SEC Confirms Legal Action Against 'Acme Traderist'
The Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) confirmed that a criminal complaint was filed in March 2023 against cryptocurrency promoter Worawat Narknawdee, known as “Acme Traderist,” and his platform 1000X Limited for operating an unlicensed digital‑asset trading business. More than 30 alleged victims gathered on March 9 to file additional complaints, citing preliminary damages of about 1.39 billion baht. The case has been forwarded to public prosecutors and remains under review. The SEC also moved to block access to the platform and issued investor alerts to curb further fraud.
Thai Oil Fund Spending B1 Billion a Day on Subsidies
The Thai government is using the state‑run Oil Fuel Fund to subsidise diesel and gasoline as global oil prices climb, spending over one billion baht a day on the program. Losses are projected to hit ten billion baht by March 18,...
NIQ Study: Quality Expectations Evolve Across Thailand’s Auto Market
NielsenIQ’s 2025 Thailand Automotive Quality Study surveyed 3,479 new‑car owners, revealing that battery‑electric vehicles (BEVs) posted a slightly higher Problems‑per‑100‑Vehicles (PP100) score of 174 versus 169 for conventional models. The research shows a clear shift in consumer expectations toward real‑world...
MR. D.I.Y. Targets 1,500 Outlets Nationwide by 2027
MR. D.I.Y. Holding will invest 4 billion baht in 2024, allocating 2.1 billion baht for 210 new stores and 1.9 billion baht for a 160‑rai automated warehouse in Samut Prakan. The warehouse will support distribution for about 3,000 outlets by 2031, with partial operations starting...
SCG Halts Olefins Unit Following Hormuz Disruption
Siam Cement Group (SCG) has temporarily shut its Rayong olefins plant after the Strait of Hormuz closure disrupted shipments of naphtha and propane, essential feedstocks. The subsidiary Rayong Olefins declared force majeure, estimating a cost hit of about 150 million baht...
Chat Commerce Takes Off on Line
Line Thailand reports rapid growth in chat commerce, with 70% of Thai businesses using IT and 77% of SMEs adopting digital tools. The platform’s AI‑powered chatbot and MyShop features enable one‑on‑one sales, driving conversion rates of 85‑98% and higher margins...
Bangkok Bank Ditches Planned Minimum Balance for Digital Accounts
Bangkok Bank announced it will indefinitely postpone the April 9 rollout of a 2,000 baht minimum‑balance requirement for its e‑Savings and Extra Digital accounts. The rule was intended to block scammers from using low‑balance accounts as money‑laundering mules. Senior executive Chaiyarit Anuchitworawong...
Rising Energy Costs Imperil Thai Manufacturer's Profits
Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are pushing energy prices higher, threatening the profit margins of Thailand's consumer‑goods conglomerate Osotspa Plc. Energy accounts for roughly 20% of the company's costs, and a rise in LNG to $140‑150 per unit could...
Amazon Web Services Eyes Thailand as Future AI Hub
Amazon Web Services has positioned its Thailand cloud region, launched in January 2025, as a future AI hub focused on frontier AI agents. The move aligns with Thailand's digital economy forecast to grow 4.2% this year, reaching 5.6 trillion baht. AWS...
Thai Bourse Buoyant on Return of Foreign Investors
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) says foreign investors will likely return once geopolitical tensions ease, positioning Thailand as a regional safe‑haven. Since the Middle East conflict, the SET index fell about 10.5% but remains 8.5% higher year‑to‑date, keeping Thailand...
Crypto Operators Freeze 10,000 Suspect Accounts
Thailand’s digital‑asset industry has frozen more than 10,000 accounts suspected of being mule accounts through a newly introduced “Speed Bump” rule. The measure imposes a 24‑hour transaction lock on transfers of 50,000 baht or more and requires additional KYC steps...
Crisis Seen as Opportunity for Thailand
Caretaker finance minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas warned that Thailand’s soaring oil prices, now above $100 per barrel, present a pivotal chance to reshape the economy. He highlighted a 60% jump in BOI‑registered projects to 1.8 trillion baht, reflecting a wave of investors...
CRC Reports Core Profit Declined by 6% in 2025
Central Retail Corporation Plc (CRC) posted a 6% drop in core profit to 7.43 billion baht for 2025, even as total revenue rose 4% to 253 billion baht. The fourth quarter showed a 17% profit increase to 2.73 billion baht, driven by strong...
SET Index Falls on Iran-US Conflict
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) opened down 1.73% to 1,501.78 as investors reacted to the Iran‑US conflict. Energy‑linked shares such as PTTEP and PTT rose, while non‑energy stocks like Gulf Energy, Bumrungrad Hospital and Airports of Thailand fell sharply....
Australian Airline Qantas' Shares Fall More than 10% on US-Iran Conflict
Qantas Airways’ shares plunged more than 10% to A$8.92, their lowest level in ten months, after the United States and Israel launched large‑scale strikes on Iran, sending oil prices sharply higher. The geopolitical flare‑up forced the closure of key Middle...
PTT Eyes Partners Across Value Chain
Thai state‑owned energy group PTT Plc announced it will seek external partners across its value chain, aiming to sell stakes in its oil‑refining and petrochemical subsidiaries—Thai Oil, PTT Global Chemical and IRPC—to global investors. The company also plans to attract...
CPF Confident for 2026 After Profit Surge
Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) posted a net profit of 25.2 billion baht for 2025, up 29% year‑on‑year, driven by stronger gross margins and cost controls. Total sales fell 2% to 571 billion baht as a stronger baht weighed on overseas earnings, though...
Thai AirAsia Pins Growth Hopes on China, Long-Haul Markets
Thai AirAsia is targeting 6‑9% year‑on‑year revenue growth in 2026, driven by an expected 23.5 million passengers and an 85% load factor. The carrier will add five Airbus A320s to launch new China‑Chiang Mai services and expand fifth‑freedom routes. It is also...
Monetary Policy Committee Policy Rate Likely to Remain Unchanged
The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee is expected to leave its policy rate unchanged at 1.25% during Wednesday’s meeting, buoyed by a stronger‑than‑expected 2.5% year‑on‑year GDP growth in Q4 2025 and a clearer political environment after the election. Economists...
BoT Upgrades Thai GDP Forecast After Robust Q4
The Bank of Thailand raised its 2026 GDP growth projection to 1.9%, up from 1.5%, after a stronger‑than‑expected fourth‑quarter performance. Governor Vitai Ratanakorn stressed that tighter coordination between fiscal stimulus and monetary easing is essential to move the economy toward...
CPN Launches Major B7bn Expansion of Central Phuket
Central Pattana (CPN) is allocating 7 billion baht to expand its Central Phuket mixed‑use complex, boosting the gross building area from roughly 300,000 to 500,000 sq m and lifting total project value above 26 billion baht. The plan doubles the luxury zone, adds a...
Post-Poll Upswing Continues on SET
Thai shares rallied toward the 1,500‑point psychological barrier, driven by a catch‑up valuation buying pattern and strong dividend announcements. The SET index’s price‑earnings multiple sits about 33 % below the MSCI All‑Country World Index, widening the gap between blue‑chip and mid‑cap...
Thai Capital Market Aligns with Climate Vows
Thailand’s leading capital‑market players – the Government Pension Fund, the Association of Investment Management Companies and the Stock Exchange of Thailand – have launched a coordinated strategy to align listed firms with the country’s nationally determined contributions under the Paris...
Krungsri Eyes Extra B100bn in SME Loans
Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) announced a plan to add 100 billion baht in SME loans over the next four years, lifting its total SME portfolio to 350 billion baht. The initiative pairs soft‑loan financing with ESG education and advisory, targeting high‑growth sectors...
Thai Banks’ Bad Loans Dip Slightly
Thai banks’ non‑performing loan ratio slipped to 2.84% at December, down from 2.94% in September. Bank lending fell 1.1% in Q4 2025, marking the sixth straight quarter of contraction, driven by tighter credit to SMEs and consumers. Household debt remains...
BoI Approves B2.3bn Heat-Assisted Storage Project for WD Unit
Thailand’s Board of Investment has green‑lit a 2.3 billion‑baht research programme to develop heat‑assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology for Western Digital’s local unit. The initiative aims to produce hard‑disk drives capable of more than 100 TB of storage by 2029, leveraging laser‑heated...
State Firms Told to Avoid Borrowing when Investing
Thailand's finance ministry has instructed state‑owned enterprises to fund new investments primarily from internal revenues, limiting reliance on borrowing that is classified as public debt. The policy follows a backdrop where public debt stands at 66.1% of GDP, close to...
Gulf Development Increases Kasikornbank Stake to 10%
Gulf Development Plc increased its holding in Kasikornbank to 10.03%, just under the Bank of Thailand’s 10% regulatory ceiling. The move is expected to lift dividend income to roughly 3.2 billion baht this year, adding about 2 billion baht of net profit....
Economy Has 'Left ICU', Says Finance Chief
Thailand’s economy posted a surprising 2.5% GDP expansion in Q4 2025, outpacing the finance ministry’s 1.8% forecast and the NESDC’s 0.3% estimate. The stronger performance lifted full‑year 2025 growth to 2.4%, above the 2% target, and the finance chief now aims...
Epson Eyes Growing Corporate Market
Epson Thailand is shifting focus to the corporate B2B segment to achieve at least 5% growth in FY2026, leveraging government digital‑transformation projects and sustainability initiatives. While the B2C market is expected to contract 5% in FY2025, ink‑tank market share rose...
Bangchak Buys Chevron’s HK Unit as Thai Firm Expands in Asia
Thai energy group Bangchak Corp announced it will acquire Chevron’s Hong Kong fuel business for $270 million, taking full ownership of its gas stations and industrial and marine fuel operations. The purchase will be financed with a mix of cash and...
Thailand’s Minor International to 'Explore' Hong Kong IPO
Thailand’s Minor International is weighing a Hong Kong IPO for its Minor Food restaurant unit, which could raise more than US$400 million as early as this year. The unit runs 2,699 outlets in 24 countries under 80 brands, including Burger King...
Exim Bank Offers B50bn Lifeline to Ailing Exporters
The Export‑Import Bank of Thailand unveiled a 50‑billion‑baht working‑capital facility to shore up exporters’ liquidity amid heightened global volatility. President Charat Rattanaboonniti said the bank will also provide export and foreign‑exchange insurance while urging firms to hedge currency risk with...