Newsfeed

The Fiscal Policy Office believes that the economy will be able to recover in the second half of the year thanks to the government stimulus policies that are gradually taking effect, and the office now targets GDP growth of 3.4-4.4 per cent.

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, deputy director-general of the FPO, said the economy in the second half would be better than in the first half from the expected improvement in domestic consumption, private investment and the export of merchandise and services.

The economy so far this year is still fragile because of the slow recovery of domestic consumption and the fluctuation of the global economy, he said.

The government is pursuing long-term economic development policies such as international trading centres and special economic zones along with lower business taxes for small and medium-sized enterprises, the creation of an SME Private Equity Trust Fund, and nano-finance.

Amlo seizes dead bank chief’s assets

The Anti-Money Laundering Office continues to seize assets of the late Krirkkiat Jalichandra, former president of defunct Bangkok Bank of Commerce (BBC), and his group.

An Amlo committee resolved to seize Bt207 million in assets including land and bank accounts.

Amlo chief Seehanart Prayoonrat said that although Krirkkiat died of cancer in 2012, the office had still seized his assets distributed to such people as Wu Xiao Hua, director of Starluck Footware (BVI) Ltd, which had borrowings from BBC.

NLA agrees to pay rises

The National Legislative Assembly has passed four bills to give pay increases to soldiers, police officers, teachers and parliament officials so that their salaries are in line with various factors including the current economic state.

The four salary bills will be announced in the Royal Gazette for implementation later.

The NLA also approved the Protocol to Implement the Sixth Round Package of Commitments on Financial Services under the Asean Framework Agreement on Service and the Schedule of Specific Commitments in insurance and in banking.

Dividend payments announced

A total of 385 firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and Market Alternative Investment announced combined dividend payments for last year’s performance of Bt358.12 billion as of last Friday.

This represents a dividend pay-out ratio of 54 per cent, higher than a year earlier, while stock dividend payments reached a new high of over Bt10 billion, SET executive vice president Chanitr Charnchainarong said.