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Capital funds for smes

The Industry Ministry’s Department of Industrial Promotion has joined forces with 14 banks to provide capital funds to small and medium-sized enterprises to boost their competitiveness.

The participating banks include the Export Import Bank of Thailand, the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, Krungthai Bank, Government Savings Bank, Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya and Siam Commercial Bank.

The objective is to extend loans in excess of Bt1.9 billion this year for 500 SMEs in the country, Industry Minister Dr Atchaka Sriboonruang said.

JETRO SURVEY FOR H215

The Japan External Trade Organisation will disseminate its survey on Japanese companies in Thailand for the latter half of last year on Wednesday after discussing it with the Thai commerce minister yesterday.

Jetro has conducted the survey twice a year for 45 years, aiming to analyse trends and factors for Japanese business operations in Thailand.

In the past five years (2011-2015), trade between Thailand and Japan averaged US$62.03 billion (B2.222 trillion) a year. Last year, total trade accounted for $51.31 billion, down 10.37 per cent from 2014.

cat chairman named

The CAT Telecom board yesterday approved the appointment of General Thaweep Netrniyom, secretary-general of the Office of the National Security Council, as board chairman.

As of the press time, the board was still considering the state agency’s plan to settle disputes with Total Access Communication (DTAC), including the dispute over ownership of telecom towers.

If approved, the settlements will prompt CAT to make the third concession amendment with DTAC. CAT will forward these settlement details for consideration of the public-private panel founded under the Public -Private Joint Venture Act and the Information and Communications Technology Ministry.

Under the settlement on the telecom towers, CAT and DTAC will set up a joint venture to manage the towers. DTAC will be required to pay around Bt15 billion to CAT to acquire a 51-per-cent share in the joint venture and as compensation for other disputes.

pttep results

Somporn Vongvuthipornchai, president and chief executive officer of PTT Exploration and Production, said the company reported net profit of US$718 million (Bt25.7 billion) for 2015, while operating cash flow totalled more than $2.8 billion.

PTTEP’s board of directors yesterday approved the payment of a dividend based on the 2015 operating results to shareholders at Bt3 apiece. The company has already paid an interim dividend for the first six months at Bt1 per share, while the remaining dividend will be paid at Bt2 per share. The dividend will be paid on April 11.

O&M confident

The Asia-Pacific marketing scene remains highly promising to Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) .

Paul Heath, chairman for Asia-Pacific and worldwide executive director, said yesterday that despite the slow economy in big markets like China, which will continue to grow at 4-7 per cent, economic growth in the region was high compared with Europe and other markets.

Ogilvy has strong confidence in many Asian markets, especially China, India and Vietnam, he said during his visit to Bangkok.

There are opportunities out there for marketers and brands in Asia, despite the bearish economic forecasts in several parts of the world, he said.