Thailand Post is diversifying its logistics business with the launch of Siamese fighting fish delivery, aiming to help the more than 1,500 fighting fish breeders nationwide and capitalise on high demand for the species from abroad.
Some 26 million Siamese fighting fish were delivered overseas last year through trans-shipment, each fish worth at least 500 baht and some more than 10,000 baht, depending on how unique in colour they were.
According to Manop Sornviboonsak, senior executive vice-president of Thailand Post, the service is a collaboration with the Fisheries Department and the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion under the "safety and fast" concept to promote the ornamental fish business.
Fighting fish delivery is initially available for fish shops and breeders via 124 post offices nationwide out of more than 1,300 total.
Mr Manop said fighting fish merchants or breeders interested in using the service are required to register with the Wallet@Post app, then Thailand Post will sell a safety packing box according to the needs of the senders.
The boxes have three sizes, priced at 180, 230 and 300 baht.
The packing box comes with a specific sticker to remind handlers that fighting fish are inside.
Mr Manop said the delivery service for the fish box has the same rate as express mail service, starting at 42 baht per box of 250 grammes, then 52 baht for 500 grammes, 67 baht for 1,000 grammes, 82 baht for 1,001-1,500 grammes, 97 baht for 1,501-2,000 grammes, 122 baht for 2,001-2,500 grammes and 137 baht for 3,000 grammes.
Amonrat Sermwatanakul, head of senior fisheries at the Fisheries Department, said the value of ornamental fish exports grows by 5% annually.
"Siamese fighting fish are very popular abroad, especially in the US and Middle East," Mrs Amonrat said. "In Iran, people like to give the colourful fish to others as a gift on special occasions."
Thailand Post aims to have 5 billion baht in profit in 2019, up 14% from 4.4 billion baht this year, thanks to blooming e-commerce, cross-border trade activities and improvements in postal and delivery service management.
According to Thailand Post president Smorn Terdthampiboon, 2019 is the year to strengthen the enterprise's logistics efficiency. The consumer-to-consumer (C2C) and business-to-consumer (B2C) segments are growing in line with changing consumer behaviour, she said.