Briefs

RS officially announced the launch of its first online music

camp, pleng.com, billed as the first "Internet music social

network" in Thailand.

The website allows the general public to send in their songs

and viewers will vote for their favourite ones. The songs with

the highest votes will be sent RS's music producers, who

will consider the commercial potential of the singers.

RS Digital vice president Vorapoj Nimvijit said the online

music camp would help his company not only expand its

consumer base, particularly among the younger generation,

but also create various new and different types of music.

Since RS launched the website nine months ago, it has

already attracted 1,000 singers, and five bands have official¬

ly introduced their albums on it. - The Nation

THAI's Hat Yai route suspended after

airport is forced to close

Thai Airways International (THAI) has announced the sus¬

pension of its Hat Yai route, due to the closure of the airport

amid the political crisis. Other THAI flights and airports in

Thailand are operating normally.

President Apinan Sumanaseni said due to the closure of Hat

Yai Airport, the airline was unable to operate its normal

service between there and Bangkok.

THAI affirms that its employees will continue to work

towards developing and maintaining the highest standards

of safety and quality.

For more information on THAI flights and reservations, pas¬

sengers may contact the airline's 24-hour contact centre at

(02) 356 1111 or visit its website at www.thaiairways.com. -

The Nation

ANT Office Express to open six more

outlets as part of expansion

Local printing-service provider ANT Office Express will add

three more outlets in Makro Office and Office Depot loca¬

tions, making 13 in all. Another three are planned near

Chulalongkorn, Assumption and Thammasat universities, to

expand its customer base to young adults.

ANT has targeted sales growth of 20 per cent sales to Bt100

million this year. - The Nation

Exim Bank, Thammasat University

develop training programme

The Export-Import Bank of Thailand (Exim Bank) is step¬

ping up efforts to improve its personnel-development capa¬

bilities by jointly designing a training programme with

Thammasat University's College of Innovation, using the

college as the bank's main training venue and acquiring

human resources with its assistance.

The programme's objective is to combine the college's aca¬

demic strengths and the bank's business experience.

Exim Bank president Apichai Boontherawara yesterday said

the two organisations would collaborate to develop training

courses for Exim Bank personnel, inviting experts from

Thammasat faculties and elsewhere in a bid to streamline

the bank's personnel development. - The Nation