STOCKS NEWS THAILAND-BEC World drops after block trades

Reuters - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Tue May 21, 2013 11:34pm EDT Shares in broadcaster BEC World Pcl dropped 6 percent to 67 baht after block trades at a lower-than-market price of 66 baht on average, according to Thai stock exchange data. BEC's shareholders planned to sell 80 million shares in block trades at 66 baht each in the morning session, broker Maybank Kim Eng Securities said in a report. The broader SET index was ...

Microsoft unveils new Xbox Now with live TV

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Seattle - Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled the next iteration of its Xbox video game console, Xbox One, in its latest bid to keep its market share in the home entertainment system market. Microsoft's current console, the Xbox 360, has overtaken the video-game machine market from both the Sony Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii since it was introduced seven years ago. The Xbox One will take ...

Most Thai CEOs believe high baht hurting business survey finds

Asia News Network - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Four in five CEOs believe that the baht bubble is battering their business, the long-term health of the economy remains unclear and rising costs will continue to constrict liquidity, according to a survey of chief executives' sentiments for ...

Power returns to Phuket

Phuket Gazette - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

PHUKET: Electricity supply was restored to the south of the island after 9:30pm tonight after what is being reported as ...

Bangkok set for 2014 Formula E Grand Prix

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Bangkok was yesterday chosen to host a race in the inaugural season of the FIA Formula E Championship for electric cars next year. The announcement came during a special unveiling for the first time in Asia of the fully-electric-powered Formula E car, witnessed by Alejandro Agag, CEO of Championship promoter Formula E Holdings (FEH), advisor to the Minister of Energy Pol Maj-General Lattasanya ...

Double Olympic champion to attend Taekwondo Youth Camp in Thailand

Inside the Games - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Frank Kugler won four Olympics medals in freestyle wrestling, weightlifting and tug of war at St Louis in 1904, making him the only competitor to win a medal in three different sports at the same Games. He claimed a silver medal in the heavyweight category in wrestling, bronze in the two hand lift and all-around dumbbell events in weightlifting and another bronze in the tug of war competition as ...

Bugs for dinner Thailand raises ‘six-legged livestock’ for global food study

The Province - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

A new study says teens who had a schoolmate die by suicide are more likely to consider or attempt taking their own lives than those who haven't lost a peer to ...

Massive power failure strikes southern Thailand affecting popular resorts

Canada.com - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

BANGKOK - A massive power failure has affected more than 8 million people in Thailand's 14 southern provinces, including popular tourist areas such as Koh Samui and Phuket, in one of the country's biggest blackouts in recent memory. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand official Thatri Rewcharoen says the blackout was triggered Tuesday evening by the failure of the main high ...

Brief blackout in the South causes confusion

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Most of the South was engulfed in darkness for 35 minutes from about 7.45pm Tuesday night following malfunctions at the main power station in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Kui Buri district. The distribution of electricity resumes, first after around 35 minutes at certain locations, but most of the region are still in the dark even after two hours. Initial reports quoting the Provincial ...

Interior Minister receives British and Thai Ambassadors

Bahrain News Agency - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Manama, May 21 (BNA) -- Interior Minister Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa today received British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Iain Lindsay, to review bilateral relations and issues of joint interests between both kingdoms. The Interior Minister also received Thai Ambassador to Bahrain, Vichai Varasirikul, to explore bilateral relations and issues of joint ...

Thailand urged to explore edible insect market to cope with global food demands

Edmonton Journal - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

BANGKOK - Researchers say Thailand is showing the world how to respond to the global food crisis: by raising bugs for eating. The United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization released a study and handbook Tuesday on what they call 'six-legged livestock' -- edible bugs and worms that can help meet global food demand that is expected to grow 60 per cent by 2050. The agency ...

Thai police seize 4.49 million meth tablets in Bangkoks largest meth bust ever

Canada.com - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

BANGKOK - Thai police have seized 4.49 million methamphetamine pills found in an apartment in the largest meth bust ever in Bangkok. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung said Tuesday the tablets and 60 kilograms (132 pounds) of crystal meth were smuggled from Myanmar. He said they were destined for sales in the capital city and nearby provinces. The value of the drugs, hidden in dozens of ...

Phuket hit by major blackout

Phuket Gazette - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

PHUKET: A major power outage struck across Phuket just before 7pm tonight.Phuket Town, Chalong, Koh Kaew and Thalang are three heavily populated areas suffering from the outage, the Phuket Gazette confirmed.The local electricty authority has confirmed the entire south of the island is also affected.The Gazette has recived report of a major blackout in Trang, indicating the blackout may be ...

Convicts claim to steal gold for milk money north of Phuket

Phuket Gazette - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

PHUKET: A pair of snatch-thief convicts were snapped up by police shortly after they ripped two gold necklaces from the neck of a woman taking her child to school in Phang Nga this morning.After her ...

US Senate committee accuses Apple of large-scale tax avoidance

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Washington - A US Senate committee accused Apple Inc of running a complex web of offshore business interests to avoid paying billions of dollars in income taxes, saying the technology giant was "among America's largest tax avoiders." The committee is to hold a hearing Tuesday to highlight Apple's tax avoidance strategies. Company chief Tim Cook was expected to testify. In ...

NACC asks Thaksin to back up graft claim

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

The National AntiCorruption Commission (NACC) issued a statement Tuesday asking former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to reveal details of his claim, made on Sunday night, that an NACC official offered to help him win a court case in exchange for money in 1999. "Thaksin Shinawatra claimed that 'someone from ...

Gold prices up Bt400 today

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Volatility remained in the local gold market, as local gold prices were adjusted six times today for a net increase of Bt400 per baht weight. Yesterday, the net increase in local gold prices was Bt200. After today's changes, gold bar is sold at Bt19,550 while gold ornament at ...

Tepid Thai growth deepens Asian slowdown fears

CNN Asia - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Thailand's economy grew more slowly than expected in the first three months of this year Adds to a slew of recent disappointing data from other Asian economies Thai economy contracted by 2.2 per cent seasonally adjusted from the previous quarter Result of faltering Chinese, eurozone, and US demand as well as a strong ...

Listed companies earnings up 13 in Q1

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Thai listed companies report a combined net profit of Bt241.60 billion (approximately US$8.31 billion) in the first quarter, up 12.80 per cent from the same period last year. Stocks in the Financials industry and those relating to domestic consumption showed significant increases in sales and net profits, according to data of the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Of the firms, 381 companies, or ...

SE Asia Stocks-Mixed ahead of Fed Thai realty up on low rate outlook

Reuters - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

BANGKOK, May 21 (Reuters) - Thai stocks ended flat on Tuesday as property shares outperformed amid a low interest rate outlook, with sentiment broadly weak in line with Asia ahead of U.S. Federal Reserve head Ben Bernanke's testimony on Wednesday. Bangkok's SET index closed at 1,643.43, still hovering at its highest in 19 years and four months. The Thai property sub-index gained 0.2 ...

Groups propose dialysis protest outside PMs home

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

The Rural Doctors Society and its allies will protest in front of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's residence from June 6 onward to press for the dismissal of Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong. They have accused Pradit of many wrongdoings. Thai Kidney Club of Thailand chairman Saharat Sarapaiwanich said someone had secretly plotted to destroy the Government Pharmaceutical ...

Cabinet approves Witits removal as GPO director

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

The Cabinet Tuesday approved the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) board's decision to sack GPO managing director Witit Artavatkun. Witit said Tuesday he had not yet planned to lodge a complaint against his dismissal, because he had yet to see an investigation report about his 'wrongdoing'. The GPO board says it sacked Witit over alleged irregularities in the ...