Central Bank to ‘look after’ currency

DIESEL SUBSIDY CONCERNS: Energy bonds unpopular: Piyasvasti

Market response for the Energy Ministry’s Bt85 billion worth of bonds is very poor without clear strategies to handle the energy crisis, particularly diesel subsidies, energy expert Piyasvasti Amranand said.

Preuksa plans IPO to fund expansion plans

Preuksa Real Estate Plc, a local property developer, plans to float an initial public offering by the end of this year to raise funds for an expansion.

SC Asset’s Surathian quits

The property downturn will cause difficulties for SC Asset Plc’s new head, who will be hard-pressed to maintain growth, says Surathian Chakthranont, who has announced his resignation.

Vodka in a tube – coming soon to a bar near you

An alcoholic mixer with distinctly different packaging may soon arrive on the shelves in Thailand. Austrian-based Go Co, owner and distributor of the Go Wodka product, is displaying the mixer at THAIFEX 2005, a World Food Asia exhibition, at Muang Thong Thani near Bangkok.

Govt fires salvo at JSL over Expo booth

Executives from JSL Co Ltd led by CEO Jamnan Siritan will today meet Yongyut Tiyapairat, Natural Resources and Environment Minister to clarify the facts on the accusing of failure over the Thai pavilion at the World Expo 2005 at Aichi, Japan.

STREET WISE: Pampering the rich and famous

While the middle-classes scratch their heads and wonder how on earth they are going to scrape together the money for a concert ticket, the wealthy usually only worry about whom they should pay to book and deliver their first-row ducats.

CREDIT CARDS: Lending to grow at a slower pace

BOT measures put brake on borrowing

MONEY EXPO 2005: Hundreds seek loan bargains

Most visitors on the opening day of Money Expo 2005 yesterday were out shopping for cheap consumer loans.

Pridiyathorn strikes back

Following are excerpts from yesterday’s press conference by Bank of Thailand Governor Pridiyathorn Devakula arguing against the views of prominent economist Virabongsa Ramangura, which ran on page 1B of Tuesday’s edition of The Nation.

Corporate earnings to surge: Kittiratt

In light of remarkable first-quarter results, Stock Exchange of Thailand president Kittiratt Na Ranong predicts total corporate earnings will grow to more than Bt500 billion this year.

FRIDAY BUG: That’s news to us

Usually, news-hungry reporters climb over each other to get quotes from Kittiratt Na Ranong, president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand, whenever he makes himself available.

CONDO CONSTRUCTION: Stagnant sales stall city projects

25 projects fail to reach presale target of 30 per cent

Electrolux in expansion mode

Sweden-based Electrolux, the world’s largest producer of home appliances, will this month open a new kitchen-product manufacturing line at its Rayong plant.

IN BRIEF: HORTICULTURE

Joint plan to help coconut growers

NTC drafts numbers plan

The national telecom regulator is expected to implement a much-anticipated numbering plan next month, its secretary said yesterday.

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS: Questions linger over funding

Plans for mass-transit routes in Bangkok are unclear as two more ‘political lines’ are in the pipeline – at no extra cost

Specialist magazines continue to sit pretty

Despite lower advertising billings as the economy slows, advertising experts say there is still plenty of room for niche magazines to grow in the Thai market.