BTS urged to delay skytrain fare rises
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The Ministry of Interior wants BTS Group Holdings to postpone Skytrain fare increases. Deputy Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that given the current economic situation, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had asked the ministry to urge the Ban
BTS is scheduled to raise the fares according to its concession plan.
“The matter does not fall under the government’s authority but follows the existing contract. The fare rise will not be more than the ceiling, and BTS Group may raise the fares by 5-6 per cent, or about Bt2,” Sansern said.
CABINET’S NOD SOUGHT ON BT80 BN LOAN PLAN
The Finance Ministry is seeking the Cabinet’s approval for a Bt80-billion loan that the ministry will invest in economic stimulus projects, such as a Bt40-million road-repair programme and a Bt40-billion water-management system. The ministry expects to begin the loan drawdown (of Bt5 billion to Bt10 billion each) next month.
The Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) will secure this loan domestically and/or abroad if approved by the Finance Ministry under the Bt57-billion framework for economic and social-development borrowing for fiscal year 2015 and the following year.
The Bt57 billion comprises Bt34 billion for road repairs and Bt23 billion for the water-management project.
The PDMO expects Thailand’s ratio of public debt to gross domestic product to rise from 46.46 per cent (as of end-January 2015 versus 46.3 per cent in December 2014) to 49 per cent for the end of fiscal year 2015.
OFFICIALS TO GO OVER ALLEGED G2G FRAUD
The Commerce Ministry yesterday resolved to fire two senior officials allegedly involved with illegal government-to-government rice deals during the previous elected administration.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission had urged the ministry to punish the pair for allegedly facilitating politicians’ fraud.
SET EDGES UP 0.4% IN FEB FROM JANUARY
Amid concern over Greek debt problems and Thai listed companies’ performance in the fourth quarter of last year, the SET Index in February inched up 0.4 per cent from the prior month and 6.0 per cent from the end of last year.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand’s daily trading turnover was Bt59.51 billion, more than double that of the same month last year, while the market capitalisation rose 1.04 per cent from January and 7.27 per cent from the end of last year to Bt14.86 trillion.
The SET forward price-to-earnings ratio stayed at 15.22 times with the market return at 2.82 per cent. Foreign investors were net sellers of Thai stocks worth about Bt6.64 billion.
