1.   The merged municipal insurance unit will be based in San Antonio.

2.   The merged unit probably would operate as a joint venture under Amersham control, a person familiar with the plan said.

3.   Association chairman Banterng Tantivit said the idea is to strengthen the remaining firms in the hope that the merged unit may receive a banking licence.

4.   If successful, the two Thai banks will become one and the foreign suitor will inject new capital into the merged unit.

5.   It said the newly merged unit would continue to be listed in Paris and New York.

6.   The statement added that the finance ministry and the Bank of Thailand would support the new merged unit in case of a liquidity crunch.