Thailand's manufacturing at risk as workers get infected with COVID

23 Sept 06:10 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand faces an escalating COVID-19 crisis, with daily cases exceeding 15,000, severely impacting businesses and hindering an effective vaccination rollout across the country.
The virus has infiltrated 518 manufacturing plants across 49 provinces, infecting over 36,861 workers, with food, electronics, and apparel sectors being most affected, threatening key economic drivers like manufacturing and exports.
This surge jeopardizes Thailand's economic recovery, prompting research houses to revise down growth forecasts despite strong export performance in the first half of the year.
The Federation of Thai Industries advocates "bubble and seal" protocols, including worker segregation, testing, isolation centers, and priority vaccinations, to protect the workforce and mitigate further disruptions.
Future export growth faces uncertainty due to global Delta variant surges and potential labor shortages within Thailand's manufacturing sector, exacerbating economic pressure.

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.