Foreign applications to BoI record hike in first quarter : The Board of Investment (BoI) reports foreign investment applications for government incentives in the first quarter rose sharply by 253% to a total value of 84.1 billion baht. Bangkok Post
Senators seen as PM puppets : Instability ‘inevitable’ in Prayut-led coalition . At least 160 or two-thirds of the 250 newly appointed senators are close associates of the regime with military or police backgrounds, sparking criticism that the Upper House is a tool to extend the regime’s rule, which critics say would renew political conflict and create a fresh impasse. Bangkok Post
Export growth nears 4-year low : EVFTA, trade dispute to hit Thai shipments . Exports are expected to record their lowest growth in four years as a result of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the renewed Sino US trade war. Bangkok Post
Regulator makes last-minute changes to draft of licence sale :The telecom regulator has reduced the amount of bandwidth contained in each licence for the planned sale of three 700-megahertz licences from 15MHz to 10MHz, lowering the reserve price from 25-27 billion baht to 17.58 billion Bangkok Post
Parliament set to convene on May 22 : Parliament will convene on May 22 – the fifth anniversary of the 2014 military coup – now that 498 MPs and all 250 senators have been officially announced. Bangkok Post
Experts predict Thai export growth at just 0.5 per cent : The recent escalation of the US-China trade war may confine Thai export growth to only 0.5 per cent in 2019 compared to the previous year, Aat Pisanwanich, director of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Centre for International Trade Studies (CITS), warned. The Nation
Dems, Bhumjaithai form pact : FFP keeps up bid to form govt ‘core’. The Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties have agreed to pair up as “a political duo” to use their combined number of 103 MPs as a way of increasing leverage to bargain for cabinet seats, a source said. Bangkok Post
BoT prepares for US manipulation listing : Governor doesn’t foresee big impact . Bank of Thailand governor Veerathai Santiprabhob has acknowledged the possibility that the US will add Thailand to a watch list for currency manipulation because of a high current account surplus, but not for stepping into the foreign exchange market for trade advantages. Bangkok Post
UTCC trims GDP growth view to 3.5% : The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) yesterday lowered its GDP growth forecast to 3.5% from February’s 3.8% view, blaming the deepening US-China trade row’s impact on Thai exports. Bangkok Post
Home loan slump worries officials : The Finance Ministry is poised to ask the Bank of Thailand to ease new mortgage lending curbs following a considerable slump in housing loans after the curbs took effect in April. Bangkok Post
Thanathorn aims for PM, might be lucky to remain MP : With rival camps’ potential allies wavering over next step, ec approaches court to disqualify future forward leader . Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit announced yesterday he was ready to serve as prime minister, even as the Election Commission (EC) was asking the Constitutional Court to disqualify him as a member of Parliament. The Nation
