Archive

Global bond yields are climbing again as the new Iran strikes push up oil prices Prachachat · Sep 5, 2026

US strikes on Iran on 30 August and 1 September pushed Brent above $95 a barrel, adding inflation pressure. Government bond yields rose in the US, Japan, UK, Germany and France, with the US 10-year at about 4.79%, its highest in 20 months. For a Thai SME this is background: higher global yields can feed into borrowing costs and the baht over time, and oil price swings affect fuel and transport costs. No immediate action is needed, but keep an eye on fuel prices and loan rates this quarter.

Heavy rain warning for the North and Northeast this week, with flash-flood risk Prachachat · Sep 5, 2026

The Thai Meteorological Department forecasts heavy to very heavy rain in the North and Northeast over the next 24 hours, with flash floods and mountain runoff possible, especially near the Mekong and low-lying areas. Bangkok and the Central region expect thunderstorms over about 60% of the area. Sea waves reach about 2 metres in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand, so small boat operators should avoid storm zones. For businesses: check stock and delivery routes in flood-prone spots, move goods off ground floors, and plan for delayed transport.

Fed chair's hawkish speech lifts rate-hike odds, pressuring the baht and Thai stocks Prachachat · Sep 5, 2026

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's Jackson Hole speech was read by markets as a signal toward a rate hike, lifting the odds of a 0.25% hike at the 15-16 September meeting from about 35% to 57%. US 2-year yields rose 14 bps and 30-year yields 3 bps. The author still expects the Fed to hold rates all year, with the 11 September CPI release as the key data point. For Thai businesses, the wider rate gap is adding pressure on the baht, which weakened to about 33.1 per dollar from 32.6 the week before, and emerging-market assets including Thai stocks may stay volatile. Watch import costs and dollar-linked pricing, and avoid locking in unhedged dollar exposure until the CPI data is out.

Diesel at 39.14 baht and B20 at 34.14 baht a litre on 5 Sep: check your fuel budget Prachachat · Sep 5, 2026

Bangchak's posted pump prices for 5 Sep 2026: High Diesel S 39.14 baht/litre, B20 34.14 baht (up 0.75 baht from the previous day), Gasohol 95 38.29 baht, Gasohol 91 37.92 baht, E20 33.29 baht. Prices exclude the Bangkok local land tax and take effect from 05.00 the next morning. Fleet and delivery operators should re-check their fuel cost assumptions, and confirm the price at your own station before filling.

Thailand freezes 167 data center projects while new rules are drafted within a month Prachachat · Sep 5, 2026

The Data Center policy board, chaired by PM Anutin, is tightening rules on data centers. Of the projects, 35 are operating and 167 are paused. Four sub-committees (economy, infrastructure covering power and water, area and buildings, environment) are to set new criteria, with a target of about one month. Electricity use, water and land are the main concerns. WHA says data center investment clusters in the EEC and it can accept higher power prices. For a typical SME this is mainly indirect: watch for electricity tariff changes, and for demand for local construction, electrical and cooling services tied to data center builds.

Government gives one month to draft national data centre rules on power, water and land Bangkok Post · Sep 5, 2026

Deputy PM Ekniti has ordered a new National Data Centre Policy Committee to draft nationwide rules within one month covering power and water use, urban planning and environmental safeguards. Existing projects may get time to comply, while unstarted projects may have to wait for the new measures. Of 35 operating data centres, only 11 hold BOI promotion; 49 are under construction and about 117 are proposed. For most SMEs this is not an immediate change, but if you supply power, water, construction, cooling or IT services to data centres, or plan to, expect tighter approval rules and possible size-based thresholds.

The FAO reports world food prices at their highest since 2022 as supply risks grow. Based on the title alone, Thai food and restaurant owners should expect ingredient costs to stay under pressure and review their purchasing and menu pricing.

Xbox Cloud Gaming caps Game Pass cloud hours from November Blognone · Sep 4, 2026

Microsoft will cap Xbox Cloud Gaming for Game Pass members from November: Ultimate 15 hours, Premium 10 hours, Essential 5 hours per month. Microsoft says only 4% of players are affected. Non-members will also be able to rent cloud play by buying hours through the Xbox Store, price not yet announced. Consumer gaming news with little direct effect on most Thai SME operations; relevant only if your business uses gaming subscriptions or cloud services.

GSB cuts teacher loan rate to 3.5%; registration closes 31 October 2026 Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

Government Savings Bank has cut the rate to 3.50% a year for teachers and education staff in the CPK/CPS and related loan schemes, with over 80,000 accounts already registered. Eligible teachers who received a bank notice must register via MyMo, the GSB website or any branch by 31 October 2026. The rate stays at 3.50% until December 2027, then moves to MLR/MRR minus 2%. Not directly relevant to most SME owners, but worth passing to any staff or family members who are teachers.

Data centres push EEC industrial land to 6-8 million baht per rai Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

Savills reports industrial land prices in EEC, Samut Prakan and Ayutthaya rose more than 50% on data-centre demand, from 3.5-4 to 6 million baht per rai, or 4.5-5.5 to 8 million. Net land sales in H1 2026 were 1,215 rai, slightly down, and prices are expected to level off. For a small factory owner this means buying or leasing industrial land in these zones is getting costlier, so rent and land budgets need reviewing. Data-centre-driven power constraints in Bangkok are also pushing developers outside the city.

Thai-US trade deal nears close; US tariff on Thai goods could be 10% or 12.5% depending on forced-labour import ban Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

Thailand and the US have agreed the main points of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART); only technical issues remain. The US has signalled Thailand will get a fair, competitive tariff under the pending Section 301 overcapacity probe. Under the forced-labour Section 301 case, the US rate is 12.5% for countries without a ban on forced-labour imports and 10% for countries with such a law or a concluded ART. Exporters to the US should track the final tariff rate, and review pricing, orders and sourcing plans for the US market. No final deal or rate has been announced yet.

EV board meeting moves to 10 September; tax and import quota are off the agenda The Standard Wealth · Sep 4, 2026

The national EV policy board meeting has moved from 7 September to 10 September 2026, chaired by the PM. Deputy Finance Permanent Secretary Lawarn Saengsit says the session will only review the overall direction of EV promotion and how to group EV makers (CBU importers, local producers, investors). The industry body FTI's proposal to raise excise tax on imported EVs to 35-50% is not on the agenda; tax rates sit with the Finance Ministry. Import quotas are also not being decided. For now, no change to EV tax or quota rules; watch for the policy direction that may follow.

Thai-US trade deal nears close; US tariffs on Thai exports could land at 10–12.5% depending on the Section 301 ruling Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

Thailand and the US say they have agreed the main points of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), with technical teams finishing details before the US publishes its Section 301 ruling on excess capacity. Current 301 duty on Thailand (forced-labour case) is 12.5%; countries with a forced-labour import ban or a concluded ART face 10%. The excess-capacity ruling is still pending. For exporters to the US (a market worth about 2.37 trillion baht and over 400,000 jobs), the practical step is to watch the 301 announcement and model your margins at 10% and 12.5% duty; the deal is not yet signed.

Thai EV policy board meets 10 Sep to review EV support direction; no tax hike expected at this meeting Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

The Permanent Secretary for Finance says the EV policy board meets on 10 September (moved from 7 September because of the budget debate in parliament). The meeting will review whether current EV promotion policy is right, and how to group vehicles and operators (e.g. fully imported cars vs. locally produced). He says a tax increase is not expected to be considered at this meeting, and import quotas are not on the agenda; discussion stays at policy level. For a small business, nothing changes yet. Watch for policy grouping outcomes if you sell, import or service EVs.

Energy ministry takes five more fuel depots to the Trade Competition Commission over stockpiling and refusing sales Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

The Energy Ministry's special team has filed evidence with the Trade Competition Commission against five more fuel depots for abnormal intake and outflow in February-March 2026, including stock held for long periods, delayed sales and alleged refusals to sell during the shortage. Twenty-one traders have already been charged. The ministry plans a system alert for depots receiving fuel without dispatching it, tighter transport-document tracking, and coordination with provinces. For fuel buyers and haulers, expect tighter scrutiny of supply and possible delays in fuel allocation; keep delivery and purchase records clean and documented.

Government 'Om Plus' bonds open 7–9 Sep: 1.8% (3-yr) or 2.8% (10-yr) fixed, from 1,000 baht Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

The second Om Plus government savings bond series opens for subscription via Bond Connect from 08:30 on 7 Sep to 15:00 on 9 Sep. Two tenors: 3-year at 1.80% and 10-year at 2.80% fixed, both paying interest every 3 months. Minimum 1,000 baht, no maximum purchase limit; allocation is in rounds of equal amounts to small buyers first. You need a securities account with one of 24 participating banks or securities firms (or the Streaming app). If you want to park business cash safely in the meantime, prepare the account now, since the window is only three days.

Reported by sources: some Chinese rare earth producers have halted certain US shipments over geopolitical concerns. Only a background signal for most Thai SMEs; check later if your inputs include magnets or electronic components that depend on rare earths.

Agriculture ministry drafts new standards for duckweed, bottled fermented fish sauce and low-carbon rice Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

The ministry's standards committee approved a draft standard for duckweed (ผำ) as a superfood for plant-based and health markets, and a voluntary standard for bottled fermented fish sauce aimed at safety and export. Standards for low-carbon farmed sea shrimp, passion fruit and palm-related timber are being prepared. The Rice Department is encouraging farmers toward low-carbon rice to cut costs. The ministry says compulsory certificates will be issued within 15 days and that standards should not add extra costs for small farmers. These are drafts and early steps, so no immediate change applies, but producers of these goods should watch for the final rules and the voluntary Q mark.

Interior Ministry and Bangkok pause unbuilt data centre projects pending new rules Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

Authorities have ordered a pause on utility connections for data centre projects that have not yet started construction, even where early agreements exist. A new national committee will set rules covering zoning, electricity supply and water supply, with a policy conclusion expected within about one month. Bangkok says it will inspect the three already-operating projects for community impact. For most SMEs this is background, but if you supply construction, land, or utility-related services to data centre developers, expect delays in the next month.

Government sets up four panels to tighten data centre rules, with policy due by September Prachachat · Sep 4, 2026

The Finance Minister chaired a data centre policy committee that set up four sub-panels covering economics, infrastructure (energy, water, power, digital), zoning and buildings, and environment. They are to set minimum technical requirements within a week and submit a policy to the committee by September. Approval will shift from agency-by-agency to a national framework, with projects judged on benefit to Thailand and Net Zero goals. For a small business this is mainly a signal: data centres may compete for power and water and affect local zoning, but no rule that touches your operations has been issued yet.