Laos Economy News

[napoleon]

PTT gets two-year Laos contract

The NATION March 3, 2012 1:00 am

PTT has secured a two-year contract to supply petroleum products to Lao State Fuel Company. Saran Rangkasiri, senior executive vice president of PTT, said the contract is valued at Bt1.6 billion
.

Both also signed a memorandum of understanding for a jet-fuel service study. This contract would strengthen both companies' business, which covers Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, as well as expand brand awareness and PTT product sales in Indochina, under the strategy to become the top regional brand.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30177186.html

[Wisarut]

Phongsavanh Bank Starting the Banking Services in Thailand
Manager Weekly 360 Degrees - 1 March 2012 - 13:22

Phongsavanh Bank (the 1st private Bank of Laos) is starting the Banking Services in Thailand for those Lao people working along the border as well as in BKK by allowing them to use ATM cards of Phongsavanh Bank in Bangkok Bank PCL ATM Machines - with no charge for the first year.

Now, Phongsavanh Bank has set up the representative officer at Central World in BKK and it is going to expand its banking business in Vietnam.

AEC has motivated Thai Bankers to make a cooperation with neighbor bankers while allowing foreign Banks to set up its offices in Thailand while BOT is going to allow more foreign Banks to set up the offices in Thailand.

Now, Phongsavanh Bank from Lao PDR has made a cooperation on ATM service, allowing those who hold Phongsavanh Bank ATM cards to withdraw the cash in Thai Baht from ATM Machines of Bangkok Bank PCL nationwide.

Now, Khun Phaibun Phongsavanh (deputy Manager who is also a son of Mr Odd Phongsavanh - the founder of Phongsavanh Bank) is saying that this is just the first step since so many Lao traders are working along the boundary provinces along with several Lao people coming to Thailand for tourism as well as Business affairs which causes more demands for cross border Banking services. So, Phongsavanh Bank has to give such a service to facilitate more cross border trading instead of carrying bundles of cash ...

Next phase is to allow those Thai customers of Bangkok Bank to withdraw the cash from Phongsavanh Bank ATMs in Lao Kips as the way to promote more spending in Kip denominations. No fees for the first year and the service starts from 2 February 2012. After that, the fees to be collected from the cross border ATM services will be a lot cheaper than using VISA cash cards. This will also allows the remittance through ATM services ...

This is a major step after making a cooperation with Bangkok Bank for Baht - Kip exchange in 2010.

Now, There are almost 100000 ATM cards of Phongsavanh Bank from 7 Branches of the bank and 5 more branches will be added. The loan is just 70% of the deposits for Major customers, SMEs and retailers ... along with quick and cheap personal loans with NPL only 4% of registered capitals.

Interest rates at Phongsavanh Bank:
Deposit in Lao Kips: 10%
Deposit in Thai Baht: 6.5%
Deposit in US Dollars: 7%

Loan rates: 14-17% with the inflation rate of 7-8% and BIS funds more than 10%

Next is the business in Vietnam - right after opening the representative office in Hanoi on 22 Feb 2012 to facilitate cross border tradings.

Now, Phongsavanh Bank just opening the representative office at Central World, BKK but further development into full fledged branch in Thailand will take time when the cross border trade grows to the right point but need to consults with Bangkok Bank as well as Bank of Thailand for this issue.

Now, TISCO Financial firm has made a help on Phongsavanh Bank in the first 5 years to become PCL in the stock market along with the opening of Phongsavanh Airlines which has become Lao Central Airlines now.

[AsianDragons]

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1153811

mod can these 2 threads be merged

[kimmy]

How is Lao stock exchange perform? How much IPO since it launched?

[Wisarut]

^
Take a look at Lao Stock Exchange here:
http://www.lsx.com.la/

[SeeMacau]

Stock Exchange in Laos is performing very badly

[SeeMacau]

After more than one year since their opening, only 2 companies listed on their stock exchange

[napoleon]

Laos, Thailand to resume trade, border talks

VIENTIANE TIMES March 23, 2012 1:00 am

Laos and Thailand have reached a deal to boost investment and border trade and resume talks to complete border demarcation, while vowing to take steps to legalise undocumented Laotian workers in Thailand.

The 17th meeting of the Laotian-Thai joint commission on bilateral cooperation ended yesterday in Vientiane, where Bangkok also reaffirmed its commitment to purchase 7,000 megawatts of electricity produced by various projects in Laos.

The two-day meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul and his Laotian counterpart Dr Thongloun Sisoulith, who is also deputy prime minister.

Surapong told a news conference shortly after the meeting that Thailand supported Laos' efforts to transform itself from a landlocked country into a "land-linked" one.

"We have agreed to expand road links between Laos and Thailand through the fourth and fifth Friendship Bridges," he said.

The construction of the Fourth Mekong Friendship Bridge linking Chiang Rai province in Thailand with Bokeo province in Laos is in progress and it is expected to open in 2014.

The two sides have also agreed to

build the Fifth Friendship Bridge to link Bueng Kan province in Thailand and Borikhamxay province of Laos in the near future, Thongloun said,

The first three Mekong Friendship Bridges have boosted trade and investment growth between the two neighbours, meaning Thailand has become Laos' biggest trading partner.

Bilateral trade value reached almost US$4 billion (Bt123 billion) last year, up by 35.83 per cent compared with 2010.

The two governments agreed last month to double bilateral trade value to $8 billion by 2015, to be stimulated by addressing barriers to trade and investment, particularly at border checkpoints and in immigration policies, to create conditions for trading.

To enable Laos' "land-linked" efforts, the meeting discussed the upgrade of four temporary border checkpoints into permanent ones to ease cross-border trade. Two of these checkpoints are in Xayaboury province, one in Khammuan province and another in the Golden Triangle area.

Thailand is the biggest foreign investor in Laos. Data show that from 2000 to 2011, the country invested $4.295 billion in 437 projects. However, throughout the past few years Thai investment has ranked third after China and Vietnam on a yearly average.

The two ministers agreed that the meeting achieved sound outcomes, saying both sides would put joint effort into encouraging more Thai investors to do business in Laos.

The two sides rescheduled plans to complete land-border demarcation by 2014 after failing to meet a previous deadline slated for 2008. Meanwhile, water-territory demarcation is set to be completed by 2016 after failing to be finished by 2010.

To pursue the targets, the two sides agreed to resume talks of the Joint Border Commission next month in Thailand after a five-year hiatus.

The two ministers also responded to a Thai reporter who asked about a border dispute in three Thai villages and Rom Khao village in Xayaboury province.

Both sides will form a joint commission to study measures to address the issue, Surapong said.

Thongloun said both sides would accelerate efforts to settle the issue, adding that they needed to work together to reach consensus regarding borders.

WORKERS' RIGHTS

Thailand committed to working with the Laotian side to legalise undocumented Laotian workers in the Kingdom to protect their rights.

The meeting also touched on how to tackle the problem of cross-border haze.

In addition, Thailand agreed to provide more master's degree and doctoral scholarships for Laotian nationals to study in the Kingdom.

Surapong took the opportunity to pay an official visit to Laos to present himself after taking the position of foreign minister last August.

Before the joint commission meeting, he met for bilateral talks with Thongloun at the Laotian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where both sides said they highly valued the friendly relations between the two neighbours.

Leaders of both sides maintain close contact and regularly undertake exchange visits. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand paid a state visit to Laos in the middle of this month, while Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra paid an official visit last September.

During his visit, Surapong also paid courtesy calls on Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and National Assembly President Pany Yathortou.

The Thai side handed over Bt2 million to support Laos' Friendship School project and presented 30 electric fans to Phaylom Secondary School.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30178571.html

[AsianDragons]

Laos, China's Yunnan target US$300m in trade

Laos and China's Yunnan province have agreed to encourage trade and investment in the region, aiming for a two-way trade value of US$300 million this year.

Governor of Yunnan province Li Jiheng spoke in support of this goal at a trade and investment conference held in Vientiane last week, which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad.

The meeting brought together businesspeople from both countries to network and discuss the expansion of their business cooperation.

“We will encourage investment cooperation between the business sectors in Laos and Yunnan province, while concentrating on economic development in the border region of our two countries,” Mr Li Jiheng said. The two sides also intend to enhance their cooperation in communication networks to better link Laos and Yunnan province as well as the wider South East Asian region.

“We also need to further discuss measures to ensure the easy passage of goods across the border in order to boost trade value to about US$300 million this year,” Mr Li Jiheng said. In 2011, the two-way trade value between Laos and Yunnan province reached US$265 million, an increase of about 30 percent on the previous year.

At the end of last year, Laos and Yunnan province signed 300 agreements related to construction projects, labour, and consultancies.

“We are proud of our cooperation in previous years, particularly relating to transportation, trade, investment, real estate, science, education, health, tourism, culture and the environment,” Mr Li Jiheng said.

Yunnan province is the only province in China that shares a border with Laos. With a population of 45.7 million people, the province has a GDP of more than US$130 billion and annual income per capita of US$3,000.

Yunnan's abundance of natural resources means that the mainstays of its economy are agriculture, tobacco, mining, hydro-electric power, and tourism.

Laos is Yunnan province's second largest investment market. Recently more entrepreneurs from the province came to explore business opportunities in Laos.

Laos is one of the least developed countries in South East Asia, but it is growing rapidly and the economic growth rate is now approaching 8 percent.

The government wants to secure US$8.9 billion in private sector investment over the next five years, which is equivalent to 55 percent of total investment in Laos.

During Friday's meeting, Minister of Planning and Investment Somdy Duangdy addressed business operators from Yunnan province about the government's policy to attract foreign investment and boost economic growth in Laos.

“However, in the new era, the Lao government attaches great importance to sustainable development by balancing economic development with social development and environmental protection,” he said.

“That's why we want to concentrate on quality investment to ensure that foreign investment truly contributes to socio-economic development, environmental protection and poverty reduction for all Lao people.”

To attract more foreign investment, the government amended the Law on Investment Promotion in 2009 and set up a one stop service office in three sectors to facilitate business operations.

Mr Li Jiheng's visit has been hailed as a success, with agreements reached pertaining to many development projects in Laos, which is expected to significantly boost economic cooperation.



By Somsack Pongkhao
(Latest Update April 03 , 2012)

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/Fre...ent_Luaaos.htm

[napoleon]

Thailand assures its full support to Japan on regional development


123TOKYO, April 21 -- Thailand has pledged full support to Japan as a strategic partner in the sustainable co-development of the Mekong River delta to strengthen economies of the countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), according to Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Ms Yingluck, at a joint press conference with leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Japan after the 4th Mekong-Japan Summit, said that the summit was considered an important mechanism to boost regional economic strength.

The 4th Mekong-Japan Summit was held in Tokyo which, along with Ms Yingluck, was attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavo, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Myanmar's President Thein Sein and chaired by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

Ms Yingluck said that Thailand has always supported neighbouring countries and development in the GMS, and would like to propose joint Thai-Japanese development projects for the expansion of cooperation on East-West Economic Corridor and Southern Economic Corridor developments to be a genuine economic corridor and be able to respond to risks from flood and other natural disasters in the future.

As for the Southern Economic Corridor, the Thai premier has invited Japan to support and participate in the development of the Dawei deep sea port in Myanmar as Thailand would allocate a budget for the construction of a highway to link Bangkok with the Thai-Myanmar border provinces, which would eventually connect the route between the Andaman Sea and South China Sea under the Southern Economic Corridor.

The Thai prime minister has proposed Thailand and Japan jointly organise a training programme to upgrade the competitiveness of the SMEs in GMS.

Ms Yingluck added that Thailand has emphasised for its police to provide assistance to neighbouring countries and this year, it has allocated US$77 million towards infrastructure development and technical assistance for the prosperity of the region.

At the 4th summit, the leaders has reviewed the implementation of programmes and projects under the 63-point Action Programme, the Mekong-Japan Economic and Industrial Cooperation Initiative (MJ-CI) and the Green Mekong Initiative.

They have also adopted the “Tokyo Strategy for Mekong-Japan Cooperation” as a foundation for Mekong-Japan cooperation for the next three years, from 2013 to 2015, focusing on promoting communications between the GMS, cooperation for mutual development, and methods of ensuring security and protecting the environment.

The summit follows the 3rd Mekong-Japan Summit in Bali, Indonesia in November of last year which focused on natural disaster responses and water resources management. (MCOT online news)

http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/356111.html

[napoleon]

Lao PM to visit Thailand next week

BANGKOK, May 25 - Lao PDR Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong is scheduled to pay a three-day official visit to Thailand beginning next Thursday, his first visit to the neighbouring country since he took office in Dec 2010.

Prime Minister Thongsing will visit the kingdom between May 31 and June 3 to attend the 21st World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia here. There will be an official bilateral discussion between the two countries' leaders.

His Majesty King Bhumibol will grant an audience to the Lao prime minister on May 31, while Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will host a lunchoen for him at Sra Pathum Palace on June 2.

Mr Thongsing will also visit the royal projects at Chitralada Palace during his stay in the Thai capital.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her Lao counterpart will hold official bilateral talks at Government House on June 2. They will witness the signing of an agreement on loans for infrastructure investment in the Lao PDR, according to the Thai government's official website.

Thailand will host the 2012 WEF on East Asia from May 30 to June 1. More than 450 government leaders, business sector representatives, scholars and media around the world are expected to join the event under the theme “Shaping the Region’s Future through Connectivity.”

The Thai prime minister earlier invited leaders from many countries, including nine other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to attend the three-day forum. (MCOT online news)

http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/368718.html

[AsianDragons]

Maybank seeks banking licence in Laos while HLB hopes to raise stake in China’s Bank of Chengdu

BY DALJIT DHESI and WONG WEI-SHEN
starbiz@thestar.com.my





KUALA LUMPUR: Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) is eyeing a banking license in Laos while Hong Leong Bank Bhd (HLB) is hoping to raise the bank's stake in the soon-to-be-listed Bank of Chengdu Co Ltd.

Maybank president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar said that the bank had applied to open a branch in Laos and this would complete the group's presence in the Asean region.

He said the bank was still awaiting approval from the relevant authorities and had not set a target when it would commence operations in Laos.

At the same time, Wahid said it was looking to further strengthen its presence in the region, among others, by converting its representative office in Myanmar to a branch office, although he did not specify the timeframe as to when this would take place.

Wahid says Maybank is targeting to derive 40% of its earnings from international operations by 2015

The banking group currently has more than 2,200 branches internationally. In Thailand, for example, he said it intended to pursue retail and commercial banking operations there, where it now had investment banking and equity brokerage businesses.

In the Middle East, he said the bank already had a branch in Bahrain and that it was in the midst of looking at increasing its stake in the Saudi Arabian investment banking associate Anfaal Capital from the current 18%.

In India, Maybank has operations via Maybank KimEng and was also in the midst of re-activating its PT Bank Internasional Indonesia Tbk's Mumbai branch.

Wahid said Maybank was targeting to derive 40% of its earnings from international operations by 2015.

Meanwhile, HLB is looking to raise its stake in its 20%-owned associate Bank of Chengdu. However, the government has a 20% limit on foreign banks' holdings in Chinese retail banks.

Hong Leong group managing director and CEO Yvonne Chia said: “As long as the government today allows only a maximum of 20%, I don't think we can do much about it. When we have a chance to increase our stake, of course we will.”

Chengdu is currently in the queue to file an initial public offering (IPO) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's A-share market. “We have submitted applications for the IPO. I'll wait for the outcome. We can only take 20% of what the law allows,” Chia said.

One of the bank's key strategies to improve return on assets and return on shareholders' funds is in its strategy for consumer banking. “In particular, our strategy for consumer banking is to rebalance, remix yield management and at the same time also bring in efficiency through the e-banking channel wherever we can,” Chia said.

On business banking, she said the key opportunity for HLB was to grow global markets to cross sell and capture the competencies that it had in its trade customers, the trade flows and analytics it had in business banking and translate that into solutions for its customers.

“With the merger with Eon Bank, we have grown our market share in the segment to about 9%, where previously it was between 2% and 3.5%,” Chia said.

She said HLB aimed to move its Islamic bank from a consumer Islamic bank to a wholesale bank. The contribution there will be from transaction income in Islamic wholesale and investment banking, treasury and wealth management.

“Post the merger, the benefit that we have is the relationship with the Government. We hope to further bring that to the next level,” Chia said.

She also said that as part of its merger plans with Eon Bank, HLB aimed to raise more ringgit funding. “We have raised US dollars funding for our normal working capital and we are in the midst of raising ringgit funding to boost our capital,” she said.

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story...7&sec=business

[AsianDragons]

Laos Stock Exchange Outlook 2012







The Laos Securities Exchange (LSX), one of the World’s newest and smallest stock markets, is setting up for rapid growth despite a vague legal framework and widespread ignorance as to its function among the Laotian people.

The LSX only started trading on 11 January 2011.

There are now moves to also establish an exchange in neighboring Myanmar.

Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar are all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) whose original members, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, are now among the emerging economies in the region.

The LSX is a Joint Venture by the Bank of Lao, Laos’ central bank, that owns 51% of the exchange and the Korean Exchange (KRX) that owns the remaining 49%.

Similarly, the Cambodian exchange is a joint venture by the KRX and the Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Since it started operation in Y 2011, only 2 companies have been listed in the LSX: Laos’ largest commercial bank, BCEL, and electricity company EDL-GEN. Both companies are majority state-owned.

The exchange itself is housed in a cavernous, largely empty, modern office building in the Lao capital Vientiane.

In a recent exclusive interview, LSX CEO and Chairman Dethphouvang Moularat said the LSX’s expansion plan would include the listing of new companies and introduction of an online trading system.

“In the near future, I think we will have new listed companies, such as the Enterprise of Telecommunications Laos and the Lao Indochina Group,” he said.

The online trading system, which the LSX hopes to launch soon, is designed to entice more foreign investments. At present, foreign investment is strictly limited by the government.

Under the current regulations, foreigners are allowed to purchase only 10% of listed companies’ shares and a foreign investor can hold only 1%.

Lao officials here have realized that only through foreign investments can the country hope to revitalize the local economy, create job opportunities for the Lao people, and raise its gross domestic product (GDP) by 8% next year.

The Lao government hopes to remove the country from its Least Developed Nation status by Y 2020 by luring private foreign investments.

But the biggest challenge for the exchange is the widespread ignorance as to its function among the Lao people.

The market currently has around 8,000 accounts of which only 50% are owned by the Lao people. Last year, the average daily trading volume was only about 150,000 shares, lower than predicted.

“Sadly, I don’t think the Lao people understand how to invest in the stock market since this is new to them. But we are trying to teach them little by little,” Chairman Moularat said.

Mr. Moularat is writing a Lao-English financial dictionary to help educate the Lao people about financial affairs and the stock market.

The LSX and the Lao Securities Exchange Commission will also be collaborating to provide training for the Lao people.

According to Mr. Moularat, the Lao government is now in the process of enacting a securities law aimed at relaxing restrictions on the entry of foreign investors to spur trading in the local stock market.

http://www.livetradingnews.com/laos-...2012-74624.htm

[Wisarut]

902 Million Baht Thai loan Granted

1. For repairing the road from Phu Doo (The checkpoint) to Pak Lai with a price tag of 718 Million Baht
2. For Phase 2 renovating Pak Xe Airport with a price tag of 184 Million Baht

The 5th Friendship Bridge between Bueng Karn and Pak Xan will be under consideration

http://www.thanonline.com/index.php?...176&Itemid=524

[everywhere]

Ex-Im loans set for Laos
(Joongang Daily, July 19)

The state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) said yesterday it inked a deal to provide development loans worth $28.5 million to Laos in order to help the country set up the latest administrative data support system.

The money will be given in the form of the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), a state-run fund aimed at helping poor and less-developed countries with loans that carry low interest rates, Eximbank said in a statement.

more: http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.c...px?aid=2956446

[napoleon]

Stallions to develop minibike factory in Laos

Published: 24/07/2012 at 01:46

Stallions, the Thai minibike brand, will open a factory in Laos next year to serve as a production base for exports to other Asean countries.

Jaroen Laplonluelay, the chairman of Power Stallions Co, said his company is now studying the legal issues of setting up a factory in Laos but plans annual production capacity of 10,000 units.

Next year it plans to export to Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam, with shipments representing 30% of sales.

Stallions is also building a 150-million-baht factory in Rayong's Amata City Industrial Estate, scheduled to be completed next February and with annual production capacity of 15,000 units.

The minibikes are currently produced by a factory owned by Tiger, another Thai motorcycle brand, in Samut Prakan province.

Tiger has a contract to build 500 to 1,000 units a month, but there are capacity constraints since Tiger also produces its motorcycles there.

Stallions started by launching three models at the 2010 Bangkok International Motor Show in 2010 _ the Momo, Solo and Gio, all with 125-cc, four-stroke engines.

A total of 2,600 units were sold in 2010 and 5,200 units last year.

Stallions expects sales of 10,000 units this year after first-half sales reached 6,319 units.

This year, Stallions will expand its sales network nationwide, with a goal of 90 branches, up from 46.

Kittipong Aroonpiroj, the managing director of Motor World Import-Export Co, Stallions' dealer in Laos, said he expects sales of the brand, to start next month, will total 400-500 units this year and 1,500 to 2,000 next year.

Mr Jaroen is more optimistic, expecting 600-800 units to be sold this year.

Motor World Import-Export will this year open 11 more branches nationwide in Laos on top of its existing three in Vientiane to support its growth.

"We believe we'll be the leader in niche motorcycles in the Lao market soon," said Mr Kittipong.

"Lao incomes are rising due to the opening up of the country and the increasing variety of businesses. As well, motorcycles are widely used in Laos."

He said Thai households have a preference for cars, but in Laos the emphasis tends to be on motorcycles.

Stallions are unique and can also be modified and painted.

High-end restaurants have also expressed interest in using the motorcycles for decoration or props, thus spurring interest in his company's products, said Mr Kittipong.

He said Chinese motorcycles are prevalent in Laos, but these are prone to damage and are priced at 10,000 to 25,000 baht.

Those from South Korea have been gaining in popularity with a price range of 25,000 to 35,000 baht, while Thai brands are considered top-grade and priced from 44,400 to 80,000 baht.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...actory-in-laos

[everywhere]

Laos inches closer to expected WTO membership in November
(Shanghai Daily, July 27)

VIENTIANE, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The Laos government has approved the preparations to ascend to membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), local media reported Thursday.

According to the state-run newspaper Vientiane Times, the application is expected to be confirmed before the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) which is scheduled to be held here in November.

Laos' process to join the WTO, which began in 1997, is now in its final stages of negotiation. To join the WTO, prospective members are required to create agreements with other members via a working party through a process of negotiations.

more: http://www.shanghaidaily.org/article...a.asp?id=85737

[Wisarut]

Nagaraj Nakhon Project near the 4th Friendship Bridge on Lao side will help Thai SMEs
BTW, the 4h Friendship Bridge at Chiang Khon will be done in 2013
http://www.manager.co.th/SMEs/ViewNe...=9550000088825

If you cross the Friendship Bridge to Savannakhet and spend the currency other than Lao Kip, you will have to pay fine at 500000 Kip (2000 Baht) while Tourists and Businessmen could bring Lao Kip out of LPDR NOT MORE THAN 20 Million Kip (80000 Baht)
http://www.manager.co.th/IndoChina/V...=9550000096896

[napoleon]

AEON expands into Myanmar and Laos

The Nation October 12, 2012 3:39 pm

AEON Thana Sinsap (Thailand) Plc, a non-bank financial institution, is expanding its business into Myanmar and Laos.

In a statement to the Stock Exchange of Thailand today, the company said that the board of directors today approved the establishment of a wholly-owned subsidiary in Myanmar, named AEON Microfinance (Myanmar) Co Ltd, to provide microfinance to small borrowers there. The new unit is capitalised at Bt57.5 million kyat or Bt2.07 million.

In Laos, AEON Leasing Service (Lao) Co Ltd will be established with the paid-up capital of 8 billion kip or Bt30.4 million.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30192227.html

[napoleon]

Ratch plant wins Laos concession

Published: 23/10/2012 at 01:46 AM Newspaper section: Business

Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy Power Co Ltd (PNPC), 25%-owned by Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc, has been granted a concession from the Laotian government, the SET-listed Ratch said yesterday.

Thailand's largest private power producer also expects PNPC to sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) by year-end.

Noppol Milinthanggoon, Ratch's chief executive, said the 27-year concession deal has been signed for a 410-megawatt Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydroelectric power plant to be developed and run.

The concession will be effective from the commercial operation date (COD) in 2018.

"PNPC will thereafter put its best effort into a conclusion of the PPA with Egat by the end of 2012," Mr Noppol said.

Construction is expected to start in 2013 and electricity generation in 2018.

Located in Laos's Champasak province, the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy project is being developed under the cooperation scheme between Thailand and Laos.

PNPC, a joint venture of Ratch, SK Engineering and Construction, Korea Western Power and Lao Holding State Enterprise, was established in March to develop the 32-billion-baht power plant.

Ratch will allocate internal cash of 2.4 billion baht to fund the project.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...aos-concession