Briefs

The Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday closed at 1,571.05, up 7.47 points on Wednesday and with a trading value of Bt69.36 billion. 
It was the second day of trading this year, and the second rise. Net purchases by foreign investors amounted to Bt2.92 billion, alongside Bt1.08 billion by institutional investors and Bt3.95 billion by individual investors.

Commerce Ministry to propose new rice plan

The Commerce Ministry will propose a new plan for rice-industry integration for 2017 and 2018 to the National Rice Policy Committee next week in a bid to balance supply and demand for rice and ensure stable prices.
Wiboonlasana Ruamraksa, permanent secretary of the ministry, said the plan would cap rice production in 2017 at 27.4 million tonnes, which would ensure stable prices and an adequate supply for both domestic consumption and the export sector. 
She said the plan would also encourage more farmers to integrate their rice plantations for reduced production costs as well as increase their bargaining power.
Meanwhile, the ministry will continue a legal action against a person who allegedly posted a video clip in which it was claimed that Thai rice exporters combined rice with plastic.
Wiboonlasana said this was clearly false as plastic cost more than rice, while every shipment of Thai rice was inspected and certified.

Nobel economics laureate to give lecture 

Nobel laureate economist Professor Eric Maskin will deliver a special lecture in Bangkok on Monday titled “Why Global Markets Have Failed to Reduce Inequalities”.
The lecture, which starts at 2pm at Millennium Hilton, is being organised by Thammasat University, the Asean series “Bridges – Dialogues towards a Culture of Peace”, and the International Peace Foundation.
US-born Maskin won the Nobel Prize for economics in 2007 “for having laid the foundations of mechanism design theory”. He has taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton and Harvard universities.
His current research projects include comparing different electoral rules, examining the causes of inequality and studying coalition formation.
The seminar is free by registering at https://goo.gl/wcbvpo or calling 02-613-3024.