SEZ criteria, rents agreed
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The Committee on Special Economic Zones Policy chaired by Prime Minister Payut Chan-o-cha yesterday approved criteria and rental fees for land plots allocated for SEZ development.
The annual rental fees for SEZs planned for the first phase, comprising those in Tak, Mukdahan, Trat, Sa Kaew, Songkhla, and Nong Khai provinces, are set from Bt24,000 to Bt40,000 per rai (Bt150,000-Bt250,000 per hectare). The rates are subject to 15-per-cent increases every five years, according to a statement released by the government.
The committee also agreed on the procurements of land for the SEZs slated for the second phase, comprising 1,860 rai (297.6 hectares) in Nakhon Phanom, 2,052 rai in Chiang Rai, and 8,193 rai in Kanchanaburi.
DECLINE IN TISI FOR
NEXT 3 MONTHS
The December Thai Industries Sentiment Index for the next three months fell to 102.7 from 104.4 in November, even though the main TISI for December showed an increase for the fourth consecutive month, and monthly automobile sales exceeded 100,000 units for the first time in 24 months, according to the Federation of Thai Industries.
Industrial confidence rose to 87.5 in December from 85.8 the previous month, a fourth consecutive monthly increase.
The increase was due to a tax measure to stimulate consumption during the New Year festival and lower oil prices that helped reduce the cost of manufacturing.
However, the TISI for the next three months dropped, reflecting manufacturers’ worries about a decline in consumption in the first quarter of this year because there were many measures introduced to hasten spending in late 2015, especially on automobiles, electronics and appliances, and fashions and ornaments, he said.
Car and truck sales reached 101,424 units in December, up 13.3 per cent from a year earlier, as buyers rushed to buy automobiles prior to the implementation of new excise-tax rates from New Year’s Day.
CENTRAL KEEN TO BID
FOR CASINO’S UNITS
Thailand’s largest retail conglomerate Central Group is keen to bid for Casino Group’s Thai and Vietnamese operations, a company executive said.
Casino owns 58.6 per cent of Big C Supercenter, which has a total market value of US$5.5 billion (Bt200 billion). Casino said last week it was keen to sell this stake after announcing it would sell its Vietnam unit in the first quarter.
“We are interested in both Big C in Thailand and Vietnam,” said Prin Chirathivat, Central’s deputy chief executive officer.
“If the prices are not too expensive, we will be keen to bid,” Prin said, adding that his family, the Chirathivats, has a combined 25-per-cent stake in Big C. - Reuters
TOURISM FESTIVAL
ATTENDANCE UP
The Thailand Tourism Festival held from January 13-17 attracted 670,411 visitors, up by 9.5 per cent from last year’s event, said Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
The five-day festival also contributed revenue of Bt309 million to the economy as spending increased by 35 per cent from 2014.
The three major recipients of the spending were food and beverages, local products, and transport.
