Peter Janssen

THAILAND CORRESPONDENT

Thailand's political disruption is ill-timed for an economy already under strain with foreign tourism expected to drop sharply next year.  EPA-EFE/NARONG SANGNAK
NEWS ANALYSIS

Thailand’s election gamble stalls US trade talks, reform push

PM Anutin Charnvirakul’s move to dissolve parliament comes as tariffs and border tensions pressure the country’s economy

Thailand's foray into pet food was a natural evolution from its strong position as a key global producer/exporter of human food.

Thai pet-food makers still top dog for US, but tariff pain could bite in 2026

There are some 317 pet-food processors in Thailand, with 36 new companies registered in 2024

Thailand's Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun PHOTO BY PETER JANSSEN
NEWS ANALYSIS

Security tangles raise the stakes for Thailand’s US tariff push

The US temporarily halts trade talks with the kingdom, after Bangkok suspends Thai-Cambodia peace process

The ST Group is one of Laos’ emerging private sector conglomerates

Laos’ politically linked conglomerates dominate its small economy

Court disputes and family-linked finance underscore governance concerns for investors

Henrik Andersen, managing director of Lao Brewery Company, says: “We are selling more than 100 litres of beverages to each Laotian a year. There is no other country, to my knowledge, that meets that.”

Lao Brewery keeps the taps – and optimism – flowing as Laos’ economy slows

The Carlsberg-backed brewer is banking on rising disposable income and a youthful population to keep its growth fizzing

Anutin Charnvirakul, who took office on Monday, is Thailand's third prime minister in two years.
NEWS ANALYSIS

Anutin’s short-lived government banks on quick fixes amid Thailand’s economic strain

The measures and reforms offered fall short of addressing deeper structural issues, say economists

Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra (left) was sentenced to one year in jail on Tuesday. Next to him is his daughter, former PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra who was recently ousted from office.
NEWS ANALYSIS

Under Anutin, Thailand will look to reinvent in uncertain post-Thaksin era

With the former premier sentenced to a year in jail, all eyes are on new PM Anutin Charnvirakul as he leads a...

Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s dismissal on Aug 29 has intensified political uncertainty. Photographer: Dario Pignatelli/Bloomberg
NEWS ANALYSIS

Thailand faces ‘perfect storm’ as politics compound economic strain

This can stoke fears over both near-term stability and long-term growth prospects for the country

BYD exported its first batch to Belgium, Germany and UK on Aug 25, carried out by BYD’s own vessel - the BYD Zhengzhou

BYD ships first made-in-Thailand EVs to Europe

BYD Thailand faces competition not just from other Chinese car companies but also from its other factories

Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri

Thai Airways clears runway to tap Asia-Pacific boom with fleet overhaul

It has turned to Boeing for long-haul aircraft and Airbus for narrow-body ones as it targets a total of 150 planes by...