[March 10, 2009] THAI NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - MARCH 11, 2009 Tweet BANGKOK, Mar 11, 2009 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- Highlights of today's newspapers: BANGKOK POST: - Taxes collected over the first five months of the government's fiscal year missed the target by 16.4 per cent, with 451.53 billion baht (US$12.554 billion) received, according to Somchai Sujjapongse, the director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office. - Listed companies have announced dividend payments of 186.7 billion baht for their 2008 operations, representing 56 per cent of total net profits, according to the Stock Exchange of Thailand. - Amid the downturn, hotel developer Asia Sense Group has confidence in the tourism market in Samui, where it is launching Asia Spirit Lodge & Spa, its second hotel on the island, with an investment of 72 million baht, said executive director Jean-Pierre Verjus. - Unfazed by the deepening crisis in the automotive industry, Mazda Sales (Thailand) says it is going ahead with plans to launch more models this year. - About 40,000 out of 200,000 staff employed by small suppliers are expected to lose their jobs by mid-year as small and medium-sized operators have reported worse-than-expected revenue amid the global slump. - The demand for food safety is growing. Consumers and authorities increasingly demand that the food we eat should offer high levels of quality and security. If a problem occurs, the source of error needs to be found quickly and the problem rectified. THE NATION: - Piyasvasti Amranand, a former chief adviser to Kasikornbank, is on the inside track to become president of beleaguered Thai Airways International, because he has the full backing of Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, a source said yesterday. - In a bid to cope with the country's growing elderly population, the Thai Gerontology Research and Development Institute is conducting a feasibility study on setting up the Kingdom's first-ever universal pension fund. - The Joint Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JCCIB) yesterday met the representatives of 25 communities around Map Ta Phut to gather information on the results of the pollution-reduction plan that has been in place over the past two years. - Exporters will be allowed to unwind their hedging positions without seeking the Bank of Thailand's permission. - Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) social research expert voiced disagreement to the plan to turn the Social Security Office into an independent organisation. - GMM Grammy Plc's new business unit, GMM Broadcasting, seeks to provide contents to 5 satellite TV channels this year in the bid to become a major content provider to the satellite TV industry. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]