Archive
August 10, 2026
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On 10 Aug 2026 the Gold Traders Association listed 96.5% jewellery at 68,350 baht per baht-weight to sell, down 350 baht from the prior close. Bars were quoted at 67,350 baht to buy and 67,550 baht to sell. Jewellery buy-back was 66,006.64 baht. Gold spot was US$4,323 per ounce. If your business buys or sells gold, or takes gold as collateral, check your daily price sheet. The gap between buy and sell prices is about 2,000 baht on jewellery, so price changes in a day matter less than that spread.
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Cabinet approved the Khlong Wang Tanot reservoir in Chanthaburi on 5 Aug 2026 (budget 7.2 billion baht, 99.5 million cubic metres, planned build 2027-2033). Construction cannot start yet: a royal decree must first remove part of the national park area and the Royal Forest Department must grant use of the land. The official warned that EEC water demand, especially from data centres, is rising faster than new supply. For a Chanthaburi or EEC business, water supply is a long-term risk, not a near-term fix, so plan for continued water constraints and keep current supply arrangements in place.
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The tourism minister says the Thai Thiao Thai Plus co-payment scheme should be finalised this week, targeting a September 2026 start and running four months. It uses 500,000 rights (5 per person), with the state funding 50% of each, via the Pao Tang app. The voucher value rose from 500 to 1,000 baht and now works for all tourism activity, not just restaurants: food, attractions, local products, tour services and car rental, nationwide. Details for how sectors join are still pending. Small operators offering these services should prepare to register and check eligibility once the rules are published.
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The Rural Roads Department plans to sign contracts with CHEC Construction (Malaysia) around late August or early September 2026, after cabinet approves a World Bank loan. The Songkhla Lake bridge (4,841m baht, 7 km) cuts the Phatthalung-Songkhla detour from 80 km to 7 km; the Koh Lanta bridge (1,854m baht, 2.24 km) cuts travel from 2 hours to under 5 minutes. Construction takes 1,080 days, targeting completion in 2029. Local firms in construction supply, transport, and tourism services in these areas should plan for work and demand from around 2027 onward, not immediately.
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Bangchak pump prices on 10 Aug 2026: diesel B7 36.69 baht/litre, diesel B20 31.69 baht (unchanged), high-diesel S 36.69, gasohol 95 35.99, gasohol 91 35.62, E20 30.99. Prices exclude Bangkok local land tax and take effect from 05:00 the next day, so check your station. For fleets and delivery vehicles, the B20 vs B7 gap of about 5 baht/litre is worth checking against your engine and fuel policy.
August 9, 2026
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A malicious open-source AI agent called Hermes tried to scan for vulnerabilities and escalate access on a Thai ministry network in mid-July. It did not succeed, and the file was removed and the agent blocked. The National Cyber Security Agency (สกมช.) says leaked passwords and source code, if combined with AI tools, could be a serious threat, and it plans an AI agent to monitor logs by October. For a small business: change reused passwords, turn on two-factor login for email and banking, and keep software and systems updated. The article gives no specific rule or deadline for private firms.
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Factory closures outnumbered new registrations in Q1 2026 for the first time in 10 quarters, and K-Research expects unemployment and closures to worsen through the rest of the year. Section 33 layoffs hit 531,779 by end-2025, up 20% year on year. Cheap Chinese steel and e-commerce imports are squeezing domestic makers; 32 steel firms shut in H1. FTI has proposed a "Made in Thailand" procurement push (200 billion baht with 40% local content), which is not yet policy. For SMEs in supply chains, plan for weaker orders, tighter household spending, and possible customer failures; review receivables and cash buffers now.
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The Interior Ministry says 5,925 local-government candidates had abnormal exam scores and were referred to police and the NACC. Local administrative organisations must remove officials whose posts were obtained by fraud by Aug 31. Political families are reportedly implicated, but no names were given. For a Thai SME this is mostly political background; it matters only if you deal directly with a local administrative office whose staff may change.
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The DES Ministry will ask cabinet to back multi-factor authentication and password resets for government agencies after leaks exposed data from at least 20 state agencies. Leaked credentials bought on dark-web markets, not direct hacks, were the cause. For a Thai SME, the practical step is to turn on MFA for email, banking, cloud and e-tax accounts and change reused passwords. The article also stresses strict PDPA compliance, with legal penalties for organisations that fail to apply required security measures, so review what customer personal data you hold and how long you keep it.
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After Min Aung Hlaing's visit on Aug 6-7, Thailand proposed convening the Thailand-Myanmar Joint Trade Commission this year to tackle customs procedures, non-tariff measures, logistics and border connectivity. Border trade was 199.11 billion baht of the 244.05 billion baht total in 2025, centred on Mae Sot. Businesses still face border closures, import licensing, foreign-exchange rules and transport problems. For border-trading SMEs, watch the commission's agenda and keep a plan B for closures. Analysts warn that sanctions on Myanmar's leader could widen later, so check sanctions exposure before expanding into Myanmar.
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The Mall Korat, a long-running Korat shopping centre, is negotiating a lease on a roughly 20-rai plot after rents rose 2-3 times, and may rework its model into mixed-use. Reported revenue fell from about 2,093 million baht (2565) to about 1,296 million baht (2568), with small losses in 2566-2568. For a Thai retail or landlord-facing SME in a provincial city, the lesson is that rising land rents and new big-box competition (Terminal 21 about 2 km away, Central about 7 km) squeeze margins. Check your own lease terms and footfall before committing to long-term space.
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Thailand's draft PM's Office rules (5 Aug 2026) will screen data center projects on value to the country, not just investment size. BOI says it will weigh local hiring, use of Thai suppliers, and links to Thai SMEs. The Energy Policy Committee plans separate electricity tariffs for data centers, cost-reflective pricing, and power deposits. For most SME owners this changes little day to day, but if you supply electrical, construction, IT or engineering services, look for supply-chain openings. Electricity pricing for data-center users is still being set, so watch for tariff changes that could affect grid costs.
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A Thammasat University academic proposes school designs to delay an attacker and give people time to escape or hide: perimeter fences that are hard to climb, cluster layouts with space between buildings, zigzag corridors, hiding spaces, and escape routes. He asks the Education Ministry to add attack-evacuation drills to the curriculum alongside fire drills, and asks for safety criteria in the building act. These are research proposals, not current rules. For a school owner or private-school operator, there is nothing to act on yet, but future building-code or drill requirements could affect renovation plans.
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Prime Minister Anutin, visiting Ranong, said the 1 trillion baht Chumphon-Ranong Landbridge is not going ahead for now because it is not yet economically viable. The government will instead build a "Missing Link" transport connection between the Gulf and Andaman coasts and expand Ranong port to handle more containers. No timeline or budget was given. For SMEs in Ranong, Chumphon and nearby provinces, this means no Landbridge-driven demand soon; any logistics or property plans should rest on the port and road upgrades, not the larger project.
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The National Cybersecurity Agency (NCSA) has written to permanent secretaries of 20 ministries, asking them to review about 24,000 legacy systems built around 2011, many with weak security and possibly unmaintained. Agencies are asked to move logins to multi-factor authentication instead of passwords alone, and to shut down unused services. NCSA said ThaiD alone is not recommended for MFA because it cannot handle heavy simultaneous use; apps like Google Authenticator or bank ID systems are suggested. For a Thai SME that deals with government portals, expect stricter login requirements, and check that any e-service accounts you use support MFA.
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Overnight rain of 107.9 mm flooded roads, homes and shops in Nakhon Phanom on Sunday, destroying appliances and stalling vehicles. The Mekong is at 10.78 m, 1.22 m below its overflow warning level, and more heavy rain is forecast. If you run a business in the northeast or the South, move stock and valuables to higher ground, check flood-safe parking, and plan for drainage failure. Governors in all 14 southern provinces have been told to prepare drills and evacuation shelters.
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Property developers Perfect (PF) and Grand Asset (GRAND) are selling land and condos worth over 10,000 million baht to cover debt, after losses and the lowest home and condo sales in 40 years. GRAND has postponed bond repayment while it waits for sale proceeds. Some plots are being offered at about 20% below market. For a Thai SME, this signals weak property demand and slow payments: check receivables from developers, contractors and suppliers, and avoid depending on a single property client. Buyers of land may find discounted opportunities, but deals are slow.
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Iran has set conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including compensation for war damage, lifting the US naval blockade, sanctions relief and release of frozen assets. Transit has dropped sharply and ships are still being attacked, while Iran-Oman talks on the strait are described as nearing final stages. For a Thai SME, this means fuel, freight and imported input costs are likely to stay volatile. Plan for higher diesel and shipping costs and avoid locking in fixed-price supply contracts until a reopening deal is confirmed.
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Global average EV prices (about US$37,000) are now below hybrids (about US$39,000), per Mobility Global, as battery pack costs fell roughly 37% over 2020–2025 per BloombergNEF. Chinese exports rose to 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, and BYD and Great Wall now have Thai plants. Fuel prices rising after Middle East tensions are also pushing buyers toward EVs. For a Thai SME, this matters mainly if you run a fleet, deliver goods, or sell or service vehicles: EV total-cost comparisons and charging needs are worth reviewing this year. No direct change to Thai tax, rates or rules is reported.
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Budget Office minister Pradorn says the proposed 1.75–2 billion baht tourism support scheme, funded by 2026 emergency loan decree money, fits the loan's purpose because it helps small tourism operators hit by the Middle East conflict. Eligibility criteria are still to be set. The follow-on "Thai Chuay Thai Plus" phase 2 has no confirmed go-ahead; the Finance Ministry decides, and the government says phase 1 should finish first. For small tour operators: no application or payout is open yet, so wait for published eligibility rules before planning cash flow around it.
