Top university boss predicts that, technically, Thailand has already entered into a period of 1970s stagflation as he lowered the economic growth projection for the country to between 2% and 3% for the year with inflation running at 5%. At the same time, a lower baht was heralded by Minister of Finance, Arkhom Termpittayapaisithm, this week, as he predicted that the kingdom will ease entry criteria to boost foreign tourism while achieving export growth of between 5% and 6% in 2022.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/29/thai-planners-ready-to-let-the-baht-swing/

Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok.

The drive to legalise pot or marijuana pursued by the Bhumjaithai Party may, in time, prove popular with Thai people as a source of income or potential health benefits but for now, it has left law enforcement agencies and the police facing a minefield and a new challenge to determine what is legal and what is illegal even after June 8th next when the ministerial order to remove cannabis as a schedule 5 listed narcotic has full legal effect. For now, however, it does not appear to be such a big vote winner with the electorate as the country faces the rising prospect of a General Election.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/28/legal-pot-cannabis-not-a-vote-getter-for-bhumjaithai/

Carla Boonkong reports from Bangkok and Khon Kaen.

Comments by Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports on Thursday to industry representatives of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, while appearing to be positive news for tourists, highlighted how far off Thailand may be from fully regenerating its lost foreign tourism industry and massive foreign currency earner which brought in $62 billion in 2019. The Minister claimed that the country could generate the same income seen then by 2024 while at the same time admitting that more needs to be done to address both the industry’s competitiveness and visitor safety.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/26/minister-thailand-pass-may-go-by-june-1st/

James Morris reports from Bangkok and Pattaya.

Thailand’s economy remains highly dependent on both exports and foreign tourism with the current storm again highlighting this factor. The loss of foreign tourism income since March 2020 is the single biggest impact factor as the country is now confronted by what could be a growing liquidity crisis and consistently high current account deficits if urgent action is not taken. After this, comes the threat from increasingly dangerous geopolitical tensions and concerns over China as financial capital takes flight from Asia with US interest rate rises.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/24/thai-banks-downgraded-fears-over-liquidity/

Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok.

Industry leaders from the Federation of Thai Industries to the Thai Chamber of Commerce have urged the government to expedite the plan to declare the COVID-19 virus as endemic with concerns that the country’s competitors in the foreign tourism industry have moved more decisively. There is also a view that the scrapping of the Thailand Pass application for incoming travellers will be the key move in the process, or as the country boss for Emirates, which brought 32% of all visitors to Thailand last year, described it this week, a potential ‘Golden Moment’ for the country’s foreign tourism sector.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/23/calls-for-scrapping-of-thailand-pass-normal-entry/

James Morris reports from Bangkok.

Rally last Sunday saw chief whip and Maha Sarakham MP Sutin Klangsaeng lament that the Thai economy had gone from an Asian Tiger under Thaksin to the ‘first dog in Asia’ under the current government. The theme of the meeting, which introduced Ms Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was one of economic revival for a younger generation and a return of the spirit of the Thai Rak Thai Party under Ms Paetongtarn’s father, Thaksin Shinawatra.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/22/new-shinawatra-on-a-quest-for-people-power/

Joseph O' Connor reports from Udon Thani.

Electricity prices to rise to ฿4 a unit from May as government plans a new series of supports for families in its effort to raise spending power. The fall-off in oil prices has calmed fears about stagflation with the rise of the tax take auguring well for economic prospects once crisis headwinds are lifted.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/20/foreign-internet-firm-tax-boosts-thailand-coffers/

James Morris reports from Bangkok.

Despite the debunking of the grotesque and sensational claims made by the young Thai woman by senior Thai and Cambodian police officers, there remains the global problem of human organ trafficking which exists alongside human trafficking worldwide and has been confirmed by in-depth studies by both the United Nations and the European Union.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/19/cambodian-organ-harvesting-claims-a-lie/

Carla Boonkong reports from Sa Kaeo Province, Bangkok and Phnom Penh.

MP and New Democratic Party leader, Suritan Pichan, predicts that General Prayut will dissolve the House of Representatives before it reconvenes on May 22nd next sparking a General Election in June or July this year. It comes as the PM’s arch-foe, Captain Thamanat Prompow, on Friday, took up a key position within the leadership of the lately revived New Economics Party which on paper remains a supporter of the coalition.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/19/general-election-may-be-called-by-may-22nd/

Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok.

The court found that 28-year-old Teerawat Thothip intended to murder 57-year-old Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf after first attempting to rape the foreign tourist on August 3rd last and on that basis, sentenced him to death for premeditated murder. However, taking into consideration his full confession to the police, this was commuted to life in prison.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/17/murdered-swiss-woman-family-thank-phuket-court/

James Morris reports from Phuket.