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Published on November 7, 2007

The payment was recently presented by Tesco Lotus chairman Sunthorn Arunanondchai, also chairman of the Tesco for Thais Foundation, which has also provided 225 scholarships worth Bt225,000 to students in the South.

JBIC decision

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation will officially inform Thailand within two weeks whether it will finance an electricity project in Bangkok and the Purple Line electric-rail project, Finance Minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn said yesterday. He last week travelled to Tokyo to discuss the loans with bank executives and Japan's deputy finance minister. He said it was likely the loans would be approved.

Food security

The National Food Institute of Thailand (NFI) has voiced concern about the impact on exporters from the European Union's latest food security measures. The new rules put stricter controls on phthalates from packaging materials and epoxidised soybean oil in seasoning products.

The NFI urged the government to negotiate with the EU to postpone the implementation of the rules, scheduled for next July.

The Nation

Maritime pact

Asean and China last week signed a maritime transport pact leading to better services for businesses and holidaymakers.

Asean, which cheered a move earlier last week to open up air access among its capital cities, may also enjoy unfettered air services to China in 2010.

The Straits Times, Asia News Network