Pridiyathorn backs NESDB growth forecast of 5% for 2006, The Nation reports.

Finance Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula on December 6 backed the National Economic and Social Development Board's economic-growth forecast of 5 per cent for this year.

"Nobody is certain whether the economy will expand 4.7 per cent as expected, but it's possible. That would allow Thailand's economy to expand 5 per cent," he said. - The Nation.
Call centres: AIT to bid for Bt20-bn contracts

Advanced Information Technology (AIT) is prepared to bid for contracts worth Bt20 billion to operate call centres for public agencies and private companies next year, in a move expected to boost revenue by 10-15 per cent.

Siripong Oontornparn, executive chairman, on December 6 said the company planned to take over a call-centre operating company for no more than Bt100 million.