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Suvarnabhumi Airport was the fifth-best airport wordwide in 2008 in the category of those that accommodate more than 40 million passengers a year, according to the Airport Council International's satisfaction survey.

But among the 108 airports of all sizes surveyed, its ranking is 28th - up from 41st in 2007. The top three are South Korea's Incheon, Singapore's Changi and Hong Kong.

Serirat Prasutanond, acting president of Airports of Thailand, said Suvarnabhumi was committed to breaking into the top 10 this year.

Glow deal extended

by PTT Chemical

Glow Energy has signed a long-term agreement with PTT Chemical for the renewal of power- and steam-supply agreements until 2025.

The supply will be increased from 22 megawatts to 24MW of electricity and from 65 to 70 tonnes per hour of steam.

Glow has been one of the producers and suppliers of utilities to PTT Chemical's plant in the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate since the start-up of the ethylene-cracker complex in 1994.

Halcyon Technology

tooling up for MAI

Cutting-tool manufacturer Halcyon Technology plans to list on the Market for Alternative Investment by end of the month.

The company will sell 40.75 million initial-public-offering shares in order to pay debt and improve its production lines, said managing director Pete Rimchala.

The company showed impressive revenue growth last year, with income coming in at Bt284.76 million, up from Bt270.16 million in 2007. Net profit was Bt71 million, up from Bt38.73 million.

Solidarity 'lacking'

among Thai workers

Thai workers' bargaining power is weak as they fail to unite their power and there is lack of laws under which violating employers can be punished, according to Rudy Porter, the local director of the Solidarity Centre, an organisation for international labour.

At a seminar on labour justice yesterday, he said that without legal support, several foreign employers had refused to negotiate with Thai workers to solve disputes.

Lae Dilokvidhayarat, a Chulalongkorn University economics lecturer, said that amid rising unemployment, some employers had cut benefits in a bid to force workers to resign.

Chiang Mai conference

centre gets a push

The Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce is pushing for the construction of a conference centre for the province, to boost tourism and investment.

Narong Khongprasert, chamber chairman, said the Tourism and Sports Ministry is negotiating to bring down the construction cost from Bt2.6 billion due to lower material costs.

He said he would do his best to push for the construction of the centre, which has been delayed due to political changes.

- The Nation