Archive

Thai economy recovery is K-shaped, with SMEs lagging behind exporters and data firms Prachachat · Aug 23, 2026

H1 GDP grew 2.4% and is forecast at 2.0% for the full year, driven mainly by private investment in digital and electronics. Retail leaders say SMEs, the bottom of the K, are recovering slowly because of weaker spending, high costs, bad debt and cheap imports. Credit is tightening, pushing many households toward informal lenders. The Retail Sentiment Index for Aug-Oct dipped slightly but stayed above 50. Watch the year-end festive season and the domestic tourism stimulus that is about to launch. The article itself contains no concrete new measure or deadline.

Deep South unrest sparks top-level security alert and a stay-indoors order in Yala and nearby areas Prachachat · Aug 23, 2026

Coordinated attacks hit several points across the three Deep South border provinces on the night of 22 August. The PM convened security chiefs, and the Department of Provincial Administration says the highest alert level is in force, especially in Yala. Residents were told not to leave their areas from the previous night, and officials say casualties are still unconfirmed but appear serious. For businesses in the Deep South: expect checkpoints, curfews or movement limits, possible delivery and staff-transport delays, and plan for disrupted hours and safety of staff. Businesses elsewhere should monitor for further incidents.

Deep South violence prompts emergency security meeting and a stay-indoors order in Yala and nearby provinces Prachachat · Aug 23, 2026

After coordinated attacks in several spots across the three Deep South border provinces (Yala named in the report), the Prime Minister called an urgent security meeting before visiting Nan. Authorities raised security to the highest level and told residents not to leave their areas, with a ban on leaving to be announced under the southern border development plan if suspects are not caught. Casualty figures are not yet official. For businesses in the south: expect checkpoints, curfews or movement limits, possible delivery and transport delays, and lower foot traffic in the coming days. Plan staff travel and stock deliveries with that in mind.

Nan floods were not a pure engineering failure, a geotechnical engineer says, so flood-proof building rules matter more than dikes Prachachat · Aug 23, 2026

A Kasetsart University geotechnical engineer says Nan's repeated floods come from its valley geography and short distance between communities and steep slopes, so water arrives fast. He argues dikes raise flood severity by encouraging building in risky low areas, and that the main tools are local building-control and earth-filling rules, which local authorities (provincial, Tambon or city administrations) can enforce more strictly. If you run a business in flood-prone northern areas, check whether your site sits in a water channel and whether local rules on construction and fill could affect your premises.

Bangkok crackdown on fake pink-card household registrations puts landlords and address records under scrutiny Bangkok Post · Aug 23, 2026

Police, the PACC and the BMA raided seven locations in Bangkok, arresting seven people, after 64 Myanmar children were registered at one Din Daeng flat in two days. The BMA is now checking 13 addresses with more than 16 pink-card holders, examining actual occupancy and supporting documents. If you rent out rooms or house foreign workers, avoid registering people who do not live there, and keep records of who actually stays at your address. Brokers offering to arrange pink cards for a fee are a legal risk to you as well.

Govt revives Chana industrial estate plan, but no decision yet Bangkok Post · Aug 23, 2026

The government says it may talk with investors again on the Chana industrial estate in Songkhla, but it has assigned NESDC to study it further, not restart the old project. The deep-sea port question is unresolved: the existing Songkhla port cannot be deepened beyond 9m. Environmental activists want the SEA findings, land title disputes and the Chalung estate reviewed first. For a small business in the south, this is a long-horizon item; no action is needed now beyond watching for NESDC findings.

The US has applied 50% tariffs on Canadian goods after trade talks broke down, according to the headline only; full article text was unavailable. If your business imports from or exports to Canada, or sources inputs that pass through Canadian supply chains, review costs and pricing now.

Narathiwat and Yala unrest closes roads and sets curfew, so plan deliveries and staff travel around it Bangkok Post · Aug 23, 2026

On Saturday night, 22 August 2026, insurgents set off bombs and arson attacks at about 11 locations across Narathiwat, and also burned telecom towers and vehicles in Yala. Two people were hurt in a car blast in Sungai Kolok district. Authorities closed routes into and out of Sungai Kolok and Tak Bai and imposed a curfew from 10.15pm to 6am. Businesses in the area should expect checkpoints and delays, avoid night travel, keep staff and drivers informed, and check mobile signal and network reliability, since several towers were damaged.

Crackdown on steroid-laced health products is heading for national policy, so online and shop sellers of herbal pills should expect tighter checks Prachachat · Aug 22, 2026

On 20 August 2026 a coalition of public-health groups, media and academics submitted a four-point plan to the Thai FDA secretary-general to stop health products secretly laced with steroids. The plan covers surveillance of shops, markets and online platforms (Shopee, Lazada, TikTok, Facebook), joint enforcement against sellers and advertisers, public awareness, and a cross-agency network, with the aim of making it national policy. Monitoring found 208+ online reports from 7-14 August 2026 of products claiming pain relief without registration. It is a proposal, not a new rule yet. If you sell herbal or traditional remedies, check that every product has a valid FDA registration and that ad claims are accurate.

SCB EIC raises 2026 Thai GDP forecast to 2.2%, but warns growth is concentrated and SMEs remain fragile The Standard Wealth · Aug 22, 2026

SCB EIC raised its 2026 Thai GDP forecast to 2.2% (from 2.0%) and 2027 to 2.1%, driven by digital and electronics investment and exports. The benefit is concentrated in large firms and foreign companies, so SMEs are not seeing it broadly. Inflation is forecast to fall to 1.7% in 2026 and 0.8% in 2027, and the policy rate is expected to stay at 1%. Watch the Q4 power tariff cut to 3.86 baht/unit (Sep-Dec 2026), the fuel fund's rising deficit, Middle East energy prices and possible new US import tariffs. Plan for soft domestic demand and keep borrowing costs and cash buffers under control.

Nominee raids in Pattaya signal tighter Foreign Business Act checks on property and firms Bangkok Post · Aug 22, 2026

DSI, the Interior Ministry and police searched three Pattaya sites on Friday over suspected nominee schemes hiding foreign ownership of land and businesses under the Foreign Business Act 1999. The probe extends earlier cases in Koh Phangan, Koh Samui and Phuket. Law firms and hotels were named as having listed Thai employees as shareholders for foreign beneficial owners. If your company has foreign partners, shareholders or staff listed as nominees, or you act as a registration agent, review your shareholding structure and documents now. Officials say legal action will follow for Thai and foreign individuals found to have circumvented the law.

Thai-China high-speed rail Bangkok-Korat is 34.5% behind plan, completion target 2030 Prachachat · Aug 22, 2026

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong says phase 1 (Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima) is 55.97% complete, 34.5% behind schedule. Full construction is targeted for 2030 with trial operations in 2031. The Don Mueang-Bang Sue section overlapping with the Airport Rail Link (High-speed 3) still needs a decision this year, possibly by splitting the contract so parts can open earlier. For a small business this is a long-horizon item: expect construction-area traffic disruption around Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchasima and plan for the station-area opportunities later, not now.

Nan flood damage hits 14,963 rai of farmland; register and file form กษ 01 now to qualify for aid Prachachat · Aug 22, 2026

Agriculture ministry says flooding in Nan province damaged 14,963 rai across 9 districts, affecting 6,538 farmers, mostly rice. Affected farmers must first confirm their crop registration with the Department of Agricultural Extension, then submit form กษ 01 at the district agriculture office, certified by the village head, subdistrict head or local administration. Aid is decided within 40 days of the disaster, with payments by BAAC to farm accounts; support covers up to 30 rai per household for disasters from 21 August 2026. Trichoderma fungus for post-flood crop recovery is available at provincial agriculture offices. Heavy rain is still forecast for 23-24 August.

US court strikes down visa ban covering Thai immigrants Bangkok Post · Aug 22, 2026

A US federal judge struck down the administration's policy refusing visas to immigrants from 75 countries, including Thailand. The ruling reverses visa denials based solely on the policy, so some Thais who were refused may see applications reviewed again. The administration can still appeal to the 2nd Circuit. For most Thai SMEs this is background news; it matters mainly if you or your staff are applying for US immigration visas or have relatives affected.

Government 'AomPlus' bond round 2 opens 4 September, with a 1 million baht per-purchase cap on the wallet channel The Standard Wealth · Aug 22, 2026

The Finance Ministry opens AomPlus government bond round 2 on 4 September 2569 (2026), with 4 billion baht on offer. Rates are unchanged: 1.80% a year for 3-year and 2.80% for 10-year. On the Pao Tang wallet channel (4-15 Sep, or until sold out), the per-purchase cap drops from 3 million to 1 million baht; the per-person holding limit stays at 50 million. Bond Connect channel bookings run 7-9 Sep, with allocation announced 10 Sep. Only Thai individuals aged 15+ qualify. Relevant if you want to park surplus cash in a low-risk government instrument. Round 1 was oversubscribed about 8 times, so acting early on the wallet channel matters.

Nan flood risk stays high Sunday as 50-70mm rain forecast for four upper-basin districts Bangkok Post · Aug 22, 2026

Authorities expect 50-70mm of rain over 24 hours on Sunday in Pua, Song Khwae, Chiang Klang and Thung Chang, where soil is already saturated, so runoff will be faster. Muang Nan's commercial centre has receded to near-normal, and recovery work on homes, shops and roads is under way. If you run a business in Nan or ship goods through it, check on stock stored at low levels, plan for road cut-offs (the Fai Chao bridge in Pua was washed away, leaving 14 villages isolated), and follow official warnings from agencies. Officials say daily activity can continue as normal.

Bangkok tightens checks on house registrations after pink-card irregularities Bangkok Post · Aug 22, 2026

Bangkok district offices found 13 households across nine districts with at least 16 pink-card migrants registered at each address, mostly factories, flats and rentals. A special task force under the Department of Provincial Administration will inspect each case, checking actual use of the house, real residents and move-in/move-out documents. If you rent out flats or houses, or host migrant workers at a factory or dormitory, expect tighter scrutiny of your registrations and be ready to document who really lives there.

SME bank lending has shrunk for 16 straight quarters, so expect tighter credit Prachachat · Aug 22, 2026

Bank bbad-debt ratio is about 9% of loans, and SME lending by commercial banks fell 4.6% in Q2 2026, the 16th straight quarterly contraction (Bank of Thailand data). Q2 2026 GDP grew 1.9%, slower than Q1's 2.8%, and the NESDC forecasts 2.2% growth for 2026. The columnist says SME credit is a warning sign for the whole economy, not just a finance issue. For a business owner, bank credit is harder to get, so plan working capital from cash flow, review existing loan terms early, and look at government soft-loan schemes such as the Thai Chuay Thai Plus measure.

UAE halts all trade with Iran, a move that could hit Iran harder than US sanctions Prachachat · Aug 22, 2026

On 19 August the UAE suspended all trade, commercial exchange and financial transactions with Iran indefinitely, after Iranian missiles hit UAE territory on 18 August. Iran imports about a third of its goods from the UAE, and Dubai is a key finance hub for it. For Thai SMEs, the risk is shipping and payment disruption in Gulf routes, plus possible new US economic pressure on Iran. Check any shipments, payments or contracts that run through UAE or Iran, and watch for delays and higher freight costs.

FDA clarifies: 5,000 ppm fluoride toothpaste is classed as a dangerous drug, but regular toothpaste is unchanged Prachachat · Aug 22, 2026

Ministry of Public Health notice No. 37 (dated 6 August 2026) classes toothpaste with 5,000 ppm fluoride for oral use as a dangerous drug. The FDA says toothpaste up to 1,500 ppm stays a cosmetic, so everyday products are unaffected. The 5,000 ppm version is meant for high-risk patients, such as those after oral radiotherapy, on a dentist's or pharmacist's advice, and not for children under 12. For a shop or pharmacy, this means 5,000 ppm products fall under drug sales rules. Check your stock and make sure staff can answer customer questions.