briefs

Fewer home projects launched in Jan

Only 17 residential projects comprising 4,418 units and worth a total of Bt11.37 billion were launched last month, down 43 per cent and 55 per cent respectively from December, according to a survey by the Agency for Real Estate Affairs.

The survey shows that condominiums are still popular. New condo projects in January comprised 3,727 units worth Bt5.51 billion, or 84.4 per cent in terms of volume and 75 per cent in terms of value of total launches. Detached houses accounted for 620 units worth Bt2.67 billion, 14 per cent of the volume and 24 per cent in terms of value, while 67 townhouse 67 units worth Bt149 million accounted for 1.5 per cent of the volume and 1 per cent of the total value.

Popular locations included Bang Na-Trat Road and Onnut-Ladkrabang.

Culinary challenge

Professional chefs from 15 countries and territories will descend on Bangkok to join the world's first culinary challenge designed to promote Thailand's "Kitchen of the World" strategy.

Taking place on March 2 and 3, the first "Thailand Culinary World Challenge" will feature 30 professional chefs, two each Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dubai, the Philippines, mainland China, Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, the United States and Australia.

During the event, selected ingredients branded "Thai Select" by the Department of International Trade Promotion, the lead sponsor, will be introduced.

CRC eyes 20% growth

CRC Sports Co, operator of Supersports, FIT Sports, Crocs Stores, New Balance Stores, Skechers Stores and Go Sports under Central Retail Corporation, targets growth in revenue of 20 per cent this year by focusing on digital marketing and store expansion domestically and overseas.

The company recorded sales of more than Bt5.2 billion last year, up by 20 per cent compared with 2011, managing director Tony Morton said.

Pace condos

Pace Development Corporation plans to launch two condominium projects worth Bt6.8 billion this year, chief executive officer Sorapoj Techakraisri said.

One of them will be a Bt5-billion project on Langsuan Road in Bangkok, and the other, worth Bt1.8 billion, will be in Hua Hin. Both will focus on the upper-income market, he said.

Meanwhile, the company aims to be a listed company in the Stock Exchange of Thailand by midyear after applying to the SET in November, he said.

SEC woos public sector to market

The Securities Exchange and Commission (SEC) has encouraged the public sector to raise funds and improve operations via the capital market, with infrastructure funds, securitised bonds and scripless forms of debt securities collateral, in order to enhance efficiency. SEC Secretary-General Vorapol Socatiyanurak said the SEC held a meeting with Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, the ministry's executives and executives from relevant organisations to discuss ways to expand access to the public sector to sources of funds and financial vehicles in the capital market. The aim is to reduce the burden on the government's budget and public debt.

Infrastructure funds could be established in a variety of forms suited for each type of operational structure. Securitisation is another vehicle to allow low-liquid assets to become more liquid assets. Fund raising from the tools mentioned would be of use for further investments or new projects.



New branches

Siam Makro has set aside an investment budget of Bt1.5 billion to open three new branches at Mok Da Han, Stol and Trad this year, company CEO Suchada Ittijarukul said.

Currently, the company has 57 branches nationwide - 11 branches in Bangkok and 46 branches in the provinces.

Meanwhile, the company plans to increase its warehouses from two branches in Wang Noi, Ayudhya, and Nakhon Ratchasima to three branches this year.

The company targets growth of between 5.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent, higher than the country's estimated gross domestic product growth of 4.5 per cent.

Siam Makro recorded total sales of more than Bt100 billion, a half of the total from its traditional trade.



Revised bid terms

The board of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand has revised the bidding condition to increase the median price by 10 per cent for building six flood barriers at six state-owned industrial.

The first condition is to not allow any joint bidding, permanent secretary at the Industry Ministry, Vitoon Simachokdee, said.

He added that after opening the biding in the last month of last year, it was found there were no bidders although 19 interested bidders had bought the document for joint biding. As a result the board decided to increase the median price by 10 per cent from Bt2.6 billion to Bt2.86 billion.



DTAC offers app for reporting emergencies

Total Access Communication (DTAC) has teamed up with the Ruam Duay Chuay Kan rescue network in launching a smart-phone application to report emergencies.

Under the "m-Rescue by DTAC" project, customers of the cellular company can press just one button to call the network's 1677 hotline centre, which will quickly liaise with governmental agencies to assess and address the situation.

The centre will also coordinate with teams of rescue volunteers to provide assistance and quickly address the cause of the problem.

There is no charge.

The app gives DTAC customers in Greater Bangkok another communication channel when they need help or when they want to inform the public about traffic conditions or other situations on the ground.



Sri Trang issues debentures

Sri Trang Agro-Industry on Wednesday issued debentures in two tranches to institutional and high-net-worth investors.

Tranche 1 features unsubordinated and unsecured debentures with a principal worth Bt300 million. It carries a fixed interest rate of 4.1 per cent per annum payable semi-annually. The debenture term is three years with a maturity date of February 13, 2016.

Tranche 2 features unsubordinated and unsecured debentures with a principal of Bt600 million. The interest rate is fixed at 4.5 per cent, also payable semi-annually. The debenture term is five years with a maturity date of February 13, 2018.

Net proceeds from the issuance in an aggregate amount of Bt900 million will be used for working capital and/or business expansion of the group.



Eureka sets IPO price

Eureka Design set an initial public offering price of Bt2.25 each for 50 million new shares to raise capital of about Bt112.5 million. Booking will run from February 18-20.

The company has par value of Bt0.50 per share. It plans to trade in the Market for Alternative Investment starting on March 1.

The company designs machinery for the auto industry. It recorded revenue of Bt227.43 million and net profit of Bt11.53 million in the first nine months of last year, and revenue of Bt237.52 million in 2011.