Call for more stimulus to revive flagging economyListen to this articleMr Wilson is pushing for targeted stimulus schemes. Barring unanticipated domestic or international developments, the Thai economy will likely be weaker in 2026 than last year, said Thomas Wilson, country manager, president and chief executive of Allianz Ayudhya Assurance. In addition, both the export and tourism sectors are challenged by the global slowdown, Mr Wilson said. "A lower monetary policy rate is likely to only weakly stimulate private consumption and investment given the high level of private indebtedness and uncertain economic outlook," said Mr Wilson. In addition, attracting foreign headquarters may make Bangkok a rival for a diminished Hong Kong and increasingly expensive Singapore, said Mr Wilson.

Despite Vietnam's massive investment in new venue infrastructure, event organisers in Thailand remain confident the country can still compete for event and festival tourism, banking on a variety of venues and its ability to attract both high-spending attendees and repeat visitors. Organisers believe Thailand still has potential to host events though it lacks a large-scale indoor venue. Meanwhile, retractable roofs are not the most important component for new facilities as organisers can decide in advance which events should held indoors or outdoors, he said. The government should support the private sector by subsidising the licences for international events, such as Tomorrowland, as the previous government approved a budget to host the event from 2026 to 2030, said Mr Upathum. Thailand can look forward to new events next year, while popular shows are set to become even bigger, said Mr Upathum.

Natural disasters pose increasing risks for banksListen to this articleNatural disasters are becoming more common, posing growing challenges to banking operations and requiring banks to incorporate them into their risk management approaches, according to the chief of the Thai Bankers' Association (TBA). Payong Srivanich, chairman of the TBA and president of Krungthai Bank, said natural disasters are a growing risk for financial institutions, requiring them to adopt more rigorous standards for risk assessment and management as environmental pressures intensify. In response to these challenges, the Bank of Thailand instructed commercial banks to conduct climate-related stress tests to ensure they are resilient to extreme weather events and other environmental risks. Banks have been conducting such stress tests since 2024 in line with the central bank's requirements, as well as rising risks both domestically and globally. "Banks are normally involved in assisting victims affected by natural disasters, providing both financial and non-financial support," said Mr Payong.

New administration may lift automotive momentumListen to this articleMr Yamashita says Toyota remains committed to Southeast Asia. "The new government is expected to introduce stronger measures to stimulate the economy," Mr Yamashita said, adding state‑driven initiatives could help restore confidence among buyers. "People hesitate to purchase new cars if they lack confidence in the economy," said Mr Yamashita. "We've had to reroute parts via sea freight, which raises costs and delays delivery to our Thai assembly plant," said Mr Yamashita. Despite these challenges, Toyota remains committed to Southeast Asia and he expressed hope the dispute will be resolved soon.

Property market on course for further stagnationListen to this articleMs Kessara says property developers must be able to adapt. When it is weak, they still want homes but are reluctant to take on debt," said Ms Kessara. Developers are among the first to see household debt problems, as reflected in customer profiles, with credit card debt being a major constraint on purchasing power. Even aggressive discounts of 10% often fail to help if household debt issues remain unresolved, she said, noting that developers only see part of a buyer's liabilities. "Household debt remains a key issue to watch in 2026 as effective government measures could improve mortgage approval rates and unlock pent-up demand," Ms Kessara added.

Online shopping to keep growing at breakneck paceListen to this articleThailand's e-commerce sector is expected to continue to grow by 15% annually, despite high household debt. "I see traditional retailers investing more in e-commerce to offset the slowdown in offline channels," he said. In the Thai e-commerce sector, the traditional linear search for products is being replaced by an AI-powered product discovery process. Rise of agentic commerceMr Paul said e-commerce platforms now support agentic transactions, where AI agents verify identity and complete purchases across platforms seamlessly. The e-commerce platforms are responding to Thailand's high household debt by embedding digital lending and BNPL solutions into the customer checkout process to maintain sales momentum and serve underbanked consumers.

Mr Patompob says space technology not only connects organisations, but is also a critical engine for sustainability. "We view space technology not only as a tool for connectivity, but also as a critical engine for sustainability," said Mr Patompob. "Our vision is to leverage space technology to solve real-world problems that impact both climate and communities. These initiatives show how space technology can drive sustainability and economic resilience, said Mr Patompob. We are leveraging space technology to support the nation's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 -- building a sustainable future that benefits communities, industries and the planet."

Pichitchai named Thai U23 captainListen to this articlePichitchai Sienkrathok. PRPichitchai Sienkrathok has been appointed the new captain of the Thai U23 national team for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 in Saudi Arabia. Sittha Boonlha will serve as vice captain as the team are set to kick-start their campaign against Australia at Al Shabab Stadium in Riyadh on Thursday. "Pichitchai has been named team captain because he has talent and leadership qualities. Pichitchai said, "As a team captain, I try to get everyone in the team to play to the coach's tactics.

Long-term structural issues hobble Thailand's growthListen to this articleThailand's aged demographic is a structural challenge, expected to result in labour shortages in the near future. Low economic growth is not a temporary problem -- it has become a structural issue that will require a long time to resolve. Private banks such as SCB also see structural reform as crucial for enabling Thailand to escape the trap of persistently low economic growth. Yunyong Thaicharoen, chief economist and sustainability officer at SCB, said the structural factors affecting Thailand's economy are not temporary. Thailand's economic growth has registered less than 5% since the 10th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2007-2011), remaining a middle-income country while its competitiveness continues to decline.

The Revenue Department is issuing organic laws, including rules on tax calculation and filing requirements. For example, this law would prevent the Board of Investment from granting certain investment promotions, such as corporate income tax exemptions. The Excise Department's proposal calls for a single excise tax rate, regardless of the retail price. Meanwhile, environmental tax reforms, including the carbon tax, are expected to generate 6 billion baht. In terms of other government revenue, a shift from petroleum concession contracts to production-sharing contracts is expected to generate 71.3 billion baht, with licensing fees adding 12.9 billion baht.

Cops rescue man from 'scammers'Listen to this articleCHON BURI: Police in Pattaya rescued an 18-year-old man after he was allegedly assaulted, detained and threatened by a group running a mule account scam. The victim, identified as Bas, said he had answered an online advertisement offering 1,500 baht for opening a wallet account. After noticing suspicious funds entering the accounts, he requested they be frozen, prompting the suspects to track him down. They allegedly lured him to the condominium, dragged him inside and threatened harm to his family. A staff member of the condominium spotted the struggle, enabling Bas to escape and alert police.

Set B: 177 km/h -- calculated by Pol Col Thanasit, the prosecution's witness. They emphasised the 177 km/h figure had weak evidentiary weight because it conflicted with multiple experts and lacked scientific rigour. However, one of original forensic police officers on the case, Pol Maj Chavalit Laohaudomphan, disputes the court's view. Pol Maj Chavalit, who inspected the scene in 2012 and is now a former MP of the People's Party, calculated the speed at 177 km/h. ConclusionThe question of vehicle speed -- 177 km/h or under 80 km/h -- remains the pivotal factor shaping both public belief and legal outcomes.

Fencing queen Saysunee targets double on home stageListen to this articleThailand's Saysunee Jana celebrates after winning the women's epee category B gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games. AFPWheelchair fencer Saysunee Jana is targeting two gold medals at the upcoming Asean Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima. Saysunee made history after becoming the first woman to win three gold medals -- epee, foil and sabre -- at a single Paralympics in Paris last year. She won gold medals at all major tournaments including the Paralympics, Asian Para Games, World Championships and Asian Championships. The 13th Asean Para Games will feature men's and women's wheelchair fencing in epee, foil and sabre.

Listen to this articlePolice and military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units clear the Taku border zone after villagers found unexploded artillery shells in their rubber plantations. SURACHAI PIRAGSAAuthorities are intensifying operations to remove unexploded artillery shells and other munitions after weeks of cross-border fire from Cambodian forces left civilian areas littered with dangerous ordnance. In Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district, police EOD officers visited a cassava plantation in Ban Phonthip yesterday afternoon after villagers discovered artillery shells embedded in the soil. He said 13 shells have been destroyed so far, with some 200 unexploded rounds still scattered across the wider area. In Buri Ram, officials were mobilised to clear the Taku border zone in Ban Kruat district after villagers reported craters and unexploded artillery shells in rubber and eucalyptus plantations.

EC urged to streamline votesListen to this articleA former election commissioner on Saturday urged the Election Commission (EC) to revise its regulations to make voting more convenient for the public amid concerns over the management of dual voting for the general election and the constitutional referendum on Feb 8. On Facebook, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn asked why the EC did not streamline the process for the Feb 8 polls and charter referendum. Meanwhile, a total of 1,264,103 people from Dec 20 to Jan 3 registered for early voting, the EC Office said. Of these, 4,837 registered for early voting within their constituencies, 1,148,146 for out-of-constituency and 111,120 for overseas. There will be no advance voting for the referendum, even though it will be held on the same day as the general election.