Vehicles are on display at the 45th Bangkok International Motor Show (Photo: bangkokpost.com)Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand's car manufacturing target for 2024 may be downgraded as production continues to decline, with a sluggish economy affecting car sales, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Earlier this year, the federation set the production target of 1.9 million cars, a year-on-year rise of 3.15%, of which 1.15 million will be for export and 750,000 for domestic sales. Last month, total car manufacturing decreased by 11% to 104,667 units, especially in the pickup segment, which plunged 45.9%, while the passenger car segment fell by 5%. Surapong Paisitpatanapong, vice-chairman of the FTI and spokesman for its Automotive Industry Club attributed the fall to a weak economy and banks’ tightening of car loan criteria to avoid non-performing loans. During January-April, car production dove by 17% year-on-year to 518,790 units, and auto sales and exports fell by 23.9% and 3.6% year-on-year to 210,494 units and 340,685 units, respectively./.

The central bank did not disclose the number of existing PD borrowers participating in the debt restructuring programme. As of February this year, there were 1.33 million general PD accounts under the central bank's definition, totalling 60.9 billion baht, and 480,000 severe PD accounts, amounting to 14.4 billion baht, according to central bank data. She said the central bank requires financial institutions to offer the PD programme to borrowers, but participation is voluntary. The programme aims to help PD borrowers exit the debt cycle, partially addressing the country's household debt problem. In addition, Ms Suwannee said the central bank implemented a responsible lending (RL) approach this year to address the country's household debt problem.

OR upbeat on prospects for rest of the yearA PTT petrol station operated by OR. Total sales and services decreased by 7.6% year-on-year to 178 billion baht in value for the company. Fuel sales decreased by 7.5% year-on-year to 6.48 trillion litres. A drop in diesel sales was not offset by a significant gain in jet fuel sales, as tourism activities increased, she said. The company said its marketing margin in the fuel business, which refers to revenue made by oil retailers after deducting costs, should be 0.7-1.2 baht per litre.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin gives a press interview in Tokyo on Thursday after meeting with executives of five leading Japanese companies during his visit to Japan. (Photo: Royal Thai Government)Several Japanese companies are interested in investing more and expanding their production bases in Thailand, in areas including biofuel production, green packaging, artificial intelligence (AI) and electric vehicles, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Thursday. Mitsui & Co expressed its intention to invest more in Thailand in the field of clean energy production in particular, said Mr Srettha. Mitsui reportedly said its interest in biofuel and clean energy in Thailand was inspired by a Thai government investment roadshow in Japan last December. The prime minister also discussed energy exploration, healthcare and green packaging with Mitsui executives, government officials said.

PGA Championship victory is awesome and it's super sweetI'm a big believer of getting the right foundation, the right people and team around you. It feels amazing to win a major championship. This victory is awesome and it's super sweet. And when I break it down, I'm really proud of how I handled certain moments on the golf course, which may have been different from the past. 2 Xander Schauffele secured his maiden major victory and eighth PGA Tour title following a hard-fought victory at the PGA Championship on Sunday.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin arrives at Haneda airport, Japan, on Wednesday. (Photo: Government House)Thailand and Italy have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Wednesday following his official visit to the European nation. Speaking while in Japan, which he visited after Italy, Mr Srettha said his talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were fruitful. As for clean energy development, Mr Srettha said Italy expressed particular interest in Thailand's plan to explore new natural gas sources in the Thai-Cambodian overlapping claims areas. Mr Srettha also said direct flights between Bangkok and Milan would be inaugurated on July 1, while flights between Bangkok and Rome are expected to begin in the winter months.

Some injured passengers from a Singapore Airlines flight hit by extreme turbulence remained in a Thai hospital on Wednesday (May 22), while others who were able to continue their journey to Singapore recounted the harrowing experience that left at least one man dead and forced the airline's CEO to apologize on behalf of the company.

The stalled La Plata railway construction site is a casualty of a crackdown on public-funded construction works under Argentina's new self-styled libertarian President Javier Milei, who came to office pledging to “chainsaw” through government spending.

Thailand and Bhutan opened free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, aiming to complete the deal by next year. Deputy Commerce Minister Napintorn Srisunpang said Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay signed the terms of reference to commence FTA negotiations. Many tourist from Bhutan travel to Thailand for health and wellness tourism services and Bhutan has expressed an interest in participating in a tourism festival in Thailand to promote the culture and tourism of Bhutan. The next round of FTA negotiations will be hosted by Thailand in August. For the first three months of 2024, the value of two-way trade between Thailand and Bhutan tallied $3.06 million.

(Photo: Reuters)Twenty people remained in intensive care in two Bangkok hospitals on Wednesday, following treatment for injuries sustained during extreme turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight that had to make an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday. An AFP photographer reported people in Singapore Airlines yellow vests entering the stricken Boeing 777-800ER on Wednesday as it remained grounded at the airport. According to a statement from Samitivej Hospital, those in intensive care at Samitivej Srinakarin and Samitivej Sukhumvit hospitals included 3 Australians, 6 British, 1 Chinese, 1 Filipino, 6 Malaysians, 1 New Zealander and 2 Singaporeans. Another 38 inpatients were being treated at Samitivej Srinakarin, Samitivej Sukhumvit and Bangkok Hospital. A passenger injured in the turbulence aboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is taken to a waiting ambulance after the emergency landing on Tuesday at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Britain said on Tuesday some victims of a contaminated blood scandal would receive interim payments of 210,000 pounds ($267,000) each before a scheme to pay "comprehensive compensation" is up and running, ideally by the end of the year.

No woman has raced in Formula One for nearly half a century but a group of 13 and 14-year-old female racers are making their first moves on a long road that could lead to the top.

Bleaching affects reefs in Phangnga, KrabiOcean anomalies Divers inspect the coral reefs around the Ang Thong Marine National Park in Surat Thani to examine widespread abnormalities such as coral pink spots, pink patches and bleaching there. An investigation into the bleaching situation and measurements of the seawater temperatures were conducted on May 12-13. The probe showed that seven coral reef sites in Moo Koh Surin National Park have experienced bleaching of 5–50%. The national park is now closed for the rainy season and will reopen on Oct 15, the park said. The marine national park has arranged new snorkelling areas for people to use instead.

As of 2023, Myanmar gas accounts for 14% of Thailand's total gas supply or approximately 4.6 billion standard cubic feet per day. The remaining supply is divided between gas from the Gulf of Thailand (61%) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imported from abroad (25%). Gas-based electricity accounts for 53% of Thailand's total electricity production, with 33% from Gulf of Thailand gas, 12% from imported LNG, and 8% from Myanmar gas. These additional energy production costs would increase the fuel adjustment charge (Ft) by 0.22 baht per unit. It is now necessary to quickly adjust or implement energy policies to reduce Thailand's current reliance on imported LNG and fossil fuels.

India Inc must only cheer growth, not question itThis photo, dated Aug 21, 2023, shows customers buying fruit and vegetables at an open-air evening market in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo: Reuters)Large parts of corporate India aren't exactly feeling the economy's world-beating growth performance. Mr Syngle has referred to GDP often enough in the past, as a guidepost to business. But this time, the opposition Congress Party used his statement to poke a hole in the government's claim that India is the world's fifth-largest economy. Those who make pricing decisions and deploy capital aren't all taken in by the rhetoric -- but by now, most executives like Mr Syngle know better than to air their concerns in public.