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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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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Phuket Business: a modern gold rush
PHUKET: As my latest trip to the UK continues, I was thinking “What can I get my dearest for Christmas this year?” I’m not the biggest fan of shopping trips and love nothing more than having a fixed plan in place to minimize the whole experience. Being Christmas, though, I thought I should give this a little more time and…
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Weeding out hype in Phuket’s health-conscious market
PHUKET: Health and environment are two buzzwords that are being heard a lot nowadays across the globe and Phuket is no exception. Health-conscious segments of local markets continue to grow and an increasing number of producers are looking to exploit this consumer base. What was once a niche market has turned into an ‘eco green everything’ fad. Indeed, many consumers,…
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Phuket’s superyacht industry flourishing
PHUKET: Migratory birds aren’t the only ones moving south to escape plummeting temperatures in the northern hemisphere. South Asia is rapidly becoming the preferred winter destination for owners of superyachts – motor yachts in excess of 30 meters or 100 feet. Indeed, an increasing number of these luxurious leisure ships can be sighted off the shores and islands across the…
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Business briefs – new airbus for Phuket; 3G; rubber trading
New Bangkok Airways Airbus to fly Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Bangledesh and IndiaPhuket GazetteBangkok Airways recently acquired a new Airbus 319, the airline’s 18th aircraft. With a total of 130 economy seats, the new craft will fly domestic and international routes serving at least five destinations including Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Bengarulu (Bangalore, India) and Dhaka (Bangladesh). The…
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Phuket’s labor shortage critical
PHUKET: Industry analysts describe the labor shortage in the Phuket tourism industry as “critical”, with as many as 4,000 vacant hotel positions as the island enters its annual high season for tourism. Bhuritt Maswongsa, a vice president of the Phuket Tourist Association, said, “The lack of hotel employees has now reached a crisis point with 3,000 to 4,000 unfilled positions.…
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Phuket Business: Bad investments – a fiscal toy story
PHUKET: I often write about things which I think may or may not be worth considering as an investment. Today I would like to try and get my readers to understand some things which generally are considered as bad investments. Professionals in my industry usually will vary greatly on their opinions of what is a good investment at any one…
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Chalong Marina ready in 2012
PHUKET: Work on the 70-million-baht Chalong Bay Marina project is now about 90% complete and should be finished early in the new year, officials say. Phuriphat Teerakulpisut, Chief of the Marine Department Region 5 office in Phuket Town, said opening of the 44-slip facility will improve the island’s ability to accommodate the growing number of yachts that port in Phuket…
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Boats to show at PIMEX 2012 valued at US$50mn
PHUKET: Boats confirmed for display at the Phuket International Boat Show 2012 (PIMEX) have a combined value of more than US$ 50 million (approx 1.5 billion baht). To be held at the Royal Phuket Marina from March 29 to April 1 2012, this ninth edition of PIMEX is organized by Informa Yacht Group. PIMEX brings leading boat brands, yachting products…
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Phuket Business: Uncertain future for electronic billboards
PHUKET: Commuters in Phuket have witnessed a gradual upgrade in roadside scenery over the last few years. Advertising and media communications are steadily evolving, and many will have noticed traditional print billboards gradually being replaced with animated, digital versions at various traffic junctions around the island. Indeed, the emergence of Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology represents a sign of the…
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Korean tour operators to partner with Phuket
PHUKET: Korean honorary consul Tossaporn Thepabutr recently warned local officials to prepare for an influx of Korean tourism operators coming to set up shop in Phuket. “More Korean company owners are looking at moving their operations to Phuket because of the floods in Bangkok. Phuket is considered much safer,” he said. “Many Korean businesses will join Thai operators to form…
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Wage hikes postponed for Phuket and others
PHUKET: The Cabinet has approved the postponement until April 1 of the controversial 300 baht daily minimum wage hike in Phuket, Bangkok, and five other provinces. The decision to postpone from the initial target of January 1 was made in light of the recent flooding, which has dealt a body blow to the manufacturing sector in much of the country.…
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Dewa Phuket wins 7 awards
PHUKET: Dewa Phuket, the boutique resort at Nai Yang beach, bagged seven awards at the ‘2011–2013 Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards’, or HAPA. The HAPA Southeast Asian regional ceremony, which took place on November 17 and 18 in Singapore, welcomed hospitality sector representatives from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Created by World Asia Publications in 2002, HAPA recognizes…
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Phuket Business – Looking forward to 2012
PHUKET: Walking into my local shopping center yesterday I was amazed to see Christmas decorations adorning the shops and general surroundings. A quick check of the date on my watch and I realized that although the trees, baubles and tinsel were a trifle early, it certainly was closer to the holidays than I had imagined! This gave me food for…
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THAI Phuket flights operating as usual
PHUKET: Thai Airways International (THAI) is still operating its full schedule of regular flights between Bangkok and Phuket – for now. An officer from the ‘Enterprise Communication Department’ of THAI, asking not to be named, told the Phuket Gazette, “I have yet to receive any news about reductions in flights to Phuket.” Her statement was in response to a report…
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Brazil targeted as new tourist source market for Phuket
PHUKET: Brazilians are among the latest target group of tourists to be lured to Phuket and the Andaman region. Speaking recently at a press conference for the Andaman Travel Trade 2011 exhibition, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing Juthaporn Rerngronasa highlighted the South American country as an expanding market for incoming tourism. There were 10 operators from Brazil at this…
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Luxury car imports into Phuket steady
PHUKET: Despite global economic turmoil, the luxury car import business continues to perform well in an expanding domestic market. Saksri Kerdphol, General Manager of Phuket’s premier foreign automobile dealer and servicer AutoExpress, speaks exclusively with the Gazette about foreign cars and the import market trends in Phuket.Phuket Gazette: How would you describe AutoExpress clients? Who is your main target group…
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Phuket urged to prepare for “Korean wave’
PHUKET: As the Andaman Travel Trade 2011 expo continues today at Phuket Rajabhat University, Korean honorary consul Tossaporn Thepabutr has warned local officials to prepare for a huge influx of Korean tourism operators coming to set up shop in Phuket. “More Korean company owners are looking at moving their operations to Phuket because of the floods in Bangkok. Phuket is…
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Phuket’s Andaman Travel Trade expo draws thousands
PHUKET: Thousands of visitors turned out for the opening day of the Andaman Travel Trade 2011 yesterday. The bustling event, held with the aim of linking tour operators with businesses throughout Thailand’s six provinces along the Andaman seaboard, continues today at the Convention Hall at Phuket Rajabhat University. Attending this year’s event are 302 tourism operators from 28 countries and…
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Khao Sok Organics coming to Phuket
PHUKET: The Australian Chamber of Commerce (AustCham) Sundowners business networking meeting returns to Phuket tonight at the Thanyapura, Phuket International Academy in Thalang. Keynote speaker will be Martin Smesters, managing director of Pura Organics, speaking on producing and using organic food products in Thailand. Pura Organics sources from a network of more than 40 organic suppliers and sources in Thailand.…
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Island View – Fighting for British pensions in Phuket’s paradise
PHUKET: Your signatures are needed to end the unfair frozen overseas pension policy of the British government. Some of you may not be aware that when a United Kingdom state pensioner retires to live abroad in certain countries their pension is frozen and they do not receive annual cost-of-living increases. There are over half a million of these pensioners affected…
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