News Feed

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013
News Feed

PTT SEEKS TO RAISE BT20 BILLION FROM DEBENTURE ISSUE

PTT plans to raise Bt20 billion through unsubordinated and unsecured debentures.
The seven-year bonds will be offered to existing debenture holders and the general public.
Surong Bulakul, chief financial officer, said PTT Debenture Day would be hosted on November 22, 25 and 26 at CentralWorld in Bangkok, where the general public could subscribe to the debentures.
Bangkok Bank, Krungthai Bank, Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank and Thanachart Bank are the underwriters.

SET AWARDS NEXT MONTH
Of the Stock Exchange of Thailand’s more than 400 listed companies, 81 are shortlisted for the SET Awards, which this year will be hosted under “The Era of Growth” theme to highlight these firms’ bright growth prospects and growing regional presence.
For the 10th SET Awards, which will be announced on November 20, seven chief executives are also shortlisted for the Best CEO Award.
Vying for the award are Advanced Info Service’s Wichien Mektrakarn, Pruksa Real Estate’s Thongma Vijitpongpun, TRC Construction’s Samai Leesakul, Eason Paint’s Sanan Eksaengkun, Premier Marketing’s Somchai Chunharat, Seafresh Industry’s Narit Chia-apha, and Jubilee Enterprise’s Viroj Pornprakit.
Also to be named are the best companies in terms of financial results, corporate governance, investor relations and social responsibility. The best securities and mutual fund houses will also be named.

CAT SUES NBTC FOR BT275 BILLION
CAT Telecom yesterday sued the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission at the Central Administrative Court for up to Bt275 billion in compensation for opportunity losses caused by the NBTC’s granting permission to the state agency’s concession holders TrueMove and Digital Phone Co (DPC) to continue serving their customers for one year after their concessions from CAT expired.
Hansa Chevapurke, senior executive vice president for legal affairs at CAT, disclosed the lawsuit yesterday.
CAT had assumed that it would have taken over the provisioning of services to the 17 million customers of TrueMove and DPC, whose concessions expired last month, had the NBTC not intervened.
TrueMove and DPC were allowed to join with CAT in serving their customers for one more year as part of the NBTC’s interim measure to prevent service disruption at consumers’ expense. This measure took effect in late August.

BT441 MILLION FOR USO PROJECTS
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission’s board yesterday approved a Bt441-million budget for launching Universal Service Obligation (USO) telecom services in Nong Khai and Phitsanulok.
Of the total, Bt406 million is for broadband services and Bt35 million for public phone services in both provinces.
The NBTC is expected to invite contract bids for installation of the services before the end of the year. The measure is part of its Bt20-billion USO project, aiming to expand broadband and public phone services in all provinces nationwide.
The board also approved granting of funds totalling Bt32.531 million for 10 research and development projects for telecommunications and broadcasting.

DEAN & DELUCA FLAGSHIP
Dean & Deluca Thailand is set to open its flagship retail store at The MahaNakhon Cube by the end of November.
At just over 800 square metres, it will be the third-largest Dean & Deluca – an upscale food retailer – in the world, and the largest in Asia. It will range a host of products the New York-based company claims have never been seen before in Thailand, and will also provide Dean & Deluca’s first full table service restaurant and wine bar, which will be situated in a mezzanine overlooking the food hall.
John Barton, head of Dean & Deluca Thailand, said: “We are extremely proud and excited to be opening Dean & Deluca’s biggest Asian store here in Bangkok. It has been a project three years in the making and we hope and believe our customers will enjoy the new location.