'Asia Times' rolls off presses

'Asia Times' rolls off presses

BANGKOK (AFP): The first edition of the Asia Times, a regional
business daily billed as Asia's answer to the Wall Street Journal
and the Financial Times, rolled off the presses in three Asian
cities yesterday.

The English-language newspaper, with an expected initial
circulation of 30,000, will be printed in Bangkok, Hong Kong and
Singapore, a statement said.

"Asia Times is the first Asian owned, Asian based regional
newspaper," publisher Sondhi Limthongkul said. "The launch of the
Asia Times demonstrates the first time Asians are breaking the
western media monopoly of Asia."

The newspaper, which has said its aim is to wean Asian
business people away from London's Financial Times and the U.S.-
owned Asian Wall Street Journal, will be the flagship publication
of Thailand's Manager Media Group.