BUSINESS

Thailand's vehicle production tumbled 85 percent in November to the lowest level in more than 12 years after severe flooding disrupted supply chains, according to the Federation of Thai Industries.

Thailand has signed a 70-billion-yuan (S$14.3 billion) swap agreement with China to strengthen trade and investment between the two nations, the highlight of a three-day official visit by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping seen as highly significant domestically and diplomatically.

France could be stripped of its triple-A credit rating before Christmas, raising new doubts about the survival of the euro, analysts have predicted.

Thailand plans to sign a bilateral currency swap agreement this week worth 7 billion yuan (S$1.4 billion) with China's central bank to help facilitate international trade between the two countries, the Bank of Thailand said on Sunday.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects its 20 New Year's Eve countdown activities in 17 provinces will generate 20 billion baht of revenue, with 4 million domestic tourists attending.

The Finance Ministry is discussing with the Bank of Thailand the possibility of the central bank providing soft, low-interest loans through commercial banks for flood-hit small and |medium-sized enterprises and households, Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala said yesterday.

Operators of private passenger buses, inter-provincial buses and trucks have threatened to halt services if the retail price of natural gas is floated next year.

Fitch Ratings on Thursday downgraded its viability ratings on eight of the world's biggest banks, citing increased challenges facing the banking sector due to weak economic growth and heightened regulation.

Janet Robinson will step down as chief executive of the New York Times Co at the end of the month, as the company continues to struggle with advertising declines and a years-long slump in its share price.

Check out that pool. Would you believe that it's just outside the very middle of the bustling metropolis that is Bangkok, Thailand? Now that the city is drying off after catastrophic flooding, it's time to head back and luckily there's a new hotel to make things interesting. Well, actually it's an old hotel. But it's a new hotel too! You see, the Marriott Riverside Bangkok has been renovated, revamped and relaunched as the Anantara Riverside.