PRESS DIGEST - Thai newspapers on May 20

BANGKOK, May 20 (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

- ASEAN agreed in an emergency meeting in Singapore to set up an ASEAN-led coordinating mechanism to help cyclone-hit Myanmar with emergency relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction (THE NATION)

- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to arrive in Rangoon on Wednesday to assess the devastation in the cyclone-hit country, diplomatic sources said (BANGKOK POST)

- PM's Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair has turned to former premier Chavalit Yongchaiyudh for help in clearing what was said to be a political smear campaign involving the embattled minister's speech before the last election (THE NATION)

- At least 20 websites are being investigated for content deemed to be critical of or offensive to the monarchy (BANGKOK POST)

- Thieves poisoned temple dogs and cats at Wat Pueng Dad in Bang Pahan district on Sunday night and stole an ancient Buddha statue, police said (BANGKOK POST)

BUSINESS

- The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand is considering investing in a coal mine in Indonesia through its wholly owned subsidiary Egat International Co to secure fuel for power generation (BANGKOK POST)

- Many market observers expect the Bank of Thailand to keep its policy rate unchanged at 3.25 percent at Wednesday's meeting, but it may be raise it by the end of the year. (THE NAION)

- Cabinet ministers will debate a plan to rent out more than two million rai (790,737 acres) of public land to farmers at annual rates as low as 20 baht ($0.621) per rai (BANGKOK POST)

- The government is being urged to zone farmland to define areas for food and energy crops to ensure food export stability and also promote food as a strategic product to swap for oil (BANGKOK POST)

- Samart Corp SAMA.BK says it is ready to settle a 2.65 billion baht suit out of court with TOT Plc after the Information and Communications Technology minister signalled an intention to clear up the future of the failing Thai Mobile cellular business (BANGKOK POST)

- MBK PCL MBK.BK plans to spend at least 5 billion baht in the next five years to expand its hotel business and develop golf-course and housing projects (THE NATION)

- Srithai Superware SITH.BK, one of the country's largest plastic-product makers, will relocate its plastic-injection plant from the Sukasawat area to the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate AMAT.BK in Chon Buri province to reduce operating costs (THE NATION)

- Piracy of software for personal computers in Thailand was estimated to have fallen by 2 percent from 2006 to 2007, in line with similar falls in most countries, a body representing software firms said. (THE NATION) ** Looking for more information from local sources? Factiva.com has eight Thai sources including the Bangkok Post and The Nation. ($1=32.23 Baht)