Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) hiked Ft rate by Bt 0.139 to Bt 3.78/kwh for electricity sell period of Jan-Apr 22 to incorporate with high gas px, BGRIM, GPSC, GULF, ROJNA are expected to benefit the most, tabloid.
Unemployment rate hits 2.25%: Covid-19 measures bump up figures. The rate of unemployment jumped to 2.25% in the third quarter from 1.89% in the previous three months. Thailand’s labour market has been severely affected by the strict measures to control the spread of Covid-19, with the unemployment rate jumping to 2.25% in the third quarter from 1.89% in the previous three months, while household debt continued to grow. Bangkok Post
BoT unveils new debt consolidation measures: The BoT will now support individuals in consolidating their mortgage and retail loan debt held at different lenders into a single institution via refinancing. Previously the central bank supported such debt consolidation only within individual financial institutions from which customers had borrowed. Now either retail or mortgage loans taken out from different lenders can be transferred from one institution to another, or both can be moved to an entirely different lender. Bangkok Post
Cabinet okays B5bn soft loan package for jobs: The cabinet yesterday gave the nod to a soft loan package worth 5 billion baht to help create jobs mainly for the unemployed. According to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the soft loan package to be extended by state-owned Government Savings Bank (GSB) will be offered mainly to business starters and small-scale business operators such as masons, air-conditioner repair providers, electricians and beauty shops; small-scale operators who have their exact distribution locations such as wholesalers, retailers, and franchisees; and public vehicle drivers of vehicles such as taxis, taxi vans and truck services. Bangkok Post
Ministry, BoT rule out using drastic measures: The Finance Ministry and the Bank of Thailand (BoT) have both made clear that they will not use drastic fiscal and monetary measures in mitigating the impact of the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic as such extreme measures might affect economic stability. Bangkok Post
Farm scheme to get B155bn: The government yesterday approved a further 155 billion baht to help support an income guarantee scheme for farmers. Speaking after a meeting of the State Monetary and Fiscal Policy Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the committee agreed to raise the ceiling of the state borrowing framework according to Section 28 of the State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act — currently capped at not more than 30% of the annual expenditure budget — to not more than 35%. Bangkok Post
Diesel price to fall after change of blend: The price of diesel will fall below 28 baht per litre after energy officials decided to reduce the proportion of palm oil-derived methyl ester to only 7% and postponed the 10% and 20% methyl ester blended diesel from next month to March 2022. Bangkok Post
Energy Policy and Planning office (EPPO) announced plans to add 1 GW electricity produced by renewable sources btw FY21 and FY30, increase hydro power imports from neighboring countries to 2,766mw from 1,400mw previous plan, wind and waste power will also increase. Solar, biomass, biogas, gas & coal based power will be reduced with coal-fired power plants to fall to zero from 600mw.
TH Oct car sales -13% yoy to 64,462 units vs 74,115 units sold Oct last year.
Planned fund to make electric cars cheaper: Promotion is for the mass market. A government fund is expected to subsidise the prices of electric vehicles (EVs) to keep them closer to the cost of cars powered by internal combustion engines, according to Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, as part of a promotion in Thailand. Bangkok Post
