Leading the delegation was Health Permanent Secretary Serbini Ali. It included representatives from Brunei's health ministry and travel agencies, according to the Bandar Seri Begawan-based English-language newspaper Borneo Bulletin.

The delegation included the chief executives of Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital and Brunei's dental and renal departments, among others.

Medical tourism generates US$1.5 billion (Bt56.4 billion) each year in Thailand. The industry is Asia's biggest, outweighing the combined value of the medical tourism industries of Singapore, Malaysia and India. - The Nation.

New standards for crops

The National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards is to raise standards for the growing of crops like white onions, red onions and garlic to strengthen exports so they can compete effectively under various free-trade agreements.

Somchai Charnnarongkul, the bureau's deputy director, said yesterday that the new standards would make food safer and raise the standard of exports to international levels.

The new standards are also expected to curb imports from Laos, Burma and China. Cheap garlic from China has flooded the country under the Thailand-China FTA's early harvest programme. Thailand imported Bt251 million worth of garlic and Bt202 million worth of red onions last year. The Kingdom exported Bt18 million worth of garlic and Bt441 million worth of red onions in the same period. - The Nation.

Vietnam attracts auto firms

It is estimated that Vietnam will have 50 automobile manufacturers in the near future. Some of them will be wholly Vietnamese owned and some will be backed by foreign investors.

Many automobile manufacturers have revealed plans to set up production chains in Vietnam, ignoring warnings by experts that the market is still very small and overcrowded.

According to Vietnam's Ministry of Industry, there are 34 domestic and 11 foreign-invested automobile enterprises in Vietnam.

Four other foreign-invested enterprises will join the market in the coming days - Honda Vietnam, SYM, Daewoo Bus and JRD. In addition, a China-based mechanics company has also applied to set up a heavy-truck production workshop.

Meanwhile, Vietnam's automobile market remains small, with sales of about 40,000 cars a year. It is expected to grow to 100,000 by 2010. - ANN, Hanoi, Viet Nam News.

Public urged to get energetic

The Energy for Environment Foundation, a think-tank working to help formulate energy policy, will hold a seminar next week entitled "Thailand's Energy Import from Neighbouring Countries and National Security". And it is encouraging members of the public to attend to exchange their opinions on this crucial issue.

"There should be a public debate of the pros and cons, benefits and impacts of the government's policy of importing energy from neighbouring countries," its chairman Piyasvasti Amranand said.

A representative from the Energy Ministry will attend the seminar.

Other notable speakers will include EXIM Bank of Thailand chairman Dr Narongchai Akraseranee; Honourable Consul Supajee Nilubon; former Senate Foreign Relations Committee member and political analyst Sunai Pasuk; and Shan State human-rights activist Charm Tong.

The seminar will take place on Monday at the Pathum Wan Princess Hotel in Bangkok. Admission is free. - The Nation.