IN SLASHING its 2026 GDP forecast from 1.9 to just 1.2 percent should the Middle East war drag on and escalate Kasikorn Research Centre (KResearch) warned that Thailand also risks being hit by stagflation and a “Triple Deficit”, PPTVHD36 said yesterday (March 21). Mr. Burin Adulwattana, managing director and chief economist of KResearch, said
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Escalating Middle East war will likely further weaken Thai baht
THE Thai baht is set to weaken further as the Middle East war is intensifying and dragging on while the US Federal Reserve also may not be in a rush to cut interest rates, PPTVHD36 said today (March 20). Mr. Wachirawat Banchuen, senior financial market strategist at Siam Commercial Bank, said the Thai baht’s
Read moreCoconut farmers stage protest at Parliament over low prices
COCONUT farmers dumped their produce in front of Parliament today (March 19) in protest of plummeting prices of aromatic coconuts and gave the government 30 days to take action with a warning that they will escalate their demonstration if no progress is made, Naewna newspaper and TNA said. A representative of the farmers said
Read moreScramble for fuel in Chiang Mai could rock tourism
RESIDENTS of northern Chiang Mai city flocked to fill up their vehicles this evening as fuel prices are rising at 5 a.m. tomorrow (Mar. 18) with some petrol pumps imposing refueling limit while the a taxi cooperative head warned the current situation is impacting both transportation and tourism, TV Channel 7 said. There were
Read moreThailand to buy crude oil from Angola, US
AMID oil shortage fears Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon said today (Mar. 17) that Thailand has reached agreements to buy nearly 2 million barrels of crude oil from Angola and over 600,000 barrels from the United States, PPTVHD36 said. This will ensure that there is enough crude oil supply to meet refining capacity. While the
Read moreMiddle East war starting to rock tourism with focus now on Asians
AS THE US-Israel war on Iran enters the third week Thai tourism industry is now starting to feel the impact of some people hesitating to go on a holiday but this is also an opportunity to draw more Asian tourists to the country, PTTVHD36 said today (March 14). Mr. Chotichong Surangkul, vice president of
Read moreThailand has crude oil reserves for another 98 days
IN ALLAYING fears about oil shortage, Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Transport Minister Phipat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that the country has sufficient crude oil reserves for 98 days while the price of diesel will stay fixed till Monday (Mar. 16), TV Channel 7 and PPTVHD36 said today (Mar. 13). As the 15-day freezing of diesel price is expiring
Read moreNew govt urged to build energy security amid stagflation fears
AS energy shortages may occur during the current US-Israeli war on Iran, with this being a weak point of the Thai economy, the main challenge for the new government will be building energy security and coping with rising energy prices, People’s MP Anusorn Tamajai said today (Mar.8). Amid the looming energy shortages there is
Read moreBA confident of Thai tourism industry despite Middle East turmoil
BANGKOK Airways Plc (BA) is confident that the Thai tourism industry will continue thriving amidst the war in the Middle East with foreign tourists likely coming here for extended stays as happened when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, PPTVHD36 said today (Mar. 7). Mr. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, BA’s president and CEO, said Thailand’s charm, beauty
Read moreFertilizer retailers fear prolonged war will drive up prices
WITH most urea fertilizer being produced and shipped from Middle Eastern countries, should the US-Israel war on Iran drag on there will be a ripple effect with retailers seeing sales plunge while farmers would have to cope with increased costs, TV Channel 7 said today (Mar. 7). A survey of fertilizer shops in Buriram
Read moreThailand has enough oil reserve for short term: Panel
WITH the US-Israel air war against Iran having expanded today (March 2) engulfing Lebanon, Gulf states and a British air base in far-away Cyprus, Thailand’s Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) reassured that there are sufficient oil reserves for 60 days and contingency plans could be utilised to secure supplies from
Read moreCrude soars, stocks drop after US strikes on Iran
By AFP – published by Yahoo!News and Thai Newsroom OIL PRICES soared and stocks fell in Asia on Monday (March 2) after US-Israeli strikes on Iran sent investors fleeing the prospect of an extended conflict in the crude-rich Middle East. Brent briefly spiked almost 14 percent and West Texas Intermediate nearly 12 percent at
Read moreThai central bank unexpectedly cuts policy rate amid tariff uncertainty
By Reuters and published by CNA THAILAND’S central bank unexpectedly cut its policy interest rate at a review on Wednesday (Feb. 25), as it seeks to further support an economy pressured by US tariff uncertainty and a strong baht. The Bank of Thailand’s monetary policy committee voted 4-2 to cut the one-day repurchase rate
Read moreGovt not hiking VAT to 10% for 2-3 years: Bhumjaithai
BHUMJAITHAI Party confirmed that the new coalition government is not planning to increase value added tax (VAT) to 10% for the next two to three years amid criticism that this is what is looming, Naewna newspaper said today (Feb. 23). Mr. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, Bhumjaithai’s deputy leader, said concern about a VAT hike mounted after
Read moreAfter court ruling, Trump says US global tariff rate will rise from 10% to 15%
By Reuters and published by Yahoo!News WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said on Saturday (Feb. 21) he will raise a temporary tariff from 10% to 15% on US imports from all countries, the maximum level allowed under the law, after the US Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff programme. The move came
Read moreTrump vows 10% global tariff after stinging court rebuke
By AFP and published by CNA WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump vowed on Friday (Feb. 20) to impose a 10 percent tariff on all imports into the United States after the Supreme Court handed him a stinging rebuke by striking down his signature economic policy. The conservative-majority top court ruled six-three that a
Read moreTax hike will make Thai airports more expensive than world’s best
AFTER Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) announced an increase in the international departure passenger service charge (PSC) from 730 baht to 1,120 baht per person, effective June 20, 2026 onwards, it has been noted that Thailand thenceforth would be charging more than leading airports worldwide, Naewna newspaper said yesterday (Feb. 20). The fee increase
Read morePM tells Finance Minister GDP growth must exceed 2.5% in 2026
CARTAKER Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul today (Feb. 19) summoned Deputy Prime Ministe-cum-Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanpraphat, Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaichanok Chidchob, and Justice Minister Pol. Gen. Ruttaphon Naowarat to a meeting where he emphasised that Thailand’s GDP growth must exceed 2.5% this year, Amarin TV said this evening. This followed the Office
Read moreCould the public handle 1,000 baht Koh Samui bridge toll?
AS THE Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) is now proceeding with a feasibility study of building a bridge connecting mainland Surat Thai to Koh Samui a politician raised the question whether the public will be able to cope with 1,000 baht toll fee per trip with this rate being more expensive than some world-class
Read more700+ factories closed, 1,200+ opened in 2025
WHILE 786 factories closed in 2025 and 1,220 new ones opened, there were more closures than openings in December for the first time in two years, PPTVHD36 quoted Kasikorn Research Centre as saying today (Feb. 6). This reflects ongoing structural problems and intense competition in the manufacturing sector, the research centre pointed out, Although
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