by Khettiya Jittapong
Thai companies in Cambodia are on the alert after a border clash between the two countries and have pulled out some Thai employees but, for now, they're trying to carry on more or less as normal, executives said on Thursday.
"For businesses in Cambodia, there's nothing out of the ordinary. We continue to run business as normal," said Watchai Vilailuck, chief executive of telecoms group Samart Corp. "But we are ready if there is an evacuation."
"We have put down deep roots in Cambodia over a long period and are attached to the people there. And I don't think they hate us," added Watchai, whose family also has businesses in Cambodia.
Samart, 19 percent owned by Telekom Malaysia, runs Cambodia Air Traffic Services, which looks after air traffic control in Cambodia, including Sihanoukville airport, and operates a power plant for a local cement firm owned by Siam Cement Group.
A Siam Cement official said the company had pulled out all of its 20 Thai staff since Wednesday's fighting, in which two Cambodian soldiers were killed, but its business was running normally.
Khon Kaen Sugar Industry, Thailand's fourth biggest sugar firm, said half of its 100 or so Thai employees had left after the clash, and that the situation, if prolonged for one or two months, could delay the construction of a new plant there.
"But we are still committed to our investment," Assistant Vice President Chalush Chinthammithe told Reuters.
It is in the process of building a new sugar plant on the coastal island of Koh Kong that is scheduled to begin production in early 2009.
MORE BASE STATIONS
Satellite operator Thaicom PCL said its telephone business in Cambodia -- it is the second biggest mobile phone company -- had not been affected and it intended to go ahead with plans to expand its network to boost competitiveness.
Thai companies in Cambodia are on the alert after a border clash between the two countries and have pulled out some Thai employees but, for now, they're trying to carry on more or less as normal, executives said on Thursday.
"For businesses in Cambodia, there's nothing out of the ordinary. We continue to run business as normal," said Watchai Vilailuck, chief executive of telecoms group Samart Corp. "But we are ready if there is an evacuation."
"We have put down deep roots in Cambodia over a long period and are attached to the people there. And I don't think they hate us," added Watchai, whose family also has businesses in Cambodia.
Samart, 19 percent owned by Telekom Malaysia, runs Cambodia Air Traffic Services, which looks after air traffic control in Cambodia, including Sihanoukville airport, and operates a power plant for a local cement firm owned by Siam Cement Group.
A Siam Cement official said the company had pulled out all of its 20 Thai staff since Wednesday's fighting, in which two Cambodian soldiers were killed, but its business was running normally.
Khon Kaen Sugar Industry, Thailand's fourth biggest sugar firm, said half of its 100 or so Thai employees had left after the clash, and that the situation, if prolonged for one or two months, could delay the construction of a new plant there.
"But we are still committed to our investment," Assistant Vice President Chalush Chinthammithe told Reuters.
It is in the process of building a new sugar plant on the coastal island of Koh Kong that is scheduled to begin production in early 2009.
MORE BASE STATIONS
Satellite operator Thaicom PCL said its telephone business in Cambodia -- it is the second biggest mobile phone company -- had not been affected and it intended to go ahead with plans to expand its network to boost competitiveness.
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