PRESS DIGEST - Thai newspapers on June 11

BANGKOK, June 11 (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

- Chart Thai party leader Banharn Silpaarcha has sent a signal that his party may consider leaving the coalition government led by the Power People Party (BANGKOK POST)

- More than 200 academics at 32 universities said ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra deserved to be tried fairly in court without government interference (THE NATION)

- The National Police chief denied political influence was behind the Crime Suppression Division's tough action against the Asset Examination Committee, saying it was part of routine procedure (THE NATION)

- The Treasury Department has been given three months to take back one million rai of unused land from other government agencies for allocation to poor farmers (BANGKOK POST)

BUSINESS

- Volkswagen's executive will meet Industry Minister Suvit Khunkitti and the Board of Investment by the end of the month to finalise details on its eco-car manufacturing projects, a ministry source said (THE NATION)

- TMB Bank TMB.BK will slash its loan-growth target for the year after the souring economy forced a tougher approach to new borrowers (THE NATION)

- Toyota Motor (7203.T) will invest an additional sum in Thailand to boost the production of its diesel engines and start production of the Camry Hybrid (THE NATION)

- Government intervention in commodity prices could lead to "strong distortions" in a free market, Chareon Pokphand Group said (THE NATION)

- Banks should hike interest rates judiciously as increases could inflate the financial cost of doing business, but it did not mean to put pressure on the banking system, the Bank of Thailand said (THE NATION)

- More than 100 workers were admitted to hospital after inhaling a toxic gas which leaked from a new PTT PTT.BK Phenol plant in Rayong province (BANGKOK POST) ($1=33.10 Baht)