Loan for Cambodia

The Export-Import Bank of Thailand, in cooperation with Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA), will provide a Bt1.3-billion loan for the Highway Route No 67 development project, conditional upon the Cambodian government's procurement of goods and services of Thai origin.

The loan aims to facilitate road travel from Anlong Veng to Siem Reap and cross-border business with Cambodia. It also aims to boost Thai exports of oil, construction materials, agricultural equipment and consumer products. - The Nation.

Tapioca futures

The Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand (AFET) will introduce its sixth product - tapioca chip futures contracts - on Friday.

Tapioca is one of the country's top 10 exports. It is a raw material for animal feed-mill, alcohol and alternative energy (ethanol). Global demand for ethanol exceeds 3 billion litres a year. - The Nation.

BoI backs solar cells

The Board of Investment (BoI) has approved incentives for Bangkok Solar Co Ltd to boost solar-cell products and encourage production of energy-saving equipment.

Hirunya Suchinai, deputy secretary-general of the BoI, said the company's total investment would be Bt1.77 billion. The investment would increase its solar-cell production from 400,000 now to 750,000 pieces or 30 megawatts per year. Some 90 per cent of the total will be exported to Germany and the remainder sold here, mainly to the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA). - The Nation.

Cooperatives strong

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry said the country's agricultural cooperatives are operating strongly with total working capital reaching Bt745 billion and total business up by 4 per cent in the first half of this year.

Agricultural cooperatives reported that five-year operations soared 485 per cent to Bt812 billion last year.

Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said yesterday that cooperatives forecast a bright future for another year.

There are 10,749 agricultural cooperatives nationwide with some 9.7 million members, or about 15 per cent of the population. - The Nation.

Fruit forest in North

ANA will plant its third forest next week in Chiang Mai. Jackfruit and other trees whose produce is used in Thai cooking will be planted on the grounds of Sa Ha Korn Primary School by 200 pupils and local people. Up to 20kg of seed will be used to grow about 800 trees, the company said.

As with its other forest projects undertaken by ANA, the plantation will be part of its Aozora programme of corporate social responsibility activities. It will be named the Aozora Oisca Chiang Mai Forest. Aozora is Japanese for "blue skies". - The Nation.