Thailand

The popular short-form video hosting app TikTok is under pressure in the U.S. amid concerns over consumer privacy and data security practices, its impact on children and the company's relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.
Your Week in Asia

Xi-Putin summit, Thai House term ends, TikTok CEO testifies in U.S.

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

19 March 2023
Chinese customers pose in Thai student uniforms at the Sriphan store. (Photo from Sriphan's Facebook page)
Travel & Leisure

Thai school uniform boom in China fuels hope for tourism recovery

Social media post by Chinese actress starts cosplay trend among visitors

19 March 2023
Potash for sale in Kolkata: The price of this key ingredient for fertilizer has shot up globally since the start of the Ukraine war.
Commodities

Thailand to revive potash mining project to cut fertilizer prices

Government to lead investment in hopes of raising domestic supplies

18 March 2023
Riding the elevated trains is a good way for Bangkokians and tourists to avoid the city's infamous traffic jams.
Transportation

Bangkok trains face strike risk as dispute with government escalates

Workers demand city pay debt; anti-corruption body alleges operator BTS broke law

17 March 2023
The port of Bangkok. Thailand aims to eliminate tariffs on exports to the European Union's 27 countries through resumption of trade talks.
Trade

Thailand, EU agree to restart trade talks halted by 2014 coup

Bangkok aims for tech transfers and boosting exports in critical industries

16 March 2023
An EHang flying car ferries passengers during a test flight in Japan. (Photo by Toshiki Sasazu)
Aerospace & Defense Industries

China's flying car developer eyes ASEAN aerial tour market

EHang CFO says prior certification at home eases regulatory process abroad

15 March 2023
PTT is using natural gas as an energy source as it transitions to decarbonization. (Photo by Nozomu Ogawa)
Energy

Thailand PTT's $2.8bn investment paves way to decarbonization

State-owned energy company to build LNG facilities and produce EVs, hydrogen

14 March 2023
Traveloka President Caesar Indra says interest is growing in sustainable tourism. (Photo by Tsubasa Suruga) 
Travel & Leisure

Indonesia's Traveloka eyes sustainability demand as tourists return

Online booking unicorn seeks 'quality' partnerships for wider ASEAN market share

13 March 2023
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, left, and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan are expected to vie for the top job in the upcoming general election. (Source photos by Reuters and EPA/Jiji)
Politics

Thailand generals' election rivalry places military on new footing

PM Prayuth, Deputy PM Prawit poised to compete for votes -- and army support

11 March 2023
Central Westville is slated to open in Bangkok by December. (Image courtesy of Central Pattana)
Property

Thai developer Central Pattana eyes $3.9bn for malls, homes over 5 years

Expanded investment plan includes hotels, anticipating rapid tourism rebound

10 March 2023
Thai tourism started to recover in the second half of 2022 following the easing of entry rules.
Travel & Leisure

Thai hotels ramp up investment as tourism blossoms again

Brighter outlook from 2022 prompt expansion even as labor shortage clouds future

6 March 2023
The bullish case for Delta rests on the company's plans to double its EV business as EV makers BYD, Great Wall Motor, and Tesla make inroads in Thailand. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images)
Market Spotlight

EV boom creates unlikely stock market star in Thailand

Thai subsidiary of Taiwan's Delta Electronics becomes kingdom's most valuable company

6 March 2023
The new True Corporation debuts on the Stock Exchange of Thailand on March 3 at about 24 cents per share. (Source photos by Reuters and Yumi Kotani)
Telecommunication

True stock debuts as CP finalizes Thai telco megamerger

New entity with Telenor's DTAC announces $200m startup fund

3 March 2023
Telemedicine is gaining a foothold in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries for services ranging from consultations to delivering prescriptions. (Source photos by Getty Images)  
Business Spotlight

Indonesia and its ASEAN neighbors take to telemedicine

Growing populations, fewer physicians spur apps like Alodokter, Doctor Anywhere

3 March 2023
The sky looks grey in the popular tourist destination of Chiang Mai due to severe air pollution. (Photo by Yohei Muramatsu)
Travel & Leisure

Thailand's tourism future darkened by air pollution

Visitors may choose countries with 'cleaner air' instead, industry chief warns

2 March 2023
Bangkok-born and British-educated writer Tew Bunnag works with hospices and hospitals dealing with patients facing end-of-life issues, so perhaps it is natural that redemption and healing are two themes of "Slow Steps to Love," his latest novel.  (All photos courtesy of Tew Bunnag)
Books

Books: 'Slow steps' to healing Thailand

Portraying an unequal society, Tew Bunnag spiritually unites rich and poor

1 March 2023
The Philippines and Malaysia's startup ecosystems are emerging as lesser-known hot spots in Southeast Asia for investors seeking solid returns from young tech companies. (Source photos by Akira Kodaka and AP)
Startups

Philippines, Malaysia emerge as startup hot spots, says investor

500 Global doubles down on regional tech investment as valuations cool

28 February 2023
Soldiers take part in an amphibious assault exercise during the 2020 Cobra Gold multilateral military exercises in Thailand's Chonburi province.
Defense

Thailand, U.S. resume Cobra Gold military exercise at full scale

America sends 6,000-strong contingent in a show of regional commitment

28 February 2023
People in Beijing pass a display panel showing Xi Jinping in November 2018: The Chinese president has vowed to make consumer spending the "main driving force."
Your Week in Asia

China's NPC, Cobra Gold 2023, G-20 foreign ministers meeting

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

26 February 2023
Khaosan Road, a popular tourism spot in Bangkok. Thailand looks to boost tourism by making casinos legal. (Photo by Kosuke Inoue)
Travel & Leisure

Thailand weighs bet on legalizing casinos to draw more tourists

Las Vegas Sands among the players interested in potential new gambling destination

25 February 2023
Thai election czar Sawaeng Boonmee, left, and TikTok Thailand's head of public policy, Chanida Kiyphun, announce a partnership on Feb. 24. (Photo courtesy of Election Commission of Thailand)
Politics

TikTok teams with Thai election body in disinformation battle

Chinese social media platform seeks lessons from Philippine, Malaysian polls

25 February 2023
A Thai Airways plane at Tokyo's Narita Airport. The airline plans to increase flights to Japan this year. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)
Transportation

Thai Airways rides Asia's travel reopening back to profit

Carrier to add more flights to China, Japan as it eyes exit from restructuring

25 February 2023
Fee earnings this month of ASEAN's largest banks -- United Overseas Bank, DBS Group Holdings and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. -- all dropped.
Finance

ASEAN banks feel fee earnings pinch amid choppy markets

Some investors pulling back, hitting noninterest incomes of lenders

24 February 2023
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha hopes that his United Thai Nation Party will gain enough votes in this year's general elections to be able to put him forward as a candidate for premiership again.
Politics

Prayuth plays Thai poll timing guessing game in reelection bid

Incumbent PM still needs to get backing to run again, sources say

23 February 2023
A worker sprays water on a truck to reduce the dust at the Chatree gold mine in 2011. The Thai government, citing environmental and health concerns, forced the mine to halt operations at the beginning of 2017.
Materials

Australian miner Kingsgate resumes gold operation in Thailand

Company ends six-year health and environmental dispute with Prayuth's government

22 February 2023