Brief

Kasikorn Asset Management executive vice chairman Wiwan Tharahirunchote has handed in her resignation, effective immediately.

Kasikornbank president Prasarn Trairatvorakul said Wiwan wanted to clear her name in a lawsuit involving asset sales by the Financial Sector Restructuring Authority (FRA).

Wiwan was managing director of One Asset Management, one of the entities implicated in the lawsuit under which FRA chiefs were charged with helping the buyers: Lehman Brothers and its Global Thai Property Fund. - The Nation

SCB's Trade Super Highway

Siam Commercial Bank, in collaboration with

SCT, has launched a Trade Super Highway to facilitate international transactions via electronic channels.

The Trade Super Highway is the first host-to-host electronic banking service offered in Thailand and features an effective enterprise resource planning system. SCT managing director Kalin Sarasin said the technology would help speed things up, make operations more effective and reduce errors. - The Nation

Bt4.6-bn link-road plans ditched

The Rural Highways Department has decided to scrap a Bt4.6-billion link road between Nakhon-in and Vibhavadi-Rangsit roads, following strong public protests. Residents in the area complained about low expropriation prices.

Director-general Supoj Saplom said his department would instead conduct a feasibility study on a tunnel linking the Kae Lai Intersection and Ngarmwongwan Road. - The Nation

Few using cheap govt diesel

The Energy Ministry reported only 22 of 122 million litres provided under its cheap-diesel campaign have been allocated to industry, thanks to the continued drop in diesel prices.

About 15 million litres have been allocated to

fishing boats each month and 7 million to agricultural groups, said caretaker Energy Minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop. Although bus operators shunned the programme after they were allowed to raise fares, the scheme will continue, because other businesses and public agencies still need diesel. - The Nation

Online Lufthansa deal

Lufthansa is offering flights from Bangkok to Europe at prices starting from Bt29,500 under its "I Love Autumn" online-booking campaign, which runs from tomorrow until the end of next month. The fare is exclusive of taxes and fuel surcharges. - The Nation