PRESS DIGEST - Thai newspapers on June 3

BANGKOK, June 3 (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

- The army commander and police chief are both against any crackdown on the anti-government rally led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, underscoring their worry the situation could spiral out of control if things turn ugly (BANGKOK POST)

- Thailand's inflation rate soared to 7.6 percent in May, the highest in nearly a decade, due to the unrelenting rise of oil prices (THE NATION)

- Thai shares closed down 2.8 percent, hit by mounting political tension as Prime Minister Samak Sundravej appears at a loss over how to deal with street demonstrators who are rallying for a second week for his government's resignation (THE NATION)

- Taxi fares will go up, but by how much will not be known for another two weeks (BANGKOK POST)

- The private sector's Joint Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JCCIB) has urged the government to come up with urgent measures to tackle the rising costs of business operators and consumers (THE NATION)

BUSINESS

- Tax incentives for listed companies on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and Market for Alternative Investment will be made permanent as part of a strategy to develop the Thai capital market, according to Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee (BANGKOK POST)

- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members agreed the conclusion of the Doha Round of talks by the World Trade Organisation would be key in solving the food crisis (THE NATION)

- Authorities should take steps to raise salaries across the country to help support consumer spending, according to Dhanin Chearavanot, the chief executive of agribusiness conglomerate Charoen Pokphand (BANGKOK POST)

- Starting today, operators of private buses and minibuses in Bangkok will be given a mountly ration of 30 million litres of cheap diesel (THE NATION) ** Looking for more information from local sources? Factiva.com has eight Thai sources including the Bangkok Post and The Nation. ($1=32.43 Baht)