ANNOUNCES BETTER OPERATE RESULT

The Bangchak Petroleum Plc (BPC) would like to report on 1996 operate result as follows: In 1996 BPC could achieve sales totalling to Bt33,103 million, pretax profits Bt1,463 million and net profits Bt1,024 million which was higher 18%, assumed ranked the 2nd from 25 oil traders as top profitibility. It was considered that 1996 was the year of fierceful compitition for oil trading as viewed from 25 more traders and 3 more oil refineries as well as liberalised oil imports. However, the retailers of BPC still gained good profits, achieving 24% growth of total sales because many people valued BPC's oil as befriending toward both environment and engine. In oil refinery, company is carrying out the construction worth Bt1,500 million and Bangchak Power Co., Ltd., generating electricity for sales to The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). It plans to expand retailers and to jointly with big retailers which are running consumer product business too.