DPM Somkid: both of state and private sectors should join hands in seeking ways to increase export figures

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (สมคิด จาตุศรีพิทักษ์) said that both state and private sectors should work together in ways to increase export figures.

In regards to the stronger Thai baht, Mr. Somkid said that Bank of Thailand (BOT) is closely monitoring the situation. He explained that if both state and private sectors work together in promoting more exports, the economy of Thailand will be on a positive track.

He said that the Ministry of Commerce will release the export value in the first quarter on April 20th. Besides, he said that his ministry will monitor the figures in tourism industry so as to prevent possible deficit.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 April 2006

Isn't that a dead duck with the way the Baht has strengthened lately??

I can just see mr 't' telling himself that as soon as he left it all turned to sh1t.

Ministry of Finance reports nation's trade imbalance has decreased

The Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr. Karun Kittisataporn (การุณ กิตติสถาพร), stated that the trade imbalance present in the first trimester of 2006 was $2.5 billion less than last year.

Mr. Karun revealed that trade imbalance of this year when compared to the same trimester last year was $2.5 billion less. He stated that $29.6 billion worth of exports have been made, an increase of 17.3 percent from last year, notably in the agricultural sector. Major export goods include rubber, cassava, shrimp, vegetables, canned fruit, and processed foods. Target destinations are the United States, Japan, Europe, ASEAN nations, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Mr. Karun added that the Ministry of Finance has extended an invitation to the private sector to cooperate in further decreasing the trade imbalance for the next trimester.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 21 April 2006

dunno where exactly to post this - but thought here might work

Diplomat sets himself on fire

April 21, 2006

A BURMESE diplomat set himself on fire in his country's mission in the Malaysian capital today, triggering a blaze that destroyed much of the building's interior, the official Bernama news agency reported.

Police said the 40-year-old man died of serious burns, and they were still investigating the motive. All the other staff evacuated the building safely, fire officials said.

"The fire was not caused by outsiders," city police official Hasnan Hassan said.

No sign of damage from the hour-long blaze was visible on the exterior of the two-storey building in Kuala Lumpur's leafy diplomatic enclave.

The man set himself alight on the ground floor and then ran upstairs to the rooms where most of the embassy's documents were stored, Bernama quoted an unidentified police source as saying.

Burmese embassy officials could not be reached for comment, but police would interview embassy staff tomorrow, Hasnan said.

A 2004 firebomb attack on the Burma embassy -- then located at a different site -- was blamed by police on Muslim Rohingya refugees from the country.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...80-1702,00.html