IN Brief
STOPOVER :US President George W. Bush and his wife will stop over for a two-day visit, Aug 6-7, to Thailand on their way to attend the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
A government source said Mr Bush will call on Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on the first day. He will deliver a speech on US policy toward Asia at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center on August 7.
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Higher tolls urged
EXPRESSWAYS : If the expressway tolls' value-added tax (VAT) burden is thrown on to motorists as suggested from Sept 1, it would result in users being made to pay 8-22 baht more.
Transport Minister Santi Promphat said yesterday the state should not continue to bear the VAT burden of expressway tolls anymore, and said it was high time the users absorbed the tax.
"Expressway users are earners of another level and can afford the higher tolls. An increase of another three baht is not too much," he said.
He was referring to the call by the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority (ETA) to raise tolls from Sept 1, and that additions be made based on the VAT burden the state enterprise has borne.
For four-wheelers, the toll will rise from 40 to 45 baht but when the VAT is passed on, it will add another three baht.
For vehicles with 6-10 wheels, if VAT is included, tolls will increase from 60 to 74 baht. And for vehicles with over 10 wheels, tolls will climb from 85 to 107 baht. Cabinet approval will be sought for the new toll structure early next month.
ETA governor Pachoen Pairojsa said the 7% VAT burden cost his agency 700-800 million baht annually and would exceed 900 million baht annually under the new toll rates.
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Conductors warned
PRIVATE BUSES : The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority has warned private bus conductors not to hand candies, instead of small change, to passengers as it was against the law.
Director Binet Puapattanakul said a passenger complained that a bus conductor on a private bus running under tha bus authority's licence gave her candy instead of 50 satang change. He said this could not be used as an excuse for having no change for bus passengers as it was illegal. The penalty for the offence was a fine of 200-2,000 baht and dismissal from the job the maximum punishment, Mr Binet said.
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Call for help
AGRICULTURE : Thai farmers growing crops in Burma, Cambodia and Laos are urging the government to quickly approve duty-free imports of their produce as they fear their products would be left to rot.
Niyom Wairatpanit, chairman of the border trade committee of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said over 100 farmers from 16 Thai provinces bordering Burma, Laos, and Cambodia have joined a contract farming project under the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (Acmecs) initiative to grow farm crops in the three neighbouring countries.
The crops range from corn, soybeans, potatos to castor beans.
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