Archive
August 11, 2026
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Reuters reports that decades of farm productivity gains and food inventories should cushion the global food system against a possible "super" El Niño. Only the headline was available, so the details are unconfirmed. For a Thai SME, this is background: watch raw-material prices for food and agriculture inputs, but no action is needed yet.
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A startup guide citing Y Combinator's standard: co-founders should split equity near-equally, but with 4-year vesting and a 1-year cliff. A founder who leaves before 1 year gets no shares; after that, 25% vests and the rest vests monthly over 4 years. The point is to stop an early departure from leaving "dead equity" that scares off investors. Mainly relevant if you are setting up a company with partners; it is a general principle, not Thai legal or tax advice.
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The Department of Land Transport is consulting on draft rules that would bar combustion-engine three-wheel taxis (tuk-tuks) in inner Bangkok unless they are electric or run only during set hours. Public comment closes 27 August 2026. Only 9.6% of the roughly 8,631 registered tuk-tuks are EVs, so about 7,800 would need to switch. KResearch suggests state support such as price-difference subsidies, low-interest loans and buy-back or conversion schemes, possibly linked to the 200 billion baht loan. Operators who run LPG tuk-tuks in the old-town and tourist areas should watch the draft and submit comments if affected.
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Central-region small farms say eggs are not truly short: output is about 30% below normal from disease and erratic weather, but middlemen have raised orders about 20% and some shops are being left without stock. Farm-gate price is now 4 baht per egg (a high level) and may stop rising as farms control disease. Retail Size 0 hit 6.20 baht at Talat Prachanives. Expect supply to ease and prices to soften before the vegetarian festival in about two months. Secure regular supplier contracts, avoid over-buying at peak prices, and expect pressure from the government's cheaper "Thai eggs help Thai" programme, which sells about 10% below market.
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The Permanent Secretary for Finance, who chairs the review committee for the 400 billion baht emergency loan, says ministries are rushing to submit energy-transition projects from the second 200 billion baht tranche, and he expects most to be vetted by September. No projects had been formally submitted yet, and approval would be followed by disbursement within one year. For an SME, this is a possible source of contracts or subsidised energy-related work (e.g., efficiency, solar, tourism-linked projects such as the proposed Thai Tiew Thai Plus, which the Tourism Ministry is expected to propose). Track ministry announcements and register with relevant agencies; no action is required yet.
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Authorities issued Cell Broadcast flood alerts for Chiang Rai, Mae Lao river and Phayao on 11 Aug, and the Mekong is rising in the Northeast. The cabinet approved 100 million baht in emergency funds for each deputy PM for flood relief and future drought. If your business is in the North or Northeast, check your flood plan, move stock and vehicles when alerts arrive, and watch for road closures. Drought support may follow later in the year.
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SCB EIC says Thailand's Q2 current account deficit reached US$17.7bn, a record, with the trade deficit at US$12bn. Three causes: higher oil prices from Middle East tensions (a temporary shock), export-linked electronics that rely on imported components, and imported data-centre equipment. Tourism recovery is also slow, and fewer Middle East tourists came in Q2. For an SME, the practical read is that import costs, especially energy and components, may stay elevated, so review input pricing and FX exposure. The article does not give a clear forecast on how long this lasts.
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The Transport Minister expects to submit a request in August to use the 200-billion-baht emergency loan decree to convert public buses from combustion engines to EVs. About 2,320 EV buses are due from mid-2027, and Bangkok bus operator BMTA will move fully to EVs; inter-provincial buses come later. No budget figures have been set yet. For a small business, this is a long-term signal: possible demand for EV charging, bus and fleet services, and parts. Nothing changes for your operations this quarter.
Your real translator for LINE and Discord.
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EXAT has waived tolls on three expressways (Chalermmahanakhon, Si Rat, and Udon Ratthaya) all day on Wednesday 12 August 2026, a public holiday for Mother's Day. Drivers pay nothing at the 63 toll gates on those routes that day. If your staff or deliveries use these routes, plan routes and delivery schedules around it and expect lighter traffic. The waiver is a government and concession-policy decision, so it does not carry over to other days.
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Fires in Indonesia are spreading haze across Southeast Asia; no article text was available, so watch for any effect on Thai air quality or farm input costs.
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The cabinet holds its first off-site meeting in Hat Yai, Songkhla, on 31 Aug–1 Sep. Five southern provinces (Songkhla, Satun, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat) will present projects to boost jobs and income, and zoning rules are on the table. A follow-up meeting is set for 25 Aug at Government House. Private-sector ideas go through the provincial governors. If you run a business in these provinces, send your proposals and zoning complaints to your governor before 25 Aug. The Land Bridge is shelved, and the Ranong port study continues. Nothing changes for your costs yet.
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Deputy PM Thongsak Thongsri says the government has 9 measures ready for El Niño-linked floods and drought. Initial prevention and relief will be paid from provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office (PPP) budgets, with the central contingency fund as backup if those run short. No new amounts or relief schemes for businesses were announced. For an SME, this is a signal to watch for possible drought-related water restrictions and rising costs for water-dependent operations, not a reason to change plans yet.
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Independent researcher BobDaHacker found that tl;dv, an AI meeting-summary service, did not restrict data access properly. Any logged-in user could obtain a token and query the database, reaching other customers' recordings, including live meetings. He reported it to tl;dv on 28 January with no response, and the flaw was still open when he published. If your team records client calls with tl;dv or similar tools, check who has accounts, remove unused ones, and ask the vendor in writing whether they have fixed the issue. Consider telling clients whose calls were recorded if you handle sensitive information.
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Brent rose to 87.72 USD/bbl (+4.17) and West Texas to 82.13 USD/bbl (+3.95) on 10 Aug 2026, as the market expects the Strait of Hormuz to stay closed longer. Iran says full reopening depends on US concessions, though Iran and Oman have agreed in principle on a new shipping route. Houthi attacks on Saudi Aramco's Jazan refinery add supply risk. For a Thai SME, expect pressure on diesel and fuel costs, so review transport and energy budgets and fuel surcharges this quarter.
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Thai Gold Traders Association prices at 09:03 on 11 Aug 2026 (first announcement): gold bar buy 68,900 / sell 69,100 baht; jewellery (96.5%) buy 67,522.64 / sell 69,900 baht per baht weight, up 1,250 baht from the previous close. Gold spot is about US$4,427/oz. The spread between buy and sell is roughly 2,400 baht on jewellery, so the price you sell at is well below what you pay. Reprice gold-linked goods or stock-holding promptly, and expect customers to ask about the day's rate. Prices move through the day, so check again before a deal.
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The baht opened at 33.02 per US dollar, close to Monday's 33.00 close, with a 24-hour expected range of 32.80–33.30. The dollar eased after weak July US jobs data, and markets cut the odds of a September Fed rate hike to about 44% from 67% a week earlier. US CPI on Wednesday is the next key event. Foreign investors sold a net 50 million baht of Thai equities and bought a net 3,575 million baht of Thai bonds. For an importer or exporter, this is a stable day; no pricing change is needed yet, but check your USD payment and receipt timing around the CPI release.
Together GoWeGo! Ferry tickets in Thailand.
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Oil prices kept rising on doubts over a US-Iran deal, and stocks fell. Title only available. For a Thai SME, watch diesel and fuel surcharges in your cost plan and check whether suppliers or logistics costs are being passed on.
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The Meteorological Department warns of heavy rain in the north, northeast, east and parts of the south, with flash floods and mudslides possible near streams and low-lying areas. Bangkok and vicinity have thunderstorms over about 70% of the area. Small boats in the upper Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand should stay in port, and waves of 2-3 m or more are forecast. For a shop or site, plan for delivery delays, move stock off low floors, and secure outdoor work and signage.
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Bangchak's posted pump prices for 11 Aug 2026: B7 diesel 36.69 baht/litre, B20 31.69 baht, Gasohol 95 35.99 baht, Gasohol 91 35.62 baht, E20 30.99 baht. Diesel B20 is unchanged from the previous day. Prices exclude the Bangkok local land tax, and the article says tomorrow's prices take effect at 05:00. Check your own station's price before budgeting fuel costs, since stations may differ from the reference.
August 10, 2026
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Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 5 API price stays at $2 input / $10 output per million tokens, with no end date. The earlier promotional rate was due to expire at the end of August, and the planned rise to $3/$15 is cancelled. The move follows OpenAI cutting prices on its Terra and Luna models, which the article links to competition from lower-priced Chinese large models. If your business uses AI tools through the API, budget at the current rate rather than a higher one. Otherwise this is background only.
