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Panel recommends NBTC pay Bt220m at most to RS
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission should pay no more than Bt220 million in compensation to Fifa World Cup broadcast-rights licensee RS International Broadcasting and Sport Management, a subsidiary of RS, according to a subcommittee determining the amount.
The company is demanding compensation in exchange for allowing the 2014 World Cup matches to be broadcast live on free-to-air television.
The watchdog has already paid compensation of Bt118 million to RS. The subcommittee concluded that the NBTC could pay an additional Bt90 million. The NBTC has set a maximum compensation amount of Bt427 million.
The panel invited related parties to submit information before reaching its conclusion.
The director-general of the Comptroller-General’s Department, Manus Jamveha, who chaired the subcommittee, said the panel had decided that the NBTC should not pay Bt427 million because of discrepancies in some of the evidence submitted by RS in seeking compensation.
For example, he said, the company informed the subcommittee that it had imported 700,000 set-top boxes for sale to view the World Cup matches, whereas the NBTC said that RS had imported only 500,000 boxes, according to its application to bring the equipment into the country.
SEC allows banks to widen capital-market offerings
The Securities and Exchange Commission is allowing commercial banks and their subsidiaries seeking to expand their businesses in relation to new capital-market products to take the roles of financial advisers, issuers, selling agents and investors.
Banks’ participation will be vital to enhancing linkage between the Thai and global capital markets, and thus uplifting Thai capital-market development, said SEC secretary-general Vorapol Socatiyanurak.
He said the SEC had informed those attending the recent semi-annual meeting with top executives of the Thai Bankers’ Association and the Association of International Banks about capital-market product development, including foreign companies’ initial public offerings in Thailand (primary listings), foreign companies’ secondary listings, depositary receipts (DRs), private equity trusts and Asean CIS (collective investment schemes).
Banks and their subsidiaries can now seek business opportunities and expand their customer base by providing financial advisory services or becoming DR issuers, he added.
Moreover, considering the potential of banks and their subsidiaries to provide selling-agent services for Asean CIS, the SEC has coordinated with the Bank of Thailand to allow those banks licensed to undertake LBDU (limited brokerage dealing underwriting) to provide the said services in a bid to facilitate access to investment in foreign products for investors.
In this regard, offering of Asean CIS is permitted, with effect from August 15 this year.
AIS Malware Remover app attacks SMS virus
Advanced Info Service has made its AIS Malware Remover application available for any users of Android-based smart phones, so that they can remove an SMS virus.
The move follows the recent spread of an SMS virus that carries a hotlink to connect to the Internet. Once a mobile-phone user accesses the Internet via such a link, it will install the malicious application – malware – on their device, which will send an SMS to mobile-phone numbers in their phonebook.
The affected user also has to pay the cost of sending the malicious SMS to other users.
However, smart-phone users attacked by this virus can download the AIS Malware Remover app either at http://www.ais.co.th/sms-remover or by clicking on the AIS Malware Remover banner on AIS’s official Line account. The app can be downloaded free of charge.
EGCO pays dividend after improved first half
Electricity Generation’s board has approved an interim dividend of Bt3 per share for the first half of the year, thanks to the listed company having achieved an operating profit of Bt4.43 billion before the effects of foreign exchange and deferred tax during the period.
The earnings are Bt337 million higher than in the same period last year.
Five-year plan for Thai Airways
Thai Airways International has outlined a five-year rehabilitation plan.
Under the 2014-2018 plan, the airline will seek an investment fund totalling Bt46.2 billion. The money will be used for 37 ordered aircraft scheduled to delivered in the next three years, 13 purchased and 15 leased.
Moreover, the company will source spare parts and engines, refurbish the seats on six Airbus A340-600 and three A330-300s, undertake major maintenance work, and make other investments.
Despite its revival plans, THAI is expected to lose Bt12 billion this year. It hopes to turn to a slight profit of Bt11 million in 2015.
CAT president to quit
CAT Telecom president Kitisak Sriprasert tendered his resignation yesterday but the agency’s board has yet to approve it.
Kitisak acknowledged he had made the submission but declined to elaborate.
Both TOT and CAT have to resubmit their rehabilitation plans to the State Enterprise Policy Commission, better known as the “superboard”.
Dividends pass Bt97 bn
As of August 22, 119 listed companies had announced that they would pay interim dividends from their first-half financial results totalling Bt97.38 billion, Stock Exchange of Thailand senior vice president Paveena Sriphothong said.
“We believe that when all of the listed companies announce their interim dividends by next month for the first half, it will be higher than the total for [the same period of] 2013, which was Bt130 billion,” she said.
Central challenge
Top Central Group executives Suthitham Chirathivat, Yuwadee Chirathivat and Tos Chirathivas took on the Ice Bucket Challenge on Monday at the grass field in front of the Freddie Horse, Central Embassy, with a donation of Bt1 million to 10 local foundations.
Tos has also challenged Pana Janviroj of The Nation for the Ice Bucket Challenge.
