Highlighting the event organiser's business plans for this year, general manager Ladda Mongkolchaivivat said last week that NEO had expanded to Beijing.

It has incorporated a company there called Beijing Hua Tai Exhibition Co to sell exhibition space in Beijing and other Chinese cities, provide consultations and oversee trade missions, and offer managerial and organisational services for trade fairs, exhibitions and other events.

NEO also pays close attention to social development, Ladda said.

To coincide with Thailand's bid to become Asean's economic leader by 2010, the company has created several social-development programmes for this year and allocated a seven-digit budget for the purpose.

Property :Pre-Built in Bt200m mall project

Pre-Built has signed a contract with PC Land to build a Bt200-million, five-storey Complex Mall.

Construction is due to start this month for completion next April.

Pre-Built CEO Chaiyarat Thampeera said last week the new job has increased the builder's backlog to Bt1.4 billion, of which 80 per cent will be booked this year and the rest next year.

The company expects total revenues to rise to Bt2 billion this year from Bt1.6 billion last year.

It recorded a net loss of Bt39.3 million last year.

Real estate:Colliers Thailand appointment

Colliers International Thailand, part of a global affiliation of independently owned commercial real estate firms, has appointed Gregory White as commercial director.

White has built a strong network and gained extensive experience in the domestic real estate market while working in Thailand over the last six years.

His areas of expertise and responsibility include transaction management, strategic consulting, tenant representation, facilities management and project management.

Infrastructure :Meetings on Asian highway system

Escap's transport and tourism division will hold back-to-back meetings in Bangkok on the Asian Highway Network.

Representatives from 32 Asian Highway member countries, financing institutions and international and sub-regional organisations are expected to participate in the regional workshop on "Upgrading of the Asian Highway Priority Routes" from June 19-21.

That will be followed by the "expert group" meeting on Improving Road Safety on the Asian Highway from June 21-22 at the UN Conference Centre.

"The workshop aims to create awareness of investment opportunities in member countries and promote investment in priority projects along the Asian Highway. At the expert group meeting, participants will share experiences on how to improve road safety on the Asian Highway Network," the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific said in a press statement.

The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network came into force in July 2005.

ECO-tourism :Spotlight on Laos at July event

Bringing together high quality and innovative Mekong region eco-tourism products and services under the theme "Bridging the Mekong Region, the 2007 Lao Eco-tourism Forum" - the third annual edition of the show - takes place from July 26-29 at Vientiane's Don Chan Palace Hotel.

The event is aimed at showcasing the natural and cultural heritage of Laos and the Mekong region.

A five-kilometre Mekong Fun Run and a Lao Food Festival have also been added.

The run on July 28 is open to all and starts at 6.30am at Vientiane's That Luang Stupa and passes Victory Monument and Vientiane's Old Quarter before finishing at the Don Chan Palace Hotel.

Buyers to the forum represent mostly Asian, European and North American source markets. To date 60 sellers booths have been reserved and more than 50 buyers have expressed their interest in attending. Most of the sellers will be Laos-based companies, although all Greater Mekong Sub-region member nations will be represented.

A number of Asean-based investors have also shown interest in the region's eco-tourism sector and will join the forum.