Thailand’s introduction of the Thai ESG Fund in late 2023 — a tax-incentivized retail investment program — has reshaped the country’s corporate bond market by driving strong investor demand for newly issued ESG bonds.

Thailand’s automotive industry is expected to experience flat production growth of around -0.5% to 0.5% annually between 2025 and 2027, pressured by weak domestic demand, declining exports, and global trade risks.

Thailand faces a critical moment in reaffirming its commitment to peace and responsible conflict management along the Cambodian border. The recent dispute between activist Guntouch “Gun Jompalang” Pongpaiboonwet and Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit highlights the need for greater coordination between civic expression and state policy.

Investment in research and development (R&D) plays a pivotal role in enhancing Thai firms’ competitiveness and overall performance. Evidence from 151 private companies indicates that R&D spending does not directly influence firm performance but exerts a significant positive effect when mediated by competitive advantage.

Thailand faces persistent regional income disparities shaped by geographical heterogeneity, according to an empirical study analyzing data from national household surveys and satellite imagery. Using Mincer’s earnings function and the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), the research found that income levels vary significantly across provinces, with the central region—driven by manufacturing and services—outperforming the agriculture-dependent northern and northeastern regions. Night-time light intensity, used as a proxy for economic activity, confirmed these spatial disparities, showing strong income clustering in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

Thailand is at a pivotal stage in its decarbonization journey, moving steadily toward its goals of carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero emissions by 2065. Businesses have made meaningful progress by adopting sustainable energy solutions such as solar power, energy-efficient systems, and waste reduction initiatives, laying a solid foundation for broader transformation.

Thailand’s introduction of a B30-million revenue cap in 2011 to qualify for SME tax incentives has had significant unintended consequences, according to a study by the Asian Development Bank (EWP 778). Using data from all registered Thai firms, it shows that the policy led to pronounced bunching behavior just below the threshold, with firms adjusting operations to maintain SME status.

Thailand and Singapore enjoy one of Southeast Asia’s most stable and forward-looking partnerships, rooted in the absence of historical grievances and strengthened by decades of cooperation.

Thailand’s experience illustrates the intricate relationship between monetary policy and household debt, examined through a framework that separates changes in debt into net new borrowing and the Fisher effect. Findings show that monetary policy generates intertemporal trade-offs: while easing measures can relieve short-term debt burdens, they also stimulate long-term debt accumulation.