PRESS DIGEST - Thai newspapers - June 30

BANGKOK, June 30 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Thai newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

TOP STORIES

- An "unprecedented" mass signature drive to seek a royal pardon for fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was called into question for possibly putting political pressure on the monarchy (BANGKOK POST)

- Thailand reported its third fatality from type-A (H1N1) influenza as 41 new cases were added, making 1,330 infections to date (THE NATION)

- The Department of Special Investigation arrested a Rohingya man they allege helped arrange workers' registration and produce fake immigration worker ID cards for some 7,000 Rohingya people before sending them off as fishery workers and maids (THE NATION)

- A plan to equip the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority with a new bus fleet should not pose a long-term financial burden to the government, according to a study to be submitted to the cabinet on Tuesday (BANGKOK POST)

BUSINESS

- The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects the industry to improve next year, generating income of 959 billion baht ($28 billion) and attracting 14 million foreign arrivals (BANGKOK POST)

- Bangkok Bank BBL.BK has finalised the sale of a 19 percent stake in ACL Bank to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (BANGKOK POST)

- Ascon Construction ASCO.BK is ready to go it alone with a 6.4 billion baht contract to build a depot and maintenance centre for the Purple Line rail project after two joint-venture partners hinted they might withdraw from the alliance (BANGKOK POST)

- Issuing third-generation licences may be put off to the first quarter of next year under a revised schedule from the Office of The National Communications Commission, which could also set back commercial 3G services to late 2010 (BANGKOK POST)

- The Board of Investment is drafting new legislation aimed at encouraging local firms to tap long-term business opportunities abroad (THE NATION)

- An announcement that 1,930 workers at Body Fashion (Thailand) will be laid off prompted more than 1,000 workers to stage a protest (THE NATION)

- Central Pattana (CPN.BK), the leading local shopping complex developer, plans to invest more than 1.3 billion baht for expansion in the North and Northeast and the overhaul of Central Plaza Lat Prao and Pinkhao (THE NATION)

- The government has given the green light for the jewellery industry to pay a 1 percent withholding tax on imported materials instead of the 7 percent value added tax (THE NATION) ($1=34.02 Baht)

** Looking for more information from local sources? Factiva.com has eight Thai sources including the Bangkok Post and The Nation. ((Bangkok Newsroom 662-648 9729, e-mail: bangkok.newsroom@reuters.com)