briefs

TrueVisions screens were to go blank at midnight last night, with service scheduled to resume by 8am, as a new channel line-up is put in place, according to its website.

Supinya Klangnarong, a commissioner of the National Broadcasting Telecommunications Commission, tweeted that the cable-TV operator had asked for the temporary service halt. 

She said TrueVisions was expected to inform clients about this. Displeased clients can call Hotline 1200, she said.

“Personally, I’m surprised with this. This was included in the meeting agenda on April 17, but TrueVisions’ request was dated March 18. The board approved this on April 17 and the blank screen is scheduled for April 19.”

 

Loans rescheduled 

Sahaviriya Steel Industries said yesterday that on April 12 it successfully concluded its loan rescheduling with all eight short-term and long-term lenders.

Win Viriyaprapaikit, president and CEO of SSI Group, said the company reached the conclusion on loan rescheduling with all of eight lenders. All lenders have entered an intercreditor memorandum of understanding with the company and all five short-term lenders have entered a loan rescheduling agreement.

Among the five short-term lenders, two have now withdrawn their lawsuits against the company.

 

KTC rating affirmed

TRIS Rating has affirmed company and senior debt ratings of Krungthai Card at “BBB+”, with “stable” outlook, and assigns a “BBB+” rating to new senior debt worth up to Bt12 billion.

The ratings reflect KTC’s well-established position in the credit-card industry, the improvement in its asset quality and the support it receives from its major shareholder, Krungthai Bank, which holds a 49.45-per-cent stake in KTC.

The ratings are constrained by KTC’s less competitive cost of funds, the increasingly competitive operating environment and regulatory risk. The “stable” outlook reflects the expectation that KTC will strive to maintain the efficiency of collections and maintain its strict underwriting criteria as it expands. TRIS Rating also expects that the bank will continue to provide financial and business support to KTC.

 

New hospital brand

Bangkok Dusit Medical Services plans to launch a brand of hospitals to capture medium-income earners and social-security members.

President Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth said the new brand would require Bt300 million to Bt500 million. The first three hospitals will open in Phuket, Pattaya and Rayong this year. 

 

Eco-friendly cooler

PepsiCo is introducing an eco-friendly visible cooler called Pepsi Visi Cooler, specially designed to maintain an average temperature of below 5 degrees Celsius to enhance the taste and fizziness of beverages while reducing electricity consumption by more than 35 per cent.

The cooler uses highly efficient systems that significantly save energy, including the Hi-COP compressor that helps control the right amount of refrigerant. The energy-efficient ventilation system (DC fan motor), smart light-control system and “sleep mode” are appropriately set in place to reduce energy consumption when the cooler is not in use.