Economy and commerce

The Thai economy grew by 0.9 per cent as expected in December, though fears over the Omicron variant may slow things down in the first quarter of 2022, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) said.Chayawadee Chai-Anant, senior director of BOT’s Corporate Communications Department, said that despite ...

After much deliberation, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade pact is expected to become effective today.The pact was signed on Nov 15, 2020, by the 10 Asean member countries along with five Asean free trade agreement (FTA) partners. At least six members of Asean ...

The coming year looks to be an eventful one with activities that could have a big impact on Thailand, ranging from the country’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit to the trial of the retail Central Bank Digital Currency (retail CBDC).The 2022 Apec ...

The year 2021 posted exponential growth for cryptocurrencies and digital assets, which remain both one of the riskiest assets and one of the most promising growth opportunities entering 2022.To capture gains from the growing asset class, brokers advise investing 5-15% of a portfolio in digital ...

Spending during the festive season is expected to remain below 100 billion baht for a second straight year, hitting a 12-year low as growing concerns over the Covid-19 Omicron variant continue to undermine public sentiment.The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) revealed its ...

The Bank of Thailand (BoT) left its key interest rate unchanged at a record low for a 13th straight meeting on Wednesday, to support a tourism-reliant economy facing fresh risks from the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.The BoT’s Monetary Policy Committee unanimously voted to ...

The cabinet on Tuesday approved another package of measures to boost consumption and support an economy still struggling with the collapse of its vital tourism sector.The measures include a tax deduction of 30,000 baht for shoppers, an extension of the existing co-payment scheme and a ...

Thailand’s exports rose more than expected in November from a year earlier, helped by stronger global demand and a relatively weak baht, and full-2021 growth could be the highest in more than a decade, the Commerce Ministry said on Monday.Exports, a key driver of the ...

The government plans to set up a national shipping line company to promote Thailand as a regional logistics hub for maritime trade.Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Sunday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed state agencies to study the possibility and cost-effectiveness of setting a ...

Thailand’s digital finance will be a major boost to economic growth next year, helping smaller businesses gain more access to credit after a struggle to stay afloat during the pandemic, the finance minister said on Wednesday.Small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs), the backbone of the economy, have been ...