New question mark over mass-transit routes
While MR Pridiyathorn Devakula's resignation as deputy PM and finance minister is not expected to disrupt Thailand's investment in five electric-train routes, there is uncertainty about whether the road show planned for Japan by the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) will proceed this month.
SET president Patareeya Benjapholchai said she would soon discuss with Deputy Finance Minister Sommai Phasee about whether there would be any change in overall economic policies following the resignation."If nothing changes, the road show will go ahead as scheduled. In fact, Japan's Nomura Securities, which is jointly hosting the road show, wants us to go ahead as planned. However, we have sufficient time to make a decision," said Patareeya. Prapat Chongsanguan, governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority, which is responsible for development of the electric-train lines, is confident the project will not be delayed following Pridiyathorn's resignation. The project does not belong to any one minister, but rather to the entire government, he said. The government has a clear policy of pushing forward development of the five train routes. Supervision of the project is under the Transport Ministry, and Minister Theera Haocharoen and Deputy Minister Sansern Wongcha-um remain in office to push it forward. Bank of Thailand Assistant Governor Suchada Kirakul said there should be no change to the government's fiscal 2008 budget, which earlier received Cabinet approval. Businessmen are also convinced the resignation will pose no changes to the pending free-trade agreement with Japan. The Nation
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