The bank expects around 10,000 businessmen and media representatives from around the world to attend the event.

The bank will be offering services including cash advances, travellers' cheques and money transfers.

LPN moves into retail property

LPN Development Plc is investing Bt250 million to open Lumpini Plaza Asoke in Bangkok.

Opas Sripayak, managing director, said the investment would pave the way for the company to penetrate more of the retail-property business.

The 30 office buildings and the residential area on Asoke Road would create a big opportunity and reduce the risk from economic uncertainty, Opas said.

Thai firms target furniture show

Thai furniture-makers and designers will participate in the IMM Cologne 2007 fair, where the latest trends in habitats, shapes, colours, patterns and materials will be showcased January 15-21.

The German fair is expected to draw 1,400 exhibitors from 50 countries and around 130,000 trade visitors from 120 countries, representing exporters, importers, interior designers, architects and buyers.

Thailand's Expolink Global Network Ltd has teamed up with Koelnmesse GmBH to organise the fair.

New rules for personal loans

Personal-loan-makers have agreed with the Bank of Thailand to summarise the financial status of individuals before granting loans.

From next year, potential borrowers will receive a statement specifying how much they must repay monthly. It will also include details of the interest rate.

If the customer decides to take a loan, the loan operator will have to report the capital loan, interest, paid-up loan and the outstanding loan in a monthly statement.

True orders Redback routers

Redback Networks Inc announced last week that True Corp Plc had selected its SmartEdge multi-service edge routers for use as the platform for True's next-generation broadband-Internet protocol network infrastructure.