SCB said that from yesterday it would no longer pay interest to depositors with Bt50 million to Bt1 billion in savings accounts. Previously it had paid 3.25 to 4.25 per cent.

Depositors with Bt50 million to Bt100 million in time-deposit accounts will no longer receive interest payments or will see the payments cut, SCB said. Those who had received rates of 3.25-3.75 per cent will no longer receive interest payments, while those who had received 3.75 to 4 per cent will now receive 1.35 to 1.6 per cent.

Thai-India trade

Trade between Thailand and India under the first stage of a free-trade agreement rose 9.2 per cent to US$118.5 million (Bt4.54 billion) during the first four months of the year.

Exports to India fell 1.2 per cent to $84 million while imports rose 47 per cent to $34.5 million. Thailand's trade surplus with India fell 19.6 per cent to $49.5 million in the period.

Apiradi Tantraporn, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, said yesterday the top 10 export goods were television sets, air conditioners, polycarbonate, cathode-ray tubes, ipoxide resin, precious and semiprecious stones, car-engine parts, steel, refrigerators, and polyester.

The top imported goods from India were floor gearshifts, steel, steel products, gems and jewellery and car-engine parts.

Pineapple aid

The Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Ministry said it would help pineapple growers in Utradit's Huay Moon area market their products after the farmers saw prices tumble.

The ministry said 60,000 tonnes of pineapple from the province would enter the market soon and it would be sold through wholesale and retail channels such as Chatuchak market, Talad Thai wholesale fruit market and Tops supermarket.

Traders have been buying pineapples at 50 satang per kilogram. The ministry's marketing assistance will shore up the price and help 5,000 growers survive, it said.

Mall property JV

     Sammakorn Plc and Rayong Purifier Plc have set up a property joint venture named Pure Sammakorn Development Co Ltd to develop shopping malls in and around Bangkok.

The joint venture was officially launched on Thursday with registered capital of Bt50 million. Sammakorn holds 49 per cent and Rayong Purifier 51 per cent.

Somsak Kemarangsi, a director of the new firm, said the first mall would be called Pure Place and would be built in front of Sammakorn Village on Rangsit-Ongkarak Road. It will open early next year.