Industrial confidence index falls to 91.7 in December

13 Sept 13:49 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Industrial Confidence Index dropped to 91.7 in December 2019, down from 92.3, primarily due to concerns over domestic purchasing power and a severe drought.
The decline was further fueled by reduced purchase orders and sales of goods, the strong baht currency, and global economic fluctuations impacting Thai exports.
A nationwide survey revealed entrepreneurs' top worries include global economic uncertainty (70.1%), the strong baht (61.2%), and domestic politics (43.2%).
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) projects a continued fall in the index for the next quarter, citing persistent local and global economic uncertainties, increased minimum wages, and Middle East conflict.
FTI urged the government to implement robust measures to tackle the drought and streamline its procurement processes to support the industrial sector.

New home loan scheme aims to boost property sector with Bt125 billion

20 Oct 11:38 Key points summarised by AI

The Cabinet approved a new Bt50-billion 'A House for Each PLUS' home loan scheme from the Government Housing Bank, offering up to Bt3 million with 40-year repayment terms for low- and middle-income earners.
This initiative aims to significantly boost the property sector and national economy, projecting to generate Bt125 billion in economic activity and create jobs.