PRESS DIGEST - Thai newspapers June 17

BANGKOK, June 17 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Thai newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

TOP STORIES

- Three tourism associations have urged the government to take immediate steps to help member businesses suffering from a drop in visitors (THE NATION)

- A rift between the Democrat Party and its coalition partner the Puea Pandin Party is simmering again (BANGKOK POST)

- The government says funds from the 400 billion baht executive decree, which was passed by the House of Representatives late on Monday, will flow into the economy by August (THE NATION)

- Security authorities have arrested three Rohingya allegedly involved in passport forgery and human and weapons trafficking, and said to be linked to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka and insurgents in Thailand's far south (BANGKOK POST)

- Public-health experts will appear live on television on Sunday in a bid to alleviate public fears about the H1N1 flu virus, which has worried parents and schools (THE NATION)

BUSINESS

- Thai stocks fell 2.51 percent as Asian markets fell on concerns about the health of the global economy (BANGKOK POST)

- The Internal Trade Department has ordered all gas stations nationwide to stop overcharging motorists (THE NATION)

- The first lot of saving bonds worth 30 billion baht, part of the government's 400 billion baht worth of domestic borrowing, will be issued soon, with the proceeds to be injected into the economy no later than August (BANGKOK POST)

- Automotive sales in May remained slow in all segments, with a combined year-on-year contraction of 30.71 percent in terms of volume in the first five months of the year (THE NATION)

** Looking for more information from local sources? Factiva.com has eight Thai sources including Bangkok Post and the Nation. (Bangkok Newsroom +66 2648 9721, e-mail: bangkok.newsroom@reuters.com)