debt
- Bangkok News
BTS gives city officials an ultimatum: Pay its debt or Skytrain’s Green Line will shut down
The Bangkok Mass Transit System is giving city officials an ultimatum: Pay off its more than 30 billion baht debt or the Skytrain’s Green Line will shut down. They are giving the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration 60 days to get its finances in order. The administration owes more than 9.6 billion baht in wages related to operating the Green Line, adding up…
- Thailand News
Thai police officers crippled by accumulated 270 billion baht debt
Thailand’s police officers have amassed a total of 270 billion baht in debts. The staggering accumulated debt trap of the country’s individual police officers was revealed yesterday by the national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk. During Covid there has been fewer hours and overtime for duty policeman. And in the popular tourist areas there have been fewer tourists to ‘police’ and…
- Politics News
Companies pull out from Trump brand after storming of Capitol incident
Corporate America is adding its weight in response to the insurgency at the Capitol building on January 6, and are pulling out from any association with the Trump brand after the storming of the capitol incident which economists say will have a profound medium and long-term effect on his business interests. Recently, Signature Bank closed Trump’s personal accounts and the…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | More Thai Airways debt, Korean soldier, TripAdvisor warning | November 12
Today’s Thailand News Today coming to you from the 17th floor of The Thaiger Bangkok offices. Thai Airways adds another 21.5 billion baht in debt in Q3 report Thai Airways has accumulated more losses, on top of a decade of annual losses, for the latest quarter. At the moment the national airline’s debt is four times higher than last year’s…
- Business News
Thai Airways adds another 21.5 billion baht debt in Q3 report
Thai Airways has accumulated more losses, on top of a decade of annual losses, for the latest quarter. At the moment the national airline’s debt is four times higher than last year’s debt. The airline, already struggling, has been mostly grounded since the end of March. At the end of last week Thai Airways put 34 of its old planes…
- Tourism News
Domestic tourism survey indicates long road to recovery
“Entrepreneurs in the tourism industry need to adjust their strategy to suit consumer behaviour in the new normal era.” A government survey looking at the travel habits of domestic tourists indicates an uphill struggle for the tourism industry’s recovery. Pimchanok Vonkorpon, from the Commerce Ministry’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office says around a quarter of those surveyed travelled during weekends…
- Economy News
Covid-19 could lead to a crisis worse than the 1997 Asian financial crisis
With debt relief measures set to expire this month, Thailand’s financial woes, brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, might end up being worse that the 1997 Asian financial crisis, known in Thailand as the Tom Yam Kung crisis, according to the Bangkok Commercial Asset Management. The 1997 Asian financial crisis started in Thailand with the financial collapse of the Thai…
- Economy News
Bankruptcy Court approves Thai Airways debt restructuring plan
The Central Bankruptcy Court approved Thai Airways International’s debt restructuring plan. An official says the approval is just a “tiny step” in the process estimated to take years. With the approval, the international airline company can now start discussions with debt holders. The 60 year company is reportedly facing its biggest challenge: bankruptcy during a global pandemic with international travel…
- Northern Thailand News
Family’s home seized over unpaid 17,000 baht student loan
A family’s home was seized for failing to pay back a 17,000 baht student debt. Not only were they kicked out of their home, but it was sold swiftly with little or no consultation with the family. The Phrae home in Northern Thailand was seized over the unpaid student loans. The family was later notified in a letter by the…
- Business News
Thai Airways petitions overseas creditors not to confiscate its aircraft
Thailand’s beloved but beleaguered national carrier is appealing to creditors in Switzerland, Japan and Germany not to seize its aircraft, while a similar request is being prepared for US creditors. If each country’s court approves the petition, Thai Airways assets will be protected against seizure when they fly into their jurisdictions. In particular, the airline will not risk having its…
- Business News
Battered Thai Airways seeks government protection from creditors
Struggling national flag carrier Thai Airways is seeking government support in 4 key areas, including negotiating with foreign creditors and renegotiating contracts with other state enterprises. The director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office said yesterday that the airline is seeking state help after the Central Bankruptcy Court accepted its request for rehabilitation. The airline also wants the government to…
- Transport News
Thai Airways has officially lost its state enterprise status
The State Enterprise Policy Committee announced that Thai Airways has lost its state enterprise status after the Vayupak Fund bought a 3.17% stake from the Finance Ministry yesterday. The purchase was undertaken at a price of 4.90 baht per share, with a trade worth 285.2 million baht, leaving the national carrier owning 48% of its own shares and stripping its…
- Transport News
Thai Airways ponders bankruptcy as it enters rehab
Thai Airways, which turns 60 years old this month, recorded a net loss of US$66 million in 2017, US$361 million in 2018 and US$374 million last year. As the airline contemplates getting its grounded planes back in the air, it’s now confronted with a PR disaster at home as the government ponders a bailout valued around 60 billion baht, around US$1.8…
- Business News
Prayut warns Thai Airways that the latest government bailout will be the last
The Thai PM has issued a stern warning to the executives of Thai Airways that the latest bailout is the last from the government. Last week the Finance Ministry agreed to guarantee a 54 billion baht bailout loan for the ailing airline and a further 80 billion baht recovery loan – both massive amounts of money being given to an…
- Covid-19 News
Thai banks report they can handle the impacts of the virus
As the Covid-19 coronavirus continues to spread in Thailand, authorities have temporarily shut off shopping malls, entertainment and sporting venues while allowing food stalls and restaurants to open, but only for take-out and delivery services. The measures have led to social disruption, unemployment, leave without pay and salary cuts. However, a senior official at the Bank of Thailand reports, “Thailand’s…
- News
Hotel guest in Chiang Mai runs up bill of nearly 50,000 baht before fleeing
A man who claims to be a doctor stayed in a Chiang Mai hotel for 21 nights, running up a bill of nearly 50,000 baht, before instructing the hotel to invoice the Ministry for the Interior and then fleeing the premises. Employees of the hotel say they didn’t expect the man to abscond as he has stayed there on three…
- Transport News
Executives at Thai Airways asked to take pay cut
PHOTO: Thai Airways and Thai PBS World “An unnamed source in the Transport Ministry says the airline’s financial predicament is very serious and puts it at risk of bankruptcy.” The country’s national flag carrier, Thai Airways, could be in deep financial trouble and may need to delay repaying its debt or seek new loans. Thai PBS World reports tat the…
- Politics News
Government unveils 12 policies – BKK street food return and a higher minimum wage
One of the new parliament’s first debates, when it sits on July 25 and 26, is over a formal policy listing 12 living standard priorities. The list laid out in a briefing paper lists surprisingly progressive policies for the new coalition. The government says it wants to reduce obstacles blocking people from earning a decent living and would utilise digital…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s household debt
Thailand’s household debt has been on the rise over the past decade, up from an average of 116,681 baht in 2007 to 178,994 baht in 2017, but should be measured with commensurate growth in wages, inflation and the country’s GDP. The figures show that Thailand’s debt for farming is around 16% of the total debt bill. 36% is spent on…