Archive
September 11, 2026
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At the 17 August 2026 Thai-US Trade & Investment Summit, AMCHAM said US imports from Thailand rose 72% in H1 2026, driven partly by supply-chain shifts. The effective US tariff on Thai goods is reported at roughly 8-10%, lower than the 19% headline rate because of exemptions, and about 5.5% on average for March-June after the Supreme Court ruling on IEEPA. Risks remain: the forced-labour tariff on Thailand rose to 12.5%, and Section 301 action could push rates back toward 19% or higher, though timing is unknown. For SMEs exporting to the US, plan for rate uncertainty and keep cost buffers rather than assume the current rate holds.
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AMCHAM's Thai-US summit (17 Aug 2026) reported US imports from Thailand up 72% in H1 2026, driven by supply-chain shifts. The average effective US tariff on Thai goods is put at roughly 8-10% under the 19% headline rate, and about 5.5% after the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs. Forced-labour tariff rose from 10% to 12.5%. The main risk is a possible Section 301 action that could push tariffs back toward 19% or higher; timing and form are unknown. Exporters should plan for tariff volatility, keep a cost buffer, and check whether their product or supply chain falls under transshipment scrutiny.
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The Finance Ministry launched "AI Nokkrasib" loans that use real sales and payment history from the Tungngern app as alternative data. Krungthai SME small-size loans go up to 3 million baht with no collateral (BAC guarantees the full amount), or up to 20 million baht with collateral, starting at 3.5% a year fixed for 2 years. The "Sip Muen" loan goes up to 500,000 baht from 11% a year, with no application fee. Eligibility: Thai individual or Thai-registered company aged 20–65 with at least 1 year of registered business. GSB has a separate small loan of up to 50,000 baht. If you sell through Tungngern, EDC machines, Lazada or Shopee, check whether your sales records qualify before you apply.
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The Revenue Department collected 2,162,122 million baht in October 2025 to August 2026, 88.35% of the full-year estimate, up 7.2% on last year. It expects FY2569 to exceed the budget estimate by about 40-50 billion baht, driven by import VAT, and by corporate tax from energy businesses. The FY2570 target is 2.501 trillion baht. For SMEs, the department also flagged Fast Track tax refunds to ease cash flow, and expanded e-Filing and e-Tax Invoice services. No change in tax rates was announced.
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The SEC says Content Creators and Finfluencers who recommend or solicit investments in securities or digital assets must hold a licence, and it will enforce the law against those who don't. Creators who only share general knowledge are not restricted. Scam consultations rose from about 1,200 last year to nearly 4,000 this year, and the SEC blocked 368 scam channels this year, all within 48 hours. If your business pays influencers to promote financial products, check the advertising and disclosure rules that apply to licensed firms working with them.
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The Nakhon Ratchasima Chamber of Commerce says it still backs Khong district for the 2029 world horticultural expo, after a move to Pak Chong was proposed. Its points: over 2,000 million baht allocated to widen the access road from 4 to 6 lanes, a 88 million baht Master Plan budget stalled since the political transition, and a demand that the government state its reasons for the relocation. For Korat businesses, the site decision still shapes where and when expo-linked construction and visitor spending land. Nothing to act on yet; watch for the cabinet or Master Plan approval.
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The Federation of Thai Industries has sent five proposals on the draft PDP2026 power plan (2026–2050) to the Energy Minister. Key asks: use domestic gas and biomass to reduce LNG dependence, judge power technologies by total system cost rather than plant-level cost, speed up Direct PPA and Third Party Access rules for factories, and make new large power users such as data centres pay the extra grid costs they cause. This is a proposal, not a decision. Factory owners should watch the final plan and any TPA/wheeling rules, which will shape future electricity tariffs, but no action is needed yet.
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The Thai E-Payment Trade Association (TEPA, 30+ members), now led by Yod Chinsupakul, is joining a Bank of Thailand anti-illicit-activity framework. Expect stricter Know Your Merchant checks covering master and sub-merchants, tighter identity verification (KYC/CDD/EDD) for e-money account holders and transfer senders, and faster sharing of unusual transaction data with regulators. If your business takes QR or e-wallet payments, prepare to supply accurate merchant and owner documents and expect more onboarding and monitoring questions from providers. No immediate deadline is stated in the article.
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Yod Chinsupakul, CEO of LINE MAN Wongnai and LINE Pay Thailand, is now chair of the Thai E-Payment Trade Association (TEPA), which has over 30 members. TEPA is one of 11 bodies in a Bank of Thailand framework against illicit financial activity. Planned measures: tighter checks on merchants, including sub-merchants, across the whole service period; stricter ID verification for e-money account holders and transfer senders; and faster reporting of unusual merchant and transaction behaviour to regulators. If your shop takes payments through a gateway or e-wallet, expect more verification requests and possible account holds. Keep business registration, owner ID and bank details ready.
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A former abbot and an associate were remanded for 12 days over alleged embezzlement of over 100 million baht from Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya; bail was denied. Donations and amulet sale receipts were issued in the temple's name but never reached its accounts. Police advise donors to transfer only to bank accounts registered in the temple's name and linked to the Revenue Department's e-Donation system, and to avoid personal or foundation accounts even with an official-looking certificate. For a business, the practical lesson is to check payee account names and e-Donation linkage before paying any donation, sponsorship or temple-related amulet purchase.
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Brent crude is near $108/barrel as of 11 September, up over 6% in the prior session, after Houthi attacks on Saudi-backed forces and threats to shipping near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. WTI is around $102. Refined products such as diesel have risen more than crude, and global tanker freight rates are also higher. The article gives no near-term ceasefire signal. For a Thai SME, plan for higher fuel and transport costs this quarter: review diesel-dependent delivery budgets, check supplier surcharges, and consider locking in fuel or freight rates where possible.
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The SEC says the TISA direction is mostly settled: one account with two goals, one for retirement savings (PVD, RMF, GPF, pension insurance) with tax deductions on contributions, and one for long-term investing in stocks, bonds and debt instruments with tax-free returns. The investment cap and tax benefits still depend on the Finance Ministry, and providers may join in phases. No action is needed yet; it is worth watching if you or your staff save for retirement.
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The Finance Permanent Secretary, who chairs the review committee for the 400-billion-baht loan decree, says the rooftop solar project has not yet been submitted by the Interior Ministry. The ministry is seeking the PM's signature, and the committee expects to consider it next week. Separately, the Thai Diau Thai Plus tourism support scheme is still awaiting submission from the Tourism and Sports Ministry, though its details are settled and it would use the first 200-billion-baht tranche to aid businesses. No timing is set for that one. If you plan to bid for or supply rooftop solar, or expect support from the tourism scheme, treat both as pending, not approved.
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On 10 September 2026 the EV Policy Board approved in principle a restructuring of EV excise tax: vehicles with high domestic production and parts content would pay lower rates than fully imported (CBU) cars. The Thai Chamber of Commerce supports this but says the Local Content and Thai Content ratios and CBU import caps (volume and time) still need to be set clearly. Suppliers and SMEs in the auto parts chain should watch for these criteria before planning sourcing or investment. No change applies yet; the article gives no effective date or rates.
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Krungthai Bank launched two loan products for small shops using the "Thung Ngern" app and its "Nok Krasip" AI tool. The SME loan goes up to 3 million baht at a starting rate of 3.5% a year, with BSY guarantee, no collateral, and no fee, and a flat monthly rate for the first 2 years. The personal loan for market vendors goes up to 5 times income, capped at 500,000 baht, starting at 11% a year, with monthly repayments from about 500 baht on a 23,000-baht example. Rates range 11%-20% a year. If you already sell on this app or in this market, compare these rates with your current borrowing before you apply. The bank says the AI tool analyses sales, customer behaviour and costs, but the article gives no detail on fees or eligibility beyond these figures.
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The State Railway of Thailand says the private operator of the Airport Rail Link will keep running the line after its contract ends on 30 September, until 31 January 2027, under existing terms. A 1-year operating contract at 60 million baht a month is being discussed as one option, but no final deal is confirmed. The 3-airport rail contract is still unresolved and goes to a steering committee this month. For a Thai SME, the practical effect is limited: rail service should continue, so check your staff and delivery routines around the airport line only if you depend on it.
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The Permanent Secretary of the Finance Ministry says the TISA (personal savings-investment account) scheme is over 90% clear and could be concluded by end-September 2026 after one more meeting. The core principles will not change, and the 'multiplier' feature will be dropped, but some figures are still being adjusted. For a small business owner, this is only a heads-up: no action is needed yet. Watch for the final numbers if you or your staff plan to use TISA for personal long-term investing.
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The Investment Promotion Committee's sub-committee approved 55 projects, 48 under Business Transformation (support for machinery upgrades, automation, AI, R&D and green transition) worth 1,663 million baht in support for the latest batch, and 7 under Skill Bridge (307 million baht). Support goes to Thai firms working on these upgrades, and BOI says the 66 Business Transformation projects so far should lift supplier purchases from domestic SMEs by about 7,100 million baht a year. Thai SMEs in agriculture, food processing, bio, electronics, EV/auto parts could check whether their upgrade plans fit the criteria and talk to BOI before committing capex. The article does not state application windows or eligibility thresholds, so verify those directly with BOI.
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The tourism minister plans to take "Thai Thiao Thai Plus" to cabinet on 22 Sept, with 4 billion baht from the loan act and 1 million rights. Hotels: the state pays actual cost up to 2,000 baht per right; hotels must submit price documents at registration to block price hikes. Coupons (1,500 baht in main cities, 2,000 in secondary cities, 50/50 co-pay) now also work at spas, massage shops, souvenir shops and dive/boat tour packages. Registration is expected from early October; use dates are 1 Nov–15 Dec 2026 and 16 Jan–28 Feb 2027, with a gap 16 Jan–15 Feb. Operators should prepare current price evidence and check whether their services qualify.
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The EV policy board approved in principle a restructuring of the car excise tax to reward real investment and local production, and to link large automakers to SME parts suppliers. The Excise Department will draft details before going to cabinet, so nothing is in force yet. Auto-parts SMEs should watch for the draft and consider whether they can supply local content. The FTI says the sector has over 2,500 firms and supports more than 800,000 jobs. The EV registration share is 55% of new cars in the first seven months of 2026, so the mix is shifting.
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