Bangkok - Thai exports grew 15.5 per cent in August, the slowest performance this year, while imports were up 26.9 per cent, leaving the kingdom with a 
675-million-dollar trade deficit, the Bank of Thailand said Tuesday.

The value of Thailand's exports totaled 15.79 billion dollars, up 15.5 per cent from August 2007, the central bank said. The rise was lower than July's 44-per-cent jump.

The export slowdown was led by declines in rice shipments and prices while rubber exports also dropped in volume, the bank said.

Bangkok - Thai shares los

Bangkok - Thai shares shed 2.86 per cent of their value on Monday as investors remained uncertain about the global outlook despite the US's proposed 
700-billion-dollar bailout. 

Bangkok - Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej swore in the cabinet of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat Thursday amid mounting criticism they are not up to the challenges facing the country.

Somchai, who is also serving as defence minister as had former prime minister Samak Sundaravej who resigned earlier this month, said the first cabinet meeting will be held Friday and added the policies of his government will be compatible with those during the Samak administration.

Bangkok - A Thai appeals court upheld a libel conviction against former prime minister Samak Sundaravej Thursday and sentenced him to two years in jail but then released him on bail.

The verdict came after Samak lost his post as prime minister on September 9 when the Constitution Court found him guilty of illegal moonlighting by hosting television cooking shows while he was in office. It is illegal for sitting prime ministers to earn income from a second job.

Bangkok  - Thailand's king on Wednesday approved the cabinet lineup submitted by new Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and the new ministers are scheduled to be sworn in Thursday, the government announced.

Under Thailand's constitutional monarchy the appointments must be approved by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is head of state, and they are official only after they are sworn in by the king.

The 35-member cabinet includes Somchai also serving as defence minister, as had former prime minister Samak Sundaravej who resigned earlier this month.