Briefs

The three operating nano-finance providers have given out more than Bt10.885 million to 553 small and medium-sized enterprises in the first two months of the programme, while six more licensed operators are still in the preparation process, Deputy Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.
The three nano-finance operators began lending in May, when the total amounted to only Bt600,000.
“Demand for nano-loans has continuously increased, while more and more finance operators are beginning to have interest in the business from the increase in demand. Nine operators have gained licences and 20 more have applied for one,” Sansern said.
Nano-finance was introduced to reduce loan-sharking and to increase investment by SMEs. The maximum loan amount under the programme is Bt100,000, with an interest rate of no more than 36 per cent.

MILLIONS MISS SIM REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Some 16.4 million of the country’s 85.5 million subscribers to prepaid mobile-phone accounts had failed to register their SIM cards as of yesterday, according to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
As a result they will not be able to make outgoing calls (except to emergency numbers) but can receive incoming calls.
The NBTC set yesterday as the deadline for prepaid users to register their SIM cards with their mobile service providers. However, they can still register this month and resume making outgoing calls.
An NBTC source said the mobile-phone operators had asked the commission to extend the August deadline by 60 days. The NBTC replied that it needed to ask the junta for permission to do so.

THAI-LAOS INSURANCE DEAL
The Agricultural Promotion Bank (APB) of Laos is cooperating with Dhipaya Insurance Co of Thailand to offer life-insurance packages for customers in Laos as the country opens to Asean integration.
The cooperation agreement was signed in Vientiane yesterday between the bank’s managing director, Bounlom Phongchaleun, and Dhipaya managing director Boochai Boonyanurak, and was witnessed by officials of both sides.
“The cooperation is an important step in banking business and the life-insurance area and will help to open Asean regional cooperation in line with economic expansion in the region,” Bounlom said.
The cooperation will allow the two organisations to provide service and advice on life and non-life insurance a to customers, which is a new service to be offered in every province throughout Laos.
Dhipaya will send teams to provide training in customer services.
Both sides believe that the service will be launched this month.