PRESS DIGEST - Thai newspapers - April 17
BANGKOK, April 17 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Thai newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
TOP STORIES
- Ousted Prime Minister and Manchester City Football Club owner Thaksin Shinawatra said he would launch a $5 billion private equity fund that would invest in Asian stocks (THE NATION)
- Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan believes escalating prices for rice will become a key factor in helping stimulate Thailand's economy and boost consumers' purchasing power (THE NATION)
- The government has pledged to be more selective with community-based proposals for funding under the so-called village grants scheme to ensure more prudent spending amid scepticism from social and economic experts (BANGKOK POST)
- The Finance Ministry plans to invite bids for the private sector to invest 5 billion baht ($159 million) on upgrading the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre into a world-class facility (THE NATION)
BUSINESS
- DTAC DTAC.BK (TACC.SI) and Advanced Info Service ADVA.BK have agreed to settle a dispute concerning the latter's 2.17 billion baht in unpaid network roaming fees out of court (BANGKOK POST)
- If shares in the initial public offering of Esso (Thailand) are priced 9 baht each, analysts predict the stock will be attractive to both local and foreign investors (THE NATION)
- TT&T TTNT.BK, the provincial fixed-line telephone provider, says it is now ready to move forward aggressively with business expansion after winning a large arbitration award in a dispute with its state concession provider, TOT PCL (BANGKOK POST)
- Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said that about 20 billion baht in government handouts would start to reach villagers this month. Each village is expected to get between 200,000 baht to 350,000 baht depending on their size (THE NATION)
- Property developer LPN Development LPN.BK is planning to expand into low-rise residential projects though its subsidiary, Pornsanti (THE NATION)
- To attract international software developers to invest in Thailand, Industry Minister Suwit Khunkitti wants to turn Khon Kaen into a software hub modelled on India's Bangalore (BANGKOK POST) ** Looking for more information from local sources? Factiva.com has eight Thai sources including the Bangkok Post and The Nation.
