'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.