Business News

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    5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)

    Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...

  • Go First files for bankruptcy amid faulty engine woes and mounting debt

    Go First files for bankruptcy amid faulty engine woes and mounting debt

    Struggling Indian airline Go First declared bankruptcy yesterday, attributing it to the “faulty” Pratt & Whitney engines that grounded about 50% of its fleet. The airline’s collapse is the first Indian airline bankruptcy since Jet Airways in 2019, highlighting the intense competition in the aviation sector, where rivals IndiGo and the recently merged Air India and Vistara dominate. Go First…

  • TikTok’s US trust and safety head Eric Han to leave amid ban threats

    TikTok’s US trust and safety head Eric Han to leave amid ban threats

    TikTok revealed that Eric Han, the head of US trust and safety, will leave the company on May 12, resulting in a loss of a key executive as the popular short-form video app faces the possibility of a ban in the US. Owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, TikTok has already been prohibited on government-issued phones in countries such as…

  • Starbucks profits boosted by China business recovery

    Starbucks profits boosted by China business recovery

    Starbucks Corp exceeded Wall Street predictions yesterday for quarterly earnings, primarily due to a strong recovery in business within China. However, shares dropped approximately 6% in after-hours trading, as the company did not raise its 2023 guidance. Consumer mobility and spending in China have significantly improved since most of the country’s COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. Despite a 29% drop…

  • Match Group forecasts lower Q2 revenue but sees Tinder growth signs

    Match Group forecasts lower Q2 revenue but sees Tinder growth signs

    Match Group recently projected second-quarter revenue below analysts’ expectations, yet indicated signs of potential growth at its dating platform, Tinder. The company implemented changes to product and marketing execution at Tinder and, although not yet evident in financial results, has observed early indications of increased momentum, according to a letter to shareholders. Following the announcement, the firm’s stock, whose revenue…

  • Japanese automakers struggle in China amid rapid shift to electric vehicles

    Japanese automakers struggle in China amid rapid shift to electric vehicles

    The sales crisis for Japan’s automakers in China continues, as industry data reveals a rapid shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), resulting in a steep decline in gasoline-powered vehicle purchases. In the first quarter, total sales of Japanese auto brands in China dropped by 32% year-on-year, more than twice the rate of overall market contraction. While automakers such as Volkswagen AG…

  • Godfather of artificial intelligence quits Google, warns of technology’s dangers

    Godfather of artificial intelligence quits Google, warns of technology’s dangers

    A prominent computer scientist, frequently referred to as “the godfather of artificial intelligence,” has resigned from Google to voice his concerns about the potential dangers of the technology, according to yesterday’s US media reports. Geoffrey Hinton, known for creating a foundational technology for AI systems, expressed to The New York Times that advancements in the field could pose “profound risks…

  • Top 5 nationalities investing in Thailand in Q1

    Top 5 nationalities investing in Thailand in Q1

    Foreigners invested 33 billion baht into Thailand in the first quarter of the year, a government spokesperson revealed today. Investors from Japan invested the most, followed by investors from Singapore and the USA, respectively. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister Anucha Burapachaisri revealed that the government approved investment from 174 foreign investors…

  • Lululemon to open store in Thailand this July

    Lululemon to open store in Thailand this July

    Canadian athletic apparel, accessories, and footwear brand lululemon athletica will open a store in CentralWorld in Bangkok this July. It will be the brand’s first store in Thailand. The brand did not give an exact date in July for the store’s opening on CentralWorld’s first floor opposite H&M Home – joining the mall’s newly-opened American burger joint Shake Shack. Lululemon…

  • Thailand is the biggest exporter of condoms in the world

    Thailand is the biggest exporter of condoms in the world

    Condoms are among five products that Thailand exports more than any other country in the world, according to data from the global trade insights website kidka.com, reports Prachachat. Today, the Ministry of Commerce’s Director of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Poonping Naiyanapakorn, revealed that Thailand was the champion exporter of five outstanding Thai products in 2022… Fresh Durian Thailand…

  • Grab Thailand relaunches premium services with ‘The Ultimate 5 Senses Experience’

    Grab Thailand relaunches premium services with ‘The Ultimate 5 Senses Experience’

    Grab Thailand is ramping up its premium on-demand ride-hailing service by reintroducing “GrabCar Premium” with the concept of “The Ultimate 5 Senses Experience,” in collaboration with Spotify and Chol Aromatique. This strategic move is aimed at creating an impressive user experience through an astonishing ambience appealing to all five senses, targeting urban people – especially white-collar workers and foreign tourists – who…

  • MGM Resorts set sights on Thailand that could help attract more tourists

    MGM Resorts set sights on Thailand that could help attract more tourists

    Thailand, which has notoriously steered away from gambling, has started to make moves towards legalising casinos – with the hope that it could put them up there with other famous gambling destinations and attract more tourists to the country. In the past few months, lawmakers in the country have approved a report, meaning that there is a very real possibility…

  • AI-created song removed from streaming platforms

    AI-created song removed from streaming platforms

    An ingenious AI tune impersonating Canadian stars Drake and The Weeknd was removed after causing quite a commotion! “Heart On My Sleeve,” a tune created using artificial intelligence (AI) software to emulate the voices of Drake and The Weeknd, has been causing a right stir. After receiving millions of listens within a short space of time, Universal Music Group (UMG)…

  • Musk’s Twitter activities contribute to spreading misinformation

    Musk’s Twitter activities contribute to spreading misinformation

    Elon Musk vowed to make Twitter the “most accurate source of information about the world,” yet he has repeatedly used his own account to amplify false claims from some of the internet’s most notorious disinformers, as demonstrated by an AFP analysis of his online activity. Musk’s posts display a penchant for drawing attention to misinformation on topics ranging from the…

  • A closer look at the crypto industry in Thailand

    A closer look at the crypto industry in Thailand

    Thailand’s crypto industry has been steadily growing in recent years. This success is partially thanks to the government’s increased support for the sector. In 2018, the Thai government legalized cryptocurrencies and introduced a regulatory framework to oversee crypto-related activities in the country. Since then, Thailand has become a popular destination for crypto startups like Bitcoin casinos, trading exchanges, and payment…

  • Pepsi Thailand introduces bottles made from 100% recycled plastic

    Pepsi Thailand introduces bottles made from 100% recycled plastic

    Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) will switch to 100% recycled plastic for its 550ml Pepsi bottles, expected to enter the market later this month, under the campaign “Appreciate Fizz: Dare to Change the World.” PepsiCo joined forces with Chulalongkorn University and ENVICCO Co., Ltd. to launch the project, “Pepsi Recycled PET Bottle Campaign.” Pepsi will be the first carbonated drink brand to…

  • Thailand’s billionaire trio makes Forbes’ 2023 list of world’s richest

    Thailand’s billionaire trio makes Forbes’ 2023 list of world’s richest

    Forbes yesterday released its annual list of the world’s billionaires, and Thailand has its hands in the till with 28 billionaires, three of whom are ranked in the top 150. The list includes Dhanin Chearavanont, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, and Sarath Ratanavadi, whose net worths range from US$12.3 billion to US$14.9 billion. Despite this achievement, the year 2023 proved challenging for the…

  • Huneety releases solution for talent shortage

    Huneety releases solution for talent shortage

    Press Release Huneety is a regional HRtech startup headquartered in Bangkok and founded by 2 French entrepreneurs, Simon Carvi, Co-Founder & CEO and Vianney d’Hostel, Co-Founder & COO. Huneety is the combination of “H” for Humans and the word “Unity”. Huneety was born in late 2021 from the acute talent shortage in Southeast Asia, a phenomenon that is expected to…

  • Thailand’s leading Fintech “DeeMoney” unveils new strategy “Owndee” with better rates, faster, and easier transfers

    Thailand’s leading Fintech “DeeMoney” unveils new strategy “Owndee” with better rates, faster, and easier transfers

    DeeMoney is Thailand’s No 1 money transfer service licensed by BoT DeeMoney aims to be NeoBank offering comprehensive cross-border payment and money transfer services on digital platforms that best address target customers’ demand In 2022, DeeMoney emerged as a dominant fintech player in the non-bank money transfer sector, with overall transactions exceeding 3 million transactions with a volume over 50…

  • No ripple effect in Thailand from US banking crisis, says Finance Minister

    No ripple effect in Thailand from US banking crisis, says Finance Minister

    Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith insists that the recent troubles faced by some major banks in the United States have had no impact on Thailand so far. Arkhom added that the government is prepared to take action in case of any potential volatility that may arise from global markets. The comments were made in response to the recent collapse of Silicon…

  • Prime office location for rent in the heart of Bangkok’s thriving Bang Kapi area

    Prime office location for rent in the heart of Bangkok’s thriving Bang Kapi area

    Looking for a strategic prime office location to establish your business in Bangkok? Look no further than the SINGHA COMPLEX project in the bustling Bang Kapi area. The recently completed office space on the 18th floor of the tower is now available for long-term rent. The indoor area of the office measures 783 square metres and it is currently unfurnished.…

  • Thailand woos crypto companies with tax waiver

    Thailand woos crypto companies with tax waiver

    Thailand‘s Cabinet approved a tax waiver for cryptocurrency firms yesterday. The Cabinet decided that companies raising funds by issuing digital tokens for investment are exempt from paying corporate income tax and value-added tax (VAT), according to a government spokesperson. Once the new tax waiver is implemented, crypto companies can issue investment tokens in Thailand without any tax on primary or secondary…

  • Selfridges’ Thai owners take on 70 billion baht debt

    Selfridges’ Thai owners take on 70 billion baht debt

    Central Group, Selfridges’ Thai owners along with Austrian enterprise Signa Holdings, have taken on another £1.7 billion (US$ 2 billion, 70 billion baht) of debt in a strategy to increase investment returns. The London branch of Bangkok Bank provided the loan, secured against the lease on the retailer’s London flagship store. Selfridges said the loan would “release capital” for the…

  • Nok Air begins Bangkok-Hyderabad flights

    Nok Air begins Bangkok-Hyderabad flights

    Thailand’s budget airline Nok Air has begun direct Bangkok-Hyderabad flights linking the Thai capital with India’s IT hotspot. A Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 189 Economy Class seats plies the nonstop route from Don Mueang International Airport to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport four times per week. Nok Air begins Bangkok-Hyderabad flights The new route provides Hyderabad, a major centre for the…

  • Thai Airways to merge with Thai Smile to ‘reduce losses’

    Thai Airways to merge with Thai Smile to ‘reduce losses’

    Thai Airways is to merge with Thai Smile to “reduce losses.” The plan is expected to be approved by the end of this year. Piyasvasti Amranand, chairman of THAI’s committee overseeing the airline’s rehabilitation, said the restructuring had been on the cards for a while and had always been part of the plan. “A study about the merger plan is…

  • Malware and ransomware biggest threat to Thai businesses

    Malware and ransomware biggest threat to Thai businesses

    Malware and ransomware continue to be just as much of a threat to businesses this year as last, according to a cybersecurity firm FortiGuard Labs. The global cyber threat study and research team, found malware and ransomware with sophisticated attack patterns and delivery remain the main threats to Thai organisations. Vulnerability will increase During the fourth quarter of 2022, FortiGuard…

  • Foreigners invest 5 billion baht in Thailand in January 2023

    Foreigners invest 5 billion baht in Thailand in January 2023

    In the first month of 2023, foreign investment in Thailand amounted to 5.129 billion baht, the biggest investors being the Japanese, investing 3.588 billion baht. Foreign investment is expected to reach 100 billion baht by the end of the year. Today, Deputy Minister of Commerce Sinit Lertkrai revealed 52 cases of foreign investment in January under the Foreign Business Act…

  • Thai rubber should tap into the sex toy market, says agriculture minister

    Thai rubber should tap into the sex toy market, says agriculture minister

    Thailand could make a killing if the country’s world-class rubber industry tapped into the sex toy market, according to Minister of Agriculture Chalermchai Sri-on. The minister posted a compelling argument on Facebook which would require a big revision of Thailand’s archaic laws if it came to fruition. The kingdom’s illegal sex industry is hiding in plain sight, sex toys included.…

  • Taxes up, bribes down – Palang Pracharath Party wants venues to operate legally

    Taxes up, bribes down – Palang Pracharath Party wants venues to operate legally

    The ruling Palang Pracharath Party’s Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn wants to make it easier for entertainment venues to operate legally. The Minister for the Digital Economy would like to see bars and clubs operate within the tax system, bringing in fiscal revenue and administration fees while reducing the scope for bribery. Chaiwut said on Sunday that Palang Pracharath members had agreed that…

  • Thai Airways rehabilitation ahead of schedule

    Thai Airways rehabilitation ahead of schedule

    Thai Airways expects to exit its rehabilitation plan ahead of schedule. The airline is already looking for new aircraft as the recovery in global tourism bolsters earnings. CEO Chai Eamsiri said Thursday that the carrier will be able to leave its court-supervised debt plan “much earlier” than the late-2024 target, according to Bloomberg. The company is also in talks with…

  • New law allows foreign talent to thrive in Thailand

    New law allows foreign talent to thrive in Thailand

    The government of Thailand has taken a huge step forward in attracting highly skilled foreign workers to the country, with the release of a new law that allows foreigners to work or invest in 18 select industries. The Royal Thai Gazette website published a notice from the Ministry of Interior outlining the special permit for migrant workers, signed by Prime…