Archive

Apple tightens App Store review rules on AI image apps and bait-and-switch changes Blognone · 5d ago

Apple updated its App Review Guidelines. Apps that show one purpose during review and then add different features after approval are targeted as bait-and-switch. AI apps that generate nude or sexual images, including from personal photos without consent, must have a plan to remove such content, or they can be pulled from the App Store. Apps involving child sexual abuse will be removed immediately. If your business publishes an app on the App Store, check that its review submission matches what it actually does, and that any AI image feature has content-removal controls.

Developers slash prices for the 29 Oct–1 Nov housing expo, and condo stock is being dumped Prachachat · 5d ago

Developers are cutting condo prices 10-20% and offering 0-baht down payments and 0% interest for 5 years at the 50th Thai housing and condo expo, 29 Oct-1 Nov 2026. Bangkok has about 65,300 unsold condo units, with about 25,700 ready-to-move units targeted for clearance. If you sell or rent property, service developers, or plan to buy, expect deep discounts and bundled perks this month. Analysts warn that more than 40% of mortgage applications are being rejected, so buyers may switch to renting.

Gold prices flat today: bar 66,100 baht sell, jewellery 66,900 baht sell Prachachat · 5d ago

Gold prices were unchanged from the previous close as of 09:02 on 17 Oct 2026, per the Gold Traders Association. Bar gold (96.5%) buys at 65,900 baht and sells at 66,100 baht per baht-weight; jewellery buys at 64,581.60 baht and sells at 66,900 baht. World spot gold is 4,165.00 USD per ounce. If you buy or sell gold for stock or as a cash store, note the buy-sell spread of roughly 1,000 baht on jewellery.

Prachin River fish kill: expert says factory licence renewal and fines need fixing Prachachat · 5d ago

A fish-kill crisis on the Prachin Buri river has prompted an environmental expert to call for tighter factory oversight. Key points: the 2019 Factory Act replaced five-yearly licence renewal (Rong 4) with six-monthly self-reporting through consultants; fines are capped at 200,000 baht; and the expert proposes stronger local-government and public watchdog roles, plus a PRTR disclosure law. Lab results are still pending, and the cause is not yet confirmed. For SMEs: check your own environmental reporting and waste handling, since enforcement is likely to tighten.

Heavy rain warning for central, eastern and southern Thailand through 25 Oct: plan for flash floods and delivery delays Prachachat · 5d ago

The Thai Meteorological Department warns of heavy rain, strong gusts and flash floods in the central, eastern and southern regions, with Bangkok and surroundings at 60% thunderstorm coverage. Heavy rain continues 18-20 Oct in the south and east, and rain increases 21-25 Oct across Bangkok, the central region and the east. Low-lying shops and warehouses should move stock off the floor, and deliveries and site work should allow for delays. Boat operators should avoid storm areas, with waves over 2 m in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand.

Finance ministry pushes 1,000-baht exit tax on travellers; tourism sector says it doubles up with entry fee Prachachat · 5d ago

The Finance Ministry plans a 1,000-baht exit tax on all travellers leaving Thailand, expected to raise about 12 billion baht a year. The Revenue Department's public consultation runs until 29 October 2026, and the bill still needs parliamentary approval, so no start date is set. Tourism groups, including SME operators, oppose it, warning of higher trip costs, fewer visitors and weaker airline routes. Tourism-linked SMEs should watch the consultation and factor a possible cost rise for travellers into 2027 pricing and bookings. The tourism minister says the inbound entry fee starts in Q1 2027.

Thailand's digital trade deficit hit 384 billion baht; opposition MPs push government to buy local software and platforms Prachachat · 5d ago

Bank of Thailand data puts Thailand's 2025 digital services deficit at 384 billion baht, up about 84 billion baht from 2022. Foreign ad spend was about 115.8 billion baht, and cloud, software and AI fees about 56.3 billion baht. A House sub-committee wants government purchasing to favour Thai startups and local providers first. This is only a proposal and no law has passed. Still, if you sell software, digital services or ad-tech to government agencies, watch for local-first procurement. Foreign platform taxes are not yet in force, so no change to your costs now.

Diesel B20 at 37.19 baht and gasohol 95 at 41.44 baht a litre today at Bangchak Prachachat · 5d ago

Bangchak's reference prices for 17 Oct (2026): diesel B20 37.19 baht/litre (unchanged), B7 42.94, premium diesel Plus 50.05; gasohol 95 41.44, gasohol 91 41.07, E20 35.69. Prices exclude the Bangkok local-area tax and take effect at 05.00 the next day. Check your local station before budgeting fuel for delivery or transport costs.

Bangkok's draft city plan drops flood retention areas, so check your property's flood risk Bangkok Post · 6d ago

Bangkok's draft fourth comprehensive city plan, due to take effect next year, no longer includes the proposed monkey cheek retention basins, which the BMA says cost about 11 billion baht and need land expropriation. The BMA prefers canal improvements, diversion routes and drainage tunnels instead. Property analysts say floodways should keep strict development limits, and the draft raises density in areas such as Khu Bon and Nimit Mai. If you buy, build, or lease property, check whether the site lies in a floodway or low-lying zone on the draft water management map before committing.

Large Thai firms' credit weakens in 2026, so expect tighter bank lending Bangkok Post · 6d ago

Tris Rating recorded 24 downgrades and only 5 upgrades among rated Thai corporates from January to September 2026, plus 4 defaults (up from 3 a year earlier). Stress is concentrated in engineering and construction, homebuilders and property developers, leisure, regulated utilities, consumer finance, leasing and telecom. For a small business, this points to a tougher credit climate: banks and lessors may tighten terms, and construction, property and related suppliers should watch customer payment delays and their own refinancing needs.

Call for shared responsibility on AI Bangkok Post · 6d ago

Anthropic and the IMF are calling for shared governance of AI development across governments, businesses, and international bodies to mitigate risks and safeguard against rapid technological advancement. The IMF forecasts AI will affect roughly 10% of global jobs overall, with some sectors seeing no impact while others shift to higher-skilled roles; major AI-producing nations (US, China, India) and supply-chain players must lead coordination. Anthropic emphasizes transparency, third-party risk assessments, and data-sharing between companies and policymakers to inform better labor and economic decisions.

Social Security Office board may rush 2.9 billion baht budget and wipe employer contribution debts before new board takes over Prachachat · 6d ago

A faction on the Social Security Office board (ทีมประกันสังคมก้าวหน้า) says the outgoing board has a 19 October meeting agenda to approve a 2026 budget of over 2 billion baht, build a 38 million baht building, and write off 29 million baht of employer unpaid contributions. They argue the new board, elected on 11 October, should decide instead. The dispute is political and not yet settled. For employers, the practical point is that unpaid social security contributions may be forgiven, but nothing is confirmed. Keep paying on time and watch the outcome of the meeting.

Social Security cuts workplace injury fund contributions for 452 business codes, saving employers about 1,700 million baht a year Prachachat · 6d ago

Social Security Office approved a change to Workmen's Compensation Fund contribution rates. 452 of 1,091 business codes get a lower main rate, and the maximum experience discount rises from 50% to 70%. About 344,521 establishments (roughly 75% of employers) are expected to pay less, about 1,700 million baht a year in total. No employer pays more. Check your business code's rate and whether your injury record qualifies for the bigger experience discount. Benefits for employees are unchanged. The article does not give an effective date, so confirm with the Social Security Office before budgeting.

Indonesian stocks crash after MSCI proposes downgrade to standalone status Bangkok Post · 6d ago

MSCI said Indonesia no longer merits emerging-market status and proposed moving it to "standalone", which would drop its stocks from global indexes and could trigger roughly $4 billion in passive outflows plus up to $15 billion more from active funds. Jakarta shares fell 11.6% in one day and the rupiah hit 18,070 per dollar. For a Thai SME, the direct effect is limited: watch for regional fund flows, some rupiah and regional sentiment swings, and any spillover into Thai equities or the baht. No action is needed now.

Community Development Dept runs 60% OTOP discount campaign on Shopee and Nex Gen Commerce through October Prachachat · 6d ago

The Community Development Department (CDD) is running an anniversary campaign from 1 to 31 October 2026 for OTOP products sold on Shopee and Nex Gen Commerce: 60% off, capped at 100 baht, using code OTOP60 on participating items. OTOP producers who registered for the programme can join the next campaigns through to the end of the programme (the article lists six campaigns from June to November). Shopee is offering reduced commission fees to participants. Registered OTOP and community enterprise operators should check with their district or provincial CDD office about joining, and consider whether their listed products are eligible for the October promotion.

Thai gold prices rose 150 baht today: gold bar buy-back at 65,900 baht, jewellery sell-out at 66,900 baht Prachachat · 6d ago

Gold Traders Association prices at 17.14 on 16 Oct: bar gold buy-back 65,900 baht, sell-out 66,100 baht; jewellery buy-back 64,581.60 baht, sell-out 66,900 baht per baht weight, up 150 baht from the previous close. Prices changed several times during the day across announcements 8 to 23, so check the latest announcement before buying or selling stock. The spread between buy and sell prices (about 1,300 baht on jewellery) is the cost to watch when pricing gold-linked products or deciding whether to sell gold holdings. World gold spot was US$4,183/oz. Geopolitical news (Russia-Ukraine, US-Mexico tariff talks) was mentioned but is background for this reader.

EU battery rule forces user-replaceable batteries in gadgets from February 2027 Prachachat · 6d ago

From 18 February 2027, gadgets sold in the EU (phones, tablets, earbuds, laptops, smartwatches, electric toothbrushes and more) must let users replace the battery with common tools, and makers must sell spare batteries for at least 5 years. Software cannot block third-party replacement parts. For a Thai SME, this matters only if you export to or sell into Europe, or source these products, since newer EU-compliant models will appear first. Otherwise, treat it as background; no action is needed this quarter.

Government plans shift from broad energy subsidies to targeted aid and easier rooftop solar selling for households and small businesses Prachachat · 6d ago

Deputy Finance Minister Santitarn outlined a three-part plan (Stabilize, Transition, Invest). Broad energy price subsidies are expected to be cut in favour of targeted support for affected households and businesses. Rooftop solar incentives and easier grid connection would let small businesses sell power as well as use it (prosumer). A Low Carbon City project with the World Bank, Thai banks and EXIM Bank, with signing set for 17 Oct 2569 (2026), targets building and industrial-estate solar and energy management. No specific rates, dates for incentives, or eligibility rules were given, so watch for the detailed measures before committing capex.

Protests block roads near IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok; expect closures around Ratchadaphisek Bangkok Post · 6d ago

Protesters from the Assembly of the Poor and La Via Campesina were stopped by police at Asok Montri and Khlong Toei intersections on Thursday and Friday while marching toward the IMF and World Bank meeting venue at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. A section of Ratchadaphisek road and MRT Queen Sirikit Center station were closed on Friday. If your delivery routes, staff commute or customer access run through the Asok–Khlong Toei stretch, plan around possible closures during the meetings. Otherwise there is no direct business action.

Fed chair says AI will hit demand before supply, so expect a bumpy ride and no rate guidance before the late-October FOMC The Standard Wealth · 6d ago

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, speaking at the IMF-World Bank meetings in Bangkok on 16 October, called AI the most consequential change of his lifetime but warned the path will be rough: demand rises first, with a positive supply effect only in the medium term. He said the Fed raised rates 0.25% to 3.75-4.00% on 16 September and gave no guidance on the rest of the year, ahead of the 27-28 October FOMC. Global central banks are tightening together and inflation is a shared problem, with energy prices pushed up by the Middle East war. For a Thai SME, the practical read is that US rates may stay firm and no clear signal is coming, so avoid locking in assumptions about borrowing costs or the baht's direction based on rate expectations.