1. Transport Ministry has invited Japanese companies to invest in the extension networks of the Red Line electric train system, totals 29.34km.
2. Property ownership rule proposal rankles Thai hotels: Hotel operators are concerned about changes to foreign ownership rules for real estate because they believe it could lead to another influx of illegal hotels in Thailand. Bangkok Post
3. Loan growth slows amid credit crunch: Kasikorn Research Center (K-Research) has slashed its total loan growth projection for the banking industry in 2024 to 1.5% from an earlier forecast of 2.5-3.5%. The downgrade is attributed to the reduced ability of borrowers to access credit, which aligns with slower economic growth. Bangkok Post
4. Krungthai Bank plans to join Gulf Energy, AIS and OR in bidding for a virtual banking licence next month: State-owned Krungthai Bank (KTB) has confirmed it plans to apply on Sept 12 for a virtual bank licence together with Gulf Energy Development, Advanced Info Service (AIS) and PTT Oil and Retail Business. Payong Srivanich, chief executive of KTB, attributed the bank’s interest in virtual banking to a study by the World Bank. According to the Washingtonbased lender, Thailand has a large unbanked and underbanked population, with 27% of households having no access to loan services provided by formal financial institutions. Bangkok Post
5. Export prospects possible in US-China trade war: Thailand could benefit from higher exports to the US as Washington’s trade war with Beijing threatens to deal a blow to Chinese shipments to the nation, says the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE). Bangkok Post
6. MFP reborn as People’s Party: Vows to press on with LM law change push. The dissolved Move Forward Party (MFP) has been reborn as the People’s Party, which has vowed to continue efforts to amend the lese majeste law. Bangkok Post
7. Unemployment hits 9-month high: Group says more factories shuttering as the country struggles to deal with slow growth. The number of unemployed workers in Thailand totals 236,000, the highest level in nine months, as the country struggles to deal with slow economic growth and more factory shutdowns, says the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (EconThai). Bangkok Post
8. Effort to reduce energy subsidies wins backing: Tax authorities and energy advocates support the Oil Fuel Fund Office’s (Offo) initiative to better manage the loss-ridden Oil Fuel Fund, with its universal diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) price subsidy programmes likely to end, according to a public hearing on the 2019 Offo Act. Bangkok Post
9. Fresh call for Cambodian talks on untapped fuel field: The Petroleum Institute of Thailand is pushing energy and foreign affairs authorities to engage in talks with Cambodia on joint petroleum production in the overlapping claims area (OCA), as there has been no progress on the issue since early this year. Bangkok Post
10. Ailing EA lands cluster of three-year loans worth B8bn: Thirteen financial institutions and funds have agreed to provide three-year loans worth 8 billion baht to Energy Absolute Plc (EA) to ease the shortterm liquidity crunch faced by the embattled renewable energy firm. Bangkok Post

Bonus 5

1. Court dismisses Srettha as PM: Future of 10K digital wallet plan unknown. The Constitutional Court yesterday decided to dismiss Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office after finding him guilty of a severe ethics violation for appointing ex-convict Pichit Chuenban as a cabinet minister in the last cabinet reshuffle. Bangkok Post
2. State Enterprise Policy Office to open for subscription Bt100b – Bt150b Vayupak Fund for public in Sept, via small lot first allocation, min Bt5K, at Bt10/unit, targets 30% to retail investors, and to set return rate today Aug 16.
3. Bourse dips as court verdict ousts premier: Downside quite limited, analysts say. The SET index fell by more than 1.3% to 1,281 points in early afternoon trade yesterday, a sharp retreat after surpassing 1,300 points in the morning session, before slightly rebounding later but remaining in negative territory. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) dipped in the afternoon session, wiping out morning gains, as the Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin over a cabinet reshuffle several months ago, though analysts say downside is quite limited. Bangkok Post
4. ‘Ung Ing’ backed for PM: House vote to elect new premier expected today. Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra has the backing of coalition allies to be nominated in the House of Representatives for a vote to elect a new prime minister today. Bangkok Post
5. Investors dump Thai bonds worth B30bn: Investors have sold Thai bonds for three consecutive days, tallying nearly 30 billion baht, based on concerns about Thailand’s political instability, according to the Thai Bond Market Association (ThaiBMA). Bangkok Post