Thailand's shrimp exports are projected to be more promising this year after the World Trade Organisation's top court on Thursday affirmed its ruling against a US bond requirement for shrimp imports.
LOGISTICS
Thailand's airfreight business faces its biggest challenge in 10 years because of high oil prices and political uncertainties, causing a slowdown in business transactions, industry executives said.
STOCKS
Thai stocks dropped 0.81% yesterday in a see-saw session led by a sell-off in energy stocks due to declining oil and coal prices.
BANKING
Krung Thai Bank has already exceeded its loan target for the year after the first half, but is concerned that its asset portfolio has shifted toward shorter-dated loans as long-term investment activity has slowed.
TOURISM
Tourism operators are hopeful that the surprise ceasefire announced this week by the so-called Thailand United Southern Underground (TUSU) could bring peace back to the three southernmost provinces and help revive tourism in the border region.
The fortunes of a number of Singaporean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been affected by adverse economic developments in Vietnam, and some are taking steps to cut their exposure to the market.
The market used to assume that the Singapore government would top up leases for sites to 99 years as they came up for redevelopment. A series of recent decisions - in which the authorities either declined lease extensions or allowed them, but for shorter terms - has called that assumption into question.
ASIA at a GLANCE
JAKARTA The Indonesian government and lawmakers are working on accumulating an extra two trillion rupiah (US$218.98 million) in a budget cushion against high crude oil prices. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government would use the cushion if the Indonesian Crude Price (ICP), the country's benchmark, averaged $150 per barrel over the rest of 2008. The figure would be on top of the 8.25 trillion rupiah already provided for a similar purpose, all of which was spent in the first half.
With the shopping season now in full swing in Hong Kong, few people realise what a critical role the small territory plays in the fortunes of mainland China.
Local entrepreneurs who seek opportunities in other regional markets but want to continue to enjoy the predictability of home turf can do so by selling their products online.
Rising inflation and soaring oil prices that push up construction costs have triggered increased activity in the new supply of condominiums reaching the Bangkok market this year, says James Pitchon, executive director of CB Richard Ellis.
Siam Industrial Credit Plc (SICCO) posted first-half net profits of 122.7 million baht, up sharply from 24.3 million in the same period in 2007. Second-quarter profit was 60.7 million baht, up from 4.3 million a year earlier.
INDUSTRY
The Thailand Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) says it will maintain the country's steel import standards in order to ensure public safety.
Universal Utilities Co (UU), a subsidiary of the SET-listed Eastern Water Resources Development and Management (East Water), aims to improve its revenue through an increased presence in the regional market by bidding for contracts abroad.
M.K. Real Estate Development Plc is preparing to launch the 965-million-baht Chuan Chuen Modus Chaengwattana housing estate to attract middle-income buyers.
INBrief
BANKING :ACL Bank reported first-half net profits of 175.9 million baht, down slightly from 177.1 million in the same period last year. Second-quarter profits dropped to 56.87 million baht from 61.7 million.
