BOI GIVES NOD TO SUPPORT PLAN FOR ELECTRIC CAR SECTOR

The support will cover three types of electric cars: hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and battery electric vehicle (BEV). They can be passenger cars, pick-up trucks and buses. Tax incentives will vary according to the production technology applied. 
Applications for tax incentives relating to HEVs must be submitted by December 31. Applicants’ business plan should include the production of the vehicles and components or the use of these parts. Successful applicants will enjoy a waiver on import duty for machinery. 
The PHEV producers share the same deadline for applications. They will be entitled to a waiver on import duty for machinery, and a corporate tax break of three years. If they produce more than one key component, they will enjoy an additional year of tax breaks for each component but not exceeding six years of tax breaks.
The BEV applicants can also enjoy a waiver on duty for imported machinery and a waiver of between five years and eight years on corporate tax. If they produce more than one key component, they will gain an additional year of tax breaks per component but not exceeding 10 years.

THAI POLICY RATE 
SEEN UNCHANGED

Economists expect the Bank of Thailand's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to leave the policy rate unchanged at 1.50 per cent at its March 29 meeting as part of efforts to shore up the economic recovery.
Given the growth-inflation dynamics, the central bank is likely to maintain its accommodative policy stance, said Gundy Cahyadi, an economist at DBS Bank in Singapore
“Even if the recovery in exports and supportive fiscal policies are likely to support the GDP growth outlook ahead, the domestic economy remains some quarters away from returning to potential growth. Plainly, we have yet to see a broad-based recovery taking place in the economy," he noted in a recent report. 
Kasikorn Research Centre expects the MPC to signal it is sticking with low interest rates, particularly in the first half of this year, to prop up the economy. In particular, consumption has been fragile since the of fiscal stimulus, it noted.

RATCH NAMES KIJJA AS CHIEF

Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding has named Kijja Sripatthangkura as its new chief executive officer. 
His appointment will be effective from April 6. after his predecessor Rum Herabat’s retirement.
With experience over the past 30 years at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), Kijja is well regarded for his expertise in a number of areas, including engineering, economics, business administration and strategic planning - particularly for power and transmission systems.
Kijja is currently Egat deputy governor, policy and planning.
As Ratch chief, Kijja will aim to leverage his expertise to drive the company’s strategic plan forward, with the goal of achieving a goal of 7,500-megwatt growth in 2017 and 10,000MW growth in 2023. 
34936814/ Markus Lorenzini
GTCC NAMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) ordinary general meeting on Wednesday appointed eight new board members, including Markus Lorenzini, president and chief executive officer of Siemens Ltd, as the new GTCC president. Phongsakdi Chakshuvej, chairman of B.Grimm & Co Ltd, is the chamber’s new vice president.