INBrief

Bontang loading rises MINING : Banpu Plc said yesterday that its Indominco subsidiary was now loading coal at around 60-70% of capacity at Indonesia's Bontang port.

Loading would rise gradually to 100% of capacity after a 10-day maintenance shutdown of the port planned this month, said a Banpu executive.

The port's annual capacity is 12.5 million tonnes.

The force majeure on coal shipments from Bontang, in place since Feb 12 after an accident stopped loading, remained in effect, the executive said.

Banpu ships 65% of its Indonesian coal output from Bontang. The rest is shipped from a public port and an offshore loading facility in East Kalimantan to destinations across Asia and Europe.
Banpu shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 212 baht, unchanged, in trade worth 223.16 million baht. REUTERS

Young designers helped

FASHION :The Thailand Textile Institute (THTI) has launched Fashion Image Campus 2007 (FIC 2007), aiming to develop young designers who can be successful brand-builders in the future.

Students with high vocational certificates in fashion science, young fashion industry workers and small business operators aged between 20 and 28 years are being invited to participate in the ''Image of Thai Fashion Brand'' design contest.

The project will select high-potential participants from four regions of Thailand to join activities to improve their creativity and techniques in preparation for the final round of the contest.

The winner will be sponsored to attend the fashion events to observe business practices and trends in foreign countries. New reservation service

TOURISM :Thai Route Co has introduced services for tourists and travellers including 24-hour reservations for tickets from several tour companies.

Reservations can made through the call centre, 0-2269-6999 and payment can be made at TOT customer service counters, ATMs of Krung Thai Bank, Siam Commercial Bank and Kasikornbank, 7-Eleven stores, Vincent and Easy Post shops.

Reservations can be made up to 24 hours prior to the travel date.

Participating travel companies include Siam First Tour, Prayad Tour, Indra Tour, SriTrung Tour, Sahapan Roi-Ed Tour and Khonkaen Tour.

The service charge is 20 baht per transaction in Bangkok and 25 baht in the provinces, or 15 baht if an ATM is used. THAI-JAL code sharing

AVIATION :Thai Airways International has expanded its bilateral code-sharing agreement with Japan Airlines (JAL) to include THAI's twice-daily Bangkok-Krabi route.

JAL also ended code sharing on THAI's daily flight operating between Don Mueang airport and Hat Yai when the old airport was reopened for non-connecting domestic services.

The Don Mueang-Hat Yai arrangement was cancelled due to inconvenience in flight connections as all international flights, such as those of JAL, are operated through Suvarnabhumi Airport. AIA endowment plan

INSURANCE :American International Assurance (AIA) has introduced Retire60P80, a new endowment life policy designed exclusively for retirement planning.

Premium payments are made to age 60 but life protection coverage will extend to age 80. A cash coupon will be paid every year from ages 60 to 80.

Retire60P80 targets people aged 25-50 years who are looking for long-term financial planning or a fund at retirement. The sum assured will increase by 10% every year from age 41-60, for a total of 300% of the initial sum assured at age 60.

The annual payment after age 60 starts at 30% of the initial sum assured, followed by 15% of the initial sum assured from ages 61-80. Yearly dividends of 2-6% will also be paid from ages 60-80. The minimum sum assured is 150,000 baht. 14-day bills yield 4.2%
DEBT MARKET :The Bank of Thailand yesterday auctioned 30 billion baht worth of 14-day bonds for a weighted average accepted yield of 4.1955%. Accepted bid yields ranged from 4.18% to 4.208%, with the bid coverage ratio 1.11 times.

Also sold were 30 billion baht in 364-day bonds for an average yield of 3.82102%. Accepted bid yields ranged from 3.818% to 3.83%, with bid coverage of 2.15 times. TAT delegation clarified
CORRECTION :In a story titled ''Campaign to promote travel'', published on page one of yesterday's Business section, a photo caption mistakenly identified Juthaporn Reungronasa as accompanying Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Phornsiri Manoharn at a tourism briefing in Tokyo on Monday. The photo actually shows Suchada Yuvaboon.

Bangkok Post
Tuesday April 03, 2007