Thai stock exchange sees bombing incidents not impacting market

BANGKOK, March 1 (TNA) -- Grenade attacks over the weekend at four branches of Bangkok Bank, Thailand's largest commercial bank, will not have an impact on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) when the bourse resumes trading Tuesday, said SET president Pattareeya Benjapolchai on Monday.

Mrs Pattareeya said the SET is monitoring the ongoing political turbulence on a continuing basis and the stock market will not be affected when it reopens Tuesday "if no incident occurs today.”

Tight security has been provided by police at all branches of the bank, Thailand’s largest commercial bank, following bomb attacks at four branches in Bangkok and its neighbouring province of Samut Prakan on Saturday. Only two bombs went off, and while glass windows and telephone booths were damaged, no casualties were reported.

Expressing her confidence that the government could control the unrest, Mrs Pattareeya said she believed investors would not panic and that Bangkok Bank share prices on Tuesday would not decline.

Bangkok Bank on Friday closed at Bt116.50, up Bt1.50 from Thursday.

The SET was closed Monday for Makha Bucha, an important Buddhist religious holiday.

Bangkok police, meanwhile, said no untoward incident took place at any bank branches since Sunday. (TNA)