"The name change will make SCG Paper's brand easier to remember as one of the major business of SCG," Chaovalit Ekabut, president of SCG Paper, said yesterday.

Paper is a core business of SCG, along with petrochemicals and cement. It runs five pulp and paper mills in Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Prachin Buri, Khon Kaen and Samut Prakan, as well as eight corrugated paper mills.

Overseas, it has a mill in the Philippines and is constructing one in Vietnam. It is Thailand's most integrated paper company, with combined capacity of 2.7 million tonnes per year.

Ayudhya stake

Allianz Aktiengesellschaft has acquired 15.3 million shares of Ayudhya Insurance for an additional 6.12-per-cent stake. The purchase raises the Germany company's holding  to 16.84 per cent.

Ayudhya Insurance told the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday the seller was Myriad Material Co.

Car imports fall

Imported vehicles in February totalled 1,151 units, down by 298 year on year, the Customs Department said.

Duties imposed on the vehicles also dropped, from Bt995.9 million last year to Bt596 million.

Among the vehicles imported in the month, 93 units were from Europe and faced duties of Bt238.7 million and 915 units were from Japan with import charges of Bt338.39 million.

New air routes

One-Two-Go plans to operate from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat and Phuket to Hat Yai, from May 12. While 12 flights are planned for the first route per week, three flights are planned for the second.

It will also increase its Bangkok-Surat Thani flights.

The budget airline already flies to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Krabi and Surat Thani.