Big spend coming, says Uttama : Govt prioritises tax reform, investment . Expanding Thailand Future Fund (TFF) investment and tax reform are two priority policies that will boost development and help to reduce income inequality, Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana told the Bangkok Post Forum 2019 yesterday. Bangkok Post
Three-month strategy unveiled to revive economy : The Commerce Ministry said yesterday it would speed up four policies to revive the economy over the next three months. The policies cover the income guarantee for farmers, export stimulus, cost-of-living supervision, and talks on trade accords such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Thai-EU agreement. Bangkok Post
BoT, bank association to sign pact on responsible lending : The Bank of Thailand and the Thai Bankers’ Association plan to sign an agreement on five directives for responsible lending, including debtservice ratio (DSR), to take effect from next January. Bangkok Post
Edgy exporters brace for damage : Yuan depreciation shakes economy . China weakened the yuan on Monday, sparking fears of further escalation in the Sino-US trade war and leaving Thai firms worried that they would suffer further before an agreement is reached. Bangkok Post
Japanese keen to press on with EEC operations : Japanese investors are calling on the government to carry out the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) scheme as they plan to invest and expand their operations further, says the Japanese Chamber of Commerce (JCC). Bangkok Post
PM quashes flat-fare plan : Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has quashed the proposal to introduce a 15-baht flat-rate fare on staterun electric train routes, saying it will force the state to fork out money to make up for lost revenues. Bangkok Post
BoT surprises market with rate cut : Unexpected move set to boost economy . The Bank of Thailand stunned the market yesterday by following the lead of other major central banks with a 25-basis-point rate cut, the first rate decrease since 2015, in an effort to boost the economy. Bangkok Post
TMB-Thanachart Bank’s shareholding takes shape : Dutch bank ING, Thanachart Capital (TCAP) and the Finance Ministry are expected to hold stakes of 21%, 20% and 18%, respectively, in the new bank born from the consolidation of TMB Bank and Thanachart Bank (TBank), say two sources familiar with the matter. Bangkok Post
PM ‘won’t quit’ over oath : Govt plays down ‘apology’ to cabinet. A government spokeswoman has played down rumours that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha may quit after apologising for not completing the oath of office during last month’s cabinet swearing-in ceremony. Bangkok Post
TCC wants looser monetary policy : Effort to calm baht’s rocky movements. The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) has urged the Bank of Thailand to further ease monetary policy as a means to rein in the baht, while the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) requested the central bank launch mid and longterm measures to stabilise the currency’s movement. Bangkok Post
