FISCAL 2015 TAX REVENUE SET TO BE BT160 BN SHORT

He said that in the first seven months of this fiscal year, tax revenue was lower than the estimate by Bt40 billion, when income from petroleum and value-added taxes dropped by as much as 10 per cent compared with the same period last year.

This fiscal year’s tax-revenue target was initially Bt1.965 trillion.

 

‘LINE PAY’ RELEASED

Line, an instant-messaging app, has officially released “Line Pay” in Thailand, as a new mobile payment platform that it says will make it easier for Line users to make payments for its own services and those of affiliated retailers. 

With Line Pay, users can make payments straight from their smartphones by registering their credit/debit cards. Line Pay users can purchase a variety of paid content such as Line stickers through the online Line Store. Upon top-up on Line Store via Line Pay, a maximum 38-per-cent bonus will be granted on any purchase. 

Line has also partnered with retailers from many industries such as fashion, online travel agencies, bookstores, information technology, finance and services. 

Line Pay will also be available for offline payment, so users can make payments in restaurants and coffee shops using their phones. Also, with the launch of the E-Wallet feature in the near future, users will be able to top-up money on Line Pay to make payments and send money to other Line Pay users via messages. 

Line says it will operate a real-time 24-hour monitoring system to protect Line Pay users from any illicit activity. Also users must set new seven-digit password exclusive for Line Pay for a higher level of security. 

 

TRIS UPGRADES DTAC 

TRIS Rating has upgraded the company and senior unsecured debenture ratings of Total Access Communication (DTAC) to “AA+” from “AA” with “stable” outlook. The upgrades reflect DTAC’s ability to maintain a strong competitive position and continue solid operating performance with strong cash-flow generation. 

TRIS Rating takes the view that DTAC will continue to benefit from regulatory-cost savings and be able to enter the next round of spectrum-licence auctions while maintaining financial strength. 

 

JMART BUYS SINGER STAKE

Jay Mart has acquired a 24.9-per-cent stake in home appliance direct-selling firm Singer Thailand in order to create a business synergy, chief executive officer Adisak Sukumvitaya said.

Singer share prices yesterday rose by 5.04 per cent to Bt14.60 on a turnover of Bt1.59 billion, with 12 transactions of big lots at Bt14 each for 108 million shares, worth Bt1.52 billion in combined value. 

A stockbroker said the big-lot transaction of Singer accounted for 40 per cent of its paid-up capital (at par value of Bt1 each). The deal was likely to be sales of shares held by major shareholder Singer (Thailand). The Stock Exchange of Thailand later yesterday suspended the trading of Singer shares until the agency has received a clarification on the share transaction from Singer.