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Australia’s Kingsgate Battles Thai Junta Government Over Closure of Chatree Gold Mine

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The Chatree gold mine in the northern Thai province of Phichit was closed in January after a government order. – Photo Hiroshi Kotani

PHICHIT – Relations between the Australian mining company Kingsgate Consolidated and the Junta government are embroiled in a legal battle over the closure of a gold mine in Phichit, Thailand, a case that foreign companies with investments in the country are watching very closely.

Kingsgate Consolidated ceased operations on Jan. 1, 2017 at the Chatree gold mine in the northern Thai province of Phichit a few weeks after an order from the military government in December of last year.

But the Sydney-based company said in a statement that it began international arbitration procedures last month to demand compensation, claiming the order was baseless.

Kingsgate, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, “will commence arbitration proceedings against the Kingdom of Thailand under the Australia-Thailand Free Trade Agreement,” Ross Smyth-Kirk, executive chairman of the company, said in a statement on Nov. 2.

Kingsgate said it will seek a settlement through arbitration procedures “in order to recover the substantial losses that it has suffered, and continue to suffer, as a result of the measures taken by the Thai government.”

The outlook for the legal battle is uncertain.

While Thai media reports have said the Thai government may have to pay 30 billion baht ($918 million) in compensation, Kingsgate has yet to announce the amount of compensation it is seeking.

The company had operated the mine since 2001 under Akara Resources, a Thai subsidiary that is wholly owned by Kingsgate.

Chatree has been an important source of revenue for Kingsgate, producing some 50,000 ounces, or 1.5 tons, of gold in the last quarter of 2016 before its closure.

The Thai government’s decision to close Chatree followed complaints about environmental and health hazards by people living near the mine and nongovernmental organizations. But Kingsgate has disputed that claim.

“Chatree was closed down arbitrarily based on totally false complaints,” the company said in a statement.

Residents in the area are split over whether the mine should be allowed to operate.

The dispute has become complicated because the government — the National Council for Peace and Order, as the junta is officially known — issued an order for its closure under Section 44 of the Interim Constitution that empowers Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, the head of the council, to issue any order without legal and other procedures. All orders issued under the section are deemed lawful.

The move to close Chatree was praised by residents opposing the mine. But Kingsgate and residents in favor of the mine being allowed to operate view the decision as an abuse of power. Kingsgate said it has failed to reach an agreement with the government on its demand for compensation through negotiations held after the mine’s closure.

Kingsgate has also launched court proceedings against insurance companies under a political-risk insurance claim of up to $200 million, because the insurers maintain that the closure of operations at Chatree is not covered by the policy.

In his address to Kingsgate’s general shareholders meeting on Nov. 23, Smyth-Kirk showed a confident stance on the legal battle with the Thai government.

“The commencement of proceedings was a tactical step taken by your company with a view to elevating the claim to the political level in Thailand, where we expect a satisfactory resolution could ultimately be achieved,” he told shareholders.

The Thai military government has been taking a hard line to address the country’s problems — including security enforcement and the easing of regulations — because it allows the junta to control bureaucratic organizations, companies and others without legal and administrative restraints.

Orders under section 44 have also been used for personnel transfers at the central government and economic management. For example, the governor and entire board of the State Railway of Thailand were replaced in February.

The junta also eased regulations in June to facilitate the issuance of business licenses to Chinese engineers in a bid to accelerate a Sino-Thai high-speed railway project, a main feature of economic cooperation between the two countries.

The order issued to Akara Resources was unusual, as it dealt a direct blow to a private company.

Although Thailand’s new constitution took effect in April, the National Council for Peace and Order has retained Section 44 of the Interim Constitution.

The new constitution stipulates that the council will remain in office until new cabinet ministers are appointed following a general election. Until then, Prayut, as head of the council, will continue to have the powers as provided in the interim constitution.

By Hiroshi Kotani
Nikkei

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PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

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(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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water

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

water

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP

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