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Krabi Financial NEWS

Mitr Phol scales down ethanol plans
The Mitr Phol Sugar group has scrapped plans for a second ethanol plant to avoid an oversupply in the domestic market next year, according to president Isara Vongkusolkit.

Personal touch in the provinces

Midnight sales are a successful staple of the department store business in Bangkok, where traffic jams of eager shoppers are not uncommon. But what works in the capital doesn't necessarily work in Korat.

MARKETS / OFFSHORE AND ONSHORE CURRENCY RATES
Financial markets set to remain volatile on sub-prime loan woes

Local financial markets are expected to remain volatile this week as investors continue to remain nervous about developments in the US sub-prime mortgage market.

CONSTRUCTION / MASS-TRANSIT LINES
JBIC agrees to lend B5.76bn for Purple line

The Public Debt Management Office will borrow 5.76 billion baht under the 2007 budget to finance the first phase of the 23-kilometre Purple line mass-transit route running from Bang Yai to Bang Sue. Tighter BoT rules curb bank fraud

Thailand's economic collapse in 1997 can be attributed to a number of factors, including weak governance in the public and private sectors, reckless bank lending and risk management and poor banking supervision.

BANKING BBL explores hire-purchase opportunities

Market leader Bangkok Bank is exploring opportunities to expand into the hire-purchase business. It is the only one among the country's top four banks without a hire-purchase strategy.

NESDB hopes to jump-start stalled Mor Chit mall project

The National Economic and Social Development Board has asked the Treasury Department to prepare a new assessment of the impact on investment, traffic and the environment of the long-delayed Mor Chit development programme.

Bad credit card debt on rise due to weakness in economy

Local banks report minor increases in non-performing credit card loans due to the weak economy and rules increasing minimum monthly payments.

Property market slowing sharply

The property market slowed sharply in the second quarter, with new land registrations down more than 50% from the same period last year, said the latest data from the Bank of Thailand.

IN Brief Provisions reach B90bn
BGH sales to grow by more than 20%

Despite pressure from higher depreciation costs and increasing loan rates, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BGH), which operates Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej and BNH hospitals, remains upbeat about reaching sales growth of more than 20% this year from 15.7 billion baht last year.

ENTERTAINMENT / ONE-STOP SERVICE
New centre makes foreign-film approval easier than ever

The sign ''A Film Friendly Destination'' at the newly opened Thailand Film Office is intended to make foreign film producers feel welcome.

PROPERTY / BUSINESS STRATEGY AND STATISTICS
New housing registrations to fall 10%

The Real Estate Information Center (REIC) says it expects about 70,000 units of new housing to be registered in greater Bangkok this year, about 10% lower than last year's total.

INDUSTRY / CONSTRUCTION PAINT
Captain Paint hopes new German technology will boost sales

Captain Paint (Thailand) Co Ltd is spending 500 million baht to promote new paints made from new German technology in the hopes of raising its share in the industrial paint market to 20% from 15% now.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Minister urges more numbers for DTAC

The Information and Communications Technology minister has told the National Telecommunications Commission to speedily allocate mobile numbers to private operators, saying any further delay would affect the whole telecom industry.

PROPERTY / BUSINESS STRATEGY AND STATISTICS
Aksara affiliate offering budget condominiums

The low-rise housing developer Aksara Property Co has shifted to focus on budget condominiums near the Skytrain, launching Wish@Siam worth 660 million baht.