Regulator eyes opinion on new power tariff: Commission offers businesses and households 3 options. Businesses and households are being asked to decide whether they want the power tariff, which is used to calculate electricity bills, to remain unchanged or increase by 26-31% early next year, though fuel costs are projected to decrease, says the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). Bangkok Post
Retail group shrugs off Trump victory: Thai businesses should monitor global trade and the world economy following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, according to the Thai Wholesale and Retail Trade Association. Somchai Pornrattanacharoen, honorary advisor to the association, said Thai trade policies do not conflict with US trade policies, even though Thailand has a trade surplus with the US. Trump has pledged to drastically increase tariffs on foreign goods entering the US, suggesting up to 60% on all imports from China and 20% on goods from other countries. He even mentioned a 200% tax on some imported cars. Bangkok Post
Call for auto taxes to match global shift: The structure of Thailand’s automotive excise taxes must align with global trends, particularly the shift towards the electric vehicle (EV) industry, says Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul. Referring to competition in the auto industry, he said “the dust has not yet settled”, as either battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) could become the market leader. Bangkok Post
Egat to extend the lives of coal-fired power stations: The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) is planning to refurbish two coal-fired power generation units in a move to extend their service life and prolong the supply of low-cost electricity to the country. Refurbishment of power generators refers to carrying out only necessary maintenance of machinery in order to increase efficiency without a need to repower, or completely rebuild the facilities. Bangkok Post
Rice exports expected to tally 9m tonnes: Major markets are Indonesia, Iraq. The Commerce Ministry expects rice exports will increase to 9 million tonnes this year, generating revenue of US$6.4 billion, or 230 billion baht. Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said Thailand already exported 7.45 million tonnes of rice worth 172 billion baht in the first nine months of this year, an increase of 22% in volume and 45.8% in value year-on-year. Bangkok Post
Pichai sees B3tn for stimulus funds: Domestic investment key to Thai growth. The government has a budget of up to 3 trillion baht available for economic stimulus over the next four years, says Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira. Bangkok Post
Airline results buoyed by arrival, fare hikes: Thai AirAsia posts B3.4bn profit in Q3. International arrivals helped drive the operating results of Thai carriers despite the third quarter coinciding with the low season, but smaller fleets still pressure the aviation industry, resulting in consistently high airfares. Santisuk Klongchaiya, chief executive of Asia Aviation and Thai AirAsia, said Thai AirAsia returned to a net profit of 3.4 billion baht in the third quarter this year, up from a net loss of 1.69 billion year-on-year. Bangkok Post
EVs expected to boost sales at upcoming motor expo: The 41st Bangkok International Motor Expo, scheduled to start on Nov 29, offers distributors hope for car sales amid sluggish sentiment, with bookings at the event expected to increase from last year. Bangkok Post
Regulator prepares for nuclear energy: Reactor project being scrutinized. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will start looking into the legal aspects of a small modular reactor project this month to prepare Thailand for using nuclear energy as observers voice concerns over a decline in domestic gas supply and uncertainty surrounding Thai-Cambodian talks on joint petroleum production in the overlapping claims area (OCA). Bangkok Post
Shareholders mull THAI’s capital bid: Proposal requests additional B12.5bn. Mr Tibordee says the airline’s improved performance has stakeholders pondering the capital increase proposal. Thai Airways International’s (THAI) shareholders have yet to decide if they want to inject more capital into the company, in line with its rehabilitation plan, as the company’s financial situation has improved. Bangkok Post
