Archive
August 6, 2026
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The cabinet approved a draft PM's Office regulation creating a national Data Center policy committee. BOI will screen Data Center projects on four fronts: local jobs and technology transfer, energy readiness, water, and zoning. Data Center users will face higher electricity rates than other groups, plus bank guarantees for power connections. BOI also wants more local sourcing of equipment and wants to link SMEs into supply chains. Of the 42 projects approved in 2024-2026, 15 are Thai-owned. No new Data Center promotion applications have come in since April 2026. For most SMEs this is background, but if you supply electrical, cooling, or industrial equipment or services, the local-sourcing push is worth tracking.
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Labour Minister Julapun says a new Thai-Myanmar labour MOU will go to cabinet this August, before the end of the month. Key points: the registration window for Myanmar workers extends to 5 years, and non-agriculture workers can hold contracts of up to 2 years (some contracts may be shorter, such as 1 year). Workers not yet registered, and those whose work permits are expiring, will get another chance to register legally. The government also plans to bring Myanmar workers into the social security system, and to create a scheme for self-employed workers. If you employ Myanmar staff, check which registrations and permits are expiring and plan re-registration. The details are not final until cabinet approves.
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Deputy PM and Commerce Minister Supajee says Thailand will hold technical talks with the US on an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) covering Section 301 import tariffs, with a high-level round to follow at the end of this month. She says Thailand will not accept certain US demands ("red lines") and may offer private-sector investment in the US as a bargaining chip. About 72% of Thai exports to the US are now tariff-exempt (including Section 232 goods), with 28% still paying duty. For exporters, the tariff outcome is still open; watch whether any new exemptions are granted for your product lines.
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Thai PM Anutin met Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing during an official visit and agreed to deepen cooperation on security, trade, energy and border issues. Three MOUs were signed or set for signing: labour, river water quality and space technology. The PM said the Mae Sot–Myawaddy Friendship Bridge No. 2 crossing is to reopen, with plans to cut trade barriers and ease border trade. Thailand will host the Joint Trade Committee (JTC) this year. For SME owners trading or sourcing labour across the border, the practical signals are the reopening of the crossing and the push for legal, documented migrant hiring. No specific rules or dates were given yet.
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Commerce Minister Supajee says the proposed "Thai Thiao Thai Plus" tourism stimulus will not go to cabinet in August. It is still being discussed with the Finance Minister, and the amount of budget available is not yet fixed. Whether it runs late this year depends on the final budget. It is modelled on the "Half-Half" travel scheme and aims to reach small operators. Do not plan cash flow around it yet. If you run a tourism-linked business, keep watching for the budget result before committing to extra stock or staff.
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The Consumer Council spot-checked 50 high-rise condos in Bangkok and found that 12 buildings Bangkok Metropolitan Administration listed as "fixed" still do not meet building-control law. BMA says 34 more are being corrected and 4 are still under construction. The council is pressing for strict enforcement and public progress reports. For SME owners in condo management, property, renovation or building-contractor work, expect tighter inspections and stricter compliance checks on fire and structural safety, so confirm your own building's permits and fire-safety records are current.
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The NBTC board failed to reach a quorum again: three members said they would not attend, two filed sick or personal leave, and one joined online without quorum. The chair has written to the PM for help. Of 99 agenda items, 44 were urgent, and some have legal deadlines. Meetings are set for 11, 13, 19 and 20 August 2026. If your business needs a broadcast, telecom or licence decision, expect delays and plan for them. Watch for the PM's response.
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The Finance Ministry says its first Omsap Plus savings government bond (THB 4 billion) was allocated to 22,703 retail investors, about 8 times oversubscribed on the Bond Connect channel. Unallocated money is refunded on 6 Aug 2026. The next round opens for e-wallet (ทางวอลเล็ต สบม.) purchases on 4-15 Sept 2026 and via Bond Connect Platform on 7-9 Sept 2026, with monthly sales planned through the FY2027 budget year. The rate and size for the September round will be announced officially later. For a business owner, this is a savings option for surplus cash, not a business cost; check the announced rate before committing.
Your real translator for LINE and Discord.
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From 16 October, CAAT officials can open checked bags bound for an aircraft hold without the owner present, but only bags that were X-rayed and suspected of containing illegal items or safety risks. Openings are videoed and owners are notified afterwards. If your business ships or travels with luggage, use a TSA-approved lock so officers can open bags without damaging them. Owners with concerns can file complaints via the CAAT portal.
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Thailand's cassava exports fell in H1 2026 (2.52m tonnes, THB 38.0bn), but pelletised cassava grew over 30% (0.18m tonnes, THB 1.25bn). The Department of Foreign Trade reports expected orders worth about THB 2bn from Japan, China (Chongqing), Germany and the Middle East. US exports of raw and organic cassava starch remain at 0% Section 301 tariff. If you supply cassava products or feed inputs, the Thai Tapioca Nexus 2026 buyer-matching event on 13 August 2026 at Dusit Thani Bangkok, co-run with SME Promotion Office (OSMEP), is a chance to meet overseas importers.
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Thailand's deputy commerce minister Kiriya Paoputhikorn said the country will refuse full foreign ownership of low-orbit satellite telecom services, citing sovereignty, even as US trade talks restart later this month. Starlink's foreign stake is currently capped at 49% for some telecom infrastructure. For most SMEs this changes nothing directly. The trade-talk context matters more: Thailand aims to keep its total US tariff below the 19% agreed last year, and is currently facing 12.5% under a USTR forced-labour finding covering 60 countries, plus a separate overcapacity investigation. Watch for tariff outcomes and US purchase commitments (aircraft, LNG, soybeans, corn) that could affect export and import pricing.
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DITP trade reports say Germany still buys combustion-engine spare parts but is shifting toward hybrids and EVs, so exporters should keep legacy lines and start stocking EV parts. Safety-critical parts (brakes, lights, tyres, windscreens) need certification such as the E-mark, and German buyers check carbon footprint, recycling and supply-chain traceability. Trade fairs cited for 2026 include WM Werkstattmesse in Berlin (24-26 April), Dortmund (4-6 September), Munich (16-18 October), and Automechanika Frankfurt (8-12 September). Note that the article is a government promotional piece with no price or tariff figures.
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The cabinet approved a draft Prime Minister's Office regulation on 5 August 2569 (2026) creating a national committee, chaired by a deputy prime minister, to set policy for data center operators. BOI will review its screening framework and apply stricter checks on value to the country, energy and water use, and community impact. For most SMEs this does not change daily operations. It matters mainly if you supply power, water, construction, or cloud and hosting services to data center projects, since approvals may be slower and more conditional.
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Thai exports used FTA tariff preferences worth about 1.37 trillion baht in May 2026, up 8.38% year on year, with an 81.32% utilisation rate. Durian, auto parts and gold jewellery led. If you export, check whether your product qualifies for an FTA rate, since most Thai exports that qualify are already claiming it. The Commerce Department's "Boost Up SMEs" trip to Switzerland and Norway is planned for August, and a Thailand-EFTA FTA is expected to take effect in early 2027. India is also being promoted as a growth market.
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The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has proposed a new tiered residential tariff after public comment closed. Units 1-200 stay at 3 baht per unit, 201-400 units rise to 4.1584 baht, and 401+ units cost 4.3583 baht, plus a public-lighting charge of 0.0634 baht per unit above 200 units. Users in the 26-200 range get a cut, most notably 1.2218 baht less at 151-200 units. Shops or homes on high usage should check their meter band, since heavy use costs much more per unit. The proposal is not yet final; the ERC still has to decide after reviewing feedback.
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The National Savings Fund (กอช.) has about 2.8 million members, only about 200,000 of whom actively save, and wants 140,000 new members this year, targeting village headmen, students, farmers, riders, security guards and freelancers. Its budget was cut 56% to about 200 million baht. The secretary-general says the law may be changed to let members withdraw amounts above a poverty line of about 3,000 baht a month. For a sole trader or small shop owner, this is a retirement-saving option to consider for yourself and staff who are self-employed, and the withdrawal change is still only a proposal.
Together GoWeGo! Ferry tickets in Thailand.
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Department of Livestock Development and a joint agriculture-security task force seized four trucks carrying about 12.6 tonnes of frozen beef shin (เอ็นโค) in Tha Sai, Samut Sakhon, on 4 August 2569 (2026). The beef was suspected of being smuggled from abroad, and the people involved could not show source documents or movement permits. Under the Animal Disease Act B.E. 2558 (2015), sections 22 and 31, moving or importing carcasses without permission is an offence. For food businesses, buy meat only from suppliers who can show import permits and health certificates, and keep your own purchase records. Anyone can report suspected cases through the DLD 4.0 app.
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The Public Debt Management Office announced allocation results for the Saving Plus government bond (issue 1 of FY2569, 2,000 million baht total) from 10:00 today, 6 August 2026. Each buyer receives a maximum of 117,000 baht across all selling agents. Check your allocation at settrade.com/bondallocation. For refunds of unallocated subscription money, contact the selling agent you booked through. Only relevant if your business or you personally subscribed.
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As of 5 Aug 2026, West Texas crude was US$75.22/bbl (down 0.55) and Brent was US$79.45/bbl (up 0.09). Prices moved on conflicting signals: the US President said talks with Iran were going well and threatened more strikes, while Iran denied the talks and said it reached an agreement with Oman on Hormuz management. Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea add shipping risk. A US crude inventory build of 2.5m barrels was also unexpected. For a Thai SME, keep fuel and freight cost assumptions flexible this quarter and avoid locking in prices on a single headline.
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World gold rose about 4.1% on 5 Aug to around $4,247/oz, its biggest move in seven months, after signs of progress in US-Iran talks that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lower US bond yields. The Thai Gold Traders Association raised the domestic gold bar price by 1,900 baht to 67,150 baht (jewellery 67,950 baht). Analysts note foreign investors have been net sellers of Thai stocks. If you buy or sell gold for stock, jewellery or savings, or price gold-linked goods, expect volatile domestic prices; check the day's quote before committing.
