SINGAPORE, July 12 (Reuters) - Asia-Pacific crude market held steady on Thursday as traders awaited the results of IRPC's buy tender to gauge price levels and the supply situation for light sweet grades. The Thai refiner may help absorb surplus spot supply if it buys from the market, but it could opt to use domestic crude or buy from PTT, which is trying to unload prompt cargoes after a fire at Bangchak's refinery. Unsold supply and weak demand in Japan continued to weigh on sentiment while a rise in Brent crude's premium to Middle East Dubai rose to a five-week high and may put downward pressure on the spot differentials for Brent-linked grades. * TENDERS - PV Oil offered 250,000 barrels of Song Doc crude for loading on Sept. 1-6. The tender will close on July 16 with bids valid until July 18. - BPMIGAS did not award a tender to sell two cargoes of Senipah crude for July-August loading on low bids, traders said. * MARKET NEWS - Vietnam's crude oil exports rose 6.9 percent in the first six months of the year from a year ago, to 4.18 million tonnes (169,300 barrels per day), similar to an initial government estimate, Vietnam Customs said. - Global economic slowdown could put a lid on oil prices but there is a risk "nasty supply surprises" could reignite a market rally, the International Energy Agency said. CRUDE Price Prev Change AUG Brent 98.55 98.69 0.86 AUG Brent/Dubai EFS DUB-EFS-1M 3.18 2.78 0.40 PRODUCT CRACKS Price Prev Change AUG fuel oil crack -3.87 -3.93 0.06 AUG gasoil crack 17.33 17.78 -0.45 AUG naphtha crack -8.99 -8.25 -0.75 COMPLEX REFINERY MARGINS Today 7.24 Last 5 days 6.61 Last 365 days 7.30

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