Archive
August 5, 2026
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Less than four months into office, the coalition led by Bhumjaithai faces corruption allegations: a 4.5-billion-baht recruitment exam fraud case with nearly 6,000 appointments under review, a 1.62-billion-baht TH-AI Passport procurement questioned by the opposition, and a probe into the 2025 Senate election. An opposition no-confidence debate is expected later this year. For a small business there is no direct rule change yet, but political turbulence can delay government spending and policy decisions. Watch for the debate and any changes to ministry budgets or procurement.
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Bangchak's pump prices for 6 Aug: diesel B7 36.69 baht/litre, diesel B20 31.69 baht (unchanged), gasohol 95 36.69 baht, gasohol 91 36.32 baht. Prices are quoted before the Bangkok local tax, and the article says tomorrow's prices take effect at 05:00. For fleet, delivery or transport costs, check your station's price and budget fuel on the new daily rate.
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A reform group asked the Central Administrative Court to revoke the postponement of the Social Security Board election, now set for Sept 27 (2026) if it proceeds. Voter registration closed July 15, and the court had earlier suspended the requirement that employers and insured workers register with the SSO before voting. The board's first term has lapsed for about five months, so SSO contribution and benefit rules are being run without a fully mandated board. For a business owner, the practical step is to check your SSO employer registration and contribution records are up to date, and watch for any new election dates or registration deadlines.
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A reform group has asked the Central Administrative Court to revoke the postponement of the Social Security Board election, which is still scheduled for Sept 27 if the court agrees. Voter registration closed on July 15. Employers and insured workers should check with the Social Security Office whether their registration and polling station are confirmed. The first elected board has been out of office for about five months, so rules on employer contributions and benefits could change once a new board is seated.
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Security researchers say Zbtlink routers made in China contain a backdoor. If your shop or office uses this brand, check the model and firmware, and consider replacing it if the vendor has no fix.
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The cabinet has approved a Data Centre Policy Committee, chaired by a deputy prime minister, to set regulatory standards and monitor electricity, water, cybersecurity and environmental impact of data centres. Approvals currently rely on building-control and land-use rules because data centres are not classified as factories, and a dedicated law is still being drafted. For most SMEs this is background: it may affect electricity and water costs in areas with heavy data centre build-out, and future rules on land use or permits. No immediate action is needed.
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Min Aung Hlaing's official visit to Thailand on 6-7 August 2026 includes a Thailand-Myanmar Business Forum. Per a Thai-Myanmar business council chair, Myanmar's economy has been hit by COVID, political unrest, conscription-driven emigration, border conflict and a 2025 earthquake. Its foreign reserves are low, the kyat has weakened sharply, and importers must show export earnings before getting import permits under the Earning Money policy. Thai goods remain in demand, especially essentials, but volumes have fallen. Thai SMEs exporting to Myanmar should expect payment and permit delays and adjust terms and trade structure rather than expect the rules to be lifted soon.
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PTT and Bangchak cut benzene and gasohol prices by 70 satang per litre, effective 6 August 2026 at 05:00. Gasohol 95 falls to 35.99 baht and gasohol 91 to 35.62 baht at PTT. Diesel and premium grades are unchanged. For businesses with delivery vehicles or generators running on petrol or gasohol, fuel costs drop from tomorrow. Diesel-powered fleets see no change this round.
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Cabinet approved 7.2 billion baht for the Khlong Wang Tanot reservoir in Chanthaburi (7-year plan, FY2027-2033), targeting 87,700 rai of irrigated land and EEC water supply. Cabinet approval is not yet construction go-ahead: a national water committee's in-principle approval requires forest-area changes to pass the National Park Board. The Sueb Foundation has said it will sue again. For SMEs in Chanthaburi, the Eastern EEC corridor or agriculture, this is a long-horizon project; no action needed this quarter beyond watching for compensation and land-use decisions.
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ttb is offering a car-title loan that sets the interest rate by NCB credit score instead of car age. The lowest rate is 11.11% a year (0.52% a month) for AA-rated borrowers, fixed for the whole contract, rising in steps as scores fall. Typical car-title loans in the market charge about 20-21% a year, up to 24%. If you already have a car-title loan or need short-term cash against a vehicle, compare your rate against this offer and check your NCB score. The bank says the product starts the day after the announcement, and it targets 5 billion baht of lending from August to December 2026.
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The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (กกร.) raised its 2026 forecasts: GDP 1.6-2.0% (from 1.2-1.6%), exports +8-10% (from -1.5% to -0.5%), and inflation 2.5-3.0% (from 2.0-3.0%). Exports rose 17.6% in H1 2026, led by tech goods tied to AI demand. The committee says Thai firms need more local content and domestic supply chains to capture value, and that the Middle East conflict and expected high US rates keep the regional currency under pressure. For planning: budget for higher costs and a weaker baht, and check whether your products can enter supply chains for export or foreign-investor projects.
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TTB's CEO says the bank will rely mainly on NCB credit scores and repayment history to approve loans and set rates, rather than app or alternative data. Good repayment should earn lower rates over time. For an SME owner, keeping loan repayments on time and checking your NCB credit report matters more than digital lending apps. The article gives no new rates or deadlines.
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Bank of Thailand and National Credit Bureau data show bad debt in the credit bureau system at 1.1-1.2 trillion baht in 2024-2025, with NPL steady near 9.7% and special mention loans near 4.3%. Car hire-purchase, personal loans and credit cards show the most strain, and lenders are tightening approvals for new credit. For a business owner, expect tougher credit checks on loans and card limits, and a bad payment is recorded at the credit bureau and can block future financing. Prepare for stricter lending and keep your own customers' payment terms tight.
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On 5 August 2026 the Cabinet approved a draft Prime Minister's Office regulation creating a Data Center policy committee. It is chaired by a Deputy PM and includes 13 permanent permanent-secretary-level officials plus up to 3 outside experts. It will set standards for permits and investment privileges for data center operators, weighing clean energy, electricity and water allocation, fire safety, zoning, data sovereignty and carbon neutrality. For a typical SME this is background: it mainly affects data center operators and the power and water costs they may shape over time. No action is needed now.
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The World Bank Enterprise Survey covered 360 Thai firms with 5+ employees in manufacturing, construction and services. Cumulative AI adoption in Thailand was about 11.5% in 2025, up from about 3.3% in 2024, but well behind Kenya and Nigeria (about 40%) and the US (42.5%). Thailand ranks top 20 as an exporter of AI-enabling goods, yet not among heavy AI users. The report's Thai case study shows AI tools can fail in local settings: a Google diabetic eye-screening tool rejected over 20% of images taken in Thai clinics because of lighting. For an SME, the practical point is that off-the-shelf AI needs testing in your own conditions before you rely on it.
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The cabinet approved a draft Prime Minister's Office regulation creating a data center policy committee chaired by a deputy prime minister. It will set standards for agencies that approve data center permits and services, and track impacts on energy, water, land, fire safety and carbon neutrality. Nothing changes for a typical SME yet. Relevant mainly if you supply power, water, construction or cooling services to data center projects, or if electricity and water prices for your sector may be affected later.
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The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (กกร.) raised its 2026 forecasts: GDP growth 1.6-2.0% (up from 1.2-1.6%), exports 8-10% (up from a forecast contraction of 0.5-1.5%), and inflation 2.5-3.0%. Growth is driven by AI and tech-related exports, which rose 17.6% in the first half, but the committee says the value is not reaching domestic businesses. Expect the US rate outlook and a weaker regional currency to remain risks. For a local SME, the practical signals are stronger demand from export-linked supply chains, rising costs from inflation, and government push for Local Content and support schemes targeted by sector.
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US Treasury Secretary Bessent's remarks have strengthened the case for a Bank of Japan rate hike in September. Watch for a stronger yen and possible shifts in baht and import costs, but no action is needed yet.
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An Indonesia studies expert, interviewed during the Thai PM's visit to Indonesia, says Thai firms should move from buy-and-sell trade to joint ventures. Target sectors are EV and battery supply chains, halal food, agriculture and processing, health, and digital economy. Indonesia has banned raw-mineral exports to push processing onshore. Short-term markets are volatile after populist spending worries. Thai SMEs looking at Indonesia should study local regulations and regional cultural differences before committing capital. The article gives no deal terms or deadlines.
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Indonesia's stock market has fallen over 36% from its peak and the rupiah has passed 18,000 per US dollar for the first time, as foreign investors sell stocks, bonds and currency together. Q2 2026 GDP growth slowed to 5.30% YoY from 5.61% in Q1. Thailand and Indonesia target trade of USD 23 billion by 2030, up from USD 19.5 billion now. For a Thai SME exporting to Indonesia, the weaker rupiah makes Indonesian buyers pricier in baht terms, so check payment terms and currency before taking large orders. Growth forecasts for 2026 sit around 5%, so demand is still solid but cooling.
