Overseas Thais urged to buy bonds

The Thai government says it will start selling savings certificates from the beginning of next month to Thais living abroad to help raise foreign currency.

A government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart said those buying the bonds which have a three-year maturity periodwould have to exchange a minimum of about one-thousand dollars worth of foreign currency for Thai baht to pay for them.

Correspondents say the scheme is the latest development in a campaign by the Thai government to persuade Thais overseas to help the country out of its current economic difficulties.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service