Latest:

• Big drop in fertiliser prices

  Despite falling market prices, farmers, particularly rice growers, would find relief on two fronts - stateguaranteed high prices and lower planting costs.

• Asean Competitiveness Innovatons key to stability Growth, employments under threat: ILO

  Asean's competitiveness will depend increasingly on the quality of its workforce and good humanresources management, according to a new International Labour Organisation report.

• MICE SET FOR SLOWER GROWTH

  The growth rate of the international and local meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) market is expected to drop by 5-10 per cent next year due to political turbulence and the global financial crisis.

• Tourists call off trips to ancient ruins

  Most tourists intending to cross from Thailand to visit Cambodia's Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom have cancelled their trips due to the outbreak of violence along the border. Thai airlines servicing Cambodia are, however, operating as normal.

• Isuzu banks on new markets

  Tri Petch Isuzu Sales is feeling the pinch of the global financial crisis but hopes new export markets will perform well enough to compensate for falling sales in key markets.
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  Loft aims at 25% growth

  Japanese speciality store Loft has launched a seasonal marketing campaign to boost endoftheyear spending and is aiming at 25percent revenue growth.

• Laos gets 3G mobile service

  Lao Telecommunications, the leading telecom operator in Laos, expects to sign up 100,000 subscribers next year for its new thirdgeneration (3G) mobile broadband service, which kicked off last Friday.

• Company Reports

  TMB BANK reported thirdquarter unreviewed consolidated net profit of Bt1.67 billion, compared to a net loss of Bt2.54 billion in the same quarter last year.

Keeping them smiling