Dip in investment proposals: BoI

Of the total applications, 228 were for small projects, needing an investment of less than Bt20 million each, while the number of large projects worth more than Bt500 million was only 72 applications, compared to 93 applications in the same period last year.

   Yesterday, the BoI approved investments worth Bt37.6 million of Thai pharmaceutical manufacturer Greater Pharma to co-produce the Vaccine Against Allergy and Detector Tester project with Siriraj Hospital. The project can save vaccine imports of Bt96 million a year. - The Nation

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Central jeans push

The Central Marketing Group (CMG), an importer and distributor of cosmetic and fashion brands under Central Group, is spending Bt20 million for the launch of a new jeans collection for women called Blue Bella Jeans.

The new campaign for Wrangler jeans is an attempt to create strong brand awareness among female jeans lovers.

The collection is targeting teenagers, said Pichai Chirathiwat, who oversees CMG, Central Group's trading and marketing unit.

Overall sales of jeans in shopping malls are currently estimated at Bt5 billion, of which males contribute 70 per cent.

Wrangler expects the efforts to help increase the proportion of its female customers to 40 per cent while male customers would decline to 60 per cent, he added.

Wrangler has a 22-per-cent market share, followed by Levi's and Lee. - The Nation

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Restaurant complex

Premium-restaurant operator the Blue Elephant Cooking School and Restaurant is planning a Bt150-million restaurant complex in Phuket town in a joint venture with Fico.

The venture will be called Papadum.

   Fico operates a hotel, imports machinery and is a player in the textile industry.

The complex, which will occupy 12 rai, will have three fine dining restaurants and a few retail outlets in the three two-storey buildings. Papadum has leased the area from the Neo Hotel for 30 years.

The main building of the complex features a 104-year-old Sino-Portuguese house owned by a Thai family, and it will be the location for a restaurant by the Blue Elephant, which requires an approximate Bt30-million investment. Thanakorn Uathavikul, chief investment officer, yesterday said Papadum was studying construction plans and that it should be ready to open within 12 months. - The Nation