Briefs

Thailand’s outstanding public debt was Bt6.26 trillion at the end of April, amounting to 42.64 per cent of gross domestic product, the Public Debt Management Office said.
The debt increased from by Bt101.37 billion from March 31, the office’s bond market adviser Theeraj Athanavanich said at press conference yesterday.
He added that the outstanding public debt comprised Bt4.82 trillion of government debt, Bt972.75 billion of debt held by state-owned enterprise (SOEs) debt, Bt452.74 billion of government-guaranteed financial SOEs debt and Bt18.43 billion of debt at other government agenciest.

BTS NET PROFIT FALLS 49 PER CENT ON PROPERTY SLUMP
 BTS Group Holding’s net profit slumped 49.1 per cent to Bt2.23 billion in its 2016-17 fiscal year from the prior year. Revenue fell 4.5 per cent to Bt9.61 billion for the year to March.
In a filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday, the company said that while dropped in its real estate business, strong growth was recorded in its other businesses, such as the skytrain operations, media and services.
Meanwhile, its investment cost for the year increased for further development of the company’s mass transit system. 
The company's board of directors yesterday approved a Bt0.34 per share dividend, with an interim payment of Bt0.165 per share and a final payment of Bt0.175 per share. 
The dividend will paid to shareholders on the register on July 31, with payment on August 18.
The board also approved a plan to increase the company’s registered capital by Bt2.38 billion, or about 5 per cent of its paid up capital, by issuing 596 million new shares at a par value of Bt4 per share.
 This would be achieved by a private placement, the company said.

CABINET AGREES TO ISLAMIC BANK DEBT PLAN

The Cabinet yesterday agreed to a debt restructuring plan by Islamic Bank under which it will increase its capital check to Bt18.1 billion and sell Bt50.25 billion of non-performing loans to an asset management firm.
Nattaporn Jatusripitak, an adviser to the Office of the Prime Minister, said that following the restructuring plan, the bank would reduce its capital base to Bt0.01 per share to offset an accumulated loss of Bt28.27 billion. 
The bank would then increase its new capital to Bt18.1 billion. 
The new capital will be held by the Finance Ministry. 
 

BACKING GROWTH
KTB offers newloans for SMEs

Krung Thai Bank is providing loans worth a total of Bt6 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at 4 per cent interest.
Thai Credit Guarantee Corporation is guaranteeing the loans, according to Krung Thai Bank executive vice-president Pativate Santavanond.
The loans will be provided to enterprises with sales of less than Bt100 million a year. 
The bank will provide seven-year loans of no more than Bt20 million per SME. The total loan value is Bt2 billion. 
The plan’s next stage involves SMEs with a sales value of more than Bt100 million per year receiving loans capped at Bt40 million.
The repayment period is seven years with a 4 per cent interest rate and a total loan value of Bt4 billion.

$1.5 bn goal set for trade with Sri Lanka

The Commerce Ministry is aiming for trade between Thailand and Sri Lanka to reach US$1.5 billion in 2020, said Boonyarit Kalayanami, director-general of the ministry’s Department of Trade Negotiations, yesterday.
    He said the Commerce Ministry will conduct the second meeting of the sub-committee on trade-related matters between Thailand and Sri Lanka on June 2 in Bangkok. 
    “Sri Lanka is a gateway for trade and investment in South Asia. The challenge is for Thailand to boost exports to Sri Lanka,” he said.
    Sri Lanka ranks fourth in South Asia for trade value with Thailand, after India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
 From 2012-16, trade between Thailand and Sri Lanka averaged US$500.2 million a year. In 2016, trade was US$440.16 million, a 2.3 per cent drop from 2015.

Microsoft releases SQL Server update

Microsoft has released its SQL Server 2017, the latest version of the data platform.
SQL Server 2017 is available for the first time on Linux and Docker alongside the Windows platform, giving customers flexibility.
 “In an era of digital transformation and the Internet of Things, Microsoft’s goal is to help companies take advantage of Big Data, cloud and artificial intelligence technologies to unearth new insights that may change the way people do their business – from optimising operations with real-time analytics and accelerating decision making with accessible data insights to cutting costs with intelligent demand forecasting,” said Charn Ariyakul, cloud and enterprise business group at Microsoft (Thailand).

CONFIDENCE COUNTS
Asset managers more upbeat on outlook

Confidence in the 12-month and three-year outlooks for revenue growth in asset and wealth management (AWM) has grown again, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of the industry planning recruitment, according to PwC.
In PwC’s annual survey of the sector’s CEOs’ views on the outlook for the industry, 92 per cent are confident or very confident about the growth outlook over the next 12 months, higher than the average across the financial-services sector (86 per cent).
Some 185 CEOs from 45 countries were surveyed, revealing an industry that is confident about its growth, yet shows signs it is slow to innovate and adapt to opportunities in the sector including technology. 
Only 10 per cent of AWM CEOs plan to strengthen their digital capabilities, compared with 23 per cent across financial services, despite two-thirds of chiefs being concerned about the speed of technological change as a threat to growth.
The majority of business leaders in the sector plan to increase their workforce (64 per cent) in the year ahead, higher than other segments in the financial-services sector, PwC says. Some 68 per cent admit they have already changed their people strategy to recruit, develop and retain the skills needed in the future.

DEAL TAKES OFF
Thai AirAsia links with Big C on bookings

Thai AirAsia has joined with Big C Supercenter to offer booking and payment services at Big C counters.
Holders of Big C’s Big Card can book and pay through the counters free of service fees until July 31, for promotional fares that start at Bt570 for domestic flights and Bt970 for international flights.
The flights are available until June 4 for travel from Tuesday to November 30.
Santisuk Klongchaiya, director of commercial for Thai AirAsia, said this service was created as part of the airline’s goal to connect better with offline customers and those with limited access to online services. 
Big service counters are located in 15 Big C stores. In metropolitan Bangkok, the counters are at Big C Rajdamri, Saphan Kwai, Rama IV, Ramintra, Rangsit and Bang Yai. In the provinces the counters are at Big C Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, Roi Et, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Buri Ram, Ubon Ratchathani and Rayong.