KASIKORNBANK and its subsidiary Phethai Asset Management sold 26.63 million shares in Manager Media Group for Bt2.66 million to Duangporn Wongchukrue, Napalai Chongdarakul, Kamonwan Limthongkul, Varis Limthongkul and Malinee Chinsupakul. KBank and its subsidiary received the shares from Manager's debt-restructuring. They were sold in order to comply with the Bank of Thailand's regulation pertaining to purchasing or holding of shares of a limited company in an amount exceeding the rate prescribed by law as well as with KBank's policy of reducing investment in non-core businesses.

KRUNG THAI BANK's board voted to increase its stake in Krungthai Panich Insurance Co Ltd (KPI) by subscribing to 950,000 newly issued common shares of KPI. After the transaction, the bank's stake in KPI will be 45 per cent.

PHATRA SECURITIES posted an audited net profit of Bt719.5 million for last year, up from Bt417.86 million a year ago.

UNITED PALM OIL joined with the Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD), a centre of international cooperation in agricultural research and development of the French government, to invest in Siam Elite Palm Co Ltd. UPOIC and CIRAD each hold 50 per cent of this company's Bt25-million registered capital.