Archive

Baht opens at 32.90 per dollar on 10 Sep, with US CPI and the FOMC meeting next week the swing factors Prachachat · Sep 10, 2026

The baht opened at 32.90 per dollar, near the prior close of 32.93. TTB expects a 24-hour range of 32.80 to 33.10. Oil prices are rising on Middle East tensions, which raises global inflation risk. US CPI on Friday and the FOMC meeting on 15-16 Sep could shift rate expectations and move the baht. For importers, price USD-linked purchases with this band in mind. For exporters, the range is narrow for now, so no major change to pricing is needed. Foreign investors bought a net 3,136 million baht of Thai stocks and sold 2,640 million baht of Thai bonds the previous day.

Gold jewellery up 250 baht to 69,500 per baht weight today, so check buy-in costs Prachachat · Sep 10, 2026

On 10 Sep 2026 the Gold Traders Association listed jewellery gold at 69,500 baht per baht weight to sell, up 250 baht from the previous close. Bar gold sells at 68,700 and buys back at 68,500. Spot gold is US$4,415 per ounce. Jewellery buy-back is about 67,128 baht, so the spread is wide. If your business holds gold for sale, repairs, or gifts, reprice and check your stock value. Otherwise this is a daily price move to note, not a change in strategy.

A Reuters report says Aster is buying crude from the Americas and Africa to replace Middle East supply. Only the headline is available, so the scale and cause are unclear. Watch for any knock-on effect on fuel prices if your costs depend on diesel or petrol.

State flood, storm and quake insurance for 30 million homes starts October, using home-registration records Prachachat · Sep 10, 2026

The cabinet approved a national disaster insurance scheme, with the government paying premiums of about THB 15 billion a year (roughly THB 500 per household) to cover flood, storm and earthquake damage for about 30 million homes, targeted to start October. Eligibility is based on house registration, and payouts are THB 10,000 (flood) or THB 5,000 (storm/quake) first-part per household within 15 days, capped at THB 100,000 per event. Around 25 of 47 insurers may qualify, so the scheme is still being finalised. For a Thai SME, the practical point is that homeowners and staff's homes may gain cover, and the scheme does not replace your own business property insurance; check details once the rules are published.

Oil above US$100 a barrel would squeeze Thai SME costs and household spending Bangkok Post · Sep 10, 2026

CIMB Thai expects Thai GDP growth of about 2% this year, but warns that crude above US$100 a barrel would raise transport and business costs, pass through to consumer prices and weaken household purchasing power. Core inflation rose 0.2% month-on-month, and some businesses that held prices down may start passing costs on. Plan for higher fuel and logistics costs, review pricing, and watch for slower consumer demand. Long-term bond yields are also rising (US 30-year above 5%), which would raise borrowing costs over time.

Phuket authorities tighten security for Friday's Jewish New Year event in Patong Bangkok Post · Sep 10, 2026

Phuket officials are concerned about a planned Rosh Hashanah gathering at Chabad House Patong on Friday, expected to draw a large crowd. They flagged a possible provocation by a third party and a security-risk assessment is required. For Patong businesses, expect heavier police presence and possible traffic or access disruption around the venue this week, and watch for any tourism-image effects in the district.

Phuket Patong Jewish event on Friday faces security review, so expect police presence and possible crowd disruption nearby Bangkok Post · Sep 10, 2026

Phuket authorities are reviewing a planned Rosh Hashanah gathering at Chabad House Patong on Friday, which is expected to draw a large crowd. Officials want a security-risk assessment and are concerned about a possible third-party provocation in the crowded tourist district. If your shop or business is in Patong, expect heightened security presence and possible disruption around the event. The province says it is not opposing the gathering.

Thai firms are lifting cybersecurity budgets to 5-10% of IT spending as AI attacks rise Bangkok Post · Sep 10, 2026

Fortinet, a cybersecurity vendor, says Thai organisations are raising cybersecurity spend from about 3% to 5-10% of IT budgets, driven by AI-automated attacks and tighter industry standards. It expects the Thai market to grow 12% this year from US$480 million in 2025. For a small business, the practical points are: keep backups and recovery plans current, watch who uses AI tools with company data (prompts can leak confidential information), and get vendor help where you lack in-house specialists. Source is a vendor's own forecast, so treat the figures as indicative.

Bank of Thailand readies three SME credit measures, starting with a portal in December Bangkok Post · Sep 10, 2026

The central bank is preparing three measures to ease SME borrowing, rolling out late 2026 to early 2027. The SME Credit Portal, expected in December, will link SMEs with lenders through a Data Bureau that can use utility payments, tax payments and mobile phone records instead of only bank statements. This could help vendors and self-employed owners with thin bank records. A credit guarantee scheme funded by the Financial Institutions Development Fund (not the government budget) is also planned to lower banks' costs of lending to SMEs. Keep tax and utility payment records in order, since they may count toward your credit profile.

Bangkok orders inspections of 47 data centres over power, fuel and noise Bangkok Post · Sep 10, 2026

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has ordered district offices to inspect 47 data centres on electricity use, backup fuel storage, emergency power, noise and heat. Many of these sit inside commercial buildings without data-centre licences. Three standalone applicants are on hold pending clearer rules, so new rules on power and fuel may follow. If you run or host equipment in a commercial building, check your power and fuel setup and any local noise complaints. Separately, a Rayong data-centre builder was ordered to clear illegally dumped construction waste within seven days.

Diesel and gasohol prices for 10 Sep at Bangchak: B20 at 34.84 baht a litre, B7 at 39.84 Prachachat · Sep 10, 2026

Bangchak posted today's pump prices: B20 diesel 34.84 baht/litre (up 0.70 baht from yesterday), B7 39.84, gasohol 95 39.09, gasohol 91 38.72, E20 34.09. Prices exclude Bangkok's local land tax and take effect tomorrow at 05:00. Check your own station before budgeting fuel for delivery vehicles and generators, since prices vary by station.

New power plan opens direct solar power purchase to businesses from 2 GW Bangkok Post · Sep 10, 2026

Thailand's new Power Development Plan (PDP, 2026-50) moves away from Egat as sole buyer and launches pilot direct PPAs, letting private producers sell renewable power straight to businesses, initially capped at 2 gigawatts. Small power producers with fossil plants may also sell surplus power to factories in industrial estates. A prosumer scheme for rooftop solar owners to sell surplus to the grid is being prepared. The article gives no start dates or prices, so for now this is a watch item: if you use heavy power or have rooftop solar, track the pilot rules and consider whether a direct green-power contract could cut costs later.

Two Rajamangala and Pathumwan campuses suspend classes for 90 days after student violence Prachachat · Sep 9, 2026

The Ministry of Higher Education issued order 120/2569, effective 9 September 2026, suspending in-person classes at the Uthenthawai and Pathumwan campuses for 90 days, extendable until a new site is ready. Reports reference a 7 September clash at BTS Siam that injured two people. Relevant mainly to businesses near these campuses (food, rental, transport, student-facing services): expect lower foot traffic and plan for it. Affected students will get alternative teaching arrangements; the ministry requires 30-day progress reports.

Oil leak in Klong Toey traced to underground pipeline, road works expected to snarl traffic Bangkok Post · Sep 9, 2026

Officials found the source of an underground oil pipeline leak on Chuea Phloeng Road, Klong Toey, under Rama III overpass. About 4,000 litres of oil are estimated in roughly 20,000 litres of contaminated drain water, and about 1,000 square metres are affected. The Energy Ministry ordered Bangkok Fuel Pipeline and Logistics and BAFS Pipeline Transportation to repair, rehabilitate and pay compensation. Expect digging and traffic disruption in the area. Avoid open flames and smoking nearby, and watch for evacuation notices since two communities are close by.

Online scam complaints hit record in first seven months of 2026; consumer group pushes platform liability law Prachachat · Sep 9, 2026

The Consumer Foundation reports that general goods and services remained the top complaint category for three straight years (230 cases, Jan 2024 to Jul 2026), with financial and investment scams second (97 cases). Scams often run through social-media ads and fake apps. The foundation is asking government to make cross-border platforms share liability. For a business owner: watch for fake-supplier and fake-advertising risks, verify payment requests, and expect possible new platform rules later.

Phatthalung swiftlet nest concession gets no bids at 500m baht as Indonesian imports push prices down Prachachat · Sep 9, 2026

Phatthalung's 5th swiftlet nest concession (500m baht reserve, 5 years) drew no bidders at the first tender, and a second selection tender also had no bids so far. Household-grade nest prices have fallen to 6,000-7,000 baht/kg from about 10,000, and natural nest prices to 40,000-70,000 baht/kg from 100,000-120,000, after China suspended Indonesian imports and large Indonesian lots flowed into Thailand. If you trade or process nests, expect lower prices and tighter supply competition; the operators are asking the Interior Ministry to clear building and export-registration rules so Thai nests can be exported to China. The provincial guard force is also being cut to 50% of the prior 134 staff, so theft risk on the islands may rise.

Mortgage rejections hit a 5-year high as household debt stays at 86% of GDP Prachachat · Sep 9, 2026

BAM's CEO says Thai household debt is about 86% of GDP (about 16.41 trillion baht) in Q1, and bank rejection rates for homes under 3 million baht have passed 50%, the highest in five years, because debt-to-income ratios exceed the banks' 70% threshold. Growth is under 2%. For a business, expect weaker demand from customers who need home loans and tighter credit for them. Resale homes now hold 67% of the market and are priced 15-25% below new ones, so buyers and sellers of older property may find more deals. BAM's Rent to Own model lets freelancers rent first and apply part of the rent to a later purchase. These are company claims at a seminar, not official data.

Oil leak found in Rama 3 drain: the energy minister has ordered two pipeline operators to fix it and pay for the damage Prachachat · Sep 9, 2026

Energy Minister Ekniti Phromphan inspected an oil contamination in Bangkok's drainage system at Charoen Phleng Road under the Rama 3 elevated expressway (Khlong Toei/Yan Nawa) and found the leak source. He ordered pipeline operators Baffle Pipeline Transport and Bangkok Pipeline Transport and Logistics to repair the leak, restore the area, and pay compensation for all damage. The ministry says it will monitor the cleanup. For most SMEs this is background, but if your business operates near Rama 3 or relies on drainage in that area, watch for cleanup works and possible access or water-quality disruptions.

SET chief urges government to launch TISA savings accounts this year, not next Prachachat · Sep 9, 2026

The SET chairman wants the government to set the TISA personal savings account limits and tax benefits this year, warning that a December announcement would leave people little time to plan. Reports suggest the launch could slip to next year while the Finance Ministry weighs the tax revenue impact. Dual-Class Shares and trust-law reform are also proposed to help private firms and state enterprises list. Nothing changes for a small business yet; watch for TISA limits if you or staff plan retirement savings.

KTB pays 0.48 baht interim dividend; buy before 22 Sep to miss it Prachachat · Sep 9, 2026

Krungthai (KTB) board approved a cash interim dividend of 0.48 baht per share for both common and preferred shares, based on January to June 2026 results. Ex-dividend (XD) date is 22 Sep 2026, record date 23 Sep, payment 8 Oct 2026. Only relevant if your business holds KTB shares or you are weighing bank share investments; otherwise it is background news.