The board also appointed Vichate Tantiwanich, chairman of the Market for Alternative Investment, to take over Sopawadee's current position, while Nongram Wongwanich, who is TSD president, will be promoted to executive vice president overseeing the organisation's activities. The appointments are effective July 1. 

- The Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand is to implement Thai Rubber 20 (STR20)'s standard on products made by 10 rubber producers as part of its effort to improve quality. The new standard comes into effect on June 29.

- The Stock Exchange of Thailand is to forward a board of governors' resolution to extend the minimum 0.25-per-cent brokerage fee for another three years to the Securities and Exchange Commission for approval. The minimum fee is due to end in January 2007.

- Bank of Ayudhya stock and its BAY-warrant 1, rose yesterday after US-based GE Capital said it would acquire a stake in BAY. The stock closed at Bt17 a share, an increase of 1.8 per cent, while BAY-W1 closed at Bt5.05, an increase of 3.48 per cent.

- Moody's Investors Service has assigned an A3 rating to a 23 billion yen (Bt7.6 billion) senior unsecured loan recently extended to PTT.