briefs
Tourism promotion at Japanese Embassy
About 20 Japanese tourism agencies will be in Bangkok today to showcase their products at “Tourism Promotion 2013”.
Taking place at the Japanese Embassy, the event will also include the presentation of the Japan Tourism Award to Thai companies and individuals who helped promote Japanese tourism. In the past year, a TV series was filmed in Fukuoka, while Oishi Group launched a promotion campaign. Thai Airways International launched a direct flight to Hokkaido, while a TV programme promoted Japanese food.
Timor deal
Toyo-Thai Corporation has been awarded a contract in East Timor for a front-end engineering design for Timor Gap’s Betano Refinery.
The contract is valued of US$2 million (Bt60 million).
Nissan eyes Myanmar
Nissan Motor, Japan's second-largest auto-maker, plans to build an assembly plant in Myanmar, according to its partner in that country, E Garage Auto Service and Spare Parts.
"Nissan opened a parts and service centre last week by teaming up with us. The service centre is located in Kamayut township, Yangon, and provides services such as computerised auto repair,” said Aung Moe Than, the country manager of E Garage.
That company is a joint venture between a Myanmar firm and Malaysia-based Tan Chong Group. Tan Chong holds 90 per cent in E Garage and established the business in Myanmar in December 2011. An auto distributor and manufacturer, Tan Chong mainly works with Nissan Motor assembling vehicles in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. – Eleven Media Group
State banks rated
Fitch has affirmed its ratings for Government Housing Bank (GHB), Government Savings Bank (GSB), and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC).
GHB's national ratings have been affirmed at long-term “AAA(tha)” with stable outlook and short-term “F1+(tha)”. The support ratings of GHB, GSB, and BAAC have been affirmed at “2”.
The ratings of the three policy banks reflect Fitch's view of a high probability that state support will be forthcoming on a timely basis, if necessary. This is based on their strong linkages to the government given their full state ownership, legal status as state enterprises set up under specific law, and tight state control.
The ratings also reflect their unique policy roles in providing support to low-income groups and social-development policies.
Seagate opposes Korat plan
Seagate Technology (Thailand), one of the world’s biggest hard-disk-drive (HDD) manufacturers, is asking for the Industry Ministry’s help, as the new master land-use plan for Nakhon Ratchasima is affecting its expansion plan, according to a source from the ministry.
Seagate told Industry Minister Prasert Boonchaisuk late last year that the new plan, which promotes bigger green areas, would hurt investment sentiment and dash Thailand’s hopes of becoming an HDD-manufacturing hub, which includes technological transfers and job creation.
In a meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in the US, David Mosley, an executive vice president, also expressed his concern, the source said. Seagate also urged the provincial industrial council to review the master plan, considering the province’s economic outlook and the country’s strategy.
Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Vinai Buapradit said a committee was being set up to deal with the issue, representing the public and private sectors.
New dairy plant
The Dairy Farming Promotion Organisation plans to spend Bt800 million on opening a plant in Lampang and upgrading its machinery to increase its Thai-Danish milk products and expand distribution in the upper North.
The new plant will have a production capacity of 140 tonnes per day.
The state enterprise currently has five plants, in Muak Lek, Suraburi; Chiang Mai; Khon Kaen; Sukhothai; and Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan. Construction on the Lampang plant will begin in the third quarter and be completed in 2015. It aims to increase its overseas sales to Bt1 billion per year in five years from the present Bt200 million and its total sales to Bt10 billion per year from Bt6.5 billion.
