Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak is urging
countries in the Mekong Sub-region to work together in drawing up trade and
investment strategies in a bid to attract higher levels of foreign
investment.
Chairing a meeting of the Mekong River Commission, Somkid
said the regional grouping’s rich biodiversity, whether in terms of
agriculture, fisheries, mineral resources, petroleum, or hydro-energy,
together with efforts to create intra-regional communications links, has
increased the region’s potential. “From now on, the sub-region should
work together to lay down in-depth trade, investment and tourism
strategies,” Somkid said.
Somkid called for more meetings between the leaders of
the six countries in the grouping – southern China, Thailand, Myanmar,
Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam – and private sector companies. He also urged
the creation of links between the Mekong grouping and the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Area (AFTA).
Official trade negotiations in the Chinese province of
Yunan have already begun. Yunan lies within the Mekong Basin area, and is a
gateway to southern China for Thai goods. (TNA)
Supatatt Dangkrueng
The Bank of Thailand (BOT)
Northern Region has released figures on the Non Performing Loan (NPL)
problems. By using an offensive strategy to have bilaterala discussions
between creditors and debtors, BOT says the NPL’s are down by 30%.
Prapas
Sothornnoppabutr, BOT Northern Region operations department director,
releases northern operations figures.
BOT
Northern Region displays the process of solving NPL problems.
BOT has adjusted its strategy to reduce NPL’s by
separating NPL debtors into groups, including one group of NPL debtors that
have been charged with legal action. This group currently has more than a
thousand cases in the commercial banks and financial institutions.
Prapas Sothornnoppabutr, BOT Northern Region operations
department director, said there are currently 111,000 debtors owing
approximately 260 billion baht. In the northern region there are 24 cases
that have been completely reviewed with 160 million baht recovered, and
another 19 cases with 256 million baht of loan values coming up shortly.
Prapas said BOT remains the middleman between creditors
and debtors, especially in legal proceedings. It takes between 45-63 days to
complete the legal considerations, after reaching an agreement from both
parties.
“Generally, both sides haven’t had a chance to talk,
so this scheme is aimed at decreasing NPL numbers by creating an opportunity
for both sides to talk, and therefore problems can be solved more easily,”
Prapas said.
NPL debtors can contact creditors or the BOT Northern Region by phoning
053 931 101, 053 931 107 or 053 931 115.