Search Results for: Thailand's economy
- Technology News
Khon Kaen, Thailand’s smart city torchbearer
Khon Kaen has been held up as a shining example to the rest of Thailand on how to develop as a smart city. One of the four major cities of Isan in northern Thailand, Khon Kaen, was showered with praise at the 4th Apec Media Focus Group last week, hosted jointly by The Foreign Ministry, and Khon Kaen University International…
- Cannabis News
Thailand’s MOD bans use of cannabis on army premises
Thailand’s Ministry of Defense strictly orders military personnel not to use cannabis on army premises, according to ministry spokesman Col. Chinat Punnotok. Military personnel are also strictly prohibited from posting pictures or videos of themselves using cannabis on social media, said the spokesperson. The army’s cannabis ban was decided upon today during a meeting held by Thailand’s Defence Council, presided…
- Phuket News
‘Phuket Durian Fair’ promotes Thailand’s popular fruit for tourism
Hold your nose. Agriculture officials in Phuket have opened the ‘Phuket Durian Fair’ this week, seeking to promote the famous Thai fruit to bring income to local farmers. The Phuket Provincial Agriculture Office held the opening event in front of its offices on Narisorn Road in the island province’s main city district. The late Anthony Bourdain once said of the…
- Thailand Travel
Thailand’s cabinet approves budget to help Andaman tourism and development
Thailand’s cabinet is making it a priority to support development in the country’s Andaman provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang, and Satun. The budget of 338.8 million baht will go towards 6 projects in environmental and tourism development. A budget of 80.8 million baht will go to health services and environmental systems projects at Lipe Island in Satun. A…
- Economy News
As fuel prices climb, Thailand’s delivery workers struggle
As Thailand’s fuel prices climb, some delivery drivers are saying the country’s attempts at subsidies aren’t helping them much. One motorcycle taxi driver told Thai PBS World that, even though the government offers a 250 baht discount per month on benzene or gasohol, it’s not worth it when he has to travel a long distance for it. The driver added that…
- Economy News
Thailand’s bottled palm oil price continues to skyrocket
Efforts by Thailand’s palm oil farmers, extractors, and producers to cap the price of bottled palm oil at 64-66 baht per litre have proved fruitless. The price has now skyrocketed to 70-76 baht in some markets, according to a survey by Thai PBS. The survey says that in department stores, the price is 68 baht per litre or lower. Palm…
- Thailand News
Thailand sets sights on “wealthy foreign tourists” to recover economy
The Tourism Authority of Thailand, or TAT, is again going to target “wealthy group of tourists” as it works out its marketing plan as it contributes to the recovery the Thai economy following a 2 year hiatus due to closed borders and restrictions. The TAT claims that, focussing on the “rich groups”, 1.93 trillion baht will be generated in 2024…
- Phuket News
Thailand’s biggest light festival is headed to Phuket
After it began last week in Krabi, Thailand’s biggest light festival, known as the Aqua Lumina Illumination Festival, is headed towards Phuket. The festival will dazzle the shores of Nai Harn Beach from this coming Friday until May 31. The festival in Phuket will display lit up sculptures and multimedia shows, as well as projection mapping with 3D images with…
- Visa Information
Cabinet announces changes to Thailand’s SMART visa
To accelerate the development of the Thailand’s “target industries,” the Board of Investment offers a 4 year SMART visa to foreign investors, executives, entrepreneurs and highly-skilled experts. Yesterday, Thailand’s Cabinet announced changes to the SMART visa requirements and expanded the list of targeted industries. The Cabinet did not specify when the changes would come into effect. SMART visa holders are…
- Economy News
New wages for Thailand’s skilled workers
Thailand’s cabinet has approved new wages for construction workers, industrial arts workers and service workers. The new wages are expected to come into effect 90 days after the announcement was made on Tuesday. In the construction industry, tilers considered ‘level 1’ will earn 465 baht per day. Those considered level 2 will earn 550 baht a day. Level 3 tilers…
- Economy News
Government economic agency says China’s zero-Covid policy hurting Thai economy
China’s relentless pursuit of a zero-Covid status, coupled with tough import restrictions, is having a negative impact on the Thai economy. So says the Thai economic planning agency, the National Economic and Social Development Council. According to a Nation Thailand report, the NESDC says it’s watching China closely, after a strict lockdown was enforced in Shanghai and other cities. “China’s…
- Thailand Travel
Thailand’s deputy commerce minister praises tourism policies
After Covid-19 restrictions have ripped apart Thailand’s tourism economy throughout the past 2 years, the country’s deputy commerce minister is praising the government for relaxing policies this year. The deputy commerce minister, Sinit Lertkrai, said the policies are responsible for Phuket having a boom in new business registrations, according to a new report. The report was conducted by the Department…
- Economy News
Thailand’s postal rates to go up after nearly 2 decades
For the first time in 18 years, Thailand’s postal rates are going up. The country’s Digital Economy and Society Ministry said that according to data from 2011-2020, Thailand Post has a social service burden of up to 18.4 billion baht, and it’s likely to keep rising. Yesterday, the Cabinet approved a proposal by the ministry to raise rates. Thailand’s profit…
- Transport News
Thailand’s Prayut calls for sympathy on end of diesel price cap
As Thailand’s price cap on diesel comes to a screeching halt next month, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is asking the public to try to understand the government’s limits in controlling prices. On May 1, the government is set to lower the subsidy on diesel. Up until now, the price cap has kept it at 30 baht per litre. On Tuesday, Thailand’s…
- Economy News
Thailand’s March exports spike nearly 20% year on year
Last month, Thailand’s exports surged at an unexpectedly high rate, jumping by 19.5% when compared to the same time last year. A Reuters poll conducted in March had predicted the country’s exports would only rise by 2.4%. According to the Thai customs department data, 2 major products contributing to the export jump were gold, and electronics. Gold exports in March were…
- Politics News
Thailand’s Prayut switcharoo… praises rapper Milli
Even though Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha filed defamation charges against rapper Milli last year, via the Computer Crimes Act, the PM is now suddenly praising Milli following her random sticky rice and mango stunt at Coachella. The government chief whip said that the prime minister appreciates Danupha’s (her Thai name) performance, which caused sticky rice and mango to sell out at…
- Tourism News
Songkran a litmus test for Thailand’s economic recovery, tourism industry revival
As Thailand’s annual Songkran festival begins this week, all eyes are on the government to see how its strict Covid-prevention measures will affect tourism spending and mitigate new infections, which are expected to spike after the holiday. As the war in Ukraine continues to hike up global oil and food prices, pundits say how Thailand fares during and after the…
- Thailand Travel
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry plans to request new entry rules
If the CCSA approves it, Thailand could have new entry rules starting on May 1. The new rules the Public Health Ministry plans to request are intended to revive the country’s crippled tourism economy,. The country’s Tourism and Sports Minister has also stated that his ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to consider further easing entry rules,…
- Economy News
Thailand’s electricity tariff expected to surge higher than ever
After Thailand’s Energy Regulation Commission announced yesterday that the electricity price could rise to four baht per kilowatt hour, the ERC now says it will rise to a record high above that. The ERC says this will be the first time the price has surged this high. The fuel tariff is expected to be 0.24 baht per unit between May…
- Economy News
Thailand’s power will be more expensive in May
From May until August, Thailand’s electricity price will rise to four baht per kilowatt hour, going up by 0.23-1.3 baht per unit. The country’s Energy Regulatory Commission is raising fuel tariffs following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. An ERC spokesman said another reason for the price surge is the declining supply of natural gas from the Gulf of Thailand. Russia’s…
- Cannabis News
Cannabis is Thailand’s “secret weapon” to bring back tourists, health official says
One public health official says Thailand has a “secret weapon” to bring back tourists… It’s cannabis. Some experts and officials hope that decriminalising marijuana, alongside declaring Covid-19 as endemic, will help tourism in Thailand bounce back to pre-pandemic levels. The public health official made the statement over the weekend at a medical marijuana conference at Surin’s Rajamangala University of Technology.…
- Tourism News
Thumbs down for Thailand’s Test & Go Version 2
Test & Go V2.0 has received a universal thumbs down by Thaiger readers and viewers. Or just about anywhere else in the online comments space. The rebooted, and slightly more complicated, Test & Go option, part of the three-part Thailand Pass online re-entry program, was relaunched on Thursday for travellers arriving after February 1. Initially launched on November 1, and…
- Economy News
Thailand’s Commerce Ministry sets up war rooms to combat high prices
In an effort to take legal steps against merchants selling products at unfairly high prices, the Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce Boonyarit Kalayanamit says he will chair war rooms to combat high prices. The secretary stated this yesterday in an urgent meeting with Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit. The director-general of the Internal Trade Department under the Commerce Ministry,…
- Thailand News
Cryptocurrency ban in China fuels Thailand’s crypto mining boom
China’s recent ban and crackdown on cryptocurrency has fuelled a cryptocurrency mining boom in Thailand as small investors quickly buy up the equipment that are now useless in China. In September, China’s central bank declared all digital currency trading and mining illegal. Some of the largest Bitcoin mining operations in the world relocated while many smaller miners are now selling…
- Thailand News
PM says government move to digital technology will grow economy
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on organisations in Thailand to stay focused on the development of digital technology to grow the economy. The prime minister hosted a ceremony for the Digital Government Awards 2021 this week, bestowing honours on those public agencies that have already adopted digital technology. At the event, PM Prayut offered praise for the government agencies making…
- Thailand News
New variant could dampen Thailand’s reopening enthusiasm
Thailand was the first country in Asia to more fully reopen to foreign travellers, and it is seeing a slow recovery, with more bookings for hotels, and new faces along shopping strips and markets in the country. November 1 was the launch of the Thailand Pass and a broader reopening to fully vaccinated travellers and tourists from 63 low-risk countries.…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s nightlife venues and bars told to keep closed until January 16
Thailand’s nightlife cat and mouse game between authorities and desperate bar and nightlife businesses will continue until the middle of January 2022. Following deliberations from the CCSA yesterday, entertainment venues will have to keep their doors closed until at least January 16. To put an exclamation mark after the latest announcement, the Thai government has also extended the emergency decree…
- Property
Crypto and digital nomads could boost Thailand’s real estate market
As cryptocurrency is the new payment option of the modern era, many real estate developers are now supporting their payments through it. And, as it is still new to the Thai real estate market, experts say its growth potential is huge. As it can serve as a new alternative to real estate trading, it can help real estate developers offer…
- Property
Senior citizen properties could be Thailand’s untapped market
Senior citizen properties could be Thailand’s untapped market, and it seems, one real estate company is catching on to the trend. According to Bangkok Post, Nye Estate Co, a subsidiary of property developer Narai Property Co, is renovating a suspended riverside condo building in Nonthaburi in order to develop independent living unit rentals for senior citizens. Chief executive Ornruedi Na-Ranong…
- Property
Thailand’s property market slated to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023
Experts are pointing to 2023 as the year in which Thailand’s property market is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels. The estimation is sooner than previously thought, with the easing of housing loan regulations and the country’s reopening speeding up the recovery. Last month, the central bank relaxed mortage regulations to help revive the property sector, which accounts for 10%…
