Briefs

The Cabinet yesterday appointed Wiboonlasana Ruamraksa, director-general to Internal Trade Department, as permanent-secretary to the Commerce Ministry, replacing Chutima Bunyapraphasara, who will retire next month.
Wiboonlasana, 59, was previously Thailand’s representative at the World Trade Organisation, and deputy director-general to the Intellectual Property Department and Foreign Trade Department. She promises to continue with the ministry’s task on manipulating and controlling the cost of living, promoting and facilitating trade and business growth, eliminating trade obstruction and solving trade related issues between Thailand and its trading partners.

MYANMAR COFFEE
BEANS ARRIVE IN US
Two shipments of coffee beans from Myanmar arrived in the United States this month, the first commercial-scale imports in over 15 years and the fruits of a US government development programme for farmers in the once-isolated Southeast Asian economy.
The two containers, totalling 600 60kg bags, imported by Seattle-based Atlas Coffee Importers are a fraction of the 24.8 million bags of coffee consumed annually in the United States. But the shipments could herald a welcome diversification from traditional supply areas that are being hit by climate change.
Whole Foods Market bought 41 bags and La Colombe, a speciality chain backed by Chobani yoghurt founder Hamdi Ulukaya, purchased 10 bags. The Arabica beans were put on show at La Colombe cafe in Washington yesterday.
“It will be sold as single origin and as special coffee that we’re offering,” said Darrin Daniel, director of sourcing for Allegro Coffee Company, a whole foods subsidiary that supplies much of the food store’s coffee.
Myanmar exported only modest amounts of coffee in the 1990s and a shipment of 17 60kg bags in 2015 was the first delivery since 2000, US government data shows. Burmese immigrant Melvin Tan, who founded Austin, Texas-based Irrawaddy Coffee Roasters in 2015, said he imported 10 bags from Myanmar that year. — Reuters

THAILAND FOCUS RETURNS
The 10th Thailand Focus will be hosted during August 31-September 2, riding on the trending search for high yields which has resulted in an increase in foreign inflows to the stock exchange.
The annual conference is under "A New Growth Strategy" theme. During the event, 140 listed companies would present their financial data and business plans to global institutional investors.
Stock Exchange of Thailand President Kesara Manchusree said the conference has been a main channel to draw foreign investment: two thirds of listed companies with regular participation have witnessed increasing interest from foreign investors.
Phatra Securities, a co-host, said the list of attendees is long, reflecting Thailand's economic stability and undisrupted attractiveness of the Thai exchange. Thailand's economic development, investment plans and strategies to deal with neighbours is closely observed by foreign investors, it said.
Month-to-date foreign net-buys totalled Bt28.4 billion, boosting year-to-date figures to Bt109 billion.