Briefs

Minor International has acquired Ribs and Rumps, a chain of Western-style steak restaurants in Australia, for Bt362.2 million, according to its notification to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

The acquisition was conducted through Ribs and Rumps Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Coffee Club Holding, which is a joint-venture company held by Delicious Food Holding (Australia), a subsidiary of the Minor Food Group. – The Nation 

 

TOT monitors deluge

TOT has set up a war room to monitor the flood situation in Bangkok and has launched measures to prevent flooding of its switching centres in the city, said president Anont Tubtiang. – The Nation

 

DTAC partly restored

The network of Total Access Communication (DTAC) in the upper Central region is back to normal operations, with Nakhon Sawan and Lop Buri provinces regaining full service, said the company's senior vice president and head of corporate communications, Wansit Saiyawan.

DTAC also expects its network in Ayutthaya to return to normal by next week when the power supply is functioning throughout the province. – The Nation

 

Ratings unaffected 

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said yesterday that its ratings on the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding were unaffected by the large-scale flooding in the country.

The floods have not significantly affected Egat’s power-generation plants and transmission networks. However, the company’s sales are expected to decline in the current final quarter of 2011. The flood-related shutdown of several factories and warehouses will lower electricity demand from the industrial segment in the quarter.

Ratch's power plants are primarily in Ratchaburi province, which has not been affected by the floods. In addition, the company's cash flows are protected from any demand-side risk because its power purchase agreements with Egat ensure steady capacity payments against agreed levels of electricity availability and heat rate, S&P said.

 

Expo postponed

The 14th HomePro Expo has been postponed from November 3-8 to November 15-20 at Impact Muang Thong Thani. 

The event will offer discounts of up to 50 per cent for renovation items. – The Nation

 

Visa waives fees

Visa has announced two initiatives to support the people of Thailand after the major flooding throughout the country, said country manager Somboon Krobteeranon.

In conjunction with its client banks, Visa will waive interchange fees effective from October 15 through December 15 on domestic donations to charitable organisations in Thailand. This means inter-bank processing charges on charitable contributions made by Visa cardholders to Thailand-based charities will be donated back to those charities.

Visa will also make a donation to the Thai Red Cross Society of US$10,000 (Bt309,000). – The Nation

 

Western Union helps

Western Union yesterday announced a comprehensive effort to help meet the most immediate and critical needs of the Thai people during the flood crisis. The Western Union Foundation has donated US$50,000 (Bt1.55 million), and waived fees for customers giving to the Thai Red Cross via the Western Union network. The company is also matching employee donations. – The Nation