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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Poll shows most Thais still oppose foreign arrivals
A recent survey carried out by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, shows that a majority of Thais still oppose opening the country to foreigners, even if they’re not infected with Covid-19, saying the global coronavirus situation is still very serious. The poll was conducted on July 6-8 on 1,251 people aged 18 and over, of various…
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“Travel bubbles” to require minimum 2 week stay
“Travel bubble” tourists who visit Thailand during its soft and timid reopening phase, tentatively scheduled for August, may have to spend 14 days in designated areas. Then, a negative test for Covid-19 after 2 weeks would free them up to go anywhere in the Kingdom. Thailand’s tourism and sports minister says he’s met with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha about creating travel…
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Thai Airasia ponders second Bangkok hub
Despite reports that Air Asia’s future is in doubt, Thai AirAsia says it’s considering making Suvarnabhumi airport its new hub, alongside its already established hub in Don Mueang Airport, to increase revenue and broaden its traveller appeal. The executive chairman of Asia Aviation, the largest shareholder of TAA, says the airline is conducting a feasibility study on the move to…
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AOT considering joint venture with Thai Airways to keep services running
The company that runs 6 of Thailand’s airports says it wants to work with Thai Airways to ensure airport services can continue while the national carrier goes through a “rehabilitation” process and struggles with the loss of business caused by the Covid-19 crisis. Airports of Thailand president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn says the AOT board is in talks about a joint venture…
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Thailand producing over 4 million face masks a day
An increase in production facilities means Thailand is now producing 4.2 million face masks a day, leading to a growing surplus. A report in Nation Thailand says Internal Trade Director Vichai Pochanakit says producers in China are once again exporting the raw materials needed for mask production. The Thai government is now looking at ways to manage a daily surplus…
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“Come and see” – Ministry invites diplomats to see coconut-picking monkeys in action
The monkeys, and the Thai government, are hitting back at accusations macaque monkeys are being exploited, even abused, and forced to pick coconuts for commercial farmers. Some larger western retailers say they’re going to pull Thai coconut products off their shelves after being lobbied by animal rights activist that the coconuts were picked by abused and over-worked macaque monkeys. The Thai…
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PETA reveals ‘abused’ monkeys used to pick coconuts in Thailand
A boycott is in full swing amongst western retailers to pull Thai coconut products off their shelves following allegations that the coconuts have been picked by monkeys who were ‘abused’ to learn how to pick coconuts. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals director, Elisa Allen, claims the macaque monkeys are “snatched from the wild” and cruelly trained to climb up…
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Prohibition activist criticises unequal enforcement of Thai alcohol laws
The head of the prohibitionist Alcohol Watch Network is criticising the Office of Alcohol Beverage Control and police for looking the other way after ML Piyapas Bhirombhakdi posted a photo of herself showing off a branded bottle of an alcoholic drink on her Instagram profile (the picture has since been deleted). Piyapas is not only a great-granddaughter of HRH Prince…
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Chiang Mai International Airport sees more traffic
Northern Thailand’s gateway airport is recovering some of its flight and passenger traffic. With the easing of travel restrictions enforced to fight the spread of Covid-19, the director of Chiang Mai’s international airport says traffic is picking up, and more flights and passengers are expected this month. On average, the airport received 40 flights and about 4,000-5,000 passengers per day…
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Department warns women over surrogate motherhood dangers abroad
A string of arrests in what has been dubbed the “wombs for hire” scandal shocked the nation in February; now Thai Women, tempted to earn money by becoming surrogate mothers, are being warned about the potential health and social implications, especially in countries where there are no surrogacy laws to protect them. The director-general of the Department of Health Service…
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Thai nightlife grapples with “new normal”
Thailand’s nightlife scene is grappling with a ‘new normal’ as changes upon its recent reopening see facemasks joining the normal bikini wear in red-light districts across the Kingdom. After being forced to close for more than 3 months in order to stop the spread of Covid-19, bars, karaoke venues and massage parlours are in the latest category of businesses allowed to…
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Thailand sets new guidelines to govern “medical tourism”
Thailand’s medical community is rolling out a set of guidelines for medical tourism as the country prepares to open its borders to international visitors. According to the director-general of the Department of Health Service Support, yesterday’s first meeting of the medical hub committee resulted in 3 decisions. The first outcome from the meeting set a new policy pertaining to quarantine…
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Thailand’s hotel industry pushing ahead with recovery
Optimism is building in some corners of the hospitality industry as Thailand pushes ahead with it Covid-19 recovery phases. Occupancy rates in at least Bangkok and Phuket are likely to bottom out soon with the lifting of travel restrictions, according to JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group. Thailand’s hotel industry is now entering a recovery phase following the country’s decision to issue a…
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Government agency issues guidelines to help Thailand’s souvenir suppliers
Thailand’s Department of Industrial Promotion says it is working on ways to help the country’s souvenir makers recover from the devastation wreaked by the Covid-19 lock-down. Speaking to Nation Thailand, Nattapol Rangsitpol, director-general of the DIP, says the latest advice complements the government’s stimulus campaign Tiew Pan Suk (Trips to Share Happiness), aimed at boosting domestic tourism and the local…
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Many Thais face salary cuts, job loss due to pandemic, survey finds
The coronavirus pandemic has already led many into financial difficulties, some being put on temporary leave from their jobs, and others losing their jobs altogether. A recent survey shows that 1 in 4 workers lost their jobs or were currently out of work as a result of the impacts of the pandemic crippling the economy. A significant percentage of those…
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Thai Air Asia to resume all domestic routes, flights in July
Thai Air Asia will return to full domestic services in Thailand during July, with all routes and flights back in action for a total of 23 destinations and 25 routes. The announcement was made this afternoon. Thai Air Asia’s CEO told Associated Press that the airline has been slowly ramping up its domestic routes since May and is now ready…
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Mandatory 14 day quarantine for international arrivals to Thailand
Following the announcement that Thailand would once again open its doors to certain categories of international visitors, the government’s Covid-19 task force has confirmed most will have to agree to a 14 day quarantine. It’s understood the first group to be granted entry to the Kingdom from July 1 will include businesspeople, skilled workers and experts, teachers, students, and medical…
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Thai exports hit new low, pandemic to blame
Thailand’s exports have dropped drastically and the Thai Ministry of Commerce blames the coronavirus pandemic for the low levels and the shrinking supply and demand market. In a report released yesterday, exports for May are the lowest they’ve been in 4 years. Worldwide lockdowns have caused production in Thailand to take a plunge, according to the director-general of the commerce…
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NokScoot downsizes, airlines ask for financial help
Travel restrictions and flight cancellations across the globe have caused once busy sky traffic to go quiet as airlines are taking a battering from the coronavirus outbreak. Less of the bird-like, yellow beaked planes will be in the air as the popular budget airline NokScoot just announced it’s downsizing their fleet and laying off employees to try and keep the…
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Open for business. Just about all business restrictions in Thailand lifted from July 1.
Thailand has now gone over a month without a locally transmitted case of Covid-19, and July 1, approaching quickly, will see the resumption of all businesses and activities originally suspended under the Emergency Decree, including bars, pubs and “soapy” massage parlours. Spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin made the announcement yesterday. He told the media…
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Massage parlours will be allowed to reopen, must track and report customers to government
Post-Covid nightlife in Thailand is likely to be a bit duller than before, but at least “soapie massage” is back on the menu. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced today that massage parlours of every description will be allowed to reopen along with bars, pubs and other venues in the next phase of easing restrictions. But, there will be…
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Grab teams up with farmers for fresh fruit delivery service
Local produce farmers and merchants are getting some help distributing fresh fruits from Grab Thailand. The company already has a smart phone application for ride-sharing and food delivery. Now fresh produce will be delivered through GrabMart’s Farmers’ Market feature. At the moment, the fresh fruit delivery is only available in Bangkok with distribution centres at the Or Tor Kor Market…
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PM urges Thai industry representatives to adjust to “new normal”
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is urging Thai business representatives to accept and adapt to the new way of doing things in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis. He was speaking during a meeting with the Federation of Thai Industries, where he called for the private and civil sectors to work with the government to get the economy going again. In talks…
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Price spike for Thai latex, condoms and medical gloves in demand
It’s clear the coronavirus pandemic has lead to a surge in demand for plastic gloves, but demand has also increased for condoms (locked up for 2 months, blah, blah…). The high demand has increased the price of latex and business is booming for companies in Thailand. Malaysia had a significant drop in natural rubber production and The Thai Rubber Latex Corporation…
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Thai Airways staff balk at cuts in perks and benefits
The Labour Ministry will invite the management of Thai Airways International for talks over a complaint submitted on Friday to the ministry by the airline’s labour union over unreasonable cuts in work benefits, especially healthcare welfare. Nares Puengyaem, the president of Thai Airway’s labour union, together with two representatives of State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation , yesterday submitted to…
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Government considering unlocking music venues, meetings today
Thailand’s often flamboyant and occasionally controversial Public Health Minister and Deputy PM, Anutin Charnvirakul, spoke to reporters this morning after significant recent media coverage of the estimated 100,000 musicians still out of work due to the continued closure of the entertainment and nightlife industry. Anutin says he himself was once a musician (yeah, we can see that…) and he “feels for…
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CAAC chief: International flights unlikely before September
Dashing hopes that international arrivals (code for ‘tourist flights’) could resume on July 1, Thailand’s senior civilian aviation regulator says that they’re are likely to resume as late as September. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand’s director says none of the airlines he’s met expressed any interest in resuming international flights next month, when the order shutting down the country’s…
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Outrage over 75,000 baht travel allowance for senior execs at Thai Airways
The deputy leader of Thailand’s Democrat Party, Samart Ratchapolsitte, has slammed Thai Airways management for granting senior executives a monthly 75,000 baht “travel allowance”. Posting on Facebook, he decries the allowance granted to anyone holding the position of executive vice president at the long-struggling airline. Thailand’s national carrier, run as a state enterprise until it filed for bankruptcy protection, is…
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Up to 1,000 foreigners per day with smart phone tracking – plan to open Thailand up to foreigners
If approved by authorities, foreigners from low-risk countries will be allowed to enter the country and travel in so-called “travel bubbles” without going through the 14 day quarantine period. They’ll be tracked through a smart phone application to make sure they stay in their “bubble.” The plan is being prepared for an approval from the Centre of Covid-19 Situation Administration…
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Schools, colleges, universities to reopen, restaurants and hotels can serve alcohol from Monday
The spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced yesterday that schools, colleges and other educational institutes will be allowed to re-open on Monday, and alcohol can again be served in restaurants and hotels, but NOT in pubs, bars or other entertainment venues. The national curfew is also being lifted as of Monday. International schools and tuition schools are…
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