The Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany, has been a very well-liked event in the first four weeks of the five month world fair.

Thailand Pavilion (pic by Ernie Kuehnelt)

The Thai Pavilion has proved to be one of the most popular expositions, with around 17,000 people per day taking in the exhibits with the theme of “From Bio-Diversity Comes Food For The World”.

The Deputy Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Juthamas Siriwan said, “We are very pleased that our German and European friends are visiting our Pavilion at Expo.”

More than 40 companies, both foreign and local, are competing for industrial development projects which are worth more than Baht 25 billion, from the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority. The costly projects, to be implemented during the time frame 2000 to 2006, have worried the waterworks union who seek delays to the project to sometime until the country fully recovers from the economic crisis.

The development projects have been cut into 5 different phrases ranging from construction of water tunnels to construction of water filtering plants, said MWWA sources. All the contractors have applied for pre-qualification checks, they said. Among big names vying for contracts are Nishimutsu, Obayashi, Samsung, and Gumagaikumi, an Australian company.

The state-owned Telephone Organization of Thailand will be listed on the local stock market this October, while two other state enterprises Thai Airways International Plc, and Bangchak Petroleum Plc, both already listed, will have to sell more shares to the public in the same month. The listing plan is in line with the policy underlined by Finance Ministry to reactivate the performance of local bourse.

According to sources, TOT executives are working on a privatisation plan initiated by the government. Between 20-30% of shares of the three state companies will be sold to the public, said the sources. At first, only 5% of TOT shares, and about 7% of THAI shares, were to be sold. The three enterprises, with a combined market capital of more than 100 billion Baht, will be enough to help boost SET activities. Though stocks are so low, new listing is necessary to inject capital into the market; regulations may be eased to help Bangchak expand the listing, with Bangchak share value currently under its parity level.

BigC Superstore Plc has won the rights to lease a large plot of land on Rajadamri road, following debt restructuring between Siam Commercial Bank and the Univest Group. Univest Land needs the proceeds to repay loans to SCB.

BigC and its arch rival Ek-Chai Distribution System Co, owner of Testco-Lotus superstore had both tendered for the right to lease the plot of land, said Khun Ying Jada Wattanasiritham, SCB president.

BigC plans to pop up a 6-7 storey mini complex to connect with BigC Rajadamri branch which is right behind it.

Korn Chatikavanich has been appointed as the country manager of Chase Manhattan Bank, and the appointment will be effective from August 1. The appointment has put an end to speculation in the past few weeks after Chase took over JF Thanakom Securities. Mr Korn’s appointment was recently circulated to Chase staff in Thailand, said industry sources.

Chase and JF Thanakom will share the same office and the name of the two identities will be changed, said the sources. But Mr Korn said earlier that he did not expect any change in JF Thanakom as it was the wish of Chase to combine only relating units of the two organizations. Mr Korn said he was looking forward to join Chase because the task was challenging. However, the Bank of Thailand would say if Korn can be both Chase Thailand manager and the big boss of JF Thanakom at the same time, sources said.