News
Energy consumption up by 2.8% in first half, but only 0.1% rise projected for full year
Thailand’s primary energy consumption rose 2.8 per cent in the first six months of 2021, the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) reported on Monday.Consumption of natural gas, lignite, hydropower and imported electricity increased as the global economy began to recover. However, oil us fell ...
The Nation Reporter
Retail sentiment slumps to lowest level in 16 months, recovery expected only in 2023
The 7th Retailer Sentiment Index (RSI) survey for 2021 slumped to 16.4 from the average of 50, the deepest drop in 16 months and below the April 2020 level of 24.3, reflecting the high rate of anxiety.The retail outlook remains bleak for the coming quarter ...
The Nation Reporter
TDRI urges govt to prioritise procurement of high-quality vaccines
The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has said the country is far from ready to be reopened in 120 days as previously stated by the prime minister.In an article titled “Investing in Public Health”, published on Tuesday, the TDRI suggested that the focus should be ...
The Nation Reporter
TAT plea to amend sandbox plan
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is asking the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to approve the so-called 7+7 model allowing tourists to stay in Phuket for seven days before visiting other locations.Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a secretary attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, said on ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
Over half of SMEs unlikely to survive six months without government support
The Federation of Thai SMEs has warned that small and medium-sized enterprises faced a serious crisis, with 13 per cent at risk of not surviving three months, and 40 per cent likely to close down within six months.Federation chairman Sangchai Theerakulwanich urged the government to ...
The Nation Reporter
Worsening outlook limits investment opportunity
July was the worst month for Covid-19 in Thailand since the pandemic began and cases continue to rise by more than 20,000 daily. Total cases in the country have surpassed 830,000, with more than 200,000 infections and 2,100 deaths since the start of August alone.The ...
Sandbox tourism scheme generates over THB1 billion for Phuket economy
The Phuket “sandbox” programme drew over 19,000 foreign tourists and generated over THB1 billion in revenue for the province, Thanusak Pheungdet, president of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, said on Friday.The sandbox scheme, which kicked off on July 1, aims to reopen Phuket to foreign ...
The Nation Reporter
Vaccine tourism set to spike
Outbound tour operators expect increasing demand for vaccine tourism in the fourth quarter because of the delay in procurement of high-quality vaccines in Thailand.Suthiphong Pheunphiphop, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), said even if local travellers are able to take outbound trips in ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
BoT: Firms expect normalcy in Q1 2022
Nearly half of businesses expect normal Thai life to resume in the first quarter of next year, according to a Bank of Thailand survey.The business sentiment index, which was conducted from July 1-22 on 260 businesses of all sizes, found 45% of respondents expect public ...
Somruedi Banchongduang
Plastic waste imports are 'unwanted'
More than 100 environmental groups have called on the government to prohibit the import of plastic waste and instead encourage the use of domestic plastic waste for recycling as a way to safeguard the environment and promote the circular economy.The network of 107 civil society ...
Bangkok Post Reporter