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Published on October 13, 2007

Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand said the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives would lend the funds to farmers to plant one million rai of land with oil palms, which will increase feedstock for biodiesel production.

The council also approved a Bt8.7-billion budget to promote natural gas for vehicles ahead of the floating of the cooking-gas price.

BT rejigs plan

BankThai (BT) has adjusted its capital-increase plan, increasing the ratio of shares to existing shareholders and lowering the subscription price. In a filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday, the bank said shareholders were now entitled to two new shares instead of one for each existing share. The subscription price has been cut from Bt3.46 to Bt1.73.

President Phirasilp Subhapholsiri said the changes reflected unfavour-able market conditions, but the bank would still reap Bt7.68 billion in net proceeds. 

PTTEP deal

PTT Exploration and Production said yesterday that it had won an oil-exploration concession from the National Oil and Gas Authority of Bahrain. The company is negotiating with the authority on details of benefit sharing.

This follows the winning of an exploration concession in Oman.

RS helps poor

RS said yesterday it was joining in a corporate social responsibility campaign with Habitat for Humanity Thailand, a non-profit organisation dedicated to eradicating poverty housing and homelessness by building simple, decent and affordable houses for low-income families.

Rattapoom "Film" Tokongsub, a popular RS artist, has been appointed the first ambassador for the foundation in all PR and funding activities as well as any further coordination between the government and the private sector.

FDI report due

The latest trends in foreign direct investment will be summarised in the latest report of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, which will be released in Bangkok next week. The World Investment Report 2007 analyses trends and puts a focus on the role of transnational corporations in the extraction of oil, gas and metal minerals.

 The Nation