Talks on insurance confidence fund

The proposal comes from Chantra Purnariksha, secretary-general of the Office of the Insurance Commission, who will explain her plan to ministry officials.

Finance permanent secretary Suparut Kawatkul also said yesterday that the government would speed up the budget for SML and education loans to stimulate domestic consumption.

He said the ministry was also studying a proposal from Deputy Prime Minister Olarn Chaipravat that the ceiling for tax exemption for investment in long-term equity funds and retirement funds be raised again this year. - The Nation

SCG debenture issue

The Siam Cement Group will offer a coupon rate of 5.35 per cent per annum for its new Bt20-billion debenture issue. Subscription opens from next Monday to October 10 for existing bondholders and from October 16-29 for other individual investors.

Underwriters of the new issue are Siam Commercial Bank, Kasikornbank, Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya and Krung Thai Bank.

The four-year debentures will be redeemed in 2012, and the coupon will be payable quarterly. Half of the issue will be offered to holders of SCC08NA series bonds, which are due for redemption next month. - The Nation

Qantas's new CEO

The Qantas Group's budget airline, Jetstar, has appointed its former group general manager for commercial operations, Bruce Buchanan, as its new CEO.

    Buchanan will replace Alan Joyce, who is to become CEO of Qantas.

Joyce said Bruce had led Jetstar's international growth in an innovative fashion, including the development of a pan-Asian brand and the very successful launch and expansion of Jetstar's Thai operations.

Jetstar's Australia-Thailand services began in November 2006 and have contributed significantly to the growth of Australian tourists to Thailand. - The Nation

Terms for NGV buses

The drafting of terms of reference (ToR) for the leasing by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) of 4,000 natural-gas-for-vehicle buses will be complete next month, says the chairman of the committee drafting the terms, Chairat Sa-nguansue.

Chairat, who is also acting director-general of the Land Transport Department, said the finished draft would be announced on the department's website as a demonstration of the project's transparency. Moreover, the committee needs public comment on the draft, in order to improve the final ToR.

Chairat said the fee rate for public buses would also be reorganised.

The BMTA has engaged Chulalongkorn University to study the fee structure for public buses in accordance with present oil prices. The study will be complete in the next eight months. - The Nation

Wizard expands

TR Product Marketing, franchiser of Wizard Autocare, will expand its range of services from car wash to others under a new brand: Wizard Car Service Centre.

Managing director Chaiya Suriyapornphan said the additional services would be car maintenance, suspension and shock-absorber maintenance and oil-filter changes.

 He said the company would keep expanding the number of franchised auto centres and expected to have more than 50 outlets nationwide next year. - The Nation