Thai central bank raises interest rate to 9-year high
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) raised its key interest rate to a nine-year high on August 2, amid concerns about possible inflation and political instability.
Bangkok (VNA) ܫ- TheBank of Thailand (BoT) raised its key interest rate to a nine-year high on August2, amid concerns about possible inflation and political instability.
The BoT's Monetary PolicyCommittee voted unanimously to raise the key interest rate by 0.25 percentagepoints to 2.25%.
Although inflation has easedevery month since January and fell below the target of 1-3% set by the central bank in the past two months, policymakers are still working to ensureinflation at low level for a long time.
The BoT said the economyshould continue to expand, driven mainly by the recovery of tourism and privateconsumption, but there are growing risks from weak exports and domesticpolitical uncertainty, as efforts to form a new government drag on.
✨ Headline inflation declined dueto high energy prices, cost-of-living subsidies and a high base last year, but willrebound in the second half of this year, the BoT said in a statement.
Higherfood prices, along with a more severe El Nino phenomenon, may exacerbate cost inthe context of ongoing growth in the economy, it went on.
📖 The central bank noted thatmerchandise exports have contracted in recent months, partly due to subdueddemand from China and the global electronics cycle, but will pick up in thecoming time as global economic activity gathers momentum.
Burin Adulwattana, chiefeconomist at Kasikorn Research Center in Bangkok said that given the growingdownside risks to growth and subdued inflation, this hike willlikely be the last move in this cycle./.
Average household debt in Thailand has reached a 15-year high due to a slower-than-expected economic recovery and high living costs, amid uncertainty over the formation of a new government, a survey showed.
The Federation of Thai Industry (FTI) has reduced its car production target for 2023 to 1.9 million units from 1.95 million units set at the beginning of the year, due to a drop in domestic vehicle sales and an increase in electric vehicle (EV) imports from China.
A large explosion at a fireworks warehouse in the southern Thai province of Narathiwas on July 29 has killed at least 10 people and wounded about 120 others.
Thailand's “non-smoke” industry is expected to generate up to 3 trillion THB in revenue in 2024, equivalent to the level of 2019, before the COVID-19 crisis, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
Illustrative image (Source: AFP/VNA) 
