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Entries Tagged as 'The Business Times (Singapore)'

Thai electrical, electronics exports seen falling sharply – The drop this year may cause 100,000 job losses: analysts

February 21st, 2009 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK THAILAND’S electrical and electronics industry – the country’s biggest exporter – will suffer a big drop in export sales this year, costing up to 100,000 jobs, analysts say. Total electrical and electronics exports will drop 10 per cent to about US$45 billion, according to Sasipen Bhurapanich, an analyst at Kasikorn […]

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Tags: business · news · Thailand · The Business Times (Singapore)

8b baht Thai loan insurance plan to help SMEs, exporters

February 19th, 2009 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK THAILAND will extend a lifeline to small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and export-related businesses through an eight billion baht (S$347 million) loan insurance scheme. Industry and economists have welcomed the anti-recession initiative but say more must be done to boost productivity and win support from commercial banks.

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Tags: business · news · Thailand · The Business Times (Singapore)

Thai shipping industry faces tough times

February 12th, 2009 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK PLUMMETING exports saw traffic through Thailand’s prime cargo port continue to decline last month, painting a dim picture for the country’s shipping industry this year. Experts warn that cargo volumes may decline by up to 25 per cent this quarter and 10 per cent over the year. Laem Chabang deep […]

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Tags: business · news · Thailand · The Business Times (Singapore)

Thai business sentiment dives to all-time low in December

January 28th, 2009 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK DOMESTIC political unrest dealt a severe blow to Thai business sentiment, driving it to an all-time low last month, recent reports reveal. Surveys published in January show local confidence is eroding faster than in other regional markets. And the Industries Sentiment Index plunged to 62.9 per cent in December – […]

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Tags: news · Thailand · The Business Times (Singapore)

Thai banks in for tougher times – Analysts cite falling loan growth, likely surge in NPLs and provisioning costs

January 26th, 2009 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK THAI banks face a deteriorating outlook for this year, despite having shown resilience against the effects of the global slowdown last year, but the worst is yet to come, according to analysts. Lower provisioning and higher loans growth saw Thailand’s banking system report higher average return on assets (ROA) of […]

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Tags: business · news · The Business Times (Singapore)

Thai auto sales expected to fall 15%

January 21st, 2009 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK THAILAND’S domestic auto sales are expected to plunge another 15.4 per cent this year, says the country’s biggest car maker. But industry observers reckon the decline could be worse. While the country’s economic fundamentals remain sound and its low-car ownership rate offers strong sales opportunities, the effects of the global […]

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Tags: business · news · The Business Times (Singapore)

Economists hit out at Thai stimulus plan

January 20th, 2009 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK ECONOMISTS lambasted the Thai government’s 115 billion baht (S$4.9 billion) fiscal stimulus package for being populist and insufficient to revive the country’s failing economy, when it was announced last week. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva defended the 18-project supplementary spending budget, which includes 19 billion baht in one-time handouts to low-income […]

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Tags: business · news · Thailand · The Business Times (Singapore)

Thailand slashes rates again, more cuts seen. Central bank acts to boost consumption, soften impact of global downturn

January 15th, 2009 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK THAILAND’S central bank yesterday slashed its key interest rate by 75 basis points, in line with market expectations, to offset the effects of the global downturn on an increasingly sluggish domestic economy. And a further rate cut is expected soon. The Bank of Thailand’s monetary policy committee (MPC) reduced its […]

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Tags: business · news · The Business Times (Singapore)

Weakness seen in Bangkok luxe condo market. Analysts forecast 10-20% price fall in H109 as foreign buyer pool dries up

December 9th, 2008 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE IN BANGKOK THE luxury condominium market will dive next year as the global economic downturn continues to dry up the much-needed pool of cash-rich foreign investors, local property analysts said. They predict that luxury condominium prices would drop by 10-20 per cent in the first half of 2009. Current high prices will […]

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Tags: business · news · Thailand · The Business Times (Singapore)

Groups declare plans for coalition Thai govt

December 8th, 2008 · No Comments

By GREG LOWE in Bangkok THAILAND’S longest-ever demonstration ended last Wednesday when the anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) called a halt to its street protests, and ended its eight-day siege of Bangkok’s two international airports. But its economic impact could drag the country’s economy into recession next year, according to analysts, who said that […]

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Tags: news · Thailand · The Business Times (Singapore)