PRESS DIGEST - Thai newspapers - April 8

BANGKOK, April 8 (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 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to keep its interest rate policy unchanged when it meets on Wednesday, as the economy appears to have picked up growth momentum (THE NATION)

- The Election Commission (EC) will set up an independent panel to check on the spending of political parties after research found the fund allotted to them have been used carelessly over the past nine years (BANGKOK POST)

- Top business leaders have expressed concern that unrelenting increases in petrol prices and higher inflation will weaken consumer confidence (THE NATION)

- Fire has been burning in a large landfill in Pak Nam area since Friday, and firefighters have had only limited success at combating them despite working around the clock (BANGKOK POST)

BUSINESS

- Thirty eight of 50 companies listed on the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI) announced they will pay an accoumulative dividend of 1.73 billion baht, representing a 4.1 percent dividend yield for 2007 (THE NATION)

- Nestle' (Thai) Co, the manufacturer of Nescafe' instant coffee, has asked the government to allow it to import coffee beans from neighbouring countries to offset the shortage of local bean supplies this year (BANGKOK POST)

- Thai are likely to spend less than expected in celebrating the upcoming Songkran festival, due to continued political turmoil and a spike in oil prices (THE NATION)

- Creditors of the President Agri Trading Group are upset by reports that Siam Commercial Bank offered loans to a new company set up by owners of the defunct rice exporter (BANGKOK POST)

* Looking for more information from local sources? Factiva.com has eight Thai sources including the Bangkok Post and The Nation.