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Durian is Thailand’s top export earner, outranking rice and rubber

13 Sept 12:14 Key points summarised by AI

Thai durian has become the nation's top export performer, generating an estimated 187 billion baht last year, significantly outranking rice and rubber.
Thailand is projected to remain the world's leading durian exporter for the next five years, though its market share may shrink from 85% to 76% due to increasing competition from Vietnam and Malaysia.
Despite strong export potential, particularly to China, Thai durian faces challenges including quality control, production increases, labor shortages, price controls from Chinese buyers, and soaring transportation costs.
High durian prices are driving a major shift in Thai agriculture, with many farmers converting land from other crops, especially rubber, to durian cultivation, resulting in a substantial increase in land use and output.

Today 14:58 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's government will launch the "Chainat-Pasak-Gulf" water diversion canal project in fiscal year 2027, a seven-year mega-infrastructure initiative.
This permanent structural solution aims to mitigate recurrent central plains flooding by diverting water from the Chao Phraya River directly into the Gulf of Thailand, significantly reducing flow to major cities like Ayutthaya and Bangkok.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul justifies the long-term investment as a means to reduce future damages and fiscal burdens, contrasting it with the 40-50 billion baht spent annually on short-term flood relief.
Concurrently, the Prime Minister instructed officials to expand drainage capacity into the Tha Chin River and swiftly remove water hyacinths to improve immediate flood management.