Thai Agriculture Minister Thira Sutabutra yesterday said Thailand would serve as RASF's centre for distributing information - as a "warning sign" not only for crops, but also for livestock and aquaculture - to farmers in member countries.

"Having such a 'warning sign' will allow farmers to protect themselves from losses," he said, adding that members would be alerted by the centre about business risks, crop predictions and trade changes.

The office, in cooperation with the EU, will start providing information for aquaculture products, expanding to other targeted goods later.

PATA website

The local chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) early this week launched a website to serve its 100 travel-industry member organisations.

The website www.pata-thailand.org has been designed to advance the chapter's agenda to promote responsible development of the travel industry in Thailand.

The website supports upcoming educational, training and networking events like the Thailand Travel Mart from June 7-10, the PATA Thailand IT Seminar on June 27 and "The Big Ticket" meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition seminar on October 27.

"There is a hunger for knowledge among many young members of the travel industry," chapter chairman Bob James said yesterday.

"The website lists the educational events and encourages travel-industry members to join the chapter and benefit from events which we organise on a not-for-profit basis," he said.

The 100-page website designed by Bangkok-based Softech Business Solutions also lists the contact details of all 100 member organisations involved in international inbound tourism, including such giants as Thai Airways International and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, as well as local family-run resorts in far-flung corners of the Kingdom.

New ceramic range

Royal Ceramic Industry has launched a new range of products called Taste and Tile, manufactured through a special firing technique to create unique patterns and designs targeted at capturing more high-end customers.

Managing director Sanya Nongsuwan recently said the company had added to its well-known RCI and Modena ceramic and terra-cotta brands by introducing a new range of merchandise, both locally produced and imported.

The company will set aside 10-15 per cent of its sales for marketing. A formal launch for the new range will be held at the Architect '50 fair from May 1-6.

DTAC profit up

Total Access Communication posted a net profit of Bt1.6 billion in the first quarter, up 24 per cent year on year.

The second-largest cellular operator also enjoyed record subscriber growth of 1.46 million in the quarter, the company said in a statement yesterday.