News
Standard EV charging system in the offing
The state and private sectors will start integrating different charging systems for electric vehicles (EVs) into a single standard as part of a trial early next year to make facilities more widely available to EV motorists.Up to 80 charging outlets have been built since 2016 ...
Yuthana Praiwan
Thai economic outlook highly uncertain, risks tilted to downside -c.bank
Thailand’s economic outlook remains highly uncertain with risks tilted to the downside and the central bank stands ready to use necessary tools to support an economy hammered by the coronavirus pandemic, central bank officials said on Wednesday.Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy contracted the most in 22 ...
Thailand’s economic crunch, protests cast land rights struggle in new light
As Thailand’s economy cracks under COVID-19, land ownership and access are key to many communities’ ability to ride out the crisis. Amid ongoing popular protests, Thailand must decide how to address its stark wealth gap and the needs of low-income rural communities.Keep reading ...
Thailand’s big banks sinking billions into digital transformation
Four of Thailand’s biggest commercial banks are hastening moves to stay ahead of the wave of digital disruption now sweeping the country.Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) is in the final year of its four-year digital transformation plan but is already drafting a new plan for the ...
The Nation Reporter
NPL crisis due to Covid-19 'worse than 1997 meltdown'
The present Covid-19 crisis was worse than the Tom Yam Kung crisis of 1997, the Bangkok Commercial Asset Management (BAM) has said, adding that non-performing loans (NPL) was of concern for Thailand’s economic system.BAM explained that financial institutions in 1997 had a low rate fund ...
The Nation Reporter
Govt floats new plan for land bridge
The government is considering the idea of a land bridge project connecting the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand via Ranong and Chumphon provinces.Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul on Sunday told a press briefing that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha wants to improve infrastructure to ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
Checks ramped up in Mae Sot
Thailand has tightened security at the main border trade gateway with Myanmar in Tak’s Mae Sot district after three Myanmar nationals tested positive for the coronavirus at the Thai border.Tak’s deputy governor, Suppimitr Paorik, has ordered vehicles from Myanmar to only load and unload goods ...
Assawin Pinitwong
Sluggish recovery
Assurance of a gradual economic recovery has been repeated by Thailand’s financial authorities using empirical evidence, but the reality on the ground reveals more pain in the near term.Despite signs of business activity re-emerging after strict lockdown measures were eased, the Covid-19 pandemic is challenging ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
TAT predicts B1.5tn in best case for 2021
Tourism could generate 1.5 trillion baht in revenue next year in the best-case scenario if market sentiment improves by April at the earliest, says the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).Despite a resurgent pandemic, the TAT aims for Thailand to be among the top five tourism ...
Narumon Kasemsuk
Mangrove forests see big growth
Thailand’s mangrove forests have increased by more than 200,000 rai, raising the total mangrove coverage to 1.73 million rai, according to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa. Citing satellite data showing the extent of mangrove forests in 24 coastal provinces, Mr Varawut said these ...
Bangkok Post Reporter