Economics
Thai growth slips to 4-year low in Q1
Thailand’s GDP growth slowed sharply to 2.8% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019 from 3.6% in the previous quarter
The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) reported that GDP rose 2.8% year-on-year in the first quarter.
The first quarter outcome is down from a revised 3.6% in the fourth quarter of last year.
It was the slowest growing pace for Thailand’s economy in 17 quarters.
A weak first quarter combined with intensified downside growth risk leads us to cut our 2019 growth forecast to 3.1% from 3.8%.
THINK Economic and Financial Analysis unit of ING
We expect the Bank of Thailand to join its Asian counterparts in easing with a 25 basis point policy rate cut at the next meeting in June
Thailand’s GDP growth slowed sharply to 2.8% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019 from 3.6% in the previous quarter.
The MPC recently determined that the economy would expand at a slower pace than the committee’s forecast of 3.8%, largely due to weaker-than-expected merchandise exports and private investment.
Weak domestic demand dents growth
The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has indicated that the Thai economic growth in the first quarter was at a sluggish rate of 2.8 percent, prompting the office of revise down its 2019 Thai economic forecast to 3.3-3.8 percent from 3.5-4.5 percent.
Thailand’s GDP growth slowed sharply to 2.8% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019 from 3.6% in the previous quarter.
A spike in the political risks surrounding the general election weighed on the domestic economy with nearly half of the slowdown in headline growth coming from private consumption and the rest from investments.
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BANGKOK (NNT) – The government’s 50:50 co-pay campaign expiring on 31st March may not be getting an immediate campaign extension. The Minister of Finance says campaign evaluation is needed to improve future campaigns.
The Minister of Finance Arkhom Termpittayapaisith today announced the government may not be able to reach a conclusion on the extension of the 50:50 co-pay campaign in time for the current 31st March campaign end date, as evaluations are needed to better improve the campaign.
Originally introduced last year, the 50:50 campaign is a financial aid campaign for people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the government subsidizes up to half the price of purchases at participating stores, with a daily cap on the subsidy amount of 150 baht, and a 3,500 baht per person subsidy limit over the entire campaign.
The campaign has already been extended once, with the current end date set for 31st March.
The Finance Minister said that payout campaigns for the general public are still valid in this period, allowing time for the 50:50 campaign to be assessed, and to address reports of fraud at some participating stores.
The Fiscal Police Office Director General and the Ministry of Finance Spokesperson Kulaya Tantitemit, said today that a bigger quota could be offered in Phase 3 of the 50:50 campaign beyond the 15 million people enrolled in the first two phases, while existing participants will need to confirm their identity if they want to participate in Phase 3, without the need to fill out the registration form.
Mrs Kulaya said the campaign will still be funded by emergency loan credit allocated for pandemic compensation, which still has about 200 billion baht available as of today.
BANGKOK (NNT) – The Customs Department is seeking ways to reduce the impact of the exemption on import tax and value-added tax (VAT) for imported goods worth up to 1,500 baht, as such measures are hurting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
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