Businesses looking to improve their logistics should look at how the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has applied a military-support model, says Tanit Sorat, head of the Logistics Industry Club at the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
Samak Sundaravej is never at a loss for words. ''PAD? They are just a bunch of gangsters, a street mob,'' says the fiery prime minister.
Siri Kanoksinmakin halts at the stoplight and wipes his brow. "It's hot today, isn't it?" he mumbles to himself.
FINANCE
The second financial master plan, which establishes the sector's development strategy from 2009 to 2013, will effectively ensure that at least 60% of the market will be served by Thai financial institutions, according to Chodechai Suwannporn, director of financial policy for the Fiscal Policy Office.
INVESTING
Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund has expressed interest in investing in Thailand, particularly in the country's food sector, according to Patareeya Benjapolchai, the president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
BANKING
TMB Bank is looking to acquire a new securities licence following its recent sale of TMB Macquarie to its Australian partner.
Thai businesses should take advantage of the current low-interest rate environment to secure cheaper funding for any future expansion, according to Willie Tham, the CEO for Thailand of Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).
Krung Thai Bank expects to meet its 100-billion-baht loan target to government agencies this year, despite concerns about heightened political risk and slowing economic growth.
Bridging THE GAP
'Khun Kriengsak, what should I do?" Khun Dee asks me.
PHNOM PENH : Siam Cement Group (SCG), Thailand's largest industrial conglomerate, is planning to invest $200 million to more than double the capacity of its cement factory in southern Cambodia.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
Philips, one of the world's largest industrial conglomerates, sees huge potential for growth in Asia's medical technology market as the population ages over the coming decades.
AGRIBUSINESS
Exporters of broiler chickens are calling on the government to negotiate with the European Union to raise import quotas for Thai cooked poultry.
PTT Plc has become the first oil company in Asia to sell E85, but the 85% ethanol blended fuel will hardly be a money-maker for the first few months.
INSURANCE
Sri Muang Insurance, part of Japanese insurance giant the Millea Group and the country's largest marine insurer, expects to achieve growth of 7-10% this year despite the country's economic uncertainty and political instability.
Foreigners may soon be eligible to invest more in Thailand's service industries, as the Commerce Ministry is considering opening 27 service business sectors to more liberal foreign investment.
Travel MONITOR
Beijing recorded 6.52 million visitor arrivals, including 382,000 from abroad, during the Olympic Games, according to official figures published last week.
The local hotel sector may soon be facing an oversupply if approximately 2,700 new rooms from 10 hotels are completed as scheduled in the second half of this year, according to the international property consultant CB Richard Ellis.
AVIATION
Passenger and aircraft traffic through Thailand's six main airports continued to fall in July reflecting weakened travel demand eroded by high oil prices and the economic slowdown.
Airlines in Asia Pacific, including Thai Airways International, carried 0.6% fewer passengers in July than in the same period last year, confirming that slowing economic growth is having a major impact on travel demand.
Thai Airways International has confirmed it will end non-stop Bangkok-Los Angeles flights and replace them with a stopover in Osaka's Kansai International Airport, effective Oct 26.
NET Worth
If you die tomorrow do you know what will happen to your assets? Are you aware that probate will need to be granted? Do you know what probate is?
West Texas Intermediate prices were volatile last week, trading within the range of $114 to $120 a barrel and closing the week at $115.46 as storm fears about the outweighed the dollar's appreciation. Hurricanes have become the main focus of the energy market with tropical storm Gustav strengthening into the first hurricane to threaten the oilfields in the Gulf of Mexico since hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The storm is expected to make landfall by early this week in Louisiana or Texas, home of more than three million barrels per day of refining capacity.
After seeing their market decline for several years due to an influx of cheaper Chinese cloth flowers, a group of saa paper flower producers is now optimistic that an environment-friendly approach will enable them to carve out a niche market.
PROPERTY
Bangkok remains tremendously appealing to institutional property investors looking for international-standard office buildings but supply has been a limiting factor, said William Wilfong, CEO of Golden Land Property Development Plc.
BROADCASTING
TrueIPTV Co, the internet-protocol television (IPTV) arm of True Corp, is resuming aggressive marketing for its digital TV operations after completing business and organisational restructuring.
The remarkable design of the luxury Dhara Dhevi Hotel in Chiang Mai has brought new jobs to Thai architecture firm Aesthetics Architects GO Group, which is now focusing on energy-saving concepts.
INBrief
SAVINGS BONDS :The Finance Ministry will float 43 billion baht worth of savings bonds in fiscal 2009, up from 18 billion in fiscal 2008, according to Deputy Finance Minister Suchart Thadathamrongvej.
