Economy News
Thailand economy news, business updates, financial markets, and government policies—stay informed on economic developments shaping the nation. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for Thailand economic news.
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Sponsored Where to shop for sports gear at Jungceylon Phuket
Phuket might be known for its beaches and nightlife, but the island also has a thriving fitness culture. From Muay Thai gyms to beach runs at sunrise, staying active is part of daily life for many who live here (as...
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Chon Buri community market boosts local economy and spirit
A vibrant community market was set up in front of the Khao Mai Kaew subdistrict administrative organisation (SAO) meeting hall, in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, offering locals a platform to sell goods such as fresh produce, traditional sweets, and crafts, boosting the local economy and community ties. On Tuesday, September 2, the market attracted a vibrant crowd, with both…
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Thai car production slumps as debt and tariffs bite
The Thai automotive sector continues to face challenges this year, with total car production declining by 5.73% year-on-year in the first seven months, impacting employment in car manufacturing plants. Between January and July, 835,331 units were produced. In July alone, manufacturing reached 110,616 units, marking an 11% decrease compared with the previous year, according to the Federation of Thai Industries…
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Thai government approves economic relief for border regions
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has approved a set of economic relief initiatives proposed by the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) to support communities impacted by recent disturbances at the Thai-Cambodian border. The communities in need are located in the provinces of Trat, Chanthaburi, Sa Kaeo, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani. After discussions with TCC Chairman Poj…
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Tough times hit Thai cinema as viewers cut back
Box office blues could be looming for Thai cinemas as cash-strapped moviegoers become pickier about what’s worth their ticket money. That’s the concern from top Thai studio GDH 559 Co Ltd Content Director Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn, who said the sluggish economy is making audiences more selective—possibly reducing their cinema visits from several times a month to just once. “Viewers may think…
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Trump teases new tariffs on drugs and chips
US President Donald Trump indicated yesterday that new tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals and semiconductors might be announced as early as next week as part of his ongoing efforts to reshape global trade. These comments were made during an interview with CNBC, occurring just days before another set of tariff increases is set to impact several economies later this week. The…
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Thaksin pushes for high EV tax to protect Thailand’s car industry
Could the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) be putting Thailand’s homegrown auto industry at risk? Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra thinks so, and he’s pushing for drastic tax changes to protect local manufacturers from foreign competition. Thaksin has called for a high excise tax to be imposed on imported EVs that contain minimal local content, in a bid to protect Thailand’s…
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Trump slashes Thai tariffs to 19% – but is there a catch?
US President Donald Trump has stunned Thailand and the wider ASEAN region by announcing a sharp cut in import tariffs on Thai goods, slashing rates from 36% to 19%. The decision, made public yesterday, July 31, via the former US president’s Truth Social platform, came just hours before an executive order was signed, locking the deal in from today, August…
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Thai govt unleashes 87 billion baht to jolt economy
Thailand’s government is throwing billions at the economy in a high-stakes bid to spark recovery before time runs out. With just two months left in the fiscal year, the Budget Bureau has unleashed 87.36 billion baht to fund 148 urgent economic stimulus projects, according to Deputy Finance Permanent Secretary Theerarak Saengsanit. The hefty injection accounts for 75.72% of the 115…
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Thai MPs accuse government of trading national security for tariff cuts
Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) MPs accused the government of concealing a significant deal with the United States from the public, claiming officials plan to allow the US to use a naval base in southern Thailand in exchange for a tariff reduction. A group of MPs from the Palang Pracharath Party, led by Phang Nga MP Chakaj Phatthanakitwibun, held a press…
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Banking on trouble: SCB scales back as storm brews in Thailand
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) is battening down the hatches and scaling back its operations for the next 12 to 18 months, warning of tough times ahead as Thailand’s economy hits choppy waters. SCB Chief Executive Kris Chantanotoke painted a bleak picture of the months to come, blaming soaring household debt, sluggish growth, and the threat of US tariffs for the…
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Thailand pushes China to fast-track fruit and rice exports
Thailand is turning up the heat on China to help fast-track its tastiest exports—from sweet tamarinds to juicy pomelos—in a high-stakes trade push aimed at cracking the world’s biggest consumer market. The Ministry of Commerce is pulling out all the stops to promote Thailand’s prized Geographical Indication (GI) products in China, urging Beijing’s top trade agency to speed up the…
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Electricity rates review set as Thailand aims to cap prices
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will gather public input on the new electricity rate for the upcoming September to December period, the last quarter of this year. This initiative, scheduled for today, aims to ensure electricity prices align with government policies. Yesterday, July 16, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Prasert Sinsukprasert announced that the ERC will open discussions…
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Thailand plots digital baht revolution to lure big-spending tourists
Thailand is taking a bold leap to cash in on the crypto craze, with regulators unveiling plans to let foreign tourists spend their digital coins directly on everything from street food to luxury hotels. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in partnership with the Bank of Thailand (BoT), announced a groundbreaking crypto sandbox programme designed to boost tourism and inject…
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Sticker shock: Thai food prices soar 106% as wages lag behind
Eating out in Bangkok is becoming a luxury few can afford, with research revealing Thai food prices have more than doubled in just over a decade, while wages have barely kept pace. A new study by the Agency for Real Estate Affairs (AREA) has revealed that the cost of food in Thailand has skyrocketed by 106.5% over the past 13…
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Fiscal 2025 revenue set to miss target amid economic slowdown
Revenue collection for the government’s fiscal year 2025 is anticipated to fall short of its target due to an economic slowdown, according to Finance Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit. From October 2024 to May 2025, net revenue amounted to 1.7 trillion baht, which is 12.7 billion baht, or 0.7%, below the target, though it is 1.7% higher compared to the same…
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Finance minister reveals final contenders to lead Bank of Thailand
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira confirmed yesterday that he has officially signed off on his nominee to lead the Bank of Thailand (BoT) and submitted the selection to the Cabinet for consideration today. Speaking to reporters, Pichai made it clear he had no reservations about collaborating with whichever candidate ultimately gets the nod. “Whoever is selected, I’ll…
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US deadline looms: Thailand races to avert tariff pain
Thailand is racing against the clock to defuse a trade crisis after Washington dropped a bombshell 36% tariff on Thai exports, forcing Bangkok to scramble for last-minute concessions and emergency bailouts before the deadline hits. The United States has given Thailand until August 1 to finalise trade proposals under its tough new Reciprocal Tariff policy. The Thai government confirmed it…
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Bank of Thailand dismisses deflation fears despite low inflation
Economists are increasingly concerned about potential deflationary trends but the Bank of Thailand (BoT) asserts there are no definitive signs of deflation despite ongoing low inflation. At a monetary policy forum on Wednesday, July 9, Surach Tanboon, senior director of the central bank’s monetary policy department, stated that the bank has not identified any signals of deflation, although inflation remains subdued.…
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Sweet crisis: Thailand races to rescue record longan harvest
Thailand’s mountains of sweet, golden longans are about to become a blessing and a headache all at once. Agriculture Minister Atthakorn Sirilattayakorn has ordered an all-hands-on-deck operation to tackle a record-breaking longan crop that’s expected to flood markets and risk crashing prices in the coming months. Speaking after chairing the first Policy Committee on Quality Longan Production Management meeting of…
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Thailand’s quiet bond with South Sudan takes off
Thailand has been quietly deepening its ties with Africa’s youngest nation, South Sudan, blending trade, peacekeeping, and even a dash of royal philosophy. Although diplomatic relations between the two countries remain limited—largely because South Sudan only gained independence in 2011—recent developments show that Thailand sees real opportunity in this far-flung relationship. The first formal step came on December 5, 2013,…
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Deal or no deal? Thailand rocked by Trump’s 36% tariffs bomb
Donald Trump has lobbed another economic grenade into global markets, slapping punishing new tariffs on key US trading partners, including Thailand, in a fresh trade tirade that’s left allies fuming and markets tumbling. The US president kicked off his latest trade war salvo by revealing a raft of “reciprocal” tariff letters, and warned this was only the beginning. Starting August…
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Thai US tax talks stall as Vietnam races ahead
Thailand’s hopes of clinching a breakthrough tax agreement with the United States have hit a stumbling block, leaving officials scrambling for solutions—and exporters nervously watching from the sidelines. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira admitted yesterday, July 4, that the much-anticipated deal remains out of reach despite days of high-level negotiations in Washington. Speaking during a stopover in…
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Wage war: Hotels reel as 400-baht mandate hits hard
The government’s new minimum wage hike has sparked outrage among hoteliers already hanging by a thread. While Bangkok politicians celebrate, many in the provinces are calling it a death sentence for small businesses. On Tuesday, July 1, the Cabinet approved raising the daily minimum wage for hotel workers nationwide to 400 baht, with the decision fast-tracked into law via the…
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Bangkok Bank backs Thai businesses entering Indonesia’s market
Bangkok Bank (BBL) is prepared to aid Thai medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to expand into Indonesia, where there is significant potential across various supply chain industries. During the 2025 Indonesia Investment and Trade Forum, hosted by Bangkok Bank and its Indonesian affiliate Permata Bank, BBL president Chartsiri Sophonpanich highlighted Indonesia’s promising economic and social prospects. The country’s GDP per capita…
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Jobless win big as Thailand ups unemployment payouts
Thailand’s workers are set to get a bigger lifeline as the Labour Ministry rolls out more generous unemployment benefits. The Labour Ministry officially approved higher unemployment compensation rates, offering fresh relief to insured employees under Thailand’s social security system. Marasri Jairangsi, Secretary General of the Social Security Office (SSO), confirmed that a new ministerial regulation took effect on Saturday, June…
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Thailand’s 36% US tariff at risk: Will minister secure a deal?
Thailand is on the edge of a crucial trade deadline with the US, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira announced today that he will be heading to the US next week for urgent trade negotiations. With Thailand facing a 36% tariff on its exports unless a deal is struck, time is running out for the kingdom to…
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Chiang Mai aims to be entertainment hub with major film deal
Chiang Mai is set to become Asia’s next big entertainment hotspot, thanks to a groundbreaking new collaboration. Hylife Group, the city’s leading real estate, asset management, and manufacturing giant, has just signed a major Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) and key industry partners to transform the northern Thai city into a regional film and…
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Army and prisoners tackle Thailand’s fruit labour crisis
To tackle the ongoing labour shortage and ensure a smooth harvest, the Department of Internal Trade (DIT) has launched an ambitious plan to handle the incoming fruit harvests from both the north and south of Thailand. The initiative, which has already gained support from military personnel and good prisoners, aims to streamline fruit distribution and provide much-needed assistance to farmers.…
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Thai exports at risk as Strait of Hormuz closes
Thai National Shippers’ Council chairperson Tanakorn Kasetsuwan yesterday discussed potential impacts following Iran’s decision to close the Strait of Hormuz due to Middle Eastern tensions. Tanakorn yesterday, June 23, outlined six strategies to mitigate the effects on the oil, fertiliser, and agriculture sectors, urging the Thai government to ensure energy security and minimise long-term risks. The closure of the Strait…
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Bangkok’s Green Line future in doubt: Will 20-baht fare survive?
As the Green Line’s concession approaches its expiration in 2029, the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) is preparing to release a groundbreaking study to explore four potential operational models that could keep the popular 20-baht flat fare policy alive. This move comes after Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt proposed a transfer of the Green Line project to the Ministry of Transport, believing…
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