Bangkok Post (Bangkok, Thailand) articles from September 2001

Bangkok Post (Bangkok, Thailand) archives from September 2001

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Company Reports Column.
September 1, 2001... Sep. 1--Bangkok First Investment reported an audited net profit of 10.1m bt for Q2, vs net profit of 9.6m bt for Q2 2000. 6M net profit was 26.08m bt, vs net profit of 15.8m bt for H1 2000. -- Charoen Pokphand Foods has registered its...

Thai Airways to Expand Catering Department By 20 Percent.
September 2, 2001... Byline: Somporn Thapanachai Sep. 2--Thai Airways International will expand its catering department to handle daily production of 50,000 sets of in-flight meals, a 20 percent increase from 42,000 at present. About 100 million baht is...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Business Briefs Column.
September 2, 2001... Sep. 2--GEMS AND JEWELLERY EXPORTS RISE 30.3 PERCENT: Exports of gems and jewellery in the first seven months of this year were worth 44.6 billion baht, an increase of 30.3 percent over the same period last year despite the economic slowdown....

Thai Department-Store Chain Revives Plans for Expansion.
September 2, 2001... Byline: Sukanya Jitpleecheep Sep. 2--The Mall department store chain is reviving its store expansion in Bangkok after dedicating its resources to opening a major complex in Nakhon Ratchasima last year. The Mall Group is now close to...

Thai Exports Slump 14.2 Percent in July.
September 2, 2001... Sep. 2--Exports in July totalled $5.143 billion, a drop of 14.2 percent from the year before, continuing a trend that is dragging down economic activity, according to the Bank of Thailand. Atchana Waiquamdee, senior director of the Monetary...

Thai Registry Service Ensures Gift Will Be Wanted Even If It's Not A Surprise.
September 2, 2001... Byline: Cholada Ingsrisawang Sep. 2--No question, the traditional gift of cash or gift cheque remains the most popular option for those stumped by what to give newly-weds. Yet with more couples leaving their family homes to live in...

Thai Investment Taxes Branded as Disincentive.
September 2, 2001... Byline: Krissana Parnsoonthorn Sep. 2--Unfair tax treatment on different investment categories is impeding development of the capital markets, according to researchers of the Thailand Development Research Institute. A TDRI study showed...

Japanese Karaoke Service Targets Thai Families.
September 2, 2001... Byline: Sukanya Jitpleecheep Sep. 2--Big Echo, a household name in karaoke services in Japan, is breaking new ground in Thailand's sing-along entertainment world by offering what it calls more family-oriented services. The success of...

Recycling Operators to Have Thai Board of Investment Backing.
September 2, 2001... Byline: Chatrudee Theparat Sep. 2--Recycling plants will be added to the list of businesses eligible for Board of Investment promotional privileges. No restriction applied to the location of the operations as they would improve the...

Tesco Lotus to Cut Opening Hours at Two Thai Superstores.
September 2, 2001... Sep. 2--Tesco Lotus said yesterday that it would comply with government requests to curtail the business hours of its 24-hour superstores. Its two outlets that are now open around the clock, on Rama IV Road and Sukhumvit 50, will be open...

American Express Confident of Asian Business Travel, in Spite of Cost-Cutting.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Parista Yuthamanop Sep. 3--American Express expects its travel and expense services to grow strongly as Asian firms tighten costs. Spending on travel and other expenses by Asian companies is estimated at US$100 billion a year....

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Business Briefs Column.
September 3, 2001... Sep. 3--HOTELS AND OFFICES SPUR CARPET SALES: Hotels and office buildings are driving carpet sales this year in a recovery from the slump that started in 1997, according to Somboon Lohmahadej, Asean area manager for Nylon flooring of Du Pont...

Thai Executives Ponder Future of Businesses.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Cholada Ingsrisawang Sep. 3--Has the end come for the traditional family business in Thailand? Globalisation, social and political change and the economic crisis have seen the influence of dozens of Thailand's most powerful...

Thailand Fibre-Optic Network Construction `Still on Schedule'.
September 3, 2001... Sep. 3--Only 5 percent of the work on the national fibre-optic network has been completed but the Telephone Organisation of Thailand insists that the system will be completed on schedule by September next year. Physical construction had...

Thai Film Production House Targets Chinese Market.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit Sep. 3--Kantana Group Co, Thailand's largest post-production house, plans to set up a representative office in Shanghai this year to attract business from Chinese film makers and advertising producers. ...

Marketer Seeks Lower Fees for Thailand Personal Communication Telephones.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Mongkol Jullayothin Sep. 3--Lower monthly fees and airtime charges are needed to help the PCT service compete with cellular phone services for which prices have been plunging, according to Asia Wireless Communication Co, the PCT...

New Rules Seek to Reassure Investors in Thai Petroleum Authority.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Yuthana Praiwan Sep. 3--New rules covering third-party access to transmission pipeline services will be released today in a bid to increase investor confidence in the forthcoming share offering by the Petroleum Authority of...

OPINION: Thailand's Local Banks Need to Regain Competitiveness.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Tim Bennett and Kim-Wee Koh Sep. 3--As foreign banks aggressively enter Southeast Asian markets, the new players capture shares of the most attractive retail and corporate customers and increase competition, eroding margins across...

Pattaya, Thailand, Prisoners to Reap Some Benefits from Privatisation.
September 3, 2001... Sep. 3--Prisoners in Pattaya may welcome the prospect of becoming the first in the country to be controlled by a private company as they will receive proper medical care and a better opportunity to acquire work skills. In the next two...

Thai Mobile Karaoke Bar-Restaurant May Be Franchised.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Charoen Kittikanya Sep. 3--A mobile restaurant painted like a spotted dog, with an inhouse karaoke bar, organised tables, clean toilets and chickens on board is giving the term street vendor a new meaning. The novelty has...

Shell to Revive Production in Thai Oil Field.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Boonsong Kositchotethana Sep. 3--Thailand can expect to raise oil production by at least 10,000 barrels a day next year, with the increase coming from an offshore field that is being revived after being shut down four years ago...

Bangkok Post Travel Column.
September 3, 2001... Byline: Imtiaz Muqbil Sep. 3--A major travel forecast report by the giant Japanese tour operator Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) predicts that the country could generate 20 million overseas travellers by 2005 but major shifts taking place in the...

Bangkok Bank Says They Kept Authorities Abreast of Transfers.
September 5, 2001... Sep. 5--Bangkok Bank first reported potentially illegal fund transfers related to a massive money-laundering scheme to central bank regulators more than one year ago, according to bank chairman Chatri Sophonpanich. He said the bank...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Business Briefs Column.
September 5, 2001... Sep. 5--GRAMMY STARS JOIN ANTI-PIRACY BLITZ: Recording stars and executives of Grammy Entertainment Plc will stage a three-day nationwide blitz against music piracy from Friday to Sunday. About 800 people affiliated with the country's...

Thai Celebrity Teacher Overcomes Prejudice Against Male Chefs.
September 5, 2001... Sep. 5--Yingsak Jongleartjesdawong vividly recalls the disappointment he felt back in the seventies when he watched his friends heading for cooking classes. "My college banned men from taking the course. I remember being really upset about...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Company Reports Column.
September 5, 2001... Sep. 5--BEC World said that on Aug 31, it rolled over loans of 500,000 bt to its subsidiary TVB 3 Network Co for another year at an annual interest rate of 5 percent . BEC World holds a 60 percent interest through its wholly owned subsidiary...

Bangkok Post Liakat Dhanji Column.
September 5, 2001... Byline: Liakat Dhanji Sep. 5--It has been several months since I wrote my last article. I spent some of that time travelling through Canada and the United States and the observations I made reinforced my views on the Thai property market....

Thai Cuisine Specialists Quest for Ultimate Dining Guide.
September 5, 2001... Sep. 5--The differences between the two are as stark as salt and pepper. One hails from a blue-blood background, with more than two decades of experience in the restaurant business in the United States. The second learned his love for food from...

Thai Footwear Association Chief Says Quality Upgrade Offers Key to Survival.
September 5, 2001... Byline: Somporn Thapanachai Sep. 5--Shoe exporters that want to stay in the market must make high quality products and move away from mass-produced items if they want to avoid competition from China, Indonesia and Vietnam, according to...

Thai Furniture Company to Introduce Dealer Network.
September 5, 2001... Byline: Krissana Parnsoonthorn Sep. 5--The Modernform Group Plc, a furniture maker, will establish dealers in the provinces to widen its market and reduce operating costs. Ten to 12 dealers would be operating nationwide soon, depending...

Thai Police Say Oil trading Is `a Mask for Illegal Activity'.
September 5, 2001... Sep. 5--Oil trading is a mask for illegal business conducted by people alleged to have laundered 7.5 billion baht, according to the police and the Thai Petrochemical Industry Group. The state-run Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT),...

Thai Food Ventures Make Good Use of Loans.
September 5, 2001... Byline: Srisamorn Phoosuphanusorn Sep. 5--While the global economic downturn has dealt a heavy blow to the export sector, the food industry continues to grow steadily, according to the Industrial Finance Corporation of Thailand. ...

Major Thai Cement Makers Seek Retail Price Increases.
September 5, 2001... Byline: Phusadee Arunmas Sep. 5--Three major cement manufacturers have sought permission to raise the retail prices for mixed and Portland cement by nearly 10 percent . The companies want to charge 2,150 baht a ton for mixed cement, up...

Thai Stock Exchange Revival Plan Due in Four to Six Weeks.
September 5, 2001... Sep. 5--A plan to revive the Stock Exchange of Thailand is likely to be finalised in four to six weeks, chairman Chavalit Thanachanan said yesterday. The plan will focus on helping the SET complement the banking system as a source of...

Thai Panel to Investigate Possible Tax Fraud in Money Transfer.
September 5, 2001... Sep. 5--A special investigation team will be set up to investigate potential tax fraud relating to the 7.5-billion-baht money-laundering case, according to Pol Maj-Gen Ekkarat Meepreecha, the commander of the Economic Crime Investigation...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Business Briefs Column.
September 6, 2001... Sep. 6--NPL TOTAL RISES B8.1BN IN JULY: Non-performing loans in the financial sector totalled 615.1 billion baht at the end of July, an increase of 8.1 billion from the month before, according to the Bank of Thailand. The banking sector...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Insider Column.
September 6, 2001... Sep. 6--We are pleased to declare a moratorium on jokes about Accenture, now that an equally worthy successor has emerged in the sweepstakes for dopey corporate names. Step forward, Fonterra, the New Zealand behemoth that was briefly known...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Company Reports Column.
September 6, 2001... Sep. 6--ASIA CREDIT said holders of its class B preferred shares converted their shares to 715,500 common shares from Aug 15-21. BOOK CLUB FINANCE said no holders of its warrants (BC-W) or subordinated convertible debentures exercised...

Co-operation Helps Speed Up Restructuring of Thai Construction Firm.
September 6, 2001... Sep. 6--Debt restructuring of Thailand's largest construction firm, Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD), is unlikely to be drawn out as at Thai Petrochemical Industry Plc, as most creditors and ITD's management have a common interest in speeding...

Economists Say Reforms Vital for Developing Nations to Minimise Volatility.
September 6, 2001... Byline: Parista Yuthamanop Sep. 6--Leading economists have urged developing countries to reform their exchange systems to reduce currency volatility and the shock to domestic ecnomies. Hundreds of top economists met yesterday at...

Gas Field Development in Thai-Malaysian Waters Goes Ahead.
September 6, 2001... Byline: Boonsong Kositchotethana Sep. 6--The development of the first gas field in the once disputed Thai-Malaysian waters is moving into top gear in spite of uncertainties about whether the offshore gas will be piped to Thailand or...

Thai Leather Firms Find Success Upmarket, Need More Brand Recognition Abroad.
September 6, 2001... Byline: Somporn Thapanachai Sep. 6--Small is beautiful, as leathergoods maker Classic Inter Leather Products Co can confirm after making inroads into the high-end market with both its own and other brands. "The quality of my leather...

Thailand Oil Firm to Check Data on Past Deals.
September 6, 2001... Sep. 6--The state-owned Petroleum Authority of Thailand has had business dealings with dummy companies set up by the suspects in a 7.5-billion-baht money-laundering scam. However, evidence so far showed the dealings were normal and not...

Thai Petrochemical Firm, State-Run Petroleum Firm Look at Cost-Cutting Ties.
September 6, 2001... Sep. 6--Debt-ridden Thai Petrochemical Industry Plc (TPI) plans to form a strategic alliance with the state-run Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) spanning various businesses. TPI had held initial talks with PTT executives on pooling...

Thai Publishing Company to Boost Income.
September 6, 2001... Byline: Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit Sep. 6--Amarin Printing and Publishing Plc says the expansion of its printing house, the launch of the Thai-edition National Geographic and the expansion of its Nai-In bookstore chain will increase its net...

New Logo to Guarantee Rice in Thailand.
September 6, 2001... Sep. 6--When consumers abroad buy Thai Hom Mali rice, they want to be sure they are getting the genuine product. With this goal in mind, the Commerce Ministry's Foreign Trade Department will register a logo that guarantees that the product has...

Thailand, Other Big Rubber Producers Look to Lift Prices.
September 6, 2001... Sep. 6--The world's top three rubber producers -- Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia -- may adopt a joint export quota to control supply to boost sagging prices, a report said yesterday. A Malaysian official said that apart from export...

Thai Telecommunications Operators Likely to Scrap Fees.
September 6, 2001... Byline: Kanchana Pleumjit Sep. 6--Deposits, installation and registration fees for fixed-line and mobile telephones are likely to be scrapped permanently, according to industry executives. The state-owned Telephone Organisation of...

Thai Television Channel Sees No Threat to Dominance.
September 6, 2001... Byline: Nondhanada Intarakomalyasut Sep. 6--BEC World Plc, the operator of Channel 3 television, hopes to maintain its dominant role in the local industry, as it sees no threat from newcomers, such as World Star TV. Although arch-rival...

Shares Surge 10 Percent after Thai Airways Purge.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--Investors hailed yesterday's sweeping board reshuffle at Thai Airways International as a signal of firm political will to reorganise the struggling national carrier. Shares of THAI on the Stock Exchange of Thailand rose nearly 10...

New Thai Bank Rules Revise Regulations on Directorships.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Darana Chudasri Sep. 7--Governance rules imposed on local banks by the Bank of Thailand will be revised, allowing bank directors to hold outside directorships at more than three companies. Two years ago, the central bank, under...

Thai Central Bank Wants to Uncover Wider Network in Money-Laundering Scam.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--The Bank of Thailand has asked all commercial banks to help check all transactions related to the three companies belonging to the prime suspects in the 7.5-billion-baht money-laundering scam. The central bank has also requested the...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Business Briefs Column.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--MEXICO ENDS BAN ON THAI RICE IMPORTS: Mexico is resuming imports of rice from Thailand after an eight-year ban, Thai government authorities said yesterday. Three Mexican trading companies received permission in July to import 1,238...

New Buy-Back, Par Cut Rules Give Executives New Tools in Thailand.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--Given the difficult and challenging economic climate, chief executives are under enormous pressure to lift share prices and create shareholder value. The recent change to the Thai Public Limited Companies Act on par value...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Company Reports Column.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--B. Grimm Engineering Systems said its board on Sept 3 approved the company's plan to invest in BGES Planner, which runs a debt-restructuring business, by purchasing 99,993 shares at 10 bt each, totalling 999,930 bt. Under the purchase...

Thai Secretary Seers Independent Competition Board as Best for Consumers.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Phusadee Arunmas Sep. 7--An independent National Competition Policy Board is needed in order to provide the utmost benefit to consumers, according to Kiat Sittheeamorn, deputy secretary-general of the Board of Trade of Thailand....

Private Input Best Way to Spur Revival in Thailand, Economists Say.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Parista Yuthamanop Sep. 7--Encouraging new private investment rather than reliance on fiscal stimulus measures should be the priority for economic policy in Thailand and the region, economists argue. Peter Warr, an economist...

Model Thai Executives Credit Employee Training, Teamwork, Benefits for Success.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--Chief executives of Thailand-based firms credited as model employers cite the training of middle managers as one of the most important issues facing businesses in Thailand as well as people development in general. The Best...

GE Aims New Home Appliance Models at Asia.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Sukanya Jitpleecheep Sep. 7--GE Home Appliances Asia, part of General Electric, will work with the Thai manufacturing arm of Japan's Toshiba, to launch home appliances designed for Asian markets in a bid to boost its meagre market...

National Housing Authority in Thailand Agrees to Securitise Some Assets.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Wichit Sirithaveeporn Sep. 7--The National Housing Authority has agreed to securitise property assets worth 500 million baht through the Secondary Mortgage Corporation. NHA governor Sukree Coompanthu said the deal would help...

Popularity of Laundromats Grows in Bangkok, Thailand.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Kanchana Pleumjit Sep. 7--Washing machines, common home appliances, are fast becoming tools of the trade for many enterprising businesses. Stores with self-service coin-operated washing machines are mushrooming in residential...

Thai Leathergoods Producers to Show Off Skills at Bangkok Fair.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--Thai leathergoods producers plan to show foreign buyers that Thailand can be a trendsetter in the industry, supplying high quality products. They will pool their efforts to promote the industry at Bangkok International Leather Fair...

Bangkok Post Arnat Leemakdej Column.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Arnat Leemakdej Sep. 7--Recognising new financial market conditions arising from e-commerce as we discussed last week, the Bank of Thailand has begun a research project called Payment Strategic Direction, to formulate a policy for...

Bangkok Post Kriengsak Niratpattanasai Column.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Kriengsak Niratpattanasai Sep. 7--A few months ago, I wrote about my experiences during a half-day workshop for fourth-year bachelor's degree students at a local university. My topic was international service, part of the school's...

Thai Corporate Restructuring Fund Imminent.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Krissana Parnsoonthorn Sep. 7--MFC Asset Management Plc says the $250-million corporate restructuring fund will be launched by the end of the year, with one investor being Calpers, one of the largest pension systems in the United...

Thailand-Based Precious Shipping Seeks $23 Million in Loans.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Srisamorn Phoosuphanusorn Sep. 7--Precious Shipping Plc plans to borrow US$23 million from financial institutions to buy new vessels and buy back debentures. After failing to find a business partner, the company is looking for...

Thai Shopping-Centre Giant Eyes 2.5 Billion Baht in Purchases.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Nondhanada Intarakomalyasut Sep. 7--Central Pattana Plc, Thailand's biggest shopping centre developer, is moving to consolidate its properties by negotiating to acquire two or three existing shopping centres in Bangkok. One of...

Slowdown in West Could Bring Opportunities to Thailand.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Chatrudee Theparat Sep. 7--Thai supporting industries are being urged to cash in on the economic slowdown in the United States and Europe which may lead their manufacturers to relocate operations to Thailand to cut costs. Erwin...

Thai August Tax Receipts Increase by 17.82 Percent.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--Tax receipts for August totalled 67.9 billion baht, an increase of 17.82 percent from the year before, the Revenue Department said yesterday. Tax revenues for the first 11 months of fiscal 2001 from October to August totalled...

Thai Communications Agency to Call New Bids for Mobile Phone Project.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Kanchana Pleumjit Sep. 7--The Communications Authority of Thailand will call new bids for its CDMA mobile phone expansion project in the provinces next month but with a smaller network size. "The exact size of the CDMA network...

Thai-Malaysian Negotiations Experience Setback.
September 7, 2001... Byline: Woranuj Maneerungsee Sep. 7--Negotiations between Thailand and Malaysia may be back to square one with Kuala Lumpur's trade minister claiming that Thailand does not deserve trade compensation as it supplies an "insignificant"...

Regulators Argue New Fund Transfer Laws Are Vital in Thailand.
September 7, 2001... Sep. 7--Bank regulators say that current overseas transfer and currency regulations are aimed at monitoring capital flows without hindering legitimate investment or trade. With millions of transactions occurring each month, bankers and...

Japanese Advertising Agency Uses Thai Branch to Grow in Southeast Asia.
September 8, 2001... Byline: Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit Sep. 8--Chuo Senko, a Japanese advertising agency, will use its Thai unit to expand its business in Southeast Asia. As part of the move, Chuo Senko (Thailand) Group will take over Chuo Malaysia, now...

Thai Celebrity Hair Stylist to Expand into Singapore, China.
September 8, 2001... Byline: Nondhanada Intarakomalyasut Sep. 8--Celebrity hair stylist Somsak Chalachol plans to take his beauty salon chain to Singapore and China in his first venture abroad over the next year. The salons will be the first Thai export of...

Bangkok Post, Thailand, Business Briefs Column.
September 8, 2001... Sep. 8--OCT 30 HEARING SET FOR VANCHAI CASE: The Central Bankruptcy court will begin hearings on a 103-million-baht bankruptcy case filed by Bangkok Bank against Vanchai Chirathivat, president of the Central Group, on Oct 30. The bank is...

US, European Slowdown Knocks Thai Growth Forecast Down to 2.2 Percent.
September 8, 2001... Byline: Darana Chudasri Sep. 8--Economic growth is projected at 2.2 percent this year, off almost 0.9 percentage points due to the slowdown in the EU and the United States, according to Citibank. Anusorn Tamajai, a vice-president at...

Bangkok Bootleg Money Changers Shut Doors for Now.
September 8, 2001... Sep. 8--Most unauthorised money changers in Bangkok have closed down in fear of a crackdown by police broadening their actions against money laundering. The largest unauthorised money changer chain in the Pratu Nam area closed after police...

Nissan Takeover of Thai Affiliates Collapses.
September 8, 2001... Byline: Santan Santivimolnat Sep. 8--Talks between Siam Motors Co and Japan's Nissan Motor Co on the planned takeover of the Thai firm's two affiliates have been aborted, surprising many in the vehicle industry as both firms had reached a...

Thai Petroleum Agency to Sell 15-20 Billion Baht in Shares at Public Offering.
September 8, 2001... Byline: Wichit Sirithaveeporn Sep. 8--The Petroleum Authority of Thailand has set a market value for its shares at 20-30 billion baht, of which 15-20 billion baht will be sold in an initial public offering scheduled for the next few months....

Thai Producer of Danish Brand of Shoes Predicts Even Lower Sales.
September 8, 2001... Byline: Busrin Treerapongpichit Sep. 8--The local producer of Ecco brand footwear has said the global economic slowdown will result in its total sales falling below the low turnover target already set. Kitti Chaiwattanatorn, deputy...

Group of Agricultural Exporting Countries Gets US Support.
September 8, 2001... Byline: Woranuj Maneerungsee Sep. 8--The United States has strongly supported the Cairns Group's stand on global farm trade negotiations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), improving the chances that a new round of trade talks will...

Media Company Secures Financing of Launch of Thai-Language Newspaper.
September 10, 2001... Byline: Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit Sep. 10--Nation Multimedia Group Plc says it has secured advertising revenue of 100 million baht to ensure the smooth launch of its new Thai-language tabloid newspaper due to hit the news-stands on Oct 19....

Thai Animation Company Hopes to Gain Recognition in International Circles.
September 10, 2001... Sep. 10--Making animated movies that gross millions of dollars is standard for Walt Disney or Dreamworks and far removed from Thailand's fledgling production houses. But Imagimax hopes that one day its 3D services will play a part in...

Thai Industrial Finance Company Prepared to Fill Role as Commercial Bank.
September 10, 2001... Byline: Srisamorn Phoosuphanusorn Sep. 10--The Industrial Finance Corporation of Thailand is set to become a full commercial bank serving industrial clients this year, a Fiscal Policy Office executive has said. "We expect the...