1. Association of Investment Management Companies (AIMC) anticipates Bt10b inflows from tax saving funds flooding to the market before end of year,
2. Finance Ministry said a plan to apply a min corporate tax rate of 15% on big international firms could be implemented from next year.
3. Transport Ministry will proposes Bt31.28b, 22km M5 Rangsit-Bang Pa In motorway project for cabinet approval tomorrow, expects to endorse Bt6.47b, 8.84km Red line sub-urban MRT extension (Rangsit-Thammasat Universirty) on cabinet agenda by end of year.
4. Finance Minister said the approval process of the BOT’s new chairman is ongoing, Government has until mid-Jan to make decision.
5. Rate cuts to take priority next year: Stimulus schemes to be scaled back too. Monetary policy should take a central role in driving economic growth next year, while fiscal policy diminishes as a tool to address the fiscal deficit, says Supavud Saichuea, chairman of the National Economic and Social Development Council. Bangkok Post
6. Local broker, Z.COM, may force sell Bt800m outstanding balance of existing margin accounts on Dec 20, Tabloid.
7. National Health Security Office (NHSO) mulls adding kidney functions test kit on allowance list, enable members of Universal Coverage Scheme (Gold Card/Bt30 scheme) to purchase test kit from pharmacy, expects to finalize by end of 1H25: positive HL & IP.
8. BOT kept rate unchanged at 2.25% per consensus, sees external challenges, maintain 2.7% GDP growth forecast for this year and 2.9% next.
9. Ministry aims for 2-3% export growth next year: The Commerce Ministry has set an export growth target of 2-3% for 2025, while export growth this year is expected to reach 5% thanks to the electronics, agricultural product and food sectors. Bangkok Post
10. State revenue grows 2.1% in first months of fiscal year: More people added to the tax system. The Revenue Department reported its revenue collection in the first two months of fiscal 2025 grew 2.1% yearon-year, attributed to efforts to bring individuals outside the tax system into compliance and stricter enforcement of tax evasion measures. Bangkok Post

Bonus 5

1. Clean power auction raises green spirits: Companies awarded new renewable power development projects from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) expect bright business prospects in the clean energy sector, driven by higher electricity generation capacity. SET-listed Thai Solar Energy, a renewable energy developer, and Gunkul Engineering, a renewable energy developer and construction firm, were among 72 companies participating in a recent auction under the ERC’s second-phase renewables scheme, with total power generation capacity of more than 3.6 gigawatts. Bangkok Post
2. Kittiratt Na Ranong, a former Finance Minister under Yingluck who is widely expected to be named chairman of the board of the BOT, said interest rate in TH should be cut quickly and sharply to help lift the economy out of disaster. He also said interest rate in the system and gap between deposit and lending rate are too high, hinting that banks are making too much profit.
3. Top 10 busiest international flight routes in world in 2024: HKG-TPE ranked 1st at 6.781m flights, CAI-JED came in 2nd at 5.469m, ICN-NRT at 5.410m while BKK-HKG ranked 7th at 4.201m & BKK-SIN ranked 9th 4.033m.
4. Minister says low inflation, strong baht hinder growth: Inflation remains too low and the baht is excessively strong, which is not conducive to economic expansion, says Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira. Speaking yesterday at the Money Expo themed “Digital Finance for All”, Mr Pichai vowed to revive the “Easy E-Receipt” initiative to stimulate spending at the beginning of next year. He also commented on the Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) decision on Wednesday to maintain the policy interest rate at 2.25%, stating that keeping inflation at a reasonable level is more beneficial to the economy than maintaining it at a relatively low level. Bangkok Post
5. Executive predicts tough year for credit cards in 2025: The credit card industry is likely to face its most significant challenge in two decades next year, driven by a relatively weak economy, according to the chairman of the Thai Bankers’ Association’s credit card club. Bangkok Post