The event is being held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre through tomorrow.

Bangkok Bank executive vice president for consumer banking Ruchanee Nopmuang says bank staff will be on site reinforcing the many loan, property and reward options available to Bangkok Bank customers.

"Customers who are approved for a Bualuang home loans of Bt2 million-Bt5 million can choose either a free 21-inch Toshiba television or a 5.3-cubic-foot Toshiba refrigerator. Borrowers of more than Bt5 million will receive both gifts," Ruchanee said. 

APEC declaration : Statement on SME competitiveness

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Small and Medium Enterprises ministers have released the "The 13th Hanoi Declaration on Strengthening SME Competitiveness for Trade and Investment" to assist small businesses deal with the challenges posed by globalisation.

The Hanoi Declaration was endorsed yesterday following two days of meetings by small and medium-sized enterprises ministers from Apec's member economies and two days of meetings by the Apec SME working group.

Vo Hong Phuc, chairman of the meeting and Vietnam's minister of planning and investment, said that small businesses are the lifeblood of this region, not only because of the economic benefits but for their social role.

He added that the Hanoi Declaration was a tool to help governments ensure the ongoing input of SMEs for reaching Apec's free and open trade and investment goals.

The next Apec SME Ministerial Meeting is scheduled for Hobart, Australia, in March.

Metal cladding  : BFM to build on airport success

BFM Co Ltd, the distributor in Thailand of metal cladding panels from Japan's Mitsubishi Chemical Functional Products Inc, says that it is on track to acquiring more government contracts following its successful work at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

BFM managing director Kasipan Siritham said Mitsubishi, which bills itself as the world leader in the aluminium-composite material (ACM) market, would provide BFM with well-trained personnel, products and technologies.

Kasipan also said that the company planned to lower its prices to compete with products from China that are flooding into Thailand, and also planned to provide comprehensive product information for architects, designers, contractors and project owners.

"We have successfully installed the fire-rated ACM for Suvarnabhumi Airport, which will be a good springboard for our business to expand to other mega-projects," he said.

The company is working on several other large projects, including the CentralWorld Hotel, the Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel, CU Hitech Square and Vichaiyuth Hospital.