Archive

DRAM prices still rising in Q3 2026, but more slowly, at 13-18% Blognone · Aug 17, 2026

TrendForce expects DRAM contract prices to rise about 13-18% in Q3 2026, down from the 30-45% rise in the previous quarter. Samsung and SK hynix may get up to 20%. HBM4 costs about double HBM3e (roughly $31-32/GB vs $17-18/GB), and big buyers often lock in long-term deals below visible spot prices. For a Thai SME buying PCs, servers or phones, memory-driven hardware price increases are still climbing, just more slowly. Delay non-urgent hardware purchases only if you can wait a quarter; don't expect prices to fall soon.

Dept of Business Development flags 36,277 foreign-linked companies holding Thai land, Chon Buri top, nominee checks coming The Standard Wealth · Aug 17, 2026

The Department of Business Development matched land-office data and found 36,277 Thai companies with foreign shareholders holding title deeds, concentrated in Bangkok, its vicinity and tourist provinces, with Chon Buri ranked highest. The department treats all of them as at-risk and will check them. Companies with foreign stakes of 49% or less are the focus, because nominee arrangements may sit behind them. Foreign-owned condos are still under review. If your business is a company with foreign shareholders that holds land or property, check your shareholding and funding records now. Penalties for nominee use include up to 3 years' jail or a fine of 100,000 to 1,000,000 baht, and land found to be illegally held by foreigners must be sold within 180 days.

Prachinburi groups push government to reverse EEC expansion over environmental fears Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

On 17 August 2026, residents and the "Prachinburi Strong Network" rallied at the Prachinburi provincial hall against the province being brought into the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The cabinet's EEC policy committee approved the principle of including Prachinburi on 20 May 2026. The protesters want it reversed, citing threats to farming, eco-tourism, forests and water sources, and say the government promised on 30 June to review it without a clear answer since. For a Prachinburi or eastern-region SME, the EEC status is still undecided: watch for a cabinet decision on the province's inclusion, which would affect investment, land and industrial demand in the area.

TIS 24 rebar rule may ban induction-furnace steel: committee decides 18 Aug Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (สมอ.) takes its draft revision of TIS 24 (rebar) to the Industrial Standards Committee (กมอ.) on 18 Aug 2026. The key question is whether production must be limited to basic oxygen (BOF) and electric arc (EF) furnaces, which would exclude induction furnace (IF) steel. The draft also raises grades from 3 to 10, adds sizes up to DB50, and tightens fatigue, bend and chemistry tests. Rebar buyers, builders and contractors should watch the outcome for supply and price changes. Steel mills with IF lines face investment costs, and a Thai MP has called for tax support if they must switch, but no delay of the standard.

India is expected to import record soybean oil as war disrupts sunflower oil shipments; watch cooking oil prices if you buy edible oil in bulk.

Official growth gauges may change, but Q2 factory use hit a 24-quarter low The Standard Wealth · Aug 17, 2026

Deputy Finance Minister Santitarn Sathirathai says the old industrial indicators, such as capacity utilisation (57.47% in Q2 2026, the lowest since Q2 2021), no longer fully capture Thailand's shift to new industries. Factory output grew only 0.1% in Q2. Government forecasts Q3 to improve gradually and full-year GDP growth to stay at 2.5%, with tourism expected to recover in H2. For SMEs, the signal is continued weak factory demand and soft domestic spending into Q3, so keep cash buffers tight. Watch the energy-transition loans he expects to flow in Q4, and the planned BOI shift toward local supply-chain linkages, which may matter if you supply factories.

Revenue Dept. busts fake tax-invoice ring worth over 360 million baht; buying ghost bills now carries criminal liability The Standard Wealth · Aug 17, 2026

On 11 August 2026 the Revenue Department and the Economic Crime Suppression Division raided 10 locations and arrested 3 suspects in Operation Anti Ghost Bill. The ring sold tax invoices with no real trade behind them, used money-mule accounts, and claimed VAT credits on them, causing over 360 million baht in damage. Penalties for issuing or using such invoices: 3 months to 7 years in prison and fines of 2,000 to 200,000 baht. For your business: only accept tax invoices from real, verifiable suppliers for goods or services you actually received, and check that the invoice matches a genuine transaction before claiming VAT credit.

Revenue Department cracks down on fake tax invoice ring used by petrol and construction firms Bangkok Post · Aug 17, 2026

Police arrested three people in a network that sold fake tax invoices for about five years, costing the state about 360 million baht. Most buyers were petrol station operators and construction firms. Invoices were sold without any real goods or services behind them. For a Thai SME, the lesson is to buy tax invoices only from genuine counterparties with real transactions, and to check that any invoice you claim matches actual goods or services received. Buying fake invoices can bring tax reassessment and prosecution even if you were only the buyer.

Q2 GDP grew only 1.9%, and the finance ministry says SMEs face falling sales, higher costs and tighter credit Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

Deputy finance minister adviser Santitarn Sathirathai said Q2 GDP growth of 1.9% was expected by the ministry. Consumer price inflation is at 2-3% and more pass-through to goods prices is expected. Household spending is slowing, and tourism is weak after flight cancellations in Q2. He named SMEs as facing lower revenue, higher costs and hard-to-get credit. Government support is "Thai Chuay Thai Plus" (cushioning costs), with energy-cost relief for households and businesses in H2. He expects tourism to stabilise in Q3, with some help in Q4 from the IMF-World Bank meeting hosted by Thailand, and recovery to be gradual. Plan for weak demand and higher input costs through the rest of the year, and check eligibility for the support schemes.

Gold traders say the local price has likely bottomed, but 80,000 baht per baht-weight may not return until next year The Standard Wealth · Aug 17, 2026

Three major Thai gold traders (Hua Seng Heng, YLG, MTS Gold) agree global gold has passed its low for this correction. Support is cited around USD 3,900–4,100 and resistance at USD 4,500. Spot is near USD 4,400; a ~10% rise would take the Thai bar price to about 73,000–74,000 baht. One trader sees 80,000 baht around late Q1 of 2027, tied to expected Fed rate cuts. The Fed September hike odds reportedly fell to 30% from 65%. For a business that buys or sells gold, or prices jewellery, this is a view on timing, not a firm forecast. Plan stock and pricing around a range rather than a single target.

Interior Ministry widens proxy-company crackdown to Sakon Nakhon, with 53 suspect firms found Bangkok Post · Aug 17, 2026

The Interior Ministry's probe into foreign-owned proxy companies has reached Sakon Nakhon, where 53 suspect firms in four districts were flagged, 43 of them wholly owned by Chinese nationals. Thai ID cards and house registration copies were allegedly misused to register these firms. If you run a business, check that your company registration, directors and documents are in order and that you have not lent your name or ID to anyone. Separately, Phuket's PAO has asked the labour minister to end health welfare for migrant workers giving birth in public hospitals; this is only a proposal, with no change in effect yet.

Thailand widens US transshipment watchlist to 274 tariff codes, so check your origin papers before exporting Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

From 1 June 2026, the Department of Foreign Trade and Customs watch 274 customs codes (up from 194) jointly with US CBP for transshipment and false origin. Officials will brief USTR on 28-31 August 2026, and an AI risk tool (ROVERs Plus) is in preparation. Exporters to the US should make sure their origin documents, local content and production records are complete and traceable, because inspections and back-tracing of origin are expanding. The department says a rise in trade alone is not proof of wrongdoing, and honest businesses should not be burdened by unnecessary measures.

EU export rules tighten on carbon, deforestation, e-commerce and packaging, so exporters must act now Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

Trade Ministry's trade-policy office says EU rules now cover sourcing, production, imports, e-commerce and packaging. Key dates: EUDR applies to large and medium firms from 30 Dec 2569 (2026) and to small firms from 30 Jun 2570 (2027), covering cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood plus processed goods; you need due diligence and a Due Diligence Statement in the EU system. PPWR packaging rules applied from 12 Aug 2569 (2026), including recyclability and PFAS limits for food-contact packaging. Since 1 Jul 2569 (2026) EU charges a flat 3 euro duty per item on low-value (under 150 euro) imports, and from 1 Nov 2569 e-commerce imports need a Product Identifier. Thai exports to the EU rose 20% in H1 2569 to 15,464.8 million USD, so check traceability and packaging now.

Heavy rain forecast 19-21 Aug: 17 provinces on flash-flood watch, so check stock and access routes Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

The National Water Resources Office (สทนช.) warns of heavy-to-very-heavy rain on 19-21 Aug 2026 from a monsoon trough over the North and upper Northeast, with flash floods, mountain runoff and landslides possible. The article lists 17 provinces to watch (North, Northeast, East, Kanchanaburi), and notes the official list has 17 rather than the 18 cited in the headline. Rain is forecast to increase again 18-22 Aug in the North and upper Northeast. If your shop, warehouse, farm or delivery routes are in these areas, move stock off low floors, plan alternative routes and check on staff and supplier deliveries. Reservoirs nationally are at 60% capacity, so water supply is not the immediate concern.

NESDC sees Japanese carmakers staying in Thailand, but passenger car exports are falling Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

The NESDC secretary-general says Japanese carmakers such as Toyota are unlikely to move production out of Thailand, citing 30 years of supply-chain depth. Passenger car exports are falling, mainly from stricter carbon rules abroad and EV competition, while pickup exports still grow over 50%. The Finance Ministry's investment support measures are expected to help. For a small supplier, the signal is to stay close to the auto supply chain, and watch the EV local-production conditions, since they push imported parts to be made locally over time.

New business registrations fell 2.6% year on year in July 2026, though registered capital jumped on one large energy firm Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

The Department of Business Development reports 7,512 new businesses registered in July 2026, down 5.85% from June and 2.57% from July 2025. Registered capital rose to 53,647 million baht, but mostly because one energy company (Banpu, 40,496 million baht) registered. Year to date, new registrations are up 1.43% (52,285 firms), while dissolutions are up 13.72%. Foreign investment permits rose 37% in capital to 219,208 million baht over seven months. Relevant mainly as market context: online retail, restaurants and clothing retail registrations grew fastest, which may mean more competition in those segments.

SET suspends trading in 12 listed stocks for late financial statements Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

The SET placed 12 listed companies under SP (temporary trading ban) from 17 August 2026 because they could not file financial statements on time. The list includes CV, ECF, EMPIRE, GRAND, HPT, KWI, META, MILL, MVP, PF, ROH and SAM. For a small business this matters mainly as a warning: if you supply, lend to, or hold shares in any of these firms, check their filing status and your payment or credit exposure. Late filing is a signal of possible financial stress.

Sakon Nakhon nominee-company scam: DBD sweeping company registrations nationwide, so check your address and ID copies Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

The Commerce Ministry's Business Development Department found 35 companies, all 100% Chinese-owned, registered at homes in four Sakon Nakhon districts. A local broker paid villagers 500-1,000 baht for copies of house registration and ID cards. None of the addresses had an office or business activity, and the homeowners did not know. The DBD says it will check registrations in all areas for nominee links. For a Thai SME, the practical steps are: do not hand out house registration or ID copies to anyone without knowing the purpose; check whether your own address is registered to companies you don't run; and report any suspicious use to the Commerce Provincial Office or DBD Call Center 1570. Expect tighter checks on company registrations.

Thailand's Q2 2026 growth slowed to 1.9%, lowest in ASEAN, so plan for softer domestic demand The Standard Wealth · Aug 17, 2026

Thailand's GDP grew 1.9% year on year in Q2 2026, down from 2.8% in Q1 and the lowest among ASEAN countries listed (Vietnam 8.4%, Malaysia 6.0%, Singapore 5.9%, Indonesia 5.3%, Philippines 2.3%). The slowdown was driven by weaker private consumption, lower government spending and a fall in public investment, with the Middle East conflict hitting Q2 hardest. NESDC raised its 2026 full-year forecast to 2.0-2.5% (midpoint 2.2%), citing better exports and tourism, stronger private investment and lower inflation. For a small business, expect cautious customer spending through the rest of the year; keep sales and cash-flow plans conservative rather than assuming a sharp rebound.

Commerce Ministry cross-checks 36,277 foreign-linked companies that hold land, flagging nominee risk in 16 provinces Prachachat · Aug 17, 2026

The Department of Business Development linked Land Department records with its company registry and found 36,277 Thai-registered companies with foreign shareholders holding title deeds nationwide. 31,516 of them have foreign stakes of 49% or less and remain Thai legal entities. The department says a foreign stake under 49% is legal, but it will screen for nominee arrangements where Thai shareholders hold shares with money that is really foreign. The focus is Bangkok, surrounding provinces and 10 tourist provinces, where 35,154 such companies are concentrated. If your company has foreign shareholders or buys or leases property through a company, check that the Thai shareholders genuinely invest and run the business, and keep records of funding sources. Nothing new is required yet, but scrutiny is coming.