Two CP Group companies - CP Seven Eleven and Counter Service - each received a Thailand Quality Class (TQC) Award.

The three companies received the honours last night at the Thailand Quality Awards 2006 presentation, presided over by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont at the Shangri-La Hotel.

This is only the third time since its inception in 2002 that the TQA has been presented, and GSP is only the second local company to have received it. A multinational was the third winner.

The award is offered annually to recognise organisations with proven world-class operational excellence. The TQA is assessed according to performance in seven key criteria: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results.

Meanwhile, the lesser TQC awards are made to recognised organisations with good working systems at all levels. Both the TQA and TQC competitions will be opened up again next month for companies interested in improving themselves and gaining recognition for corporate excellence.

As the winner for last year, GSP will have to wait for another three years before applying to compete for a TQA again. However, the two CP Group winners of the TQC awards can apply immediately for this year's TQA.

Sompop Amatayakul, chairman of the national committee organising the awards for the Thailand Productivity Institute, said he expected to see many companies of all sizes join this year's competition.

He said companies with high reputations applying for the awards would help create a strong trend towards improvement, attracting more newcomers in the future.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation