July 6, 2007 - HMC Polymers Co. Ltd. ("HMC Polymers") today signed new bank facility agreements in relation to the expansion of their existing petrochemical facilities at Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate to incorporate two new production plants. The new facilities will include a propane dehydrogenation production plant (310,000 tons per annum), with propane feedstock supplied by PTT Plc., that will be the dedicated feedstock supplier to a new state-of-the-art LyondellBasell licensed Spherizone polypropylene plant.

The new bank facilities represent a total of USD 475 million comprised of an offshore facility lead arranged by HSBC, KBC, Calyon, Standard Chartered and SMBC, plus onshore facilities provided by Bangkok Bank, Siam Commercial Bank, Krung Thai Bank and the Government Savings Bank, that will contribute towards the total project costs.

Started in 1987, HMC Polymers is the first polypropylene producer in Thailand and is acknowledged as the technology leader in South-East Asia. Once the new production plants are both operational in 2009, HMC Polymers will become the largest polypropylene producer in Thailand with a total aggregate polypropylene production capacity of 750,000 tons per annum.

HMC Polymers is able to build on the strengths of its key shareholders, namely PTT Plc which is Thailand's only fully integrated oil, gas and petrochemical company, along with LyondellBasell which is the global leader in polyolefins technology, production and marketing. Other significant investors include Bangkok Bank PLC and Hua Kee Company.

This new expansion project is consistent with HMC Polymers's long-term strategy to capitalize upon its strong shareholder alliance by expanding operational capacity and differentiating its product offering by utilizing LyondellBasell's latest technology, Spherizone.