The cabinet has approved a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) notification to expand the range of underlying assets allowed in the derivatives market. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said this will add carbon credits, greenhouse gas emission allowances, and digital assets as eligible references for trading on the Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX). First, carbon credits will be upgraded from a mere reference variable to a "deliverable underlying asset," enabling trading through both physical delivery and cash settlement. Third, digital assets -- including cryptocurrencies and digital tokens -- will be recognised as underlying assets, expanding regulatory coverage and supporting both domestic and international investment in line with the rapid growth of digital asset markets. Many countries, he said, already trade carbon credits, emission allowances, clean energy certificates and digital assets in futures markets.

Under the proposal, individuals would be allowed to invest up to 500,000 baht per year through the TISA scheme. To accelerate early adoption, an additional special investment allowance of 300,000 baht per year would be granted during the first two years of implementation. Through successive enhancements to investment incentives and savings policies, the index has since climbed beyond 50,000 points, highlighting the long-term impact of structural capital market reforms, he noted. "We will submit the proposal to caretaker finance minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas in the near future on behalf of the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations," said Mr Paiboon. Maybank anticipates the caretaker finance minister to push through his "FastPass" foreign direct investment approval process, which could help unlock 1.9 trillion baht in investment projects.

SET-listed PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) has decided to invest in a new offshore petroleum site in Malaysia, the company's first greenfield development project in the country, in a move to support long-term growth. PTTEP Sarawak Oil Limited, a subsidiary of PTTEP and the operator of the SK405B project, has made a final investment decision (FID) for the Sirung and Chenda fields in the Malaysian SK405B project. "This marks our first FID for greenfield developments in Malaysia, one of our strategic countries," said PTTEP chief executive Montri Rawanchaikul. First oil production is targeted for 2028, with a combined production capacity of approximately 15,000 barrels per day, said Mr Montri. PTTEP Sarawak Oil holds a 49.5% participating interest in the SK405B project, with Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd holding 25% and Mitsui Energy Development Co holding 25.5%.

Govt clears visa revampThe cabinet on Tuesday endorsed a comprehensive visa package proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to boost tourism, attract long-stay visitors and stimulate the economy. Deputy government spokeswoman Aiyarin Phanrit said the measures, implemented in phases, aim to enhance Thailand's appeal to tourists, remote workers and long-term residents. With visa-free entry for nationals of 93 countries for up to 60 days, and an expanded Visa on Arrival (VoA) scheme for 31 territories in effect, the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) caters to remote workers, while the Non-Immigrant ED Plus visa allows foreign students to work while they study. In the medium term, the MFA will streamline non-immigrant visas, with the target of reducing the categories from 17 to seven by Aug 31 this year. while future plans include adding eight more countries to the VoA scheme and revising the criteria for long-stay retirement visas.

Telecom urges quicker state digital reformsThe new government is being advised to prioritise regulatory easing to attract greater foreign investment in digital infrastructure, enhance workforce skills, and promote the adoption of new technologies. Col Sanpachai Huvanandana, president of National Telecom (NT), said a one-stop service should be set up to facilitate foreign investment in digital infrastructure. In addition, Thai telecom operators should not compete too aggressively to woo customers, as this leads to overinvestment in infrastructure, said Col Sanpachai. Another technology that has attracted global attention is roadside infrastructure for the development of autonomous vehicles, he said. Mr Suebsak said the development of autonomous vehicles requires expertise in vehicle development, transport infrastructure and telecom.

Digital tech central to national upgradeMr Ekniti says strong agricultural production must be paired with access to markets. The government has pledged to leverage digital technology to upgrade agricultural supply chains. APRACA is a regional international organisation that aims to strengthen agricultural finance, using financial mechanisms to enhance national agricultural products through international cooperation. Discussions at the forum focus on developing agricultural products into premium products. Financial mechanisms can be used to upgrade agricultural products to the premium segment.

Electrical goods sales flat due to stagnant economyHaier products on display at a Bangkok mall. The sluggish economy continues to cast a shadow over Thailand's electrical appliance industry this year, though warm weather and the World Cup may propel sales. Thai Samsung Electronics plans to tap into the commercial washing machine segment this year by supplying products to launderette operators. Sarat Aksaralikitsanti, head of home appliances and consumer electronics at Thai Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, said the company will import products from South Korea. Meanwhile, the Thai TV market is expected to remain flat this year, according to Thai Samsung.

IT policies may spike sector by 6%Most political parties vowed to leverage digital technology to improve the performance of state agencies. Most political parties vowed to leverage digital technology to improve the performance of state agencies, such as promoting data connection among state agencies, providing public services and sending natural disaster alerts. The parties' digital policies require investment to install equipment and software by the state and private sectors, which would benefit three IT business groups, he said. System integrators with expertise in application development are expected to secure deals from state agencies to develop applications and data exchange platforms. The third group is educational institutes with AI and data courses as they can provide training courses featuring international standards to state agencies and individuals.

Ratchaburi eye ACL Two progress, face stiff Persib testLamphun's Anan Yodsangwal, top, celebrates his goal with Suriya Singmui. Lamphun Warriors Facebook PageRatchaburi host Indonesia's Persib Bandung in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League Two Wednesday night in a clash which has been billed as an Asean derby. Ratchaburi advanced from Group F, finishing second behind Japan's Gamba Osaka but ahead of Vietnam's Nam Dinh FC and Hong Kong's Eastern FC. Persib, meanwhile, topped Group G in convincing fashion, finishing above Bangkok United of Thailand, Singapore's Lion City Sailors and Malaysia's Selangor FC. Warriors held at homeLamphun Warriors were forced to settle for a point after being held 1-1 at home by Kanchanaburi Power in Thai League 1 on Monday night.

With the Bhumjaithai Party winning the election and leading the formation of the new government, existing economic policies are expected to continue in the initial phase, supporting Thai economic growth and helping to attract both foreign capital inflows and FDI, he said. This year UOB Thailand forecasts GDP growth of 1.8%, below the country's potential growth rate of 2.7%. Assuming smooth administration and effective policy execution, economic growth could exceed this baseline, noted the bank. UOB Thailand said its baseline forecast reflects a combination of sectoral strengths and structural challenges. UOB Thailand expects the Monetary Policy Committee to cut the policy rate once this year, reducing the benchmark rate to 1.0%.

Foreign funds drive baht gains, market rallyContinuous foreign fund inflows into both stock and bond markets following the Feb 8 election are likely to push the baht to appreciate beyond 31 against the US dollar, as Thailand's political uncertainties have eased, pundits say. According to Kasikorn Research Center (K-Research), Thailand's bond market attracted 53.4 billion baht worth of foreign inflows since the start of the year to Feb 9, while 31.4 billion baht flowed into the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) over the period. On Monday alone, the SET attracted 16.5 billion baht in foreign funds, while bond purchases totalled 3.13 billion baht. "We are observing capital inflows into the Thai financial market, and we expect capital flows to continue into emerging market Asia, with Thailand among the beneficiaries of this trend," Mr Wachirawat noted. Strong foreign fund inflows drove the SET's daily trading value to more than 100 billion baht for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, double last week's daily average of 50 billion baht.

Recipients of the National Sports Day awards pose for a group photograph after the ceremony. PRWeightlifter Weeraphon Wichuma and teqball player Jutatip Kuntatong were named the best male and female amateur athletes of the year by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) on Monday. World champion Weeraphon edged out another world champion, taekwondo star Banlung Tabtimdang and badminton player Kunlavut Vitidsarn to win his category. The best professional Muay Thai fighter award for men went to Tichakorn Sripromma (Khunsueklek Boomdeksian) and Arissara Noon-eiad (Mongkutpetch) was named the best female fighter. The best team awards went to the women's volleyball team (sports) and the mixed badminton team (events) while the blind football squad won the best disabled team award.

Moriya and Pornanong lead star-studded inviteMoriya Jutanugarn will make her 16th appearance at the tournament. PRThai veterans Moriya Jutanugarn and Pornanong Phatlum lead the cast of 12 golfers invited to join next week's Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club Old Course in Pattaya, Chon Buri, from Feb 19-22. Moriya, 31, a three-time LPGA Tour champion, will be playing in her 16th tournament, the most by any golfer, while Pornanong, 36, will be participating in the event for the 14th time. The Honda LPGA Thailand is the only professional women's golf tournament in Thailand. The Thai star will be joined by Lydia Ko alongside LPGA Tour players vying for a prize purse of US$1.8 million (approximately 60 million baht).

Based in Ubon Ratchathani, the five-year-old Thai Ruam Palang Party secured six seats in the House of Representatives, five constituency seats and one party-list seat in the general election. Born in Nakhon Ratchasima, Mr Wasawat grew up in Ang Thong, completed secondary education in Chonburi and finished high school in the United States. He assumed the party leadership in 2023, pledging to strengthen Thai Ruam Palang's grassroots presence in the Northeast. In the 2026 poll, Thai Ruam Palang secured six MP seats. Mr Wasawat won the party‑list seat with 152,414 votes, according to data as of Monday.

"On Thursday, President Trump will be joined by Administrator Lee Zeldin to formalize the rescission of the 2009 Obama-era endangerment finding," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a news briefing Tuesday. As a result, repealing the determination would immediately be accompanied by revoking the requirement for federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for automobiles. - Legal challenges, disputed math -The Trump administration has claimed that repealing the Endangerment Finding would lead to reduced new car costs, which have spiralled since the pandemic. "The Trump EPA is cynically pretending climate change isn't a risk to Americans' health and welfare," said Meredith Hankins, federal climate legal director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. She added the legal arguments the administration has presented were "slaplash" and "should be laughed out of court," vowing to challenge the decision.