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Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding plans to invest Bt13 billion this year, mostly on expanding its power business at home and in Southeast Asia.

The amount is part of a plan to spend US$1.5 billion (Bt48.9 billion) to boost its electricity-generating capacity by 47 per cent to 9.7 gigawatts by 2023, Pongdith Potchana, chief executive officer of the country’s largest private power producer, told reporters yesterday.

For 2015, Ratchaburi expects a net profit of Bt5.2 billion, lower than the Bt6.3 billion earned in 2014, mainly because of lower electricity sales under long-term contracts.

low-cost shops

coming soon

The Commerce Ministry plans to collaborate with two or three companies to set up “low cost” shops countrywide soon as part of the policy to help consumers withstand the high cost of living.

Deputy Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said yesterday that the ministry would help local retailers establish shops to sell cheap staples and food directly to consumers.

The idea is to support enterprises by connecting traders with manufacturers so that they can cut the cost of operations, packaging, advertising, logistics and labour.

The low-cost shops will soon appear in Bangkok and other provinces.

Transformer firm eyes bt3 bn sales

Tirathai projects Bt3 billion in sales of transformers and gross profit growth of 20-25 per cent this year.

The company plans to bid on projects worth Bt10 billion to add to its Bt1.54-billion backlog.

It is in negotiations with China over a power generation and distribution joint venture that it expects to finalise next quarter, said Samphan Wongpan, executive chairman and managing director.