General manager Pakapun Leevutinun said the target was "optimistic" in light of current political and economic uncertainty.

However, it is in line with its parent company's intention of doubling sales to $3 billion (Bt104 billion) worldwide in the same period.

"Sales in Thailand are increasing towards our target," Pakapun said. She expects a 10-per-cent increase to about Bt600 million in the first six months of the year.

Second-half sales will be in line with the target given a more stable economic and political picture.

Pakapun said meeting Nu Skin's worldwide objective would require Thailand sales to increase from Bt1.2 billion last year to between Bt1.3 billion and Bt1.4 billion this year and double to Bt2.5 billion within the next five years.

The company wants to recruit an additional 160,000 sales people in the same period, taking its total force to more than 400,000.

"We are more aggressive in encouraging distributors through better incentives and rewards," Pakapun said.

This year salespeople reaching company targets win a free trip to Paris. In the past, reward destinations were in Asia.

"We have set aside more than Bt150 million for marketing and incentives spending for this year - up between 10 per cent and 15 per cent over last year," she said.

There will be more seminars and workshops for sellers. This year will see six.

The training events help distributors increase confidence and improve sentiment in an environment of economic hardship, she said.

The company will hold its Nu Skin Expo between June 8 and June 10 at Central World Plaza. In addition, the company will travel to major provinces like Phitsanulok, Songkhla and Chiang Mai to promote its products. These events are expected to attract more than 20,000 people.

New products for Nu Skin this year are a biophotonic scanner - a "non-invasive tool that measures antioxidants" - and a hand-held skin analyser, Pakapun said.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation