Economy and industry

The Energy Ministry has taken several steps to stimulate the Thai economy and has also extended a helping hand to consumers amid the Covid-19 crisis, which has had a harsh impact on the general public and small businesses.Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong, meanwhile, is pushing for ...

The number of foreign tourists in Thailand may plunge by almost two-thirds to 14 million this year, the lowest level in 14 years, as the coronavirus pandemic hits global travel, estimates from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) showed on Monday.The TAT now predicts only ...

The Finance Ministry will raise Bt50 billion from sale of savings bonds to mitigate the Covid-19 impact on the economy and society. The bonds will be on sale from May 14 to June 10 this year.Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana said that saving bonds were one ...

A 400-billion-baht borrowing plan intended for economic and social rehabilitation after the pandemic to strengthen the domestic economy will be added to the cabinet’s agenda next week, with the first batch expected to be doled out later this month.Rehabilitating the farming sector is crucial to ...

Thailand’s economy may shrink 3%-5% this year, sharply down from growth of 1.5%-2.0% projected in March, as the coronavirus pandemic hits global demand and domestic activity, a group of leading business associations said on Thursday.The group also cut its forecast for 2020 exports, a key ...

The Thai Chamber of Commerce is pondering whether to back a controversial proposal to have Thailand join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to boost international trade in the aftermath of Covid-19.The trade agreement involving a newly formed bloc of 11 Pacific ...

As the digital drive gains steam during the pandemic, Thailand must capitalise by turning into a global tech hub, says Digital Council of Thailand (DCT) president Suphachai Chearavanont.Mr Suphachai, chief executive of Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, said the world is likely to recover fast after ...

The cabinet on Tuesday approved 4.75 billion baht to finance the Government Data Center and Cloud (GDCC) service between 2020 and 2022.Rachada Dhanadirek, the deputy government spokesman, said the GDCC is the central cloud system to be used by government agencies, ensuring safety and serving ...

Thailand’s cross-border trade fell by 7.6% year-on-year in the first quarter as the coronavirus hit the global economy and led bordering countries to close dozens of checkpoints.The Foreign Trade Department on Tuesday said the country’s overall cross-border trade, including transit trade, totalled 264.97 billion baht ...

The cabinet has approved the first phase of a food and food processing development plan from 2020-2027, aiming to develop value-added products and increase competitiveness in the global market.The government wants to push Thailand to become Asean’s processed food hub by 2027. To achieve its ...