Baan Thanarak will comprise eight condominium buildings with a total of 624 units. It's owned by the Treasury Department and will house staff of state agencies.

Ascon Construction's president Pattanapong Tanumathaya said Baan Thanarak was the company's first state-agency project this year. It aims to win further state projects worth up to Bt800 million later this year. - The Nation.

Ice cream prices to rise

Chomthana Co Ltd, which makes the Cremo ice cream brand, plans to increase its retail prices to cope with rising costs.

Distribution manager Jirasak Wongsuwan said Chomthana and other local ice-cream-makers will soon raise prices by up to 10 per cent to offset rising costs, mainly from oil, milk and sugar. Jirasak said the company would spend more than Bt50 million to increase by 5,000 the number of refrigerators it has in retail outlets around the country.

Its aims to maintain its growth rate of 25 per cent. - The Nation.

Isuzu signs up TNT

TNT Logistics (Thailand) Ltd has signed two contracts to deliver vehicle components from 99 suppliersto Isuzu's plants on daily basis.

Under the four-year contracts, TNT will service Isuzu's two plants in Bangkok, one at Gateway City and one at the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate.

The job will involve more than 1,000 collections and a total weight of more 2,200 tonnes every week, the company's business development director, Matthew Stimpson, said. - The Nation.

Growing free of poverty

Suphan Buri governor Songpol Thimasart has signed a memorandum of understanding with Charoen Pokphand Group to launch a pilot project which aims to establish a minimum household income of Bt5,000 per month in parts of the province. The CP Group will create a business model to be followed by poor people in three targeted districts, Dan Chang, U Thong and Nong Yasai. CP will select 116 farmers who will focus on growing pomelos, melons and baby corn as well as raising fish in rivers using floating net pens.

The government will provide Bt41 million in financial support.

The CP group will offer technology to the farmers to ensure high production and will also purchase the farmers' crops at guaranteed prices. - The Nation.