The Nation (Thailand) articles from May 2006

The Nation (Thailand) archives from May 2006

Surint Omya expanding.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Firm to spend Bt1.2 billion to open new plants in Lop Buri and Vietnam as demand for calcium carbonate surges Surint Omya Chemicals (Thailand) Co Ltd, a maker of calcium-carbonate...

Home Mart expects sales boost from CRM system.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Cementhai Home Mart is spending Bt200 million on a new customer relationship management (CRM) system to help better target its inventory and sales to customers. The new system...

Checks planned on gross-weight charges.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Department of Internal Trade said it would start inspecting department stores to ensure that the prices they charge do not include charges for packaging. Department stores...

Rise in Thai fruit exports to US.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Thailand hopes to step up marketing six Thai fruits - mango, rambutan, mangosteen, lychee, longan and pineapple - in the US, once technical issues are resolved. Rachane...

New smoking gun implicates TRT.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Court decision will determine EC's fitness to organise elections and the destiny of the ruling party Defence Minister Thamarak Isarangura Na Ayutthaya, also a deputy leader...

If you see a car bearing diplomatic plates violating traffic laws, notify its embassy.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Re: "Blue diplomatic number plates seem to be licence to break traffic rules", Letters, May 29. Samran Vatanopast's account of gross traffic violations by selfish drivers of cars...

Video footage that is worth a thousand words.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Thank you, Democrats. Just when we were about to demand that someone "freeze-frame", to allow us to recap all the dizzying political developments, you folks have come up with some...

Sales of Mac computers 'more than double in H1'.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. New MacBook sells out in three days Thanks in part to the iPod phenomenon sales of Macintosh computers more than doubled in the first half of this year, Apple said yesterday. ...

Carrefour adds brands.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Discount store Carrefour will launch 430 additional house-brand products this year to cope with lower consumer spending. At present, house-brand products generate 9 per cent of the...

SRT subway line open to bidding soon.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The State Railway of Thailand will proceed with the construction of the two subway lines it is in charge of - the Dark Red and Light Red routes- after the government gave the agency...

Confidence continues sliding away.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. They cite the regular factors of high oil prices, interest rates and the stronger baht Confidence among Thai industrialists slumped last month as businesses feared for their...

BOT chief feeling political heat.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Pridiyathorn adept at economic policy but faces new challenges in sixth year Bank of Thailand Governor MR Pridiyathorn Devakula is entering his sixth year in the country's...

GE Money to merge with BAY.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. GE Money Retail Bank will be merged into the Bank of Ayudhya (BAY) as its owner, the giant US financial provider GE Consumer Finance, aims to run its banking business via the...

New Visa card speeds up charging.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. A Visa payment system that cuts down the time spent at checkout counters could be here early next year. Called Visa Wave, the new "contactless" smart card will mean shoppers no...

GSB offers loans for company staff.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Government Housing Bank (GHB) and the Social Security Fund are joining forces again to offer mortgage loans to members of the Social Security Fund at interest lower than current...

Sterling software to wire up the bank sector.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Financial supply-chain management will be the crucial factor in the development of information technology systems at Thai banks, according to an international IT software provider....

Army side are fourth.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. [VOLLEYBALL] Thailand's Army team finished fourth, while Iran's Paykan team dethroned defending champions Rahat of Kazakhstan 3-1 to win the crown at the Asian Men's Volleyball Club...

Nine gold for lifters.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. [WEIGHTLIFTING] Natthaneeya Chanplook yesterday added another bronze medal to Thailand's tally after her third place in the women's 58kg division at the Junior World Championships in...

Court accepts libel case by angry TRT.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Suit accuses Manager group, columnists of trying to destroy Thai Rak Thai The Criminal Court yesterday accepted a libel suit filed by the Thai Rak Thai Party and caretaker Prime...

October 15 elections allow for 90-day party ruling.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Cabinet yesterday resolved to hold the next general elections on October 15 - the date suggested by the Election Commission (EC) following its recent meeting with representatives...

fiscal 2007 budget.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Cabinet agrees to Bt517 bn for local administrations The caretaker Cabinet yesterday agreed in principle to the Budget Bureau's proposal to allocate Bt516.6 billion to local...

Govt gives Bt64m to boost school security.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. In a bid to prevent the recurrence of recent hostage dramas in schools, the Cabinet yesterday approved a Bt64-million budget for the Education Ministry to build extra safety features...

Arrests imminent in MP's murder.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The gunmen who killed Thai Rak Thai MP Kobkul Nopamornbor-dee and the mastermind who ordered her assassination last Saturday in Ratchaburi have been identified and will be soon...

Rare Rembrandt.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. In addition to his extensive oeuvre of paintings and drawings that are famous worldwide, the renowned Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), also produced around 290 prints. ...

Thamarak blasted over video links.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Minister in denial; TRT's legal team is ordered to find a plausible explanation for damning photos Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday slammed caretaker Defence...

Banharn emerges from shadows as next possible PM.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Amid growing opposition to Thaksin Shinawatra's comeback and doubts about Abhisit Vejjajiva's leadership qualities, veteran politician Banharn Silapa-archa is working relentlessly...

Official gets 3-years jail over auditor post nomination.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. A leading auditor has been sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in the botched nomination for the position of auditor general in 2001. Panya Tantiyavarong, who...

Fuel charges to rise for air, rail trips.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. airlines, including Thai Airways International, are increasing fuel surcharges for flights out of Bangkok starting tomorrow. Etihad Airways will increase its fuel surcharge to...

Brewers in bar brawl over Cup.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Boon Rawd Brewery Co Ltd said yesterday it would send a circular to its 50 or so restaurants and pubs in Bangkok clarifying what they could and could not do during the broadcasting of...

Al Tayyar bets on bio-power plants.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Al Tayyar Energy Ltd, an Abu Dhabi-based development and investment firm specialising in energy projects, plans to expand its investments in alternative-fuel projects in Asia to...

Shy Plew puts on damming show.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. It was a historic deal for Ch Karnchang Plc to move overseas to construct the Nam Nguem II hydropower dam in Laos. This marks the company's first foreign construction job - an...

Vendors pan early warning system.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Business operators worry tourists will be frightened, say their market is not prone to flash-flooding or mudslides The government's plan to install an early warning system at...

automotive.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Industry soars on export surge During the first four months of the year, vehicle production reached 390,000 units, up 18 per cent or 53,986 units, year on year, the Federation of...

Ministries run afoul of smoke-free zoning law.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Despite having one of the world's most stringent laws regarding smoke-free public zones, non-smokers in Thailand remain at risk from smoking-related cancers, say anti-smoking...

Bank announces measures to aid victims of floods in North.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) will write off any family debts of those killed in last week's floods. Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said...

Saudi gem-case verdict delayed.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Criminal Court yesterday set June 29 as the day to announce the verdict in the 13-year-old Saudi jewellery theft and embezzlement case. The court had originally planned to...

Back to basics for Arwuth.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. After getting a golden chance as the only Thai swimmer to have special training at Berkley University in the US, SEA Games gold medallist Arwuth Chinnapasaen finds himself alone,...

Kingdom to send medical aid to I'nesia.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Thailand will send 50 military medical personnel to Indonesia to help victims of Saturday's 6.3-magnitude earthquake on the island of Java, Military spokesman Lt Gen Palangool Klaharn...

Artificial insemination for pandas.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Zoological Park Organisation is considering artificial insemination for Chiang Mai Zoo pandas Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui if a natural pregnancy does not happen next year, a senior...

Telecoms, CAT want IC rate to be temporary.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Privately owned telecom operators and CAT Telecom have reached an agreement to propose that the national telecom regulator implement a temporary interconnection charge (IC). ...

Private sector wants post-Doha aid.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Enterprises request that a fund be established to help exporters survive abroad Private-sector associations yesterday urged the government to set up a fund to support exporters...

Two jailed over bid scam.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Two men have been sent to jail for collusion in the bid for a Bt29 million machine procurement contract for the Chaiyaphum Provincial Administrative Organisation, police said...

IPP rules may hurt small firms.
May 31, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Two leading independent power producers (IPPs) look set to lose their prime positions in bidding for IPP projects when the Energy Ministry concludes the conditions of bidding early...

The care in the Carving.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Thailand seems to be losing the passion, persistence and patience that's built into the woodcraft of Saiyart Sema-gnern Saiyart Sema-gnern begged a friend to buy his first effort...

Thai catalyst to speed up UN reforms.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Thailand proposed a "multi-speed approach" to expedite UN reform at a special ministerial meeting of the Group of 77 and China, convened in Malaysia's administrative capital of...

A flattering fit.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. A gynaecologist says a healthy diet, exercise and the right-sized bra are key to shapely breasts Women who dream of beautiful curves can get the best out of their bodies by taking...

Vietnam, China investors are nipping at Thailand's heels in Laos.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Thailand is in danger of losing its investment advantage in Laos to China and Vietnam, as those two countries are currently in favour with the Lao government. "It would be very...

Scotch banks on collagen.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Scotch Industrial (Thailand) Co Ltd, local manufacturer of Bird's Nest drinks and chicken essences, hopes the launch of its new skin-care range, 'Scotch Collagen-E', will rake in sales...

BBL warns tax will hit profit.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Bangkok Bank, Thailand's largest commercial bank, said it expected its net profit this year to be less than last year's Bt20 billion, because of corporate tax. Executive chairman...

Scandinavian sensibilities.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. European jazz arrives in Thailand as a new music company brings Nordic artists to Hua Hin Mention jazz to Thai music fans and it's American artists that come to mind. That's...

Energy-efficient factory to be built.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Detergent plant to complement existing one in Sri Racha Sahapathanapibul Plc, one of Thailand's largest local manufacturing and trading conglomerates, will spend Bt300 million...

Pacific to offer PC-to-phone call service.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Asia's largest Internet-service provider, Pacific Internet, has become one of the first companies to offer a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) service in Thailand. Pacific...

SET puts Picnic Corp on a short leash.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Stock Exchange will today lift the suspension sign it placed on Picnic Corporation Plc's stock in the middle of this month, but will attach a notice pending sign to the stock to...

KTC calls for lower minimum payments.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Krungthai Card (KTC) Plc has urged the central bank to cut the minimum payment required for credit cards in half, because the current economic slowdown has hurt cardholders' ability to...

Helicopter firm mulls Thai hub.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Bell Helicopter is keen to establish a helicopter repair station and training centre in the Kingdom, according to the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA). DCA director-general...

Prachai linked to scam.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Thai Petrochemical Industry Plc founder Prachai Leophairatana and associates received improper income from office-rental contracts signed from 1995-99, the Department of Special...

SET calls for explanation.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Stock exchange tells company to clarify its first-quarter financial statement The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) yesterday delivered a list of questions to Eastern Wire Plc...

TCC Land outlines two-year, Bt10-bn spending spree.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Beverage tycoon Charoen Siriwadhanabhakdi's property arm, TCC Land Co Ltd, plans to invest up to Bt10 billion before the end of next year to renovate and construct 12 hotels, two...

Nimbler Nestle expects recent changes to keep it percolating.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Nestle Group Thailand yesterday said it had reinvented itself as a company of the 21st century. The company recently finished decentralising its organisational structure into...

Political storm may clear the air for media reform.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The political turmoil that has gripped the country over the past three months has effectively put on the backburner the once much talked about reform of the broadcast media. Indeed,...

Further divisions on East Timor.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. While quelling the latest outbreak of violence is essential, more than force is needed to solve the current crisis East Timor, which marked its fourth anniversary of full...

Thais win 4 medals in China.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. [WEIGHTLIFTING] Thailand won four medals on the second day of the World Women's Junior Weightlifting Championships in Hangzhou, China, yesterday with the plucky Suda Chaleephay in...

Sittichai's king of the mountain.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. [MOUNTAIN BIKES] Sittichai Ketkaewmanee proved he is the best local mountain bike rider when he won the overall downhill title in the Maxrider Cup at the Bonanza Khao Yai resort on...

Total ban on alcohol promotion on the way.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. A new bill to ban alcohol advertising completely and all forms of sales-promotion activities, including attractive uniformed waitresses, will go to a nationwide public hearing next...

HM's exhibition ends June 4; nearly 1 million people visit.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The government will produce VCDs of the Mahajanaka grand musical and the royal exhibition to raise funds for His Majesty the King's chosen charities, Government Spokesman Surapong...

Cabinet called to pay for floods.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Ministers to hand half billion baht recovery bill to Thaksin The Public Health Ministry will today seek Bt205 million to deal with the aftermath of the flooding in the North. ...

Plan to save 'fishing cat' conceived.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Zoological Park Organisation is developing Asia's first artificial insemination and embryo transfer programme for the rare fishing cat. The organisation's Academic Department...

TDRI slams govt policies as unfair and no help.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Economists insist few schemes are benefiting the poor Economists from the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) have criticised the Thaksin administration's public...

Health tab soars to over Bt200 million.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Funding request includes cost of treating over 40,000 flood victims The Public Health Ministry will today seek Bt205 million to deal with the aftermath of the flooding in the...

Vain search for child.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. A grief-stricken mother yesterday pleaded with every rescue worker she met to help locate her three-month-old daughter who went missing when flash floods tore down several houses in...

Woman's body found.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. A woman was found dead yesterday with a bullet hole in her forehead near a motorway section in the Sai Mai district in Bangkok. The body, estimated to be that of a woman in her...

Brutal group the 'new face' of junta.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Group warns world not to recognise the USDA unless it is independent of regime Burma's mass organisation, Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), has effectively...

HM King grieves for Java's victims.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. His Majesty the King has expressed his condolences to the victims of the deadly earthquake that hit Indonesia's Central Java province over the weekend. "I am deeply saddened by...

Police chief transferred over Kobkul's murder.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The chief of Ratchaburi's Muang Police Station and a senior officer have been transferred to another province following the assassination of former Thai Rak Thai MP Kobkul...

Songkhla: Police probe four major projects they claim are 'suspicious'.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Four major projects under the control of the Songkhla Provincial Administration Organisation are currently the subject of an investigation by the Department of Special Investigation,...

Aid arrives, but situation desperate in central Java.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Indonesia struggled to cope with the scale of the earthquake disaster yesterday, with aid trickling in for thousands of injured and homeless survivors who faced a difficult third...

Lab breeding short-life mosquitoes.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. While health authorities spray chemicals to kill mosquitoes and scientists conduct vaccine trials, Pattamaporn Kittiyapong and her team of vectors-borne disease specialists at Mahidol...

Developer plans foreign growth.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. CH Karnchang Plc plans to expand overseas this year and use a new project in Laos worth Bt22.1 billion as a springboard, according to its president and chief executive officer, Plew...

What were they doing at the Defence Ministry'.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Suthep's court shocker allegedly shows small party being bought Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaug-suban dropped a bombshell on the Thai Rak Thai Party on the first day...

Govt to check how tight a grip firm has on Cup broadcasts.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The Intellectual Property Department will this week discuss with the DhosPaak Communications Agency, the sole authorised broadcaster of this year's World Cup matches, whether its...

Conference to attract new foreign investors.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. World congress could open up the local market The Thai property sector has declined 4 per cent this year from last year, due to high oil prices and interest rates, says Manop...

Political jitters hurt economy.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. Growth likely to be same as last year The Finance Ministry yesterday revised downward its economic growth projection to 4-5 per cent this year, mainly due to political jitters,...

Vehicle output soars 20% in Q1.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The industrial production index in the first quarter expanded 8.2 per cent year on year and 2.4 per cent from the previous quarter, led by the automobile and electronics sectors,...

Gasohol price poised to climb.
May 30, 2006... (From The Nation (Thailand)) Byline: The Nation. The effect of escalating oil prices has already hit the economy and now gasohol consumers could soon face a price increase with ethanol likely to rise by Bt2.30 per litre to Bt25.30,...