Director-general Apiradi Tantraporn said yesterday that the auction was aimed not only at accelerating the clearing out of inventory, but also at serving overseas demand.

The government still holds one million tonnes of jasmine rice with the market price at US$550 (Bt19,000) per tonne.

The rice from the 2004-05 and 2005-06 harvests will be for export and domestic markets with quotes in baht.

Telecom concessions: TOT, CAT told to start talks

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry yesterday ordered TOT and CAT Telecom to set up committees to negotiate with their cellular concession holders on making their concession amendments comply with the Public-Private Joint Venture Act.

Agriculture: Seminar on EU, WTO rules

In order to keep the agricultural and business community abreast of European Union and World Trade Organisation requirements as well as their potential effects on agricultural trade flows, the International Institute for Trade and Development is holding a workshop today and tomorrow.

The seminar at the Shangri-la Hotel covers WTO agreements and the EU requirements on sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical trade barriers and agri-business.

WTO agricultural standard agreements, EU agricultural policy, and importantly, the benefits and costs of compliance with the agreements and regulations will be explained to more than 100 participants representing all stakeholders, namely producers, government personnel, farmer organisations, and regulatory and certification bodies.