Briefs

A total of 6.48 million rai of plantation area has been damaged by floods in 47 provinces, the Commerce Ministry reported.
Of the total, 5.03 million rai of rice fields have been destroyed, along with 105,348 rai of cassava plantation areas, 3,138 rai of rubber plantations, 511,573 rai of dry crops, 602,297 rai of vegetables and fruits, and 45,125 fisheries and 676,745 livestock.
The ministry also reported that because of the flooding, only 25,665 tonnes of paddy rice had entered to the rice-pledging project in the past six days.

Supalai announces 2 condo projects
Property firm Supalai has introduced two new condominium projects, Supalai Park Karai-Ngamwaongwan and Supalai Park Eakmai-Thonglor, worth a total of Bt3.6 billion and with prices starting at Bt1.79 million per unit.
Both projects open to presales this month, which help the company achieve its presale target this year, managing director Atip Bichanond told a news conference yesterday.

Govt revenue up 10.9% in last fiscal
Government revenue in the past fiscal year ending in September rose to Bt1.89 trillion, up 10.9 per cent year on year, thanks to the continued economic recovery, said Somchai Sujjapongse, director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office.
The revenue was also Bt241.03 billion higher than previously estimated. The government expects to collect Bt1.98 trillion for fiscal 2012, even though the government will cut the corporate incometax rate to 23 per cent from 30 per cent.

MBK sets up life-assurance brokerage
MBK has set up a 99.99percentowned subsidiary, MBK Life Assurance Broker Co Ltd, according to a filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday.
The new company has registered capital of Bt2 million, or 20,000 shares. Par value is Bt100 a share. MBK holds a 99.985percent stake in the new company, which is aimed to expand MBK's business lines. MBK used its working capital to finance this investment and expects to earn dividends in return. =

Young stars sought
The Stock Exchange of Thailand, together with Kasikornbank, Muang Thai Life Assurance Co and PTT, will hold Young Financial Star Competition 2011 to choose a champion young financier from university students not over 25 years of age.
This year’s event will focus on increasing financial skills in terms of management, planning and investing efficiently to prepare participants for careers in the capital market. Students can win scholarships and overseas training programmes worth about Bt4 million.

Ratch rating pulled
Fitch Ratings (Thailand) has withdrawn its expected “AA(tha) (exp)” rating on Ratchaburi Power Co’s senior secured debentures, as the company has withdrawn its plans for the bond issue.
Fitch says it will no longer provide ratings or analytical coverage on this issuer.

Official importer
Craig McEachern, managing director of American Standard B&K (Thailand), recently received a certificate authorising American Standard to be an official importer of showers with ISO 20662552 rating and Thailand’s first official importer of faucets guaranteed by ISO 20672552 from Chaiyong Krittipholchai,  secretarygeneral of the Thai Industrial Standard Institute.