Major Japanese companies confirm Thailand investment plans

Top management of leading Japanese companies welcomed Thailand’s flood-prevention measures, confirming their decisions to move ahead with planned investment expansion in Thailand, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Friday.

On the last day of her four-day official visit to Japan, the Thai prime minister met ten executives from leading Japanese private companies, including Toshiba, Honda, Toyota, Nissan Motors, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Isuzu Motors, Suzuki Motor Corporation, and the Bridgestone Corporation.

Yingluck expressed deep regret to the companies for their flood-related losses from Thailand’s devastating floods last year. She reassured them that Thailand has worked tirelessly to address the problem so that there will be no repeat. She reemphasized Thailand’s appeal as an attractive investment base.

The Japanese executives welcomed the Thai government’s measures regarding water management and claimed they were confident that flooding will not recur.

They were also satisfied with the country’s investment incentives as well as Thailand’s tax measures, the premier said.

The Japanese firms said they will move ahead with their plans to expand their investment stakes in Thailand. Five automakers - Nissan, Honda, Suzuki Motors, Toyota and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation - have investments valued at Bt29.6 billion, according to Yingluck. And Isuzu Motors plans to increase production capacity of pick-up trucks by 100,000 units to 400,000 units with an investment of approximately Bt6.5 billion.

Bridgestone also plans an investment upgrade of Bt20 billion to manufacture tires, she said. (MCOT)
 

Bangchak Petroleum starts 2nd solar power project next month

Bangchak Solar Energy Company, a Bangchak Petroleum subsidiary, will begin the second phase of its solar power project at Chaiyaphum’s Bamnet Narong district, Bangchak Petroleum president Anusorn Saengnimnual said.

The company’s board meeting last week approved the project’s second 25-megawatt solar power plant under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) system, with SunTech Group and Solartron Plc being among the project’s contractors.

According to Anusorn, construction will start in April. The project is to be finished and ready for selling power to the Provincial Electricity Authority by the end of this year, resulting in an increase of approximately Bt400 million for Bangchak’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.

The president spoke of the progress of the first solar power project of 38 megawatts, begun before the recent flood, in Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in district that some part of the electricity there could be sold this month and the rest will be finished by July.

Bangchak Petroleum plans to build solar power plants in accordance with its purchasing and selling contract of 118 megawatt electricity with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and the Provincial Electricity Authority.

The company invested Bt15 billion to complete its solar power plants by the beginning of 2014 and to become Thailand’s leading alternative energy firm. (MCOT)
 

Students open savings bank at Pattaya School No. 3

Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome breaks out his piggy bank to show students at Pattaya School No. 3 how to open a savings account.

Warunya Thongrod

Students at Pattaya School No. 3 are learning the value of saving with the opening of a school bank sponsored by the Government Savings Bank.

Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, Pattaya City Council Vice-President Urit Nantasurasak, Office of Basic Education Director Jidapa Suwattaporn and GSB Region 4 Manager Nitchanath Winitchai cut the ribbon on the “Open School to Plant the Seeds of Knowledge” project March 1.

Monks from Sawang Fah Prittaram Temple prayed and gave their blessings for the event, which also marked School No. 3’s 76th anniversary.

Jidapa said the school bank was created in line with HM the King’s “sufficiency economy” philosophy. The bank encourages youths to save to support their own futures as well as give them confidence to show off their knowledge and creativity.

Following its opening, the mayor inspected the bank, which will be run entirely by the student body.

Parent Chayanant Khaoklang said he approved of the idea of a student bank, saying it allows students to “learn to think for themselves and show their skills and knowledge.”

 

Major Japanese companies confirm Thailand investment plans

Bangchak Petroleum starts 2nd solar power project next month

Students open savings bank at Pattaya School No. 3