News
Virus takes Bt6.5bn bite out of Thai chicken exports
The Covid-19 crisis drove down Thai exports of processed, refrigerated and frozen chicken in 2020 to 945,000 tonnes worth Bt105 billion, from 950,000 tonnes worth Bt111.5 billion in 2019, said the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association on Friday.“The outbreak resulted in lockdowns in Japan and ...
The Nation Reporter
Protesters demand military, monarchy budget cuts to fund Covid remedial measures
Pro-democracy protesters gathered outside the Commerce Ministry on Friday to demand that the government cut spending on the military and monarchy in order to help Thais suffering amid the second wave of Covid-19.Ratsadon protesters led by Panupong Jadnok attempted to deliver a petition of their ...
The Nation Reporter
Pandemic pushed 1.5 million Thais into poverty in 2020, World Bank says
An additional 1.5 million Thai citizens fell below the poverty line in 2020 as a result of the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to World Bank estimates based on a threshold of USD 5.50 per day.Declines in income have created economic hardship for ...
How COVID-19 Is Straining Human Rights in Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines
Stay-home orders in the Philippines didn’t work for lower-class people who rely on short term jobs for family income. They went out in 2020 despite the pandemic and despite the rules. Eventually tens of thousands were arrested and jailed in conditions that raise their risk ...
Travel desires changing in 2021
Spending more quality time with loved ones is the top thing people look forward to this year, according to the “What Matters 2021” survey of Agoda.The online survey was conducted between Dec 10-16. The total sample size was 16,064 adults. It found that one in ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
Cash handouts, co-payment scheme to boost Thai GDP by 1%
The government’s “RaoChana” (WeWin) cash handout scheme and the first two phases of the “Khon La Khrueng” (Let’s Go Halves) co-payment scheme are expected to boost Thai GDP by 1 per cent, said Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith.The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the new WeWin scheme ...
The Nation Reporter
BoT and Ministry look to tweaking soft loans for SME aid
The Finance Ministry and the Bank of Thailand are set to discuss amending the soft loan royal decree soon in a bid to provide greater financial relief coverage for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).The idea of amending this royal decree stems from the intent of ...
Wichit Chantanusornsiri
Pandemic steps to steer GDP outlook
Thailand’s GDP growth projection of 3.2% for this year could be downgraded by as much as four percentage points, depending on the government’s management of the latest outbreak, says the Bank of Thailand.There are three scenarios that could cause the country’s economic growth outlook to ...
Somruedi Banchongduang
Panel approves airport expansion
A panel in charge of upgrading Suvarnabhumi airport has approved a major development scheme worth nearly 60 billion baht to support the post-Covid-19 recovery of air travel demand.Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, the committee’s vice chairman, recently said the development project comprises the construction of three ...
Supoj Wancharoen
A look at the vaccine situation across ASEAN
The following is a brief look at what other ASEAN countries outside of Thailand are doing to secure Covid-19 vaccines. Nine out of the ten ASEAN members are waiting to secure covid vaccines from the World Health Organization (WHO)’s COVAX Facility. The WHO announced last ...