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Ruling on RP-Thai row moved to end of April 

THE WORLD TRADE Organization (WTO) panel in charge of settling a long-standing cigarette tax dispute between the Philippines and Thailand has postponed the release of its preliminary ruling by a month, a Trade official yesterday said.

The interim report will be issued by end-April instead of end-March as the panel needs more time to go over the arguments, Trade Assistant Secretary Jose Antonio S. Buencamino said.

In the meantime, exporters -- particularly Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. (PMPMI) -- will have to bear with Thailand's allegedly unfair tax treatment of foreign-made cigarettes.

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