Briefs

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a case against Marnfah Group and Lederer (Thailand) and their authorised directors to the Economic Crime Suppression Division, accusing them of offering debentures to the public without permission.
According to the SEC, Marnfah Group persuaded people to make investments through social media at a minimum of Bt100,000, promising a return of 15 per cent per annum for 12 months.
Lederer (Thailand) allegedly lured people to make investments of the same amount through social media for a return of 5 per cent in six months.

AUTO PARTS FIRM SOMBOON
SEES DROP IN REVENUE, PROFIT

Auto-parts maker Somboon Advance Technology said yesterday that it expected 2016 revenue and net profit to fall by 5 per cent from last year, as Thailand’s auto industry has not fully recovered from a slowdown in the past three years.
Auto sales have been weak since May 2013, after the fading effect of a government first-car subsidy scheme, which ended in 2012, when sales jumped 81 per cent.
The company’s revenue may rise 5 per cent next year if auto sales pick up to 2 million cars, said Nuttakajorn Yanpirat, Somboon’s vice president. – Reuters

VIETNAM CARRIERS SIGN
40-PLANE DEAL WITH AIRBUS

Vietnamese airlines bought 40 aircraft worth US$6.5 billion (Bt225 billion) from France’s Airbus yesterday, as President Francois Hollande visited Vietnam to drum up business ties.
Low-cost private airline VietJet, known for its bikini-clad hostesses, bought 20 planes, while national carrier Vietnam Airlines and budget airline Jetstar Pacific bought 10 each in “deals worth $6.5 billion”, Airbus Asia spokesman Sean Lee said.
Airbus did not provide a breakdown of each deal’s value.
It is the first deal between French aviation giant Airbus and Jetstar Pacific, which said in July it was planning to buy the 10 single-aisle A320 aircraft.
Vietnam Airlines, which owns a 70-per-cent stake in Jetstar Pacific, will purchase 10 Airbus A350 planes, according to officials at a signing ceremony attended by Hollande and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi. – AFP

EMIRATES TO OFFER FIRST
A380 CHRISTCHURCH SERVICES

Emirates will fly Airbus A380s between Dubai and New Zealand five times daily from October 30 with the introduction of the airline’s double-decker flagship aircraft on Christchurch services.
The airline will also remove the en-route stop in Bangkok, which will enable passengers to travel all the way between Christchurch and Dubai with just one stop in Sydney.
Emirates will be the first airline to offer regular scheduled A380 services to and from Christchurch with the upgrade of the current daily Christchurch service from Boeing 777-300ERs.
The launch of the Christchurch A380 flights will coincide with the introduction of the A380 super-jumbo on Emirates’ daily non-stop route between Dubai and Auckland. Emirates currently also operates three other daily A380 services between Auckland and Dubai and beyond via Australia (Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane).