Thai Times

THAIRATH FORUM 2026 Brings Thai Leaders and CEOs Together on Global Economic Risks

Thai Rath Group’s THAIRATH FORUM 2026 convened government figures, central bank officials and senior executives to discuss trade fragmentation, major-power rivalry and energy security, alongside Thailand’s prospects in green industries, ...

Krungsri Says Thailand’s Second-Quarter Growth Was Supported by Electronics and Investment

Krungsri Research says stronger capital-goods imports, electronics manufacturing and continued foreign investment in technology helped support Thailand’s second-quarter economy despite regional trade shifts and wider supply-chain pressures.

Thailand Cuts Visa-Free Tourist Stay to 30 Days From September 15

New Royal Gazette regulations will standardize Thailand’s visa exemption at 30 days for nationals of 60 countries and territories from September 15, replacing the temporary 60-day arrangement while preserving bilateral agreements and exi...

Thailand Reports ฿535.8 Billion in Promoted Investment, Up 27% in First Half

Thailand’s Board of Investment says ฿535.8 billion in foreign and domestic capital was deployed across promoted projects in the first six months of 2026, up 27% from a year earlier and generating more than 630,000 jobs.

Thai Listed Companies’ First-Half Profits Rise 22.2% as Major Sectors Strengthen

Combined net profit at companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the Market for Alternative Investment rose 22.2% from a year earlier in the first half, supported by energy, telecommunications and banking groups including PT...

Thailand Realized Investment Jumps 27% to 535 Billion Baht in First Half

Thailand recorded 535 billion baht in realized investment during the first half of the year, up 27%, with more than 60% flowing into advanced electronics, artificial intelligence servers and automation industries and the investments crea...

Thailand Exports Rise 21.6% in July, Extending Growth Streak to 25 Months

Thailand’s exports reached $34.789 billion in July, up 21.6% from a year earlier, as the Commerce Ministry pursued market diversification, greater local content and broader income distribution to help smaller businesses benefit from inte...

Thailand Deploys Smart Tourist Police Patrols as Chiang Mai Launches Green Tourism Festival

Thailand is introducing surveillance drones and technology-enabled tourist police patrols at major destinations, while the Amazing Chiang Mai Green Guide Fest 2026 is expected to generate more than 100 million baht for the northern economy.

Thai Bank Branch Closures Reshape Local Retail and Commercial Property Markets

The rapid shift toward digital banking is reducing foot traffic around traditional bank branches, putting pressure on nearby small businesses, urban shophouses and commercial landlords that have relied on branch-based activity for decades.

Thailand Loses 400,000 Jobs as Average Monthly Wages Fall to 15,937 Baht

Thailand’s labor market has weakened with 400,000 jobs lost and average monthly wages falling to 15,937 baht, while new Employee Welfare Fund regulations are set to affect more than 107,000 businesses nationwide.

Thailand Women’s Volleyball Team Secures First Olympic Qualification

Thailand defeated host China in five sets in the Asian championship final, retaining the continental title and earning the women’s national team its first Olympic berth for the Los Angeles Games.

Thailand Fast-Tracks Flying Taxi Testing at Phetchabun Airport

Transport authorities are accelerating a regulatory sandbox and test site for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft at Phetchabun Airport as Thailand explores commercial advanced-air-mobility services.

Phuket Luxury Home Sales Rise 45% as Foreign Demand Strengthens

CBRE Thailand reported a 45% year-on-year increase in high-end residential sales in Phuket during the first half, driven by wealthy international buyers and growing demand for the island as a long-term lifestyle destination.

Thailand Secures Tomorrowland and Ultra Thailand Music Festivals

The Tourism Authority of Thailand confirmed the country will host Tomorrowland for the first time in Asia alongside Ultra Thailand, adding major international events to its tourism and entertainment calendar.

Thai Airways Restores Nonstop Auckland Flights

Thai Airways is resuming direct passenger services to Auckland as the national carrier expands its Asia-Pacific network and seeks to capture stronger tourism demand while supporting trade with New Zealand.

Bangkok to Host Gastech Conference With More Than 50,000 Delegates

More than 50,000 energy executives and delegates are expected in Bangkok in September for the Gastech conference, which will focus on natural gas, low-carbon energy, artificial intelligence and rising electricity demand.

Eastern Economic Corridor Ranked Southeast Asia’s Leading Integrated Manufacturing Hub

SEAsia Stats ranked Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor first among regional industrial zones, citing deep-sea port infrastructure and about 13,000 megawatts of power capacity across Chonburi and Rayong.

Nestlé Wins Approval for $688 Million Thailand Manufacturing Investment

Nestlé secured approval for a $688 million investment to establish a technology-driven regional coffee manufacturing hub in Thailand, expanding its use of the country’s logistics and agricultural supply networks.

Thailand Advances 200 Billion Baht Clean Energy Investment Program

The government is accelerating investment in solar power, energy storage and electric-vehicle charging infrastructure as it seeks to reduce fossil-fuel dependence and support technology and manufacturing projects requiring cleaner electr...

Thailand Finalizes ‘Made in Thailand Chips’ Strategy for Semiconductor Expansion

The National Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Board is completing a long-term plan to develop advanced packaging, printed circuit boards and artificial intelligence hardware domestically as demand for regional cloud infrastructure ...

Thailand Attracts More Than $30 Billion in Electronics and AI Investment

Thailand’s Board of Investment said the electronics sector has drawn more than 1 trillion baht since 2023, while realized capital expenditure rose 27% in the first half of this year and supported more than 630,000 domestic jobs.

Thai Market Experts Outline Investment Lessons and Portfolio Strategies for 2026

Leading Thai market experts discuss lessons from past economic crises and approaches to structuring investment portfolios as investors navigate changing economic conditions in Thailand.

Bangkok Named World’s Best City for Nightlife in Time Out’s 2026 Ranking

Time Out has ranked Bangkok first globally for nightlife in 2026, giving Thailand’s tourism sector another international endorsement as hospitality, entertainment and retail businesses seek to attract more overseas visitors.

Thailand’s Largest Business Groups Gather to Chart Strategy for a More Volatile Global Economy

Bangkok Bank, Charoen Pokphand Group, Central Pattana and Gulf Energy Development are among the major companies joining the Thairath Forum 2026 to assess geopolitical shifts, supply chain risks and trade pressures shaping Thailand’s busi...

Thailand Targets GDP Growth Above 3% as Government Courts Global Investors

Thailand’s government is pitching a growth strategy centered on artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, SME integration into global supply chains and electric-vehicle workforce training, backed by a 400-billion-baht loan decree ...

Pattaya Businesses Expect Boost from Arrival of 5,000 US Military Personnel

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group’s port call at Sattahip Naval Base is expected to bring about 5,000 US military personnel to the area and inject up to 15 million baht into Pattaya’s restaurants, retailers and service busines...

Thailand Showcases Circular Economy Technologies at Bangkok Sanitation Summit

Thailand is using a global sanitation leaders summit in Bangkok to highlight technologies that convert waste into renewable energy and other resources, positioning the country as a testing ground for climate-resilient urban infrastructur...

Thailand’s Premium Spa and Wellness Market Forecast to Exceed 97 Billion Baht by 2028

Thailand’s hospitality and health sectors are expanding beyond traditional spa services into preventative care, fitness and social wellness as operators respond to rising domestic and international demand for broader health experiences.

Thailand Plans Higher Security Deposits for Tour Operators as Travel Sector Recovers

Thailand’s Tourism Department is proposing an increase in security deposits for general tour businesses from 60,000 baht to 200,000 baht to strengthen tourist protection, financial stability and industry oversight following pandemic-era ...

Thailand Tourism Authority Shifts Strategy Toward High-Value Travel

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is moving away from a focus on visitor volume and toward premium wellness, sustainability and higher-value travel, with an ecosystem-based strategy aimed at delivering stronger economic and community ben...

Thailand Tightens Digital Platform Rules to Protect Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Thailand’s Trade Competition Commission is introducing stricter rules for ride-hailing, on-demand delivery and modern retail platforms to curb unfair practices, improve transparency and reduce disadvantages faced by domestic small and me...

Thailand Accelerates AI Push as Government and Business Investment Expands

Thailand is stepping up artificial intelligence adoption across the public and private sectors, backed by enterprise investment and government initiatives including the domestic ThaiLLM, as the country seeks stronger digital sovereignty ...

Thailand Approves More Than 1 Billion Baht for Local Development and Additional Debt Relief

The National Village and Urban Community Fund board approved more than 1 billion baht for regional development projects alongside hundreds of millions of baht in debt relief under the Thai Helps Thai initiative, aiming to improve grassro...

Thailand's Grassroots Consumer Spending Weakens as Household Purchasing Power Tightens

Retail analysis and market observations across Bangkok and regional provinces point to weaker purchasing power, with sellers facing rising operating costs and competition from low-cost imports and e-commerce as economists warn of further...

Thailand's Realized BOI Investment Jumps 27% to 535.8 Billion Baht

Thailand recorded a 27% increase in realized Board of Investment project values in the first half of 2026, reaching 535.8 billion baht and creating more than 630,000 domestic jobs, with over 60% of investment concentrated in advanced ele...

Thailand Unveils 2027 Tourism Strategy to Shift From Arrival Growth Toward Higher-Value Travel

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is targeting a five percent increase in tourism income while seeking to direct forty percent of international visitors to secondary provincial cities, aiming to ease pressure on major destinations includ...

Thailand Tightens Deportation Rules With 30-Day Deadline for Foreign Offenders and Illegal Businesses

A new inter-agency regulation gives the Interior Ministry expanded authority to expedite the removal of foreign nationals convicted of crimes or involved in illegal business operations, requiring deportation cases to be processed within ...

Thailand Approves 400-Billion-Baht Emergency Loan Package to Stabilize Energy Costs and Fund Green Infrastructure

Thailand’s House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved an emergency loan decree proposed by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government, with the funds earmarked to manage energy price volatility and accelerate investment in...

Thailand Faces Economic and Security Disruption After Wave of 78 Attacks in Southern Provinces

Security forces are responding to at least 78 arson, bombing and sabotage incidents across Thailand’s southern border provinces, with attacks on government buildings, businesses and railway infrastructure disrupting transport and regiona...

Phuket Launches Smart Surveillance Network to Manage Traffic and Improve Road Safety

Phuket authorities have introduced the Phuket Eyes monitoring system to enforce traffic rules and manage vehicle flows as tourism growth puts increasing pressure on the island’s roads and urban infrastructure.

Thailand Deploys Artificial Intelligence in National Passport System to Strengthen Security and Digital Services

The Thai government is integrating artificial intelligence into passport processing to improve efficiency and security as part of a wider effort to modernize public services and border management.

Thailand Plans 200 Billion Baht for Power Infrastructure With Rooftop Solar at the Center

Thailand’s energy authorities are putting rooftop solar at the heart of a 200-billion-baht power infrastructure strategy intended to help stabilize long-term commercial electricity costs and strengthen the country’s appeal to multination...

Thailand Warns Three-Airport Rail Consortium Against Premature Exit From 220-Billion-Baht Project

Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul warned that the Charoen Pokphand-led Asia Era One consortium could be barred from future state contracts if it terminates the delayed high-speed rail project early, with negotiations continuing a...

Thailand Attracts More Than 30 Billion Dollars in Electronics Investment as Supply Chains Shift

The Thailand Board of Investment says electronics investment since 2023 has exceeded one trillion baht, or about 30.5 billion dollars, as multinational companies expand advanced manufacturing, chip production and technology operations in...