BankThai, Tisco shares suspended after sale report

BANGKOK, June 18 (Reuters) - Shares in BankThai BT.BK were suspended after a sharp rise on Wednesday following a newspaper report that rival Tisco Bank TISC.BK planned to acquire a 42 percent stake.

Tisco, whose shares were also suspended, denied the report in the Thai-language Post Today newspaper.

Before the halt, BankThai shares were up 18.8 percent at 1.58 baht, their highest since December 2007. Tisco Bank fell 2.87 percent to 20.30 baht. ($1=33.08 Baht) (Reporting by Arada Therdthammakun; Editing by Ed Cropley)