Regulator wants to be sure system is really needed. The national telecom regulator has indefinitely postponed determining 3G (third generation) licensing policy and will examine whether Thailand is in fact in need of the technology at all. The board of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) made the surprising announcement yesterday in an official release.

NEW YEAR SPECIAL: Kingdom to get 30 large new hotels next year

Thai and foreign hotel operators plan to open about 30 hotels with 20,000 rooms next year. Of the total, 12,000 rooms will be located in Bangkok and the rest will be in major tourist destinations like Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and newly popular locales like Koh Lanta in Krabi and Koh Chang in Trat.

TPI asks for okay to exit debt plan today

Thai Petrochemical Industry Plc’s (TPI) debt-restructuring plan administrator will today seek the bankruptcy court’s consent to exit the plan, marking the end of a twisted, seven-year legal battle between the original shareholder – the Leophairatana family – and creditors.

TDRI sounds warning on pitfalls of mega-projects

The government should apply His Majesty the King’s recommended self-sufficiency economy in managing mega-project investment in order to avoid repeating mistakes under the old Hopewell investment, the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) warned.

Regulatory board deals Egat a new body blow

A recent ruling by the national power regulator places Egat Plc’s future earnings in doubt, meaning its privatisation could be put off again, a senior government official said.

STREET WISE: A taste of his own medicine

Since it became clear that new shareholders would emerge at Thai Petrochemical Industry Plc, company founder Prachai Leophairatana has been in the hot seat.

THAI/US FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT: Financial sector gears up for FTA challenge

Although the government has yet to finalise negotiations on the country’s financial sector as part of its ongoing talks on a free-trade agreement with the United States, local financial institutions are well aware that their business will not be the same in the future.

NMG reduces stake in print subsidiary

Nation Multimedia Group (NMG) told the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday that there would be new shareholders in its printing subsidiary, WPS (Thailand) Co Ltd.

KTB to ease tax payments

Taxpayers will be able to conveniently complete their annual tax payments with just a few clicks next year as the Revenue Department has joined with Krung Thai Bank to develop payments via the Internet.

Marine insurance on the rise

Japanese hybrid insurers Sri Muang Insurance, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (MSI) and Aviva Insurance (Thai) posted growth of 23.16 per cent, 17.63 per cent and 10.83 per cent, respectively, in marine insurance in the first nine months of this year, although total industry growth was 3.35 per cent.

BIZNEWS ROUND-UP

- The Public Debt Management Office reported that the public debt in October was Bt3.27 trillion, or 45.98 per cent of gross domestic product, compared with Bt3.28 trillion, or 45.89 per cent of GDP, in September.

REGIONAL INVESTMENT: Neighbourly links stressed

Govt wants industry to expand in Indochina

PIMEX sales, leads delight participants

As PIMEX 2005 closed last Sunday, at least 12 boats had been sold and initial estimates of solid sales amounted to some US$4 million (Bt164 million).

Kingdom lands golfing award

Golfers looking for somewhere to play should certainly not ignore Thailand, which was recently voted the “Emerging Golf Destination of the Year 2005”.

COMPANY REPORTS

ICC INTERNATIONAL’s board endorsed a one-year extension of the guarantee for a Bt20-million loan by Siam DCM Co Ltd.

FISCAL CONCERNS: Cold water on rosy forecasts

Academics say tax collections, fuel prices to drop sharply

NTC agrees to free up three markets, approves BMCL subway telecom licence

The national telecommunications regulator has decided to free up the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), the local Internet-exchange gateway and international Internet gateway markets.

TV shows to shine light on local tourism

Domestic tourist-destination programmes to be produced by a number of local administrative organisations will be broadcast on television next year as a part of a plan to promote the tourism industry.

Thailand ranks among leading Asian retail markets

Throughout the last five years, Thailand has been the third-largest of nine major Asian retail markets, with a value of US$21.6 billion (Bt884 billion) in terms of modern trade outlets, ranking behind China and Taiwan, according to a survey by Deloitte Research.

PTT to shutter 200 stations

PTT plans to reduce the number of its petrol stations from 1,200 to 1,000 during the next two years.