The Nation (Thailand) articles from January 2009

The Nation (Thailand) archives from January 2009

Yum Restaurants ups budget for store expansion, marketing.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Despite economic and political difficulties, Yum Restaurants International (Thailand), the owner and operator of the KFC and Pizza Hut chains in the Kingdom, yesterday announced its commitment to invest Bt1.8 billion...

Company reports.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. RATCHABURI ELECTRICITY GENERATING HOLDING recorded a 2008 consolidated net profit of Bt6.49 billion, up from Bt5.83 billion the previous year. COMPASS EAST INDUSTRY sold out 100 per cent of its shares in its...

Bt1 billion sought for training.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Industry Ministry will ask for Bt1 billion from the government's Bt100-billion supplementary budget to help 80,000 jobless workers in the industrial sector. After a meeting yesterday with the Public and...

Ministry only partially successful in bid for lower prices.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Some manufacturers of 25 out of 46 key items agree to cuts The Commerce Ministry yesterday failed to convince all consumer-goods manufacturers to cut their retail prices during this time of slow economic growth....

Protectionist policies won't pay in the long run.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Adopting 'buy local products only' programmes will only exacerbate the global economic crisis The World Trade Organisation's director-general, Pascal Lamy, issued a warning at the World Economic Forum in Davos,...

Egat gets go-ahead for further Mae Moh mining.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) has been granted a licence to continue its coal-mining project worth Bt89 billion at the Mae Moh mine in Lampang province. The new production licence covers...

Thai Airways business improvement plan by mid-feb.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Q3 hedging loss $17.7m, but 'minimal' compared to rivals Thai Airways International expects to complete its business-improvement plan for 2009-2011 by mid-February, in order to enhance operational efficiency,...

Fitch lowers pttar ratings on fears over.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Fitch Ratings (Thailand) yesterday downgraded the national long-term and bond ratings of PTT Aromatics and Refining (PTTAR), due to deterioration in the company's credit profile. In a statement, Fitch said PTTAR's...

Ministry backtracks on adding retail sector to control list.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Commerce Ministry has shelved an attempt to tighten the rules on controlling the expansion of retail giants, as its proposal presented many difficulties and was met with objections from powerful players in the...

BOT forecasts NIM decline.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Bank of Thailand (BOT) projects the banking system's net interest margin (NIM) will decline shortly after commercial banks institute a new round of deposit-interest-rate trimming. The NIM will fall...

Malee Sampran expects 8% market growth.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The bad economy is hurting the fruit-juice market, whose value is expected to grow only 8 per cent from last year's Bt7.5 billion, says producer Malee Sampran. Executive vice president Suwanna Chokdee-anand said...

Briefs.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Italthai unit has high hopes for CNG buses Italthai Industrial, a leading trading firm, will offer compressed-natural-gas-fuelled buses to penetrate the government agencies market, said NGV Solution manager...

Tourist arrivals will reach only 14 million this year: TAT.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the private sector believe tourist arrivals will number only 14 million this year despite massive government spending to revive tourism. "That number can be realised if...

$2-bn offshore loan progamme planned.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Ministry also seeks approval for state-enterprise credit facility The Finance Ministry will next Tuesday seek Cabinet approval to borrow an initial US$2 billion (Bt70 billion) from international lending agencies...

Thailand could technically escape recession: BOT.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Thai economy could contract more than 2 per cent year on year in the first quarter but may escape a technical recession if the quarter's gross domestic product (GDP) is not negative, says the central bank. ...

Entertainment venues to be required to carry third-party insurance.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Interior Ministry has announced it will require all entertainment venues to carry thirdparty insurance. "We're drafting a new ministerial regulation, and we want it to take effect about the middle of next...

bt1 billion.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Nation The Industry Ministry will ask for Bt1 billion from the government's Bt100-billion supplementary budget to help 80,000 jobless workers in the industrial sector. After a meeting yesterday with the...

ministry partially successful in push for lower prices.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Some manufacturers of 25 out of 46 key items agree to cuts The Nation The Commerce Ministry yesterday failed to convince all consumer-goods manufacturers to cut their retail prices during this time of slow...

Abhisit's man for China.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Forty-four-year-old Prime Minister's Office Minister Virachai Virameteekul is often regarded as the government's special envoy for China on economic affairs. Wooing back Chinese tourists is one of the first...

Stimulus package likely to fail.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. If speed is the only yardstick to judge the government's Bt116.7-billion economic stimulus package, which was approved by Parliament last Thursday, then one can say the package isn't that bad given the current global...

Singapore never called for a boycott of Asean summit.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Ref: "A good jump-start for Thai-Cambodian ties", Editorial, January 28. In this editorial it was erroneously mentioned that "recent calls from Singapore and Burma to boycott the upcoming Asean summit in Thailand...

It's not a time to be irresponsible.
January 31, 2009... Byline: The Nation. On Thursday, President Barack Obama lashed out at Wall Street executives, saying that they represented "the height of irresponsibility". And his anger is justified. The executives paid themselves huge bonuses while...

developers show lower q4 sales.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Top ten firms' results buffered by large backlogs of presold residences The financial results of property firms from the fourth quarter of last year show a significant drop in demand after home-buyers began...

The House heats up.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The opposition is still unable to find a leader, but Pheu Thai MP Sunai Jullapongsathorn kept last Wednesday's parliamentary session heated. MP Chalerm Yoobamrung, from the same party, is known as a politician...

Money markets should find their natural level.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Devaluation of currencies could have adverse effects as countries try to ride out the economic crisis Even before his Senate confirmation, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner alleged that China was manipulating...

Finding inspiration amid gloom.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The other day, I picked up one of my favourite cookbooks, which is now tattered and yellowed and worn at the edges. "The Alice B Toklas Cookbook" had been sitting idly under a pile of far grander, gilded design books....

Smaller players advised to watch their cash flow.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Real Estate Information Centre has warned small and medium-sized property firms to manage their cash flows carefully because of shrinking demand for new residential projects. Director-General Samma Kitsin said...

Government Centre attracts housing rush.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Market value of new developments in Chaeng Wattana area reaches Bt100 bn The area of northern Bangkok surrounding Rama V, Rattanathibet and Chaeng Wattana Roads is growing in importance as a centre of residential...

Soi Thonglor defies economic gloom.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Investors still eager for rental units at high prices Thonglor is beginning to stand out as the area of highest competition in Bangkok for luxury condominiums. Surrounding the two-kilometre stretch of Soi...

Company reports.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. NATURAL PARK'S board decided to pay Bt200 million to settle a dispute with its creditor Ocean Life Insurance, which will withdraw its appeal on the bankruptcy case against the company. On the day it signs a...

Surrender your weapons.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Police find home-made bombs, guns and knives at feuding colleges Police teams turned up makeshift weapons yesterday during searches at Rajamangala University of Technology's Uthen Thawai campus and the Pathumwan...

Coming to the sky near you, three planets and a moon.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. More celestial treats are in store for skygazers willing to get up early. During the pre-dawn of February 23, even the naked eye will be able to see a crescent moon and glowing Jupiter, orange-tinged Mercury and...

For America, it's time to pay the piper.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. EVEN BEFORE his Senate confirmation, Timothy Geithner, the US treasury secretary, had been fuelling the fire by labelling China as a "currency manipulator", alleging that China is keeping the value of its yuan...

Govt urged to provide affordable healthcare services.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Seminar calls for more supportive policies The government should open a new round of work permit registration for migrant workers in Thailand to help them access affordable health care services, a seminar was told...

Sun Microsystems Unveils Latest in Line of Highly Energy Efficient, Flexible Datacenters.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Opens New Green Datacenter in Broomfield, Colo., Powered by Award-Winning Sun Technology and Revolutionary Datacenter Design, Saves 11,000 Metric Tons of CO2 Per Year; Sun Also Introduces Advanced Datacenter...

Burmese suffer at the hands of Asean and Asia.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The ill treatment of Rohingya refugees at the hands of the Thai authorities is horrific and lamentable, but not surprising. I appreciate the action of Prime Minister Abhisit in investigating the situation, but it is...

Local bulletproof vests cheaper.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Thai researchers have succeeded in creating body armours that are cheaper than the imported variety and lighter than the ones currently used by police and soldiers. "The high-quality bulletproof vests cost around...

2,300 sites shut for lese majeste.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. During the past two weeks, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Ministry has closed down 2,300 websites for posting messages deemed as lese majeste. Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga...

Senior citizens registration for govt.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Thai citizens aged over 60 can register for a monthly cost of living allowance from February 26 to March 15 at tambon or provincial administrative organisations as well as Bangkok district offices. It is expected...

Mobile Expo brands do battle.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. International and local mobile-phone brands have turned the four-day Thailand Mobile Expo 2009 into a battlefield for customers in the sluggish economy. Global handset-makers boast of their advanced technology and...

Mobile phone brands do battle.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. International and local mobile-phone brands have turned the four-day Thailand Mobile Expo 2009 into a battlefield for customers in the sluggish economy. Global handset-makers boast of their advanced technology and...

GM's rethink on Rayong a welcome ray of hope for BoI.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. General Motors Thailand yesterday sought the Industry Ministry's help in setting up a Bt3 billion financial facility for its diesel-engine plant in Rayong to keep the project alive. GM Thailand earlier said it...

Streetwise: Life's too short, so let's take the freebies.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Several academics have blasted the government for throwing money at citizens, saying that the public could become addicted to freebies and it would leave no space for politicians who aim to do good for the nation...

Scorching summer ahead: expert.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Meteorologist Dr Smith Dharmasaroj has predicted that the mercury across Thailand will soar to 42 degrees Celsius in the upcoming summer. "According to my reading, the searing heat will be followed by torrential...

Govt will have to foot Elite card refund.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Thailand Privilege Card, the issuer of the Thailand Elite Card, would need to spend Bt3 billion on refunds to all members of the privilege card if the company were shut down. "Certainly, the amount would have to...

Devalued currencies may be new threat to our exports -Somchai.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Thailand's export strategy could be hit by a new round of competitive currency devaluation, warned Somchai Sujjapongse, director general of the Fiscal Policy Office. Running out of other tricks, export-driven...

Good in an emergency.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Units from the Narenthorn EMS Centre have responded to more than 50,000 emergencies this month, a third of them road accidents, an official said yesterday. Speaking at a summit in Bangkok, the centre's...

Police chief cleared.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Southern Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday dismissed the lawsuit for abuse of authority against national police chief Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwan. Gen Seripisut Temiyavej filed the lawsuit last year after thenPM...

fuel prices rise by Bt1.55 sunday.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Only gasohol E85 exempted; alternative-fuel consumption continues to increase The National Energy Policy Committee yesterday announced a Bt1.55-per-litre price rise for all types of fuel except gasohol E85. The...

porntiva to lead india roadshow next month.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Commerce Minister Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai will next month lead representatives from the Board of Trade, the Federation of Thai Industries and government agencies to India as the second mission after...

GM's rethink on Rayong a welcome ray of hope for BoI.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. General Motors General Motors Thailand yesterday sought the Industry Ministry's help in setting up a Bt3-billion financial facility for its diesel-engine plant in Rayong to keep the project alive. GM Thailand...

action against 12 firms doubtful under foreign business act.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Due to weak Due to weak supporting evidence, the probe of 12 companies for possibly violating the Foreign Business Act will likely prove futile, the Business Development Department said yesterday. "The...

Kiwi software for advertising agencies.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. New Zealand-based Kiwi software for advertising agencies Nalin Viboonchart The Nation New Zealand-based software developer eBus will introduce its flagship digital solution for advertising agencies...

Signs distribution deal with CP All.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Will deliver products to 7-Elevens up North NIM See Seng Transport 1988 Signs distribution deal with CP All Will deliver products to 7-Elevens up North Sasithorn Ongdee The Nation NIM See...

Large retailers to face.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Commerce Large retailers to face more expansion rules The Commerce Ministry plans to tighten the rules for expansion by large retailers in a bid to protect local small retailers. To do this, the...

Adkinson eyes 3% of market.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Adkinson Securities Adkinson eyes 3% of market Siriporn Chanjindamanee The Nation Adkinson Securities expects its market share for securities brokering to reach 3 per cent this year, buoyed by...

Gaysorn urges govt plan to woo 'quality tourists'.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Gaysorn Land Gaysorn urges govt plan to woo 'quality tourists' Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn The Nation Gaysorn Land Asset Management, operator of the Gaysorn shopping centre, has urged the government to...

global, local brands do battle.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Fair sees makers' latest offerings in sluggish market thailand mobile expo global, local brands do battle Fair sees makers' latest offerings in sluggish market Telecom Reporters The Nation ...

Life's too short, so let's take the freebies.
January 30, 2009... Byline: The Nation. street wise Life's too short, so let's take the freebies Several academics have blasted the government for throwing money at citizens, saying that the public could become addicted to freebies and it would...

World PC Shipments May Increase by 7.1% in 2009, Researcher MIC Says.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Global PC shipments will grow by 7.1 percent in 2009, with netbook computers providing the main momentum, Taiwan research organization Market Intelligence Center (MIC) said in a report released late last year. ...

Acer Founder Stan Shih Provides Brand-Building Talent to Taiwan Entrepreneurs.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Stan Shih, founder of Acer Inc., is lending his brand-building expertise to a wide range of entrepreneurs in Taiwan after turning day-to-day management of the world's third-largest PC company over to his top...

From the Baltic dry: Are we seeing the collapse of trade'.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. AS THAILAND'S simmering internal conflicts show no sign of abating, threatening the political stability needed to get the country's economic engine cranking, world trade is falling like a house of cards. The worldwide...

Telecoms can be a star growth sector for Asean.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. THE CURRENT global financial crisis has turned out to be one of the biggest problems of our times. Its effects on Asean economies are becoming more apparent as trade and investment has started to slow down, leading to...

It's time we cleared the air.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. At this time of the year, Chiang Mai's air pollution usually climbs to a dangerous level due to slash-and-burn farming practices in the countryside around the northern capital. Towards the end of the dry season, from...

Democrats step on to tricky terrain.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Transparency and fairness are critical if the government's land reform programme is not to be a repeat disaster The Democrat-led government says it will go ahead with its land reform programme in spite of its...

Banks playing a dangerous game with spread margins.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The debate on the net interest margins of banks in Thailand is interesting. The government is on the one hand trying to stave off economic depression while trying to maintain a laissez faire treatment of the economy;...

BA predicts passenger drop on Thai routes.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. British Airways (BA) expects passengers on its Thai flights to drop 10-20 per cent in the half of the year, due to the global economic crisis. "This year will be a difficult one for the aviation industry. All the...

Company reports.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. KIM ENG SECURITIES (THAILAND) posted a full-year consolidated net profit of Bt534.78 million, down from Bt551.37 million in 2007. DYNASTY CERAMIC posted a full-year consolidated net profit of Bt665.75 million, up...

ASUS introduces PDA phone.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. ASUS Tech Computer (Thailand) expects to sell 2,000 of its newly launched P565 personal digital assistant (PDA) phones in the first quarter for combined revenue of Bt43 million. The company believes Thailand's...

SCG expects another bad year.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Siam Cement Group, the country's largest industrial conglomerate, expects its revenue to further drop by 10 per cent, following the effects of the global financial meltdown and low confidence both at home and abroad....

Supalai, Pace buck trend with condo launches.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Developers Supalai and Pace Development are both strongly confident that their launches yesterday of two condominium projects worth a combined Bt4.2 billion will be successful, despite the economic slump. Pace...

IBM reveals 3 strategies for succeeding in new economic environment.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Focusing on value, exploiting opportunities and acting swiftly are the three strategies that Thai businesses must have to survive and succeed in the new economic environment. This is the advice of Thanwa...

19 soldiers injured in war raid exercise.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Nineteen soldiers were injured, four severely, when they were shot at by a helicopter supposed to provide air "backup" during a war training raid here yesterday. Sources said the mishap happened at about 10am...

Nation's most polluted air is in the North.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Residents of the North are facing a greater risk of lung cancer when compared with locals in other regions, according to statistics. Currently, more than 40 new lungcancer patients are being diagnosed per 100,000...

PMH to press hospitals on medical workers' pay increases.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. The Public Health Ministry has come up with a resolution to increase the fixed allowances for all medical workers, doctors, and nurses across country. Under the plan, chairman of the committee to maintain and...

Briefs:.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. SAL cutting flights Singapore Airlines (SAL) will reduce some flights to destinations in the US, Europe and Asia as the global downturn cuts travel demand. The carrier will cut flights to three Indian cities...

AIS/DTAC ready for 3G mobile network.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Advanced Info Service and Total Access Communication (DTAC) each expect to spend Bt5 billion-Bt10 billion a year on rolling out a 3G mobile broadband network in the initial phase. AIS chief marketing officer...

Oil excise tax spikes, but with some subsidies.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Motorists were treated to both bad news and good news yesterday. Filling up their tanks with 91- or 95-octane petrol from next Sunday, they will be hit with a hefty Bt5-a-litre jump after the Cabinet decided to...

Abolition of Thailand Elite cards studied.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday ordered the Tourism and Sports Ministry to conduct a feasibility study on ending the money-losing Thailand Elite Card programme. The topic did not originally appear on...

Some Japanese workers fly back home.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Some Japanese companies in Thailand have started to send their Japanese staff back home, in what is a first cost-cutting step as they struggle to maintain their local operations in the current economic crisis. ...

Thailand earn an unlikely point.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. [SOCCER] Thailand's chances of qualifying for the 2011 Asian Cup received a major boost following the unlikely goalless draw with regional powerhouse Iran in the Group E match at Rajamangala National stadium...

phyathai puts its overseas plans on hold.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Firm also cuts capital budget in bid for more cash Phyathai Hospital Group has shelved its plan to manage hospitals overseas in favour of keeping existing local patients and seeking new corporate clients,...

Rose Media to offer new services.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Rose Media Rose Media and Entertainment, a distributor of imported films and home-entertainment products, including VCDs and DVDs, will launch new-media services never before offered in Thailand. These will...

AIS eyes non-voice revenue growth of 25%.
January 29, 2009... Byline: The Nation. Advanced Info Advanced Info Service expects its non-voice service revenue to grow by 25 per cent to Bt13.7 billion this year from Bt11 billion last year. CEO Vikrom Sripataks mentioned the forecast in a news...