Group expects non-life sector to maintain growthListen to this articleTGIA president Somporn SuebthawilkulThe non-life insurance industry is projected to maintain steady growth in 2026, with written premiums surging 2.5-3.5% to 303 billion baht despite rising risks from climate change, technology disruption and global economic uncertainties, says the Thai General Insurance Association (TGIA). TGIA president Somporn Suebthawilkul said the sector posted direct written premiums of 215 billion baht in the first nine months of this year, up 2.89% year-on-year. "Although 2025 has been marked by multiple risk factors, including natural disasters, accident-related losses and economic volatility, the non-life insurance industry has remained resilient and adaptive," Mr Somporn said. Amid increasingly volatile risk conditions, the non-life insurance industry is reinforcing its long-term resilience through catastrophe risk modelling, more efficient reinsurance programmes and closer public-private cooperation to stabilise the health insurance system and manage medical inflation. These strategic adjustments are essential to ensuring the sustainable growth and financial stability of Thailand's non-life insurance industry in an era of heightened and evolving risks, said Mr Somporn.

Thamanat to be Klatham Party's sole PM candidateListen to this articleCapt Thamanat PrompowCapt Thamanat Prompow, who serves as deputy prime minister, has declared himself the sole prime ministerial candidate for the Klatham Party. Capt Thamanat also revealed plans to run as the No.1 candidate on the party list, while his younger brother will contest in Phayao province. Asked if being the sole candidate makes him a bigger target, Capt Thamanat shrugged off any concerns: "I've been attacked all along. Capt Thamanat called for realistic expectations on the number of MPs: "We must keep targets low at first. About 60 MPs have joined Klatham so far, but Capt Thamanat said the goal is higher.

The "Thailand Tourism and Mice Next 2026" is scheduled for Jan 23, with 1,200-1,500 participants from Thailand and overseas, and is expected to generate at least 3 billion baht in revenue. Atta president Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, and other partners put up half of the 10-million-baht budget to host the event. For 2026, Atta plans to hold several roadshows in China and visit other prominent markets. "39 million arrivals is not a far-fetched target for 2026, if the tourism sector works proactively," said Mr Thanapol. Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary-general of Atta, said the Bank of Thailand and the government should tackle the persistently strong baht, which is hampering tourism and exports, making Thailand lose competitiveness with other destinations in Asia.

Thailand holds its breath as election approachesListen to this articleElection posters from various political parties are displayed in front of the Bangkok Youth Centre (Thai–Japan) in Din Daeng district. Nutthawat WicheanbutThe 2026 general election marks a pivotal moment in the nation's volatile political landscape. "Thailand needs political parties in the election to present a new economic structure for the nation in order to drive an economic recovery," he said. Whichever party forms a government and can keep the Thai economy moving forward is likely to remain in power for a long time, said Mr Kiatanantha. He expects the election to produce a multi-party coalition government, with bargaining over interests and competition for economic ministries.

Photo: Bhumjaithai PartyThe Bhumjaithai Party will unveil its prime ministerial candidates on Wednesday, with senior figures confirming the party has finalised three names ahead of the 2026 general election campaign. Earlier reports indicated that the party had approved the nominations of party leader Anutin Charnvirakul, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun and Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow. The recent floods in the South had inevitably affected support, Mr Phiphat added, but insisted that government relief had now reached 97% of affected households. As for Wednesday's announcement, Mr Phiphat confirmed the party would present all 500 parliamentary candidates and hinted that while Mr Anutin was the first prime ministerial nominee, the remaining two names would be revealed on stage. He said nominating three candidates was necessary to avoid risks associated with relying on a single figure, particularly in light of ethical and legal scrutiny.

Call to address capital inflows hurting exportersListen to this articleBangkok Port in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district. The Thai National Shippers' Council (TNSC) is concerned about baht appreciation because it may be influenced by foreign capital inflows and not aligned with the real economy. Given rising volatility in global financial markets, gold is often seen as a safe haven for assets. "While these exporters face rising costs, they see no benefits from capital inflows." To address these issues, the TNSC said the government and relevant agencies should closely monitor capital inflows, especially short-term funds unrelated to investment or trade.

Listen to this articleThe baht could potentially appreciate to test 30 to the dollar in the near term amid a sharp rise in international gold prices to a new record high and broad weakness for the US dollar, say analysts. Surging gold prices have driven the baht to appreciate to a 4.5-year high of 31.10-31.12 to the greenback, as the dollar index extended its losses for the second successive session to 98.10 in early Asian trading hours. "In the short term, it is possible the baht could test 31 to the dollar, or even stronger than that," said a currency trader. Gold has soared nearly 70% this year and hit multiple record highs, while the ‌baht has risen more than 10%, making it the best-performing currency in the region. "It seems the Bank of Thailand has not clearly determined what are the domestic factors causing the baht to sharply appreciate in recent weeks.

Virtual banks to shake up Thai finance next yearListen to this articleVirtual banks' interest rates and fees are likely to be lower than those of traditional banks due to risk-based pricing and the lower operating costs for fully digital services. By mid-2026, Thais are expected to be able to access virtual banks, offering expanded options for people underserved by formal financial services. In June this year, the central bank announced the three successful applicants to establish the country's first batch of virtual banks. Tanyapong Thamavaranukupt, co-president of Ascend Money, said the three virtual banks are expected to reach 7-19 million individuals, significantly higher than the 2-3 million currently served by traditional banks. "Our virtual bank will similarly leverage technology to keep operating costs far below those of traditional banks."

He was speaking after authorities, including the central bank, stressed the need for joint efforts to deal with the stronger baht as its value approaches 31 to the dollar. Car exporters do not want baht appreciation to affect the prices of their cars in the global market, he said. Tourism businesses are worried about a stronger baht making Thailand an expensive travel destination, said Mr Surapong. Baht appreciation also causes foreign travellers to spend less, causing ripple effects for various businesses in and outside of the manufacturing sectors. The entrepreneurs said foreign exchange volatility remains a pressing issue, with exporters disadvantaged by the stronger baht.

Phasing out coal makes economic senseListen to this articleMae Moh coal-fired power plants in Lampang province are shown in this Oct 10, 2024, file photo. Economic imperativeDear readers, despite the not-so-inspiring energy policy, I remain hopeful. Notably, retiring coal power plants early is significantly more cost-effective than investing in small nuclear reactors, which are pricier. It is six times cheaper than offshore CCS and over 20 times cheaper than building hydrogen power plants. In 2022, the Philippines' ACEN Corp successfully spun off its 246 MW SLTEC coal plant into a special purpose vehicle (SPV).

On Monday, police officers raided two apartments in Soi Sukhumvit 13 in Bangkok, arresting another Chinese national and confiscating 552 Zombie Pods and related paraphernalia. A recent survey by Mahidol University's Faculty of Medicine found that Thailand now has 1.7 million e‑cigarette users, up from just 500,000 in 2020. The study found that peer pressure and social media portrayals of vaping as a "cool" lifestyle strongly influence experimentation. Opponents of e-cigarette and vaping, including the World Health Organization and medical communities, warn that recent research links vape liquids to cardiovascular risks and ischaemic stroke. With the spread of Zombie Pods, young users face heightened exposure to recreational drugs and narcotics.

Bus industry loses 'Jeh Kiew', its leading voiceListen to this article2025 was a big loss for all interprovincial bus operators as it was the end of the road for a woman who staunchly protected their business. Suchinda Cherdchai, best remembered by her colleagues and officials as "Jeh Kiew", died of natural causes on Sept 27, aged 88. Jeh Kiew, which means big sister Kiew, could not be blamed for what she did. Born into a poor family that forced her to drop out of school, Jeh Kiew fought to become a billionaire. Had she been alive, Jeh Kiew would have prepared for another fight against this challenge.

Three shocks that shook us in 2025Listen to this articleVisitors ride on spinning tea cups in Kyiv on Sunday. The contradiction was fatal: If the Ukraine war ended with a peace deal, it would be hard to sustain this economic pump-priming. In 2025, this strategy met its Waterloo, and Europe was again the primary collateral damage. In 2025, the US proved incapable of slowing China's rise and, instead, unwittingly propelled its tech sector towards full independence. Mr Trump's acquiescence to Chinese President Xi Jinping has triggered a flood of Chinese exports to the EU.

New import duty a double-edged swordListen to this articleThe Customs Department's imposition of import duties on goods valued less than 1,500 baht starting on Jan 1, 2026 will have both positive and negative impacts for Thailand. They will have to bear higher import costs, either by absorbing them or passing them on to consumers through higher retail prices. Industry leaders also called for the Customs Department to operate with greater transparency, as well as creating a unified digital customs system linked directly with e-commerce platforms. Thailand retained its position as Southeast Asia's No.2 digital economy, projected to be worth between $90-160 billion by 2030. The number of video sellers surged by 175% year-on-year to 850,000, making Thailand home to the region's largest and fastest-growing population of video commerce sellers.

Finance summit thrusts Thailand onto global stageListen to this articleThailand's promotional booth at the IMF-WBG Annual Meeting 2025. Thai leaders hope the global event will enhance foreign confidence in the country's economic fundamentals. The country will become one of only three nations to host the event twice, following its first hosting in 1991. Thailand introduced a country theme for the event -- "Thailand's New Horizons: Empowering People, Building Resilience" -- emphasising a people-centred development vision that aims to strengthen its economic resilience amid rising global uncertainty. Founded in 1944, the IMF has 191 member countries and focuses on safeguarding global financial stability, supporting economic growth, and assisting members facing economic crises.