Thai rice varieties will no longer enter world’s best rice competition

23 Sept 02:25 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand announced its withdrawal from the World's Best Rice competition, citing concerns about public questioning if its renowned Hom Mali variety fails to win.
The decision follows Vietnam's ST25 rice winning the 2023 competition, a blend variety noted for its competitive price and multi-crop advantage over Thai Hom Mali.
Experts attribute Thailand's declining competitive edge to significantly lower investment in rice research and development compared to rival nations like Vietnam and Cambodia.

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

Yesterday 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.