News
Rice exports tipped to beat state target
Rice shipments out of Thailand are expected to fare better than the government’s target of 10 million tonnes because of price competitiveness and recovering exports of hom mali fragrant rice, shippers say. Even so, that amount would be insufficient to retake the title of world’s ...
Makkasan land deal derails
The Finance Ministry has backed away from developing the 500-rai Makkasan plot owned by the State Railway of Thailand under a debt-for-land deal with the rail agency. The State Enterprise Policy Commission, or the superboard, earlier agreed to a proposal that the SRT lease the Makkasan ...
GMS nations back investment boost
The region’s transportation network stands to get an investment boost after the The 21st Greater Mekong Subregion Ministerial Conference decided on a new investment plan on December 1. Six ministers from GMS countries — China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar — endorsed an additional ...
Thai fintech Ascend Money plans SE Asia expansion
Ascend Money Co, a digital financial services venture between Charoen Pokphand Group and Ant Financial, is poised to embark on a $100 million expansion next year into Southeast Asia. The Bangkok-based firm, which operates payments and online lending platforms, will expand its network of sales ...
EU ‘Green card’ for Thailand expected over IUU fishing
Thailand will at some point receive a “green card” from the European Union for its efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, once the EU realises the real progress the government is making in this regard, according to Steve Trent, executive director of the Environmental ...
Four-year plan aims to boost tourism
The National Tourism Policy Committee has unveiled a four-year plan to enhance tourism competitiveness and has also approved a special zone focusing on four islands in southern Thailand. Deputy Prime Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn on November 30 said the committee would organise a series of training programmes ...
New domestic tourism tax breaks okayed
The cabinet gave the nod on November 29 to the reinstatement of tourism stimulus measures including a 15,000-baht tax break on domestic tour packages and hotel accommodation for individual taxpayers. The measures are intended to entice people to spend the long public holiday at home ...
Government optimistic on exports
The government remains positive that exports will stay flat or eke out marginal growth this year despite an unexpected drop in October after two months of gains. The Commerce Ministry on November 28 said exports fell by 4.2% year-on-year in October to UScopy7.78 billion after growth ...
Government pushes expressway to go ahead
The government has instructed authorities to resume construction of a section of the long delayed northern expressway linking the Kasetsart intersection and Nawamin Road, also known as the N2 section. The planned expressway, which will link west Bangkok at Bang Pa-In-Bang Phli motorway to east ...
Thailand’s October exports fall
Thailand’s customs-cleared exports unexpectedly dropped in October after two months of gains, adding to pressure on the struggling, trade-reliant economy in the face of tepid global demand. Exports, worth about two-thirds of the Thai economy, have contracted the past three years, placing a big drag ...
