After its soft opening in August, Bathmall was officially opened yesterday as a showroom and service centre offering bathroom and household items. Located on Rattanatibet Road, the store occupies more than 6,000 square meters. It is operated by Home Mania Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the Saha Sin Thai Group.

Home Mania managing director Phiradej Nopteepkungwan said the company had spent more than Bt250 million to construct the Bathmall showroom. It expects to see sales of Bt50 million from its first five months of operation, rising to an annual Bt300 million next year.

Coal operation : Banpu temporarily seals I'nesian mine

A settling pond at one of Banpu's coalmines in Indonesia has been temporarily sealed due to a high acid level.

Concerning allegations that the mine had discharged wastewater into a river on September 5, Banpu yesterday informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand that an environmental inspection by a team from the Department of Mines indicated that one of the 10 settling ponds had a high acidity level. President Chanin Vongkusolkit said Banpu had sealed the pond and was restoring water quality. 

Big C & partners : Thai food promotion in Paris and Lyon

Big C Supercentre and its partners are promoting Thai food products at "The 320th Anniversary of Franco-Thai Relations' at 14 hypermarts and department stores owned by the Casino Group in Paris and Lyon. The event runs from September 14 to October 5.

Jariya Chirathivat, vice president of marketing and communications, said the cooperation would increase the number of Thai products exported to Europe by upcountry firms, especially SMEs. 

Environment  :  Eco-Minds Regional Youth Forum

Mahidol University's Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies and Bayer Thai have signed a collaborative agreement for the Eco-Minds Regional Youth Forum 2007, to be held in Thailand from May 31 to June 3.

A team of scholars from the Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies will provide Bayer with academic support focusing on "Thinking Sustainability: A Sustainable River Basin".

Eco-Minds is a new youth programme of Bayer and United Nations Environment Programme, which challenges youth to think of creative and practical uses of science and technology in an interdisciplinary way in order to address the challenge of sustainable development.