Economy

The Bank of Thailand has kept its key overnight repo rate at 1.5% for over three and a half years.
Economy

Bank of Thailand holds key rate steady as exports and tourism slow

Central bank keeps eyes on mortgage bubble; analysts see possible December hike

14 November 2018
Workers load a Chinese boat at a Thai Mekong river port in the Golden Triangle region, where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. 
Belt and Road

China to create trade zone with Thailand and Laos as tariffs bite

Beijing looks to boost ties with the two Mekong nations amid a trade war escalation

12 November 2018
The courtyard of Bank Indonesia, which is close to completing a currency deal with Singapore that will help stabilize its economy and financial market.
Economy

Southeast Asian central banks play defense against Fed tightening

Indonesia and Singapore sealed currency deal and Thailand considers a rate hike

9 November 2018
Foreign tourists have helped drive Thailand's economic recovery. (Photo by Takashi Kashiwara)
Economy

Thai visa scheme targets tourism dented by Phuket tragedy

Some foreign travelers will be exempt from $60 fee for two months

8 November 2018
A small marijuana plant grows in a lab at Niagara College in Ontario, Canada.
Economy

Asia plants seeds for medical cannabis market

Thailand, Singapore and China pursue research into health care uses

4 November 2018
A woman shows off features of Kasikorn Bank's revamped app at its launch event in October. (Photo by Masayuki Yuda)
Business trends

Thai lenders accelerate online banking with revamped apps

Tougher operating environment prompts banks to draw users in with range of online services

1 November 2018
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1 November 2018
Thailand hopes to boost industrial and farm exports by joining the 11-member Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.
Trade war

TPP-11 now turns focus to recruiting new members

In January meeting, addition of Thailand, South Korea and UK to be discussed

1 November 2018
A general view of Laem Chabang port, east of Bangkok.
Economy

Bangkok approves $14bn of projects in effort to lift economy

New investment in Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor expected to attract FDI

31 October 2018
A villager walks by a geothermal power plant in Central Java Province. Indonesia is rich in geothermal reserves.
Environment

Southeast Asia to double renewables with help of experts

International agency to steer ASEAN away from coal

31 October 2018
A truck approaches a border crossing between Thailand and Laos: Thailand plans new crossings and other infrastructure to deepen trade links with its neighbors. (Photo by Keiichiro Asahara)
Economy

Thailand bets on neighbors' rising incomes to lift exports

Bangkok pushes border trade as US-China spat cuts into shipments abroad

30 October 2018
A worker inspects a circuit board at factory in Vietnam. Southeast Asia has become a more important link in the supply chains of multinational manufacturers.
Trade war

Trade war drives Asian manufacturing out of China

Southeast Asia and Mexico emerge as favored hubs for Panasonic, TCL and others

24 October 2018
U.S. soybeans, such as these grown in Missouri, have become comparatively cheap due to the trade war with China and a bumper harvest.
Economy

Is Southeast Asia China's new middleman for US soybeans?

Trade statistics point to emergence of new routes bypassing increased tariffs

23 October 2018
Tourists check in at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. An influx of travelers from overseas has created severe overcrowding at the airport. (Photo by Keiichiro Asahara)
Economy

Bangkok airport capacity to be tripled as tourism booms

Suvarnabhumi Airport already handles 20 million more travelers than intended

16 October 2018
A collision on a high-speed train in Wenzhou, China, in 2011 killed 40 people.
Business trends

Catalyst or catastrophe? Lessons from Asia's high-speed rail failures

Spurring growth with ambitious projects requires far more than financing

14 October 2018
Wary of weaker exports, economists now see the five biggest ASEAN economies growing 4.9% this year, down 0.1 of a point from the previous projection.
Economy

ASEAN growth forecasts take hits from trade war and market turmoil

Survey of economists reveals fears for exports and currencies over long haul

11 October 2018
Rupiah bank notes in Jakarta: The World Bank is urging Asian economies to stem excessive credit growth, build fiscal buffers, strengthen debt sustainability and ensure flexible exchange rates.
Economy

World Bank sees potential debt rollover risk for Thailand and Indonesia

Bank warns of financial market contagion despite region's strong fundamentals

4 October 2018
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1 October 2018
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has made it clear that he intends to stay in power after elections due next year, but without the backing of the junta, governing the country will be much more difficult.
Politics

Prayuth's bid to stay in power spurs fears of political turmoil

Concerns grow over ability to govern without junta backing

30 September 2018
The China-backed Colombo Port City in Sri Lanka  @GettyImages
Belt and Road

Thailand sees shortcut to Belt and Road with Sri Lanka trade deal

Two nations to kick off bilateral FTA talks in Bangkok on Thursday

20 September 2018
Thai Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the new U-tapao airport will handle up to 60 million passengers per year when its 20-year renovation is complete. (Photo by Hiroshi Kotani)
Interview

Thailand to double airport capacity, surpassing Singapore's Changi

Airport high-speed railway could draw China-Japan investment, says minister

16 September 2018
The Thai baht has risen steadily against the dollar recently, outperforming regional peers and sparking worries that the country's exports would become less competitive. 
Economy

Strong Thai baht stirs worries for exports

Too much good news means currency headed for more upside

14 September 2018
Japan has increased imports of PET resin preforms, which are made into plastic bottles, from Thailand and Taiwan.
Economy

Asian makers of plastic bottle materials mount offensive in Japan

Anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports create business opportunities

13 September 2018
A man tends his garden on a balcony turned into a rooftop garden with solar panels and wind power in Bangkok.
Business trends

Thailand braces for surge of blockchain-enabled solar power

Regulator weighs fee on households as peer-to-peer energy trading threatens state utility

6 September 2018
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3 September 2018