After a day's golf, ASEAN Newspaper Printers delegates gathered in Bangkok this evening for a welcome dinner ahead of their two-day annual conference.

Increased numbers were immediately evident and reflected in the informal dinner event which precedes tomorrow's conference, with delegates coming together from most of Asia and the world.

Thai industry minister Atchaka Sribunruang will address members tomorrow before the conference gets down to business with a look at business models for newspaper printing.

Following publication of a new WAN-Ifra report last week, chairman of the World Printers Forum Kasturi Balaji - who is a director of the company which publishes The Hindu - will expand on themes from the report.

Then it's down to business with a tight programme of addresses from a dozen speakers from Asia, India, Europe and Australia.

Among speakers are Andrei Andrievsky and Kenneth Koe (Kodak), Brian Rock (The Newspaper Works, Australia), Anandan Thangasamy (Star Media Goup Malaysia), Wahyu Prihantoro (PT Gramedia, Indonesia), Snehasis Roy (ABP, India), Syam Zakiril Ikmar (Star Media Group, Malaysia), Adi Sarif (New Straits Times Press, Malaysia), Marcel Binder and Michael Buechel (Ferag, Switzerland), Jaco Bleijenberg (QIPC, The Netherlands), Anand Srinivasan (WAN-Ifra, India), Pongpun Wattapun (Böttcher, Thailand), and Mitsuhiro Imaiz (Fujifilm, Japan).

Tuesday'sprogramme continues with plant tours focused on prepress at Matichon and the KBA-equipped pressroom at the Bangkok Post.

On Wednesday, the initial focus is on the ASEAN with an address on the subject from Kriengkrai Thiennukul and a discussion from ANP chairman Andy Budiman on its business opportunities in print.

Anand Srinivasan returns to talk newspaper quality standardization and after a break, Aran Hansuebsai of Chulalongkorn University talks about building knowledge among ASEAN newspaper printers. A round table and feedback close the formal conference, ahead of a farewell lunch.

Pictured: Delegate leaders are recognised at the welcome dinner

On our homepage: Chairman Andy Budiman welcomes guests