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Revenue Dept set to block MNC dodges
The Revenue Department is preparing to curb tax avoidance by multinational companies.
Satit Rungkasiri, director-general of the department, said yesterday that it expected more foreign investment after Asean becomes a single market in 2015. He said the department would implement measures to prevent multinationals from avoiding tax, such as by under-reporting their profits or reporting unusually low product prices.
First Solar in Aussie deal
First Solar announced that it would design, construct and maintain two utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power projects totalling 159 megawatts AC for AGL Energy as part of Australia’s Solar Flagships Programme.
AGL was selected as the successful proponent in the solar PV category of the programme and will receive federal and state government funding to help deliver on its commitment to greater investment in renewable electricity generation.
The Australian government’s Solar Flagships Programme is one of a number of schemes and market mechanisms aimed at supporting the development of solar-energy projects and technologies. The programme offers funding to support the construction and demonstration of large-scale, grid-connected solar (PV and thermal) power stations in Australia.
Under the programme, AGL will develop a 106MWAC project in Nyngan and a 53MWAC project in Broken Hill, both in New South Wales. First Solar will design and construct the integrated PV power plants. It will also maintain both projects for AGL Energy for their first five years of commercial operation.
Workaholics abound among Thais
More than half of Thai workers (52 per cent) don’t relax properly during their holidays, but try to fit in up to three hours work each day via their mobile devices.
Among these persistent professionals who just can’t switch off are a hardcore minority of serious workaholics: 30 per cent will work for more than three hours each day while supposedly on holiday. These are some of the worrying results of the latest Regus survey canvassing more than 16,000 respondents in more than 80 countries.
Not only are Thai workers taking too much work on holiday, but far too many will be glued to their smart phones and netbooks, with 55 per cent declaring that they will still be operating on a slightly reduced “business as usual”.
Emirates reports 24th profit in a row
The Emirates Group has announced its 24th consecutive year of profit and company-wide growth amid unprecedented economic pressure and record-high fuel prices.
The group’s 2011-12 annual report posted net profit of 2.3 billion Emirati dirhams (Bt19.7 billion), with data marking its highest-ever profit in 52 years of operation. Despite fundamental challenges, the group’s revenue reached a record high, climbing to 67.4 billion dirhams, an increase of 17.8 per cent on last year’s results.
Mall consultancy in one-top sevice
One Click Media & Marketing (Thailand) has debuted a one-stop consulting service for business management and shopping-mall development for the first time in Thailand.
The company forecast that the shopping-mall industry in Thailand would continue to enjoy positive growth according to the expansion plans of major players such as CPN, Siam Piwat, Siam Retail Development and others.
