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By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK THAILAND’s deposed prime minister was re-nominated for the position by his ruling party yesterday in a move that both the opposition and analysts say will escalate the political crisis. He, on his part, appears determined not to give in to the so-called ‘Bangkok elite’ that is bent on driving him […]

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By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK THAILAND’S banking sector can weather the global credit crunch, but domestic political instability continues to threaten its economy, finance observers said yesterday. The industry’s sound credit fundamentals, net external debt position, and strong capitalisation will allow it to ride out the global slowdown, speakers at rating agency Fitch Thailand’s annual […]

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By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK PRIME Minister Samak Sundaravej was forced to resign yesterday for violating the Thai Constitution, over payments he received for hosting TV cooking programmes. The Thai Constitutional Court’s unanimous verdict found the payments breached Article 267 of the 2007 charter, which bans ministers from holding outside economic interests.

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By GREG LOWE in Bangkok THAILAND offers some of Asia’s best real estate investments. High-quality contemporary properties in prime locations continue to drive prices and build the country’s position regionally, but players say government barriers for overseas buyers are crimping growth.

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BANGKOK–Thailand launched its first 3G commercial trial last month, but government regulations and limited hardware continue to hamper the technology’s rollout in the kingdom, industry observers said. Thailand’s biggest mobile service operator Advanced Info Services (AIS), launched on May 6 its 600 million baht (US$5.3 million) digital 3GSM service along with a commercial trial in […]

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BY GREG LOWE In Bangkok THAI-LISTED companies posted net profits of 152.4 billion baht (S$6.5 billion) in the first quarter of this year, a third higher than the same period last year, the Stock Exchange of Thailand revealed yesterday.

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GREG LOWE in Bangkok THE Asia-Pacific’s tourist trade made first steps towards tackling climate change at an industry level, at a Bangkok conference last week. Pacific Asia Tourism Association (Pata) organised the two-day Pata CEO Challenge: Confronting Climate Change, in Bangkok, last Tuesday and Wednesday. More than 230 delegates exchanged information and discussed practical initiatives […]

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GREG LOWE in Bangkok [BANGKOK] International hotelier Golden Tulip Hospitality Group has chosen Thailand as the centre of its one billion euro (S$2.11 billion) South-east Asian expansion plan under which it will open up to 50 properties over four years. The Swiss-based company, which now operates 324 hotels in 54 countries including China and India, […]

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BANGKOK–Swiss-based hotel chain, Golden Tulip Hospitality Group, on Monday announced plans to pump US$1.56 billion over the next four years to expand its operations in Southeast Asia, which include building high-tech guest rooms. The company, which currently operates 324 hotels in 54 countries, is targeting to open 50 hotels in the region by 2012 and […]

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