Under an Bt8-billion contract, PTT Utility will supply 33 megawatts of electricity and 15 tonnes per hour of steam power to locally-based MIGP, starting this June.

PTT Utility can produce up to 37.5 MWs of electricity and up to 190 tonnes of steam power an hour, it said.

The company also plans to increase its electricity capacity to 150 MWs and steam-power output to 600 tonnes an hour by next year.

Tourism free falls

Tourist arrivals in the South, especially Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala, have dropped by half during he past three years due to the insurgency, Pattani Mayor Pitak Korkiatpitak was quoted as saying by Malaysia's Bernama news agency.

He said this had affected traders, whose income had fallen substantially. But, efforts are underway to woo back tourists.

Honda tie-up

Honda Motor Co Ltd announced plans to acquire a million shares of new stock through a third-party allotment from Marujun Co Ltd, a key Honda supplier of automobile body frame components.

The move was aimed at strengthening business ties between Honda and Marujan, a supplier of stamping dies.

Bank ups rates

Bangkok Bank has raised its lending rates by 25 basis points and fixed deposit rates by 25-50 basis points, effective today. The new minimum lending rate is now 7.25 per cent.