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Published on September 25, 2007

Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet said that initially 600 selected One Tambon, One Product goods would be offered in special corners at six outlets - Rama IV, Lat Phrao, Ratchadaphisek, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai and Pattaya.

By the end of this year, more outlets will be included in the "Carrefour ... Thai Ways" campaign. Carrefour will make purchases worth Bt100 million.

Capital to get tobacco plant

The Thailand Tobacco Monopoly expects to finalise

the location of its new plant, in suburban Bangkok, by October.

Monopoly spokeswoman Prapassorn Phongphanpisan said its board wanted the new plant to be within an hour's drive of the head office.

For the first year of operation, 1,000 staff will remain at the head office and will commute often between the two.

She said the location could be in either the north or east of Bangkok and probably on Treasury Department, State Railway or Industrial Estate Authority land.

"After it is finalised in October we will seek Cabinet approval," she said.

The new plant is expected to manufacture 25,000 million cigarettes a year with capacity at 30,000 million.

New deal on standards

The American National Standards Institute last week agreed memorandums of understanding with the Thai Industrial Standards Institute and national standards bodies in Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

The American institute pledged to increase cooperation in achieving common objectives and encouraging international trade, according to a statement.

Among other commitments were pledges to encourage bilateral relationships, joint business ventures and information exchanges to stimulate industry-to-industry cooperation, international standardisation and free trade.

The institutes will discuss regional and international standardisation and conformity assessment and encourage "dialogue among national experts in various areas of standardisation and conformity assessment". 

The Nation