LATE NEWS
BoI investments drop 50 per cent
Investment projects approved in the first quarter by the Board of Investment dropped 52 per cent year on year to Bt85.6 billion, due mainly to political turmoil which discouraged new foreign investment.
Still, the BoI believes that the figures will pick up in the second quarter as the agency kicks off road shows to assure investors of political stability.
Egat upbeat on future capacity Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand governor Kraisi Karnasuta insisted that the state agency had the capacity to produce half of the new power demand, despite the foiled privatisation. He insisted that the ratio must be maintained as Egat's debt-to-equity ratio was as low as 0.6-0.7:1, leaving large room for more borrowing, though he admitted that, Egat being a state enterprise, new borrowings must be approved by several agencies including the Finance Ministry. "We're confident that we are capable of financing the investment," he said. Meanwhile he said the fuel tariff for the June-September period could be adjusted up slightly, due to the slight annual increase in consumption. Summer consumption increased only 1 per cent from the same period last year, after an annual increase of 6.6-6.7 per cent in the previous year. He also said that if the FT was to be raised, Egat should not shoulder the extra cost as that would not reflect the higher fuel prices and not encourage people to cut consumption.
Money Expo to offer zero interest The 6th Money Expo will be the final chance for loan-seekers to take advantage of a zero interest rate, said Santi Viriyarungsarit, chairman of the organising committee. The event will be held at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre from May 11-14 and is expected to draw 600,000 visitors spending more than Bt80 billion.
Arianespace sets Thaicom 5 date Arianespace has set May 26 for the lift-off of its next Ariane 5 ECA mission, as the heavy-lift launcher and its dual-satellite payload advance through their preparation process at Europe's spaceport in French Guiana, according to a press statement from Arianespace. The May 26 flight will set another payload record for a mission to geostationary transfer orbit, with the launcher's Satmex 6 and Thaicom 5 satellite passengers weighing in at a combined payload of 8.3 tonnes.
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