Poll wins a boon for BJT: Anutin stands better chance of being PM. Bhumjaithai (BJT) Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul now has a better chance of becoming Thailand’s next prime minister in the next election, say some political analysts, citing Bhumjaithai’s performance in Saturday’s local polls as an indicator of the party’s growing popularity. Bangkok Post
Agency to rejig PHEV excise tax conditions: New rules meant to help producers. The Finance Ministry is proposing adjustments to the excise tax conditions for plug-in hybrid EVs to support manufacturers. The Finance Ministry is poised to propose adjustments to the excise tax conditions for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to support manufacturers. According to a source from the ministry who requested anonymity, the Excise Department is drafting amendments to these conditions, with key considerations including the electric range (ER) per charge. Bangkok Post
Manufacturing dips 1.79% in 2024: Thailand’s Manufacturing Production Index (MPI) decreased by 1.79% year-on-year in 2024, due mainly to a slowdown in the automotive industry and higher imports that affected local manufacturers, says the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE). The index tallied 95.8 points at the end of last year, following a drop in December of 2.11% year-on-year to 90.2 points. Bangkok Post
Civil Aviation Auth of TH (CAAT) unveiled plans to tackle high air fair during travel seasons, especially around Songkran, capping LCC fares at Bt9.4/km and full-service at Bt13/km, when booked directly with airlines, inline with ICAO standard, where 25-33% of fares go towards fuel, 20-31% for flight operations, and 8-16% for maintenance.
SET signs carbon market deal with ICE: The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with New York-listed Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to jointly explore innovative solutions for Thailand’s and Asia’s emerging carbon markets. Bangkok Post
Thais top online shopping survey: Country ranks poorly for data privacy. Thailand is the global leader for online shopping and weekly online grocery purchases, and among the top countries for mobile app spending, according to the Digital 2025 report by creative digital agency We Are Social and media monitoring firm Meltwater. Bangkok Post
Baht-backed stablecoins touted: The state should consider issuing stablecoins backed by the baht for use within the country, says the Thai unit of Binance. Mr Nirun recommends the government consider issuing stablecoins backed by the baht for use within the Phuket sandbox initiative. The government should consider issuing stablecoins backed by the baht for use within the country, including the proposed Phuket crypto sandbox, as fiat-backed stablecoins are less volatile than other digital assets, notably Bitcoin, says the Thai unit of Binance. Bangkok Post
Entrepreneurs seek tariff hikes: Most entrepreneurs want the government to raise tariffs on imports if it continues with its tax reform plan, an FTI poll reveals. Most entrepreneurs want the government to raise tariffs on products imported to Thailand if it continues with its tax reform plan, according to the latest poll conducted by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Bangkok Post
Inflation advances for 10th month in a row in January: Inflation in January was 1.32%, marking 10 consecutive months of growth. The rise was driven by higher fuel costs and food and beverage prices. Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, directorgeneral of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO), said the consumer price index for January increased by 1.32% year-on-year, marking a second consecutive month of inflation exceeding 1%. Bangkok Post
Global funds bought $203m of Thai government bond on Wed, ending a 4-days run of net sales, Thai Bond Market Association data.
