Cadbury

Another stimulus package. They appear to be almost to be a weekly event these days. Seemingly it is the punters who are supposed to keep the wheels of the economy turning by holidaying, eating, shopping and spending, presumably with borrowed money. The government says it's going to throw stimulus money at something but doesn't say what.

By contrast only last week was Somkid out there drawing attention to the sad state of the economy by saying....... ssssh! "don't mention the economy". 

His reasoning being it might affect foreign investor confidence, to quote him:

"If we keep talking about it, it’ll make good things look bad, and this will have wide repercussions.”

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/economy/deputy-thai-pm-dont-mention-the-economy

Every bit helps I suppose. Money for old rope for the middle men.

This order might make up for China earlier knocking off Thailand's regular African markets when they dumped all their old rice stocks just to get rid of them. Lose one, win one; China only makes a convenience of Thailand.

Reading from other sources China only imports middle and low end rice from from Vietnam and Thailand. 

45 minutes ago, webfact said:

The blockchain system will be able to trace the process from cultivation

Will blockchain trace the under the table purchase of official organic certification?  

43 minutes ago, webfact said:

FTI speculates more investors will move to Thailand

Many might speculate that this speculation will not materialise. Some might even speculate that the high Thai Baht might be a big deterrent and there is even speculation whether the EEC will become reality. 

Things are desperate when the economy is built on speculation.

50 minutes ago, steve187 said:

its like the wild west.

And Pattaya is Thailand's version of Tombstone?

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand set to welcome 39 million tourists.......Revenue for the 10 months of 2019 was estimated at THB 1,577,048.72 million up 3.27% year-on-year. In October alone

Truth before fiction....please!

Thailand set to welcome the money of 39 million arrivals.

I travel the Hanoi Bangkok route many times a year and have done so for the past 12 years.

I arrived in Hanoi last week from my most recent trip and couldn't believe my eyes at the arrival immigration area. It was packed to the scuppers and ALL immigration counters were open. It was full to an extent I had never seen before in all those years. 

A quick check of the crowd and I would estimate 65% were western foreign tourists with the rest mainly mixed Asians. Locals, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese etc.

Outside the terminal was absolute chaos as people departed for their local destinations.

Does this partly answer the question about the disappearing farang tourists in Thailand?

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

TAT is working with its alliances, such as airlines, shipping companies, manufacturers, shopping malls, hotels and resorts and jewelry shops, to organize sales and promotional activities, with discounts of as much as 60% on certain items.

Nice of TAT to give away private enterprise's hard earned money to attract inbound tourists just to build up the numbers to make them look good.

Government funded helicopter money for tourism seems to have dried up.

Alfred E Pootrakool predicts GDP growth rate of of 3.7% for next year. Exports to do a complete reversal and go to 3% gain.

They set this stooge up to make a fool of himself and he can do that without even opening his mouth.

9 minutes ago, colinneil said:

What a bloody farce, clearly the police who fined them were just looking 5 minutes of fame.

What is wrong with female breasts? Absolutely nothing, years ago Thai females walked about topless.

Quite true. I remember my parents coming back from a trip to Thailand long ago when I was child. My father couldn't stop talking about the bare breasted ladies in the villages.

31 minutes ago, saengd said:

What measure of the economy do you want to use?

 

GDP? the economy grew in 4Q19 , it went from 2.3 to 2.4.

 

You invite the question......" What measure of the economy do you want to use?"

If you have no objection I want to use GDP growth (YoY) from the 3Q 2017 to 3Q 2019 where it goes downhill from 4.5% to 2.4%. 

I might add that taking quarterly movements in isolation is pretty much meaningless but if you get some joy and hope from it so be it.

1 hour ago, saengd said:

Also worth mentioning is that the EU put trade and tariff negotiations with Thailand on hold in 2014, following the coup, Thailand's neighbours are therefore picking up trade benefits not available to Thailand.

Also worth mentioning that Thailand is in bad odour with both the EU and the US because of human rights issues particularly in the fishing industry; hence the the US scrapping certain trade preferences.

But all Thailand does is whimper and whine instead of fixing the problem. Military bullies are not big on human rights and compassion. And Prayut has only ever shown it his usual tokenism.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/trump-scraps-thailands-us13-billion-trade-preferences-on-labour

Another Thailand economic wet dream!

The EU Brussels free loaders have more to think and worry about that an FTA with Thailand. 

The EU doesn't like Thailand for the same reasons as the US and that is it's human rights record, particularly in the fishing industry. That is why the US has imposed tariffs on Thailand imports.

Get the message Prayut!

Justice in Thailand goes to the highest bidder. Especially when it comes to junta style politics and foreign investment.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

PM orders gov't Economic Team to change plans

So the Chairman of the Economic Management team orders a change in direction. A bit of grassroots tokenism never does any harm.

Forget about tourism, forget about the high baht and drop in exports, forget about car and parts manufacturing going into decline let's concentrate on all these the new factories and new employment opportunities for all those university graduates they are churning out by the thousands who can't find a job. They can always move into the shadow economy and get themselves food trolleys or sell fake imported clothes.

Khun Prayut Chan-o-cha's head must be spinning with the Thai economy collapsing around him and his country heading into recession along with the rest of the world. 

BTW, India has seriously slashed it growth forecasts. TAT might have to scratch them off the list as tourism's salvation. 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Uttama signals launch of new stimulus measures

More free helicopter "eat, drink, spend, travel" money to be scattered from above. That should kick the GDP along nicely.

What about some cheepo loans for farmers, workers, small business and any others who cannot afford them just to give domestic debt a boost and stimulate things. 

Here is a photo of Finance Minister Uttama Savanayanam doing a bit of stimulating at the millionaire's Palang Pracherat Party Ball.