Anything & Everything About Thailand

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BANGKOK, Feb 28 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-02-28 / 07:43:19 (GMT+7:00)

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has signed an agreement regarding political reform with more than a dozen political parties--all except the three main opposition parties in the House of Representatives, which have decided to boycott the snap election set on April 2.

The pact was signed at a meeting at the parliament between the caretaker premier and leaders of the registered political parties, none of which had currently seated, elected members of parliament (MPs) in the House before the House dissolution last Friday.

The agreement states that the second-round political reform will be started after the snap election, with amendment of Article 313 of the Constitution aimed to strengthen the checks-and-balances mechanism in the parliament.

However, leaders of all the three main opposition parties, including the Democrat (the core of the opposition), the Chart Thai and the Mahachon parties, did not attend the meeting.

"We're dissatisfied with Mr. Thaksin's stance, [and now must be]considered a new political game," opposition sources told journalists.

The active opposition -- those parties having elected members of parliament seated in the just disbanded parliament -- headed by Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, later told a press conference after meeting with Banharn Silpa-archa and Maj-Gen. Sanan Khachornparsart, leaders of the Chart Thai and Mahachon parties, respectively, as well as other leading members of the three parties, that they had agreed to boycott the meeting and the snap election altogether, accusing the caretaker premier of being insincere and trying to distort from the key point.

The three parties earlier proposed a meeting with Mr. Thaksin, as the leader of the ruling Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party, to discuss and work out a road-map on overall political reform.

The caretaker premier, however, said in his press conference after a meeting with the TRT Party's legal experts and leading members that while he agrees in principle with the proposed political reform, but he wants to meet with the leaders of all registered parties, not only the three former opposition parties.

He said he would not sign the agreement among only the four elected parties for the planned political reform, but would allow participation of all registered political parties and concerned sectors in society in the proposed constitutional amendment in a form of an independent panel, which would lead to a popular pact signed by all the parties concerned.

"A popular pact is more meaningful than the proposed four-party agreement," he added.

The move is not acceptable to the three key opposition parties, which acted to boycott both the meeting with the premier and the election to come.

The more sharply honed differences between the TRT Party and the former main opposition parties in the House reflects the country's escalating political tension amid a continuing anti-Thaksin movement led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has vowed to continue their rally at Sanam Luang here until Mr. Thaksin steps down from power as they demand.

The anti-Thaksin groups will stage a new mass rally at Sanam Luang on March 5-6 after deciding to disperse from their latest demonstration from February 26-27.

Meanwhile, Deputy TRT Party leader Bhokin Bhalakula said on a live telecast interview Tuesday morning that the caretaker premier would send a letter to political parties which have not signed the agreement, including the three former oppositon parties, inviting them to sign the proposal for planned political reform.

Representatives of the three oppositon parties reportedly said they disagreed with document prepared in advance by the TRT Party. (TNA)-E002

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BANGKOK, Mar 1 (TNA) – Last Update : 2006-03-01 / 07:51:29 (GMT+7:00)

All parties have been urged to turn to discuss with each other a way to cope with the country's heating political turmoil to avoid adverse affects on the overall Thai economy if the situation drags on.

Federation of Thai Industries (FTI)’s Chairman Praphad Phodhivorakun made the call on Tuesday.

He said the ongoing political tension had markedly affected the Thai stock market.

Should the situation persist, it would have a repercussion on other economic sections, including trade and industry because local and foreign investor confidence would be shaken, he said.

It would cause an economic damage and deprive the country of investment opportunities, he cautioned.

Although there is no cancellation of purchase orders from overseas for now, he said, the goods delivery had begun to slow.

Some investors have adopted a wait-and-see strategy until there is a clear political direction.

Because of this, he wants all parties, including political parties and civic groups, to turn to discuss with each other a way out for the current political turmoil.

Asked whether Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra should step down, he said it is up to the premier’s decision. (TNA) – E005

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BANGKOK , Feb 28 (TNA) – Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Tuesday that it was possible the April 2 general election could be postponed, saying it was up to Election Commission to decide.

On Friday, the prime minister dissolved parliament and called the snap poll amid a mounting public campaign for him to resign over corruption allegations. There have been three mass protests in less than a month, and fourth is planned for March 5.

“I’m willing to do whatever is necessary within the law,” Mr. Thaksin said.

“If political parties don’t want to field any candidates on the given date, it could be reviewed by the Election Commission.”

In an apparent attempt to break the political deadlock, the prime minister announced that in the national interest he was willing to meet opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

“I am more than happy to meet Mr. Abhisit at the Democrat party office or even at his house."

Mr. Abhisit, however, brushed aside the premier's gesture to meet him, saying that he saw no reason for the meeting as Mr. Thaksin had earlier refused to accept the main opposition parties' proposal on political reforms.

"The prime minister's remarks have flip-flopped in the past," Mr. Abhisit said, "and no one believes his words anymore. His credibility has been totally lost."

Mr. Thaksin was speaking after the main three opposition parties (Democrat, Chart Thai and Mahachon) on Monday announced an unprecedented election boycott, leaving the embattled prime minister with little room for political manoeuvre.

However, Mr. Thaksin dismissed calls for him to resign within five days, saying certain groups must not be allowed to act as if they were above the law.

The anti-Thaksin civil society groups have set a deadline for the prime minister to quit ahead of next Sunday's mass protest rally. (TNA)-E001

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BANGKOK, Feb 28 (TNA) - An election commissioner said Tuesday that the body has no authority to postpone the general election already set for April 2 and it has also received no directive from the acting government to do so.

Election commissioner Prinya Nakchudtree said if the government wished to set a new polling date it must issue a new decree.

The commission could only assert its authority to postpone the election in case of natural diaster and the voting must be done within 30 days of the original date.

Some media in Thailand have reported that the government wants to put off the voting.

"We still don't know about this," Mr. Prinya said. "We heard about it from the media. We need to discuss it with the government."

"We already have one royal decree ordering the election to take place on April 2," the commissioner explained. "We can only change that with a new decree."

Mr. Prinya added that it was the royal decree not the commission that set the election date.

"To postpone or not to postpone, the commission is always well-prepared," he said.

Asked about a possible boycott of the election by opposition parties, Prinya said it wouldn't be illegal.

If opposition parties wanted to explain the reason for their action to the people, he said, they could do so, but they should speak carefully and not defame anyone, as that could breach election law. (TNA)-E110

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Sean Parnell and Andrew Chant
March 01, 2006
QUEENSLAND Premier Peter Beattie faces the prospect of Labor's third by-election loss in seven months after his absent backbencher Robert Poole resigned yesterday to live in Thailand.

Mr Poole penned his resignation letter on Sunday after Mr Beattie tried to pressure the errant Labor MP to return to his Gold Coast electorate as soon as he had recovered from knee surgery and high blood pressure.

While Mr Poole initially only prepared the handwritten and undated letter in the event his health did not improve, he soon became so angry and despondent at the pressure being placed on him he insisted Labor colleague Don Livingstone inform Mr Beattie he had quit.

Servants at Mr Poole's Thai house said yesterday that he had not been seen there for at least two weeks, but had been busy working in the yard in January despite being in the country for a serious knee operation.

La, a maid, said: "He was very busy here in January and early February, working around the house and organising the garden but we haven't seen him since." Asked whether she knew of his knee problem, she said: "He does have pains in his knee but it doesn't disable him in any way."

Officials at Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok confirmed Mr Poole had an appointment with a doctor on February 14, but said he had not undergone surgery and had not been back since. Mr Poole told Mr Beattie he had been advised to delay the operation because of his high blood pressure.

An angry Mr Beattie said he felt "very personally betrayed" by Mr Poole's resignation, which he said was unnecessary. The Premier conceded that his ultimatum - return to the Gold Coast by April or resign - might have forced the backbencher's hand. Mr Poole, 57, was elected in the Labor landslide of 2001 and has often been absent from his electorate of Gaven.

He built the house in Thailand for his wife, mother-in-law, daughter and sick son. The five-bedroom family house stands alone in the middle of paddy fields about 20km outside of Surin, a dusty northern rural town famous for its yearly elephant round-up. Mr Poole has installed cable and satellite TV, a swimming pool and a lake complete with a gazebo.

Mr Beattie had allowed Mr Poole up to three months' leave for the long-planned knee operation. But protests from other Gold Coast Labor MPs forced the Premier to deliver the ultimatum at the weekend, when he also declared Mr Poole would not recontest the next election.

In his letter, Mr Poole said his position had become increasingly difficult "with not only my health, but the constant media attention focus (sic) on my private life and also the problems it is causing for our Government".

Labor called nominations for Gaven last night. The Left's Phil Gray is considered the early frontrunner over Liz Pommer from Mr Beattie's Labor Unity faction.

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Thai Travel Fair starting tom at Queen Sirikit Convention Centre

【本報訊】旅遊局訂於3月2-5日舉辦2006年泰國大型旅遊展覽，多家參展的國營及民營公司準備推出特價商品拉抬人氣。其中，旅遊局方 面準備推出高齡卡；泰航擬推出“泰國價值卡”，提供機票、商店及酒店方面的減價優惠。期望今年泰國人在國內 旅遊可達到7,633萬人次，創造3,700億銖以上的流動資金。

泰國旅遊局局長朱塔瑪透露，旅遊局為了促進國內旅遊，訂於3月2-5日在詩麗吉會議中心舉行“2006年泰國大型旅遊”，每年舉辦上述會議的目的是為了促進泰國人在國內的旅 遊。

旅遊局已劃分場地給旅遊局22個地區辦公室共同參展。此外還有各個慈善基金及機構的攤位，比如皇家計畫慈善 基金、保護野生動物慈善基金等。這些機構將建議關於皇家計畫的旅遊點及旅行線路。

民營公司方面預計將有不低於700家參加展出，推銷旅遊商品及旅行團行程。比如航空公司、旅遊公司、酒店等 。每家準備在會場內提供參觀民眾不低於30-60％的折價優惠。

朱塔瑪說，旅遊局在舉辦“2006年泰國大型旅遊”之際推出『高齡者歡樂遊』會員卡。今年在會場內首次受理 報名，此會員卡的價格為每年500銖及在每年延期一次，參加者必須在55-75歲，目標在第一年推出2萬張。

關於上述高齡卡計畫是延續計畫，旅遊局為管理者。會員可獲得權益包括，意外保險及價值超過5,000銖的替 代現金減價券，此外，將為持卡者可在特定商店、酒店、飯店及航空公司享有20-60％的折扣，近期旅遊局與全國超過100家機構合作提供優惠折扣。

旅遊局曾經推出兒童及青少年卡，現在提供高齡卡使旅遊局概括各個目標群。此外，根據統計，泰國高齡旅遊者的 人數為590萬人，或占泰國人旅遊人數的16％。

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 1 March 2006 :-

Television dramas to beam over Internet

Bangkok Broadcasting & Television (BBTV), which operates Channel 7, has hooked up with True Corp Plc to broadcast its programmes live via a broadband Internet channel - the first step in its plan to commercially feed popular programmes to Thais living abroad.

Channel 7 is interested in a pilot project to provide recorded programmes such as television dramas via an online channel to overseas viewers this year on a monthly subscription basis, according to a source from True.

"The market is huge, given the high ratings of its programmes. Currently if viewers overseas want to see some drama programmes, they have to wait for someone to record the programmes and post them," the source said.

Most of the broadcaster's programmes are dramas and variety shows. Channel 7 is waiting to see if the collaboration with True is successful before making a decision to proceed with the plan full steam, the source said.

Yesterday True and Channel 7 jointly launched http://ch7.trueworld.net a website for fans to view live programmes free of charge. But they have to be True broadband subscribers to access recorded programmes in the archives for various fees, such as Bt10 per show.

The recorded programmes are aimed at workers who cannot view programmes at the times they are broadcast, said Thiti Nanthapathsiri, True's managing director for consumer products and hi-speed access.

Surang Prempri, BBTV's managing director, said the broadband channel would enable Channel 7 to expand its viewer base and that it would evaluate the success of the project in six months.

"Despite our huge success in terms of ratings and money, we still have to catch up with fast-moving technology," she added.

True expects to gain Bt10 million this year from online television content sales on its broadband portal site Trueworld.net, said Ardkit Suntornwat, True's director for multimedia service.

The site mainly features television, music and sports shows.

True aims to double its Internet broadband subscriber numbers to 600,000 this year.

The company's businesses range from fixed-line telephone services to cellular services and pay television.


Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 1 March 2006 :-

Television dramas to beam over Internet

Bangkok Broadcasting & Television (BBTV), which operates Channel 7, has hooked up with True Corp Plc to broadcast its programmes live via a broadband Internet channel - the first step in its plan to commercially feed popular programmes to Thais living abroad.

Channel 7 is interested in a pilot project to provide recorded programmes such as television dramas via an online channel to overseas viewers this year on a monthly subscription basis, according to a source from True.

"The market is huge, given the high ratings of its programmes. Currently if viewers overseas want to see some drama programmes, they have to wait for someone to record the programmes and post them," the source said.

Most of the broadcaster's programmes are dramas and variety shows. Channel 7 is waiting to see if the collaboration with True is successful before making a decision to proceed with the plan full steam, the source said.

Yesterday True and Channel 7 jointly launched http://ch7.trueworld.net a website for fans to view live programmes free of charge. But they have to be True broadband subscribers to access recorded programmes in the archives for various fees, such as Bt10 per show.

The recorded programmes are aimed at workers who cannot view programmes at the times they are broadcast, said Thiti Nanthapathsiri, True's managing director for consumer products and hi-speed access.

Surang Prempri, BBTV's managing director, said the broadband channel would enable Channel 7 to expand its viewer base and that it would evaluate the success of the project in six months.

"Despite our huge success in terms of ratings and money, we still have to catch up with fast-moving technology," she added.

True expects to gain Bt10 million this year from online television content sales on its broadband portal site Trueworld.net, said Ardkit Suntornwat, True's director for multimedia service.

The site mainly features television, music and sports shows.

True aims to double its Internet broadband subscriber numbers to 600,000 this year.

The company's businesses range from fixed-line telephone services to cellular services and pay television.


Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 1 March 2006 :-

Big jump in Thai broadband usage

Thailand's Internet usage has firmly entered the broadband era, with 100-per-cent growth in the use of Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) access last year.

According to a Thailand Internet User Profile survey, conducted in 2005 by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec), the use of ADSL access last year exceeded conventional dial-up modem connections.

The survey was conducted among a sample of 21,880 Internet users.

It found that 43.1 per cent of users accessed the Internet with ADSL, while 30.9 per cent still used a dial-up modem.

ADSL is a kind of broadband Internet access allowing users a higher speed of between 256 kilobits and two megabits per second, while dial-up modems offer only 56 kilobits per second.

Following the government's policy to reduce the cost of broadband Internet access, the use of high-speed access has increased dramatically. From only 1.6 per cent of a sample of Internet users employing ADSL access in 2003, the number has risen to 19.3 per cent in 2004 and 43.1 per cent in 2005. Nectec director Thaweesak Koanantakool said broadband access, especially through ADSL, would continue to grow at an increasing rate. The number of users will double to reach 60 per cent this year, he predicted.


As low-cost, high-speed access has risen, dial-up modem use has fallen, from 54.2 percent of Internet users in 2003 to 39.9 per cent in 2004 and then 30.9 per cent in 2005.


"We foresaw that the use of ADSL would eventually bypass traditional dial-up modems," Thaweesak said.

At present, monthly fees for broadband Internet access are between Bt500 and Bt1,000. About 58.3 per cent of Internet users in the survey's sampling group who do not yet use ADSL access commented that the charge was still too high. Lower prices for ADSL access would make it more attractive.

The survey found that e-mail was still the most popular application for Internet users, followed by information searches, games and chat.

However, the increasing use of broadband has meant the increasing popularity of online music, e-learning, Internet television, voice over IP and Internet-based video conferencing.

According to the survey, online music is now the most popular convergence application, claiming 86.9 per cent of broadband Internet usage, while e-learning takes 50 per cent and Internet TV 42 per cent.

Even though e-commerce is another key service, it is not yet popular among Thai Internet users. In 2004, about 29.9 per cent of Internet users shopped online, but the figure rose to only 30.7 per cent in 2005.

A key factor in e-commerce's failure to grow as expected is lack of trust, the report said.

Thaweesak said trust in the use of e-commerce was an urgent issue for Nectec's electronic commerce committee. It plans to develop measures to create trust and confidence in e-commerce, including the certification of e-commerce websites.


Pongpen Sutharoj & Asina Pornwasin
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 1 March 2006 :-

Bumrungrad International Hospital in hospitality tie-up

Bumrungrad International Hospital and Diethelm Travel Thailand have pooled their expertise to promote a more rewarding stay for medical tourists.

"It is a very complementary arrangement," Ruben Toral, Bumrungrad's group marketing director, said yesterday.

The hospital joined with Diethelm because travel is not its primary business and it felt the need for an expert in this business to manage patients' travel needs, he said.

With the partnership, Bumrungrad can sell medical tourism packages and services more effectively to the travel industry worldwide, while Diethelm can tap into a completely new growth market in medical tourism, which attracts hundreds of thousands of travellers each year.

Toral said his group did not view the relationship in economic terms. The goal is to make travel to hospitals easier and provide inbound patients with a seamless service and end with customer satisfaction and security.

Diethelm will act as Bumrungrad's exclusive ground service agent, providing support services for patients coming here for treatment. It will also market Bumrungrad's medical tourism packages to the travel and tour industry.

Last year Bumrungrad catered to more than 400,000 international patients from over 150 countries. Diethelm has marketing representatives in Southeast Asia and licensed offices in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Burma and Vietnam.

The travel agency books annually more than 420,000 hotel room nights and handles in excess of 250,000 tourists annually.


Suchat Sritama
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Thursday 2 March 2006 :-

Keeping the faith :
Murals underscore the enduring legacy of King Rama III and his golden rule

The reign of King Nang Klao (Rama III) from 1787 to 1851 is regarded as the golden age of Thailand when the Kingdom was at peace, art and culture flourished and the masses happy and content. And thanks largely to his acumen, commerce and trade also prospered, especially with China.

The boom in trade and the wealth it generated was such that each year after sharing it among members of the royal household and apportioning a generous amount to his subjects and public projects, he was able to save a small sum that he devoted to temples, the centres of faith and learning.

He left behind not just a well stocked national treasury, but a cultural legacy that is alive to this day in the temples of Bangkok and its vicinity.

"The King's acumen for trade made the Kingdom very prosperous, perhaps the richest it has been during the reign of succeeding Chakri monarchs," said Prof Phaothong Thongchua, dean of Thammasat University's Faculty of Liberal Arts.

"The sum the King managed to save was a meagre 800,000 baht in those days, 1847 to be precise, and he spent the money renovating 15 temples that were his favourite."

We were visiting them and Prof Phaothong was there to fill us in. "How much should it be worth today?" I asked.

"Umm...800,000 baht...150 years ago," After a while he replied, "Probably a hundred billion baht in today's money."

My jaw dropped. This tiny part of his legacy was more than the 73-billion-baht the prime minister made selling Shin Corp that sent the entire nation into fits of rage.

That was some revelation. The king was just keeping the faith. I was deeply touched by his grace and my admiration for him now knows no bounds.

All in all, said the professor, the King built over 100 temples and renovated 200 others during his reign, financed largely from the booming trade with China. He incorporated Chinese architecture and art and blended them seamlessly with the classical design of Thai temples.

Wat Rat Orot in Chomthong District of Bangkok is one such example. It was renovated when he was still crown prince. It was his pet project. He enjoyed decorating it to conform with his taste and style.

The main chapel, ubosot, was rebuilt in Chinese style. Wooden stilts typical of Thai chapels were replaced by huge concrete pillars to shoulder more weight, allowing the ceiling to be pushed higher, which in turn made room for a bigger Buddha statue. This is something totally different from what is seen in temples from the Sukhothai and Ayuthaya periods.

Colourful tiles and ceramics imported from China are the main decorative items on the outside. The white concrete building, a statue carved from stone and colourful ceramic decorations differentiate this temple from others built about the same time. But the interior decoration as well as Buddha statue remain typically Thai.

We were told that Wat Rat Orot once had a statue of reclining Buddha. The walls of the chapel were adorned with knowledge pertaining to ancient medicine and healing through yoga. This was the first temple King Rama III renovated and it is believed to be the inspiration for the bigger Wat Pho that in tourist brochures is referred to as Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

In terms of exterior lay out and decoration Wat Rat Orot is outstanding, but for interior decoration Wat Krua Wan is the one to beat.

Wat Krua Wan on Arun Amarin Road was splendid. The walls of the ubosot were splashed with 500 murals depicting tales from the Jataka, each describing the 500 incarnations of Lord Buddha before he attained enlightenment.

"The King paid one baht for each mural, hiring seasoned artists to paint them. It was an extremely expensive job," filled in Prof Phaothong.

The murals, each 2x2 feet in size, would have fetched the painter a monthly salary equivalent to roughly 100,000 baht in today's money.

I walked the chapel admiring murals painted in gold that glowed even though the lighting was dim. The episodes they depicted were from folklores - Maha Janaka, Vessantara, Jataka and others.

However, I preferred the murals at Wat Rajasitharam, a royal temple where King Rama III spent his monkhood. Although the exterior of the temple was an exotic blend of Thai and Chinese architecture, inside the ubosot everything was distinctly Thai.

The murals are stunning in both size and craftsmanship, easily one of the most beautiful found in temples in Bangkok. Behind the principle Buddha statue were the gods of sun and moon - both airborne - while giant fish, as per Thai folklore, supported the earth.

On its north wall, they portrayed Buddha's life story: Prince Siddharttha getting his head shaved before abandoning palace life and worldly pleasures; Lord Indra waiting to take the locks to heaven; a thin prince meditating and suffering from pain; and the final triumph - attaining enlightenment. The most poignant mural is the one that captures the moment in which relatives hurl insults as Lord Buddha passes them.

Another temple King Rama III renovated was Wat Nang Nong on Wutthakard Road, probably because it was in the neighbourhood of where his mother was in residence. Inside, the ubosot is decorated in Chinese style. The murals depict incidents from Chinese mythology. The doors are embedded with mother of pearl and 108 icons such as kirin and crane considered sacred by the Chinese.

The most remarkable feature is the huge attired Buddha statue cast in bronze. The King had it built after a wish his mother, Chao Chom Manda Riem, had made came true.

"When her son was born she had wished him to become king when he grew up," Prof Phaothong said.

If the restoration of Wat Nang Nong was a way to express his gratitude for his mother, then he found a way to say the same on a grander scale for somebody else dear to him.

Wat Chalerm Phrakiat in Nonthaburi was the last temple he built, dedicating it to his grandparents who presided over vast tracts of orchards and farms there. But it was not completed during his reign.

Besides the grand layout and elegant architecture, what impressed me most were paintings in the ubosot whose walls were decked with patterns from tubeskirts his mother fancied.

Everything in this temple was graceful. The main chapel, vihara and pagoda were neatly built, their size huge. Nagas made from colourful Chinese tiles popped their heads from the roof top.

Renovated again recently, the temple almost looked brand new. Paintings higher up the walls still looked good, but the ones lower down looked worn, undone by the moisture seeping from the ground. Holes have been bored in the walls for better ventilation.

Someone asked the professor whether the murals would last forever, "That was highly unlikely because they had already been around more than a hundred years. Moisture and air pollution will eventually take their toll. Given the conditions, the murals shouldn't last beyond your lifetime," he replied back.

Prof Phaothong's words reminded me of murals on the eastern wall of the ubosot at Wat Rajasitharam. They show Mother Earth to the rescue of Lord Buddha as he is attacked by demons, while Rahu, who symbolises time, eating away at everything in sight, including himself.

And the analogy couldn't have been more fitting.

Below the murals, up to a height of a metre and half from the ground, nothing was left on the wall. Rot had set in and it was only a matter of time before the murals would be gone.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Thursday 2 March 2006 :-


Central Plaza food business proves nourishing for profits

SET-listed Central Plaza Hotel Plc (Centel) announced yesterday its food business had driven up the company's 2005 revenue by 13.4% from 2004. Centel's revenue last year, which included earnings from the group's hotel and food business, totalled 6.24 billion baht, up 739.2 million baht from the previous year.

Net profits for 2005 was 536 million baht, down 0.9% from the year before. According to Ronnachit Mahattanapreut, Centel's senior vice-president for finance and administration, profits before interest and taxes totalled 885.6 million baht, up 10.6% from the year before.

Corporate tax payments in 2005 totalled 202.5 million baht, compared to 2004 tax expenses of 108.8 million when the firm benefited accumulated losses carried forward from the merger of its food businesses.

Of the total revenue, the hotel business accounted for 2.38 billion baht, an increase of 3.3% from 2004, said Mr Ronnachit.

Revenue from the food business in 2005 accounted for 3.86 billion baht, up 20.8% from the year before.

Mr Ronnachit said for 2005, the company's hotel business achieved higher average occupancy rates as well as average room rates despite the fact that Centel had closed two hotels - Central Wong Amat Beach Resort in Pattaya and Central Maritime Hotel in East Timor.

The group's southern properties in Phuket and Hat Yai were also affected by lower consumer sentiment caused by the 2004 tsunami and violence in the three southernmost provinces, he said.

The group's overall hotel revenue still increased year-on-year, with significant growth achieved by Sofitel Central Hua Hin Beach Resort and Central Samui Beach Resort. Both properties showed increases in their average occupancy rate of 87% and 84%, respectively.

CENTEL shares closed yesterday at 34 baht, down one baht, in trade worth 7.26 million baht.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Thursday 2 March 2006 :-

7-Eleven set to slow expansion in China : Supercentres suffer operational losses

C.P. Seven-Eleven Plc will slow expansion plans for Lotus Supercentre outlets in China this year after suffering operational losses last year due to stiff competition.

According to deputy chief executive Pittaya Jearavisithul, the company would open ten new supercentres in Shanghai this year, compared with 15 last year.

The company had obtained rights from the Chinese authority to operate Lotus hypermarkets in Shanghai.

With the additional outlets, the total number of Lotus Supercentres in China would reach 48. Each outlet required an investment of three billion baht. The fund would come from cashflow.

He said the company lost about 300 million baht in China last year because of growing competition in the region.

As well as Lotus Supercentres, there are both local and international retail chains in the location including Carrefour, Walmart and RT Mart.

Mr Pittaya said there was still market potential in Shanghai, with 33.3% growth rate last year, higher than the year before.

As the company invested heavily in new outlets last year, operating expenditure increased 41.5% to seven billion baht.

''We are not worried about the performance in Shanghai. It's quite normal for new stores to post losses during the first stage of opening,'' said Mr Pittaya.

With the improvement of management, the company expects the Chinese operation will turn profit this year.

The company plans to spend three billion baht to expand its business in Thailand this year. Of the total, 1.3 billion baht will be used for opening between 400 and 450 new 7-Eleven stores and 150 Book Smile outlets, renovating existing stores, improving IT systems and investing in its subsidiaries and distribution centres.

Mr Pittaya expected consolidated sales of C.P. Seven-Eleven this year to increase by 10-15% from the same period last year.

According to Kriengchai Boonpoapichart, the company's head of finance, overall sales of 7-Eleven last year increased 26.3% to 98.94 billion baht, with a drop in net profit by 11.1% year-on-year to 1.5 billion baht, with revenue mostly coming from the supercentre business in Shanghai.

The positive sales last year were as a result of many factors including store expansion, an increase of average sales per store and the number of customer per store and a rise in income from its counter-service business.

C.P. Seven-Eleven shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 6.5 baht, up 10 satang, in trade worth 29.71 million baht.

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BANGKOK, Mar 2 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-03-02 / 10:09:53 (GMT+7:00)

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Thursday morning led his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party party-list candidates to register the party for the forthcoming snap election set on April 2 amid a crowd of his supporter.

Overwhelmed by the crowd of thousands of his supporters who presented roses and garlands to him, the smiling caretaker premier slowly walked into the Nimitbutr Building of the National Stadium here, where the registration for political parties sending candidates to run for the snap election is held.

The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) organizes the registration from March 2-4.

Joining the TRT Party in registering for the special general election following the dissolution of the House of Representatives on February 24 are four minor parties, including the Prachakorn Thai, the Kasetkorn Thai, the Phandinthai and the Palang Prachachon Parties.

Leaders of all the five parties took turn to pick up the their parties' numbers for the snap election based on a line-up of numbers drawn by EC staff.

Slated by No. 5 in the queue, the TRT Party was the last to pick up the number, with Mr. Thaksin, the party's leader, picking up No. 2--the last ball left--for the election.

The caretaker premier raised his hand with the No. 2 sign, also known as a victory symbol, to the hailing crowd of his supporters.

Speaking to a group of journalists covering the event, he vowed to continue to work for the nation if the public still want him.

Mr. Thaksin also urged the Democrat Party, the opposition leader before the House dissolution, as well as other parties, to take part in the snap election to respect the present charter law in which all parties, including the Democrat, participated when it was drafted.

"All political parties have received financial support from the EC, the money came from tax payers; so they should all take part in election," he said.

The Democrat Party, as well as two other former opposition parties, the Chart Thai and the Mahachon Parties, agreed to boycott the election after Mr. Thaksin refused to join a meeting among the four parties' leaders to sign in an agreement on the proposed second-round political reform, but invited all other registered political parties to join.

The former oppostion parties said he had lost trust in Mr. Thaksin who had often changed his stances and minds.

They also argued that the House dissolution was considered non-legitimate, as there was no dispute between members of the parliament (MPs) or between the administration and the legislature.

Mr. Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, a legal expert and a former minister who is now Mr. Thaksin's advisor, said that in a general election if there are at least two political parties running for it, elected MPs of no less than 20 per cent in the 500-seat House is constitutional lawful.

He said the TRT Party, if returning to office after the snap election, would set up an independent panel, joined by all parties concerned in the society, to be in charge of the political reform through constitutional amendments, which would lead to a new general election thereafter.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party Spoksman Ong-art Klampaiboon told journalists that the party reaffirmed its stance to boycott the snap election to show its protest against "a new system created by Mr. Thaksin himself" which is considered detrimental to the Thai politics and the nation in the long run.

He referred to Mr. Thaksin's decision to dissolve the House with no reasons or factors stated in the constitution and to call a quick snap election within 37 days even though the constitution allows up to 60 days.

He also accused Mr. Thaksin of a leader with a lack of stable position to be trusted on.

Mr. Ong-art said his Democrat Party would inform the public of its reasons not to run in the snap election in the party's planned addresses in provincial areas, beginning with the upper southern Petchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan on Thursday.(TNA)--E002

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BANGKOK, March 2 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-03-02 / 11:32:56 (GMT+7:00)

Two Thai oilfield construction workers released after being taken hostage by Nigerian ethnic rebels nearly two weeks ago will return to Thailand soon, according to the wife of one of the hostages.

Pranom Madmor, wife of Somsak told reporters on Thursday that her husband telephoned her at 3am telling her that he and his colleague, Arak Suwanna had been released. He said he was in good health but must undergo a medical check-up before the Nigerian government will repatriate him and his work colleague, Mr. Arak, to Thailand.

The former hostage's wife told reporters that she was glad to hear the good news, especially so after many days of coping with stress. She said there had not been a single word about her husband's fate until this moment.

Mr. Somsak and Mr. Arak are among nine oilmen who were seized on February 18 when armed militants stormed a pipe-laying barge operated by their employer, the US engineering firm Willbros, during a series of attacks around Shell International's Forcados oil terminal.

Nigerian separatist guerrillas released six of their nine foreign hostages on Wednesday but warned that they would step up attacks aimed at shutting down the country's oil industry.

BBCNEWS Online website reported that five of them -- two Egyptians, two Thais and a Filipino -- were taken to the office of the state governor.

One American was released to journalists earlier, the report said, but another two Americans and one Briton are still being held.

The militants have been demanding a greater share of the region's oil wealth for the local Ijaw people, one of the minorities living in the oil-rich Niger River delta.

Their attacks have led to a 20 per cent drop in Nigeria's oil production and export.

The six hostages were brought in to the town of Warri in two batches, following their release earlier on Wednesday, according to BBCNEWS Online.

The militants also said they would not hand over the remaining captives, saying that they would remain as hostages until two ethnic Ijaw leaders are freed from jail and the oil giant Shell pays a hefty sum to compensate villages polluted by toxic contamination. (TNA)-E001