Post office aims for B700m

       Thailand Post says it will try to achieve its target of 700 million baht in profit this year, even though domestic politics and the global recession will affect international transport.
       Ormsin Cheewaplueck, the president of Thailand Post, said that half-year performance had fallen short of the original target because of political turmoil and the recession.
       Total revenues were 7.39 billion baht,with communications taking the highest share at 74%, with 9.9% coming from logistics,6.4% from financial business and 6% from retail.
       He said that although the 700-millionbaht target could be hard to achieve, he was confident the second half would generate at least 350 million baht in profit. The state enterprise earned 263 million baht in profit in the first half.
       Thailand Post plans to increase rev-enues in the short term by extending service hours at its service points and mobile service points in industrial estates as well as by opening more outlets.
       It also plans to sell rare stamps, install more postboxes and service points and install more satellite dishes.
       For the long term, he said, the company would focus on personnel improvement, as it has 21,000 staff, and upgrading its IT system.
       Thailand Post entered its seventh year of operation after separating itself from the Communications Authority of Thailand in 2003. The postal service was losing an average of 1.2 billion baht a year before separation.
       After separation, Thailand Post has grown with net profit increasing yearly since 2004 from 229 million baht to 1.78 billion in 2007. Last year it earned 972 million baht in profit.