Business News
Thailand business news, market trends, foreign investment, and economic updates—stay informed on stock market movements, entrepreneurship, and key developments shaping the economy. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for business news in Thailand.
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Phyathai-Paolo partners with Shop.BeDee to advance personalised healthcare in Thailand
Phyathai-Paolo Hospital Group has announced a strategic partnership with Shop.BeDee, a leading digital healthcare platform, to enhance access to healthcare services and accelerate the shift toward personalised healthcare in Thailand. The collaboration reflects changing consumer behaviour, as more people are turning to digital channels to search for health information, compare services, and make healthcare decisions. Data from Phyathai-Paolo shows that…
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Thailand unveils 5,999 baht FIFA World Cup 2026 package
Jasmine International, or JAS, has officially confirmed it secured the broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2030 for Thailand, announcing a 5,999 baht premium viewing package at a press conference in Bangkok today, June 11. The company said it is the sole FIFA rights holder in Thailand for the World Cup 2026, which will take place from…
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2026 World Cup broadcast rights not secured, report says
A source has denied reports that Jasmine International Public Company Limited (JAS) has secured the broadcasting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying no announcement is scheduled. Recent reports claimed JAS had completed a deal with FIFA for the rights to broadcast the 2026 World Cup in Thailand and was preparing to announce the agreement. However, the information has…
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Why more Southeast Asian traders are turning to gold and silver in 2026
Trading activity continues to expand across Southeast Asia, with more and more participants entering global financial markets to explore the intricacies of income generation, portfolio diversification, and analytical skills. One clear trend is emerging in 2026: growing interest in gold and silver trading amid geopolitical instability and high volatility. But what’s fueling this shift? Let’s explore the key drivers behind…
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How to generate promotional videos for trampoline parks with AI
Step into a pottery studio, and there is one thing that stands out about the place from the moment you enter it. This includes the spinning of the wheel, the feel of the mud on your hands, shelves of pottery creations made by hand, and a group of focused artists. For the pottery studios, being able to capture such an…
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JAS targets World Cup 2026 rights in bid to retain Premier League subscribers
Jasmine International Emerges as Frontrunner for Thailand’s 2026 World Cup Broadcast Rights Thailand’s Jasmine International Pcl (JAS) has emerged as the leading contender to secure the domestic broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026, following the withdrawal of its main competitor, True Corporation. According to prominent local sports journalist Bebangpakong, True decided to pull out of the bidding process,…
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Why electronic identity documents are raising the bar for fraud prevention
Identity fraud has become one of the biggest challenges facing organisations that rely on digital onboarding and remote customer verification. As fraudsters gain access to increasingly sophisticated tools—including AI-generated identities, forged documents, and deepfake technologies—traditional document checks alone are often no longer sufficient. To address these threats, businesses and government agencies are increasingly turning to RFID verification as an additional…
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Malaysia bans Thai shrimp over seabass dispute, 4 billion baht at risk
Malaysia’s ban on Thai shrimp imports took effect on June 1, targeting five species and putting more than 4 billion baht in annual export revenue at immediate risk. The measure is a direct response to Thailand’s own import restrictions on Malaysian seabass, and it has already disrupted trade on both sides of the border. What Malaysia has banned and why…
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Co-payment scheme begins, opposition flags borrowed funds
More than 39.2 million people have begun receiving 1,000 baht in government support today, June 1, as the Thais Help Thais Plus co-payment scheme officially launches, according to the Finance Ministry. Permanent Secretary for Finance Lavaron Sangsnit said beneficiaries comprise 13.18 million state welfare cardholders and 26.04 million people registered under the 60/40 co-payment programme. Funds are accessible daily from…
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Thai economy threatened by migrant worker shortage amid rising costs
Thailand’s government faces growing pressure to tackle a migrant worker shortage that is compounding economic difficulties driven by high energy costs and threatening key industries, a business group warned on Friday. The Thai Chamber of Commerce called on the government to speed up work permit renewals, particularly for Cambodian workers, to prevent them losing their legal status. The move is…
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Thailand’s 2026 GDP outlook firms up on private investment surge
Thailand’s economy picked up pace in the first quarter of 2026, with the NESDC reporting GDP growth of 2.8%, ahead of the 2.5% recorded in the final quarter of last year. Both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors contributed to the improvement. Farm output grew by 1.2%, more than doubling the 0.6% seen in the previous quarter, while the broader non-agricultural…
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Why the gold price surging past 4,700 USD is both a blessing and a headache for Thailand’s central bank
Thailand has always had a deep relationship with gold. It is savings, family wealth, emergency money, and a trusted asset when markets feel unstable. But in 2026, gold has become more than a household favourite. It has turned into a serious currency issue for the Bank of Thailand. The gold price surging past 4,700 USD is a blessing because it…
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Bank of Thailand cuts GDP forecast to 1.5%, slashes interest rate to 1% as war and trade pressures bite
Thailand’s central bank has issued its starkest economic warning in years. The Bank of Thailand’s (BOT) Monetary Policy Report for Q1 2026 revised the country’s GDP growth forecast sharply downward to just 1.5%, well below the 2.4% recorded in 2025, as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to cut the benchmark interest rate to a historic low of 1.00% per…
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Anutin clarifies ‘miscommunication’, insisting foreign businesses still require permits
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul apologised after confusion surrounding a Cabinet policy that led many people to believe that foreign investors would be allowed to operate businesses in Thailand without permits. The controversy emerged after Deputy Government Spokesperson Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn announced yesterday, May 13, that the Cabinet had approved changes affecting eight categories of businesses operated by foreign investors. Patdarasm assured…
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Thailand eases foreign business red tape in eight sectors to cut regulatory overlap
Thailand’s Cabinet has approved in principle two pieces of draft subordinate legislation under the Foreign Business Act 1999, exempting eight service business categories from the requirement to obtain a foreign business licence, the government announced on May 12. Deputy Government Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn, announced the Cabinet meeting. The two instruments, a draft royal decree and…
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Bangkok MP questions AOT fee hike despite billion-baht profits
Bangkok MP Suphanat Minchaiynunt has questioned the government over AOT’s planned airport fee increase from 730 baht to 1,120 baht per international departure passenger from June 20, 2026. The increase of more than 50% has drawn public debate amid rising living costs and higher travel expenses. AOT cited the need to fund airport improvements to meet ICAO standards. Suphanat Minchaiynunt…
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How global gaming turns local through sports and online play
Global gaming used to involve one giant audience moving in the same direction. That is no longer how the market feels from the player side. The same internet that spread games worldwide has made regional habits more visible, from Southeast Asia’s mobile-first communities to Australia’s sports-led online entertainment moments. A useful way to understand this shift is to see games…
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Pokémon Centre Bangkok to open at centralwOrld in 2026
Thailand will get its first Pokémon Centre in 2026, with Pokémon Centre Bangkok set to open at centralwOrld in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok. Pokémon (Thailand) has signed a lease agreement with Central Pattana for the new Bangkok branch. The deal was signed by Shunsuke Sasaki, director of Pokémon (Thailand), and Isareit Chirathivat, Central Pattana’s Head of Leasing – Fashion &…
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Thailand hits 60-year investment record as Amazon, Google, BYD and others bet big
If you only looked at the investment scoreboard for Southeast Asian economies last year, chances are you would probably want to skip over Thailand. While Vietnam was sprinting ahead with 7% growth and Indonesia held steady at 5%, Thailand was limping with a meagre 2.4%. With the IMF recently cutting its 2026 projection to a dismal 1.6%, the narrative that…
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16 restaurants seized in Bang Tao beach encroachment crackdown
huket authorities seized five rai of Choeng Talay coastline after discovering restaurants unlawfully charging access fees, prompting imminent legal prosecution against investors. Phuket Deputy Governor Rungruang Thimabut led a joint operation to inspect the area. Officials discovered private investors had fenced off the public beach. They built 16 restaurants and other commercial structures on the site. These operators restricted public…
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How sports entertainment is changing in Asia – 2026 update
Asia’s sports entertainment landscape looks nothing like it did five years ago. The region now generates more than half of all global esports revenue, while Southeast Asia’s digital economy crossed $300 billion in gross merchandise value during 2025. The way fans engage with sport has shifted dramatically. Streaming platforms, interactive prediction markets, and digital experiences from platforms like BETVIBE India…
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Fujiseiki showcases TSDH shari ball machine at THAIFEX-HOREC ASIA 2026
Japanese food-production equipment manufacturer Fujiseiki Co., Ltd. said it is advancing automation-focused production systems as demand grows for efficient operations that maintain consistent quality, hygiene and safety standards in food manufacturing. Published by Global Kigyo, the report said Fujiseiki has built an international reputation for developing machines that produce artisan Japanese foods such as sushi and onigiri to match the…
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CP Group signs MoU with SEGA to explore ASEAN IP growth
CP Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan-based SEGA Corporation to explore entertainment business opportunities in Thailand and the ASEAN region, the companies announced yesterday, April 27. The agreement focuses on combining SEGA’s global intellectual property (IP) and content development expertise with CP Group’s business ecosystem and regional network. Under the MoU, both parties will begin by studying…
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Thai AirAsia halt nine routes from Don Mueang due to fuel crisis
Thai AirAsia has revised its summer 2026 flight schedule, temporarily suspending nine international routes from Don Mueang Airport and reducing services on others, as rising jet fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict put pressure on airline operations. The carrier has halted services on several routes, with some suspensions running through to late October 2026. The following routes have…
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Kao’s NEWTLAC earns Material Innovation Awards 2025 for sustainable asphalt innovation
Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has announced that NEWTLAC, a chemical innovation that repurposes used PET plastic bottles into an asphalt additive, has won the Material Innovation Awards 2025 at Architect Lanna 2025. The company said the additive is designed to enhance road construction performance while supporting sustainability goals by converting recycled plastic waste into what it described as green…
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Unemployment looms as PTT ‘tests’ self-service fuelling
PTT Oil and Retail Business (OR) has officially launched a self-service fuelling option at PTT Station outlets across Thailand, offering drivers a discount of 40 satang per litre with no minimum purchase required. The rollout, framed under an “easy and smart” concept, is designed to cut waiting times during peak hours and give customers full control of the refuelling process.…
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Thai Senate committee proposes a 3% VAT hike in new tax reform
Thailand’s Economic, Financial and Fiscal Affairs Committee of the Senate proposed a tax reform plan to address the country’s fiscal deficit and rising public debt, including a proposal to raise value-added tax (VAT) from 7% to 10%. The committee, chaired by Kamphol Supapaeng, discussed the tax restructuring plan yesterday, April 19, as part of efforts to tackle long-term fiscal challenges.…
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Thailand to issue emergency loan decree amid El Niño fears and rising energy costs
Thailand’s government is preparing to issue an emergency loan decree worth 500,000 million baht to build up financial reserves ahead of what officials describe as compounding economic risks, including a super El Niño weather event and elevated global energy prices. Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilpraphat confirmed the plan, saying the current state of the treasury is limited and relatively rigid,…
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Thai flight cuts lead to 10% drop in outbound travel
Flight cancellations and capacity reductions are expected to push outbound trips down by 15 to 20% during the low season, with a 10% decline projected across the full year. Several Thai carriers have trimmed their schedules on specific routes. Thai AirAsia X has pulled back on its Bangkok to Sapporo service, while Thai AirAsia has reduced flights to China for…
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Thai Airways cuts May flights across Asia, Europe
Thai Airways has reduced flight frequencies across domestic, Asian and European routes for May in response to weaker tourism demand and high fuel costs. The schedule, reported as of yesterday, April 16, affects key routes from May 1 onwards, with some reductions lasting until the end of the month. On domestic routes, flights to Khon Kaen will be reduced from…
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