Rebound in Chinese tourists lifts airport passenger numbers : The number of passengers travelling through the six airports run by Airports of Thailand (AOT) reached 38 million in the first quarter this year, up 4.49 per cent over the same quarter last year and largely driven by a rebound of Chinese arrivals, according to the company. The Nation
EC endorses 349 candidates but warns not all candidates in the clear : More than five weeks after the country’s first general election in five years, the Election Commission (EC) yesterday endorsed 349 successful constituency candidates for the House of Representatives, of the 350 seats contested. The Nation
Ministers quit posts to become senators : At least 15 cabinet ministers and 60 National Legislative Assembly (NLA) members including ex-permanent secretary for defence Preecha Chano-cha, the younger brother of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, have resigned from their posts so they can be appointed senators. Bangkok Post <
Cabinet approves 0.01% fees for transfer, mortgage : Yesterday the cabinet approved cutting both housing transfer and mortgage fees to 0.01% for 12 months, aiming to spur buying after critics said the previous measure to offer tax deductions of up to 200,000 baht for buyers of homes and condos worth up to 5 million baht would have a minimal impact on the market. Bangkok Post
TUC to buy 700MHz licence : True Move H Universal Communication (TUC) is the first mobile operator to agree to buy a new 700-megahertz licence under Section 44 in exchange for a five-year extension of payment terms for the 900MHz spectrum auction in 2015. Bangkok Post
Foreigners net sellers in SET as political situation stays : The three-month Investor Confidence Index in May dropped 2.83 per cent on uncertainties of Thailand’s political developments after the election, pressuring foreign investors to be net sellers in only the Thai bourse among its regional peers in the first four months of this year, according to the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations (Fetco). The Nation
Pheu Thai govt hope on ropes: Poll agency ‘formula’ gives PPRP the edge . The Pheu Thai-led alliance’s hope of forming a coalition government look dashed after the Election Commission (EC) endorsed 149 party-list MPs yesterday, which effectively reduced the number of seats garnered by the bloc to 245. The Nation
MPC unanimous on firm policy rate : Growth and stability tightrope anticipated . The Bank of Thailand yesterday maintained its current policy rate while hinting at prioritising growth amid several weaker-thanexpected economic indicators. Bangkok Post
Ministry: US-China squabbles hurt : Thailand lost an estimated US$780 million worth of export revenue from the ongoing trade spat between the US and China in the 12 months ending on March 31, says the top Commerce Ministry official. Bangkok Post
Flare-up in US-China trade conflict risks deepening slump in exports : Big business braces for growth in value of overseas shipments dropping below 3%, halving from last year’s rate . A potential escalation in the US-China trade war may send growth in Thai exports spiralling down below 3 per cent in 2019, compared with expansion of more than twice that last year, the nation’s peak private-sector advisory grouping said. The Nation
