with Nontanan Entertainment and Mokol Film. The company is also the biggest importer of Japanese cartoon-hero series. "We have spent more than Bt200 million a year purchasing between 300 and 400 foreign movies," said Jirath, adding that about 80 per cent of revenues were from home-entertainment products, with the rest from theatres, cable television and merchandising licences. "We expect that in the next two years only half of our business will come from home entertainment," he said.
Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn The Nation
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