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Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's signature 500 billion baht ($13.87 billion) stimulus policy has faced criticism over fears it could stoke inflation and adversely impact the fiscal position of Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. Thailand's economy grew just 1.8% year-on-year in the second quarter, sharply slowing from the previous quarter, hit by weak exports that undercut a recovery in its crucial tourism sector. But some analysts are sceptical, as are some opposition lawmakers who have attacked the ruling Pheu Thai party for risking breaching Thailand's fiscal regulations. "We expect Thailand's fiscal outlook to remain uncertain for the rest of this year," said Tim Leelahaphan, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank in Thailand. "Also, the Pheu Thai-led government's ability to implement its pledged economic policies including the handout scheme has yet to be assessed, adding to fiscal uncertainty."

Persons: Lertsuridej, Srettha Thavisin, Devjyot, Srettha, Prommin, Tim Leelahaphan, Martin Petty Organizations: Reuters, Government House, REUTERS, Rights, stoke, Standard Chartered Bank, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK

Myanmar's junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, who ousted the elected government in a coup on February 1, 2021, presides over an army parade on Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 27, 2021. "This is the weakest the Tatmadaw has been since the coup," the diplomat said, referring to Myanmar's military and asking not to be named. Maung Saungkha, leader of the Bamar People's Liberation Army, which contributed troops to the offensive, told Reuters the rebel alliance had spent more than a year preparing to take on the better-armed military. CHINA'S SHADOWSo far, rebel troops have faced unexpectedly weak opposition from the military, according to analysts and resistance leaders who spoke to local media. In a statement announcing the operation, the alliance said they intended to remove those enclaves, which they said were protected by the junta.

Persons: General Min Aung Hlaing, Stringer, Maung Saungkha, Nobel, Aung, Suu Kyi, Min Aung, Richard Horsey, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Armed Forces, REUTERS, Junta, United States Institute of Peace, United Nations, Liberation Army, Reuters, National Unity Government, Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, National Liberation Army, Crisis, Thomson Locations: Naypyitaw, Myanmar, BANGKOK, China, Myanmar's, Shan, Beijing, Suu, Sagaing, Arakan

[1/2] Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport to attend the Third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, October 16, 2023. "And if you look at the month-by-month statistics, Chinese investments are still increasing," he told Reuters. "So I see that in the next two or three years, Chinese investments will still increase drastically in Thailand." But a large proportion of the 228 Chinese investments proposals this year have come in the electronics sector, according to the BOI. Chinese investments will likely continue for the next two years, Jareeporn said.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, Tingshu Wang, General Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Srettha, Xiaomi Corp's, Alain Lam, Narit, Jareeporn Jarukornsakul, Jareeporn, Chayut, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Thailand's, Beijing Capital International Airport, Forum, REUTERS, Rights, of Investment, Investment, Reuters, Thai, Initiative, HK, Toyota, Isuzu Motors, WHA, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BANGKOK, Thailand, Singapore, Southeast Asia's, Thailand's, Thai

"Indonesia is not an easy market to do business on your own," said Kim, adding that, beyond government sales, VKTR was in talks with large domestic businesses to sell BYD EV buses. TAKING ON TESLAThai EV buyers contributed 24% of BYD's overseas sales in the second quarter, making it the Chinese automaker's largest foreign market, according to Counterpoint, whereas fewer than 1% of Tesla's sales are in Southeast Asia. BYD's Southeast Asia playbook and its embrace of dealerships contrasts with Tesla, whose direct-to-consumer approach is hard to replicate, since no other new EV brand has its buzz or the outsized media presence of its CEO Elon Musk. BYD and its partner Sime Darby Motors are experimenting with a new approach to draw young, tech-savvy consumers towards the Chinese brand in Singapore. The partnership has launched five "BYD by 1826" showrooms that double as white-tablecloth restaurants where dishes are named after BYD EV models.

Persons: Edgar Su, EVs, Tesla's, Soumen, BYD, Sime Darby, Indonesia's, Chee, Kiang Lim, Ayala, Antonio Zara, Rever, Alex Kim, Kim, VKTR, Tesla, Elon Musk, Darby, Jeffrey Gan, Devjyot Ghoshal, Stefanno Sulaiman, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Counterpoint Research, Reuters, Commission, Ayala Corp, Thailand's, Urban Science, Brothers, Ayala Corp's, Motors, Thai EV, Asia playbook, Darby Motors, Sime, Sime Darby Motors, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Rights BANGKOK, JAKARTA, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, China, Shenzhen, Bangkok, Indonesia, Jakarta, Asia, Hong Kong, Macau

Farmers across the agrarian heartland that makes Thailand the world's second-largest rice exporter should be poised to benefit. These pressures on the sector, reported in detail for the first time by Reuters, are squeezing debt-laden Thai farmers despite tens of billions of dollars in subsidies over the past decade. Successive governments have spent 1.2 trillion Thai baht ($33.85 billion) on price and income interventions for rice farmers in the last decade, estimates Somporn. The average Thai farmer's income has dwindled. Unstable income for Thai rice farmersIn the years since Sripai followed her family into the paddy fields, the challenges have multiplied, but current prices offer a rare opportunity.

Persons: Somporn, Sripai, Danai Saengthabthim, Srettha Thavisin, King Chulalongkorn, Nipon Poapongsakorn, Thailand's, KNIT's, Yingluck Shinawatra, Yingluck, Devjyot Ghoshal, Pasit, Katerina Ang, Kay Johnson Organizations: Farmers, Reuters, Research, Knowledge Network Institute of Thailand, Bank for Agriculture, Agricultural Cooperatives, Agriculture, El, National Water Resources, Thailand Development Research, Nipon, Thomson Locations: Thailand, Kaeo, Chai, India, East, Asia, Africa, Rice, Chai Nat, Bangkok, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam

Pheu Thai's Srettha Thavisin attends a press conference, after Thailand's parliament voted in favour of his prime ministerial candidacy, in Bangkok, Thailand August 22, 2023. "The picture is not all wine and roses," Thailand's central bank chief Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput said in recorded remarks played on Wednesday. Tourism, a major driver of the Thai economy, has managed a robust recovery, although arrivals and tourist spending are still below pre-pandemic levels, data shows. $96 BLN BUDGETIn this first address since winning office, Srettha on Wednesday vowed to provide solutions to fix Thailand's economy, among other measures, and manage the budget transparently. But its ability to execute will depend on the military backers that Pheu Thai has allied with to be able to form a government.

Persons: Pheu, Srettha Thavisin, Chalinee, Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, Kobsidthi Silpachai, Srettha, Goldman Sachs, Poon Panichpibool, Sanan Angubolkul, Orathai Sriring, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Tourism, Krung Thai Bank, Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, Asia's, China, Thai

BANGKOK, Aug 22 (Reuters) - When Thailand's deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra went into self-imposed exile in 2008 facing a raft of corruption charges following his ouster in a military coup, he issued a hand-written note. Thaksin has been Thailand's most prominent politician for decades, retaining outsized influence despite the years away. "It closes a crucial chapter in Thailand's politics," Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, said of Thaksin's return. A shrewd operator who rarely minces his words, an increasingly wealthy Thaksin entered politics in the mid-1990s, initially serving as foreign minister and then deputy prime minister. But the brash Thaksin, who called himself Thailand's first "CEO prime minister", faced royalist accusations that he was undermining the revered monarchy, which he denied.

Persons: Thailand's, Thaksin Shinawatra, Thaksin, Thaksin's, Yingluck Shinawatra, Critics, watchdogs, Chalinee, Chiang Mai, Love Thais, Devjyot Ghoshal, Chayut Setboonsarng, Panu, Robert Birsel Organizations: Thaksin, Chulalongkorn University, Thai, REUTERS, Rights, Shin Corporation, Thai Rak Thai, Singapore's Temasek, Premier League, Manchester City, Thomson Locations: BANGKOK, Bangkok, Thailand, Chiang, United States, Thai, Britain

BANGKOK, July 20 (Reuters) - Chinese automakers dominated Southeast Asia's fast-growing electric vehicle market, selling three out of every four EVs in the first quarter, research firm Counterpoint Research said on Thursday. Thailand - the main regional auto manufacturing hub - is driving the transition, with the country accounting for almost 79% of all EVs sold in Southeast Asia in the first quarter, Counterpoint said. "Chinese auto groups are experiencing rapid growth and outpacing their competitors in the SEA (Southeast Asia) region, with their market share increasing from 38% a year ago to nearly 75%," Counterpoint analyst Abhilash Gupta said. With Chinese EV offerings expanding, Counterpoint said the share of EVs as a percent of total vehicle sales in Southeast Asia could reach 6% by the end of 2023. Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia are the largest auto markets in Southeast Asia.

Persons: Abhilash Gupta, Devjyot Ghoshal, Emma Rumney Organizations: Research, Great Wall, Chinese EV, SEA, Hozon New Energy Automobile, Thomson Locations: BANGKOK, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Chinese, Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar

REUTERS/Jorge SilvaBANGKOK/NEW DELHI, July 17 (Reuters) - Indian tourists are streaming into Southeast Asia, cementing the world most populous country's position as a key growth market for a travel and tourism sector that is feeling the pinch of China's slower-than-expected re-opening. "Southeast Asia is obviously very well positioned for a lot of the growth that is inevitably going to come from India," aviation analyst Brendan Sobie told an industry conference last month. Tanes Petsuwan, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand said 1.6 million Indians were expected to visit the kingdom this year. Indians are helping to sustain a post-pandemic rebound for hospitality chains, including Minor Hotels, which has 45 properties in Southeast Asia with more than 6,000 rooms. Thailand's central bank expects 29 million visitors this year and 35.5 million in 2024.

Persons: Jorge Silva, Brendan Sobie, Tanes Petsuwan, Chai Eamsiri, Chai, Vinay Malhotra, IndiGo's, Sobie, Dillip, Pratyush Tripathy, That's, Somsong Sachaphimukh, Somsong, Pasit, Stefanno Sulaiman, Neil Jerome Morales, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Jorge Silva BANGKOK, Thai Airways, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Reuters, Asian Development Bank, Tourism Authority, IndiGo, Airbus, Minor, Bank of, Tourism Council of, Thomson Locations: India, Thailand, Patong, Phuket, DELHI, Asia, China, Thai, Singapore, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Jakarta, Bangkok, Kolkata, Pattaya, Europe, United States, Thailand's, Bank of Thailand, Tourism Council of Thailand, BANGKOK, JAKARTA, MANILA

On Thursday, 42-year-old Pita Limjaroenrat failed in his initial bid to win the premiership after he was unable to secure enough votes in a joint sitting of Thailand's 750-member parliament. Another vote is expected to be held next week, which Pita can contest if nominated again. But Pita and Move Forward's agenda - particularly a once-unthinkable proposal to amend Thailand's "lese majeste" law - also pit them against the country's powerful conservative establishment, which controls the 250-member appointed senate. First, Thailand's election commission recommended the Constitutional Court disqualify Pita as a lawmaker because of his ownership of shares in a media company in violation of electoral rules. Some of those protesters - and some of those demands - were part of Move Forward's electoral juggernaut, including a call to amend the lese majeste law.

Persons: Thailand's, Pita Limjaroenrat, Pita, Thais, Thaksin Shinawatra, Kannawee Suebsang, Devjyot Ghoshal, Panu, Nick Macfie Organizations: Wednesday, Constitutional, Harvard University, Pheu Thai Party, Fair Party, Thomson Locations: BANGKOK, Thai, Thailand, Bangkok

[1/2] The BYD Atto 3 EV car is displayed at the 39 Thailand International Motor Expo, in Bangkok, Thailand, November 30, 2022. Siam Motors is in talks with several Chinese automakers about potential partnerships, particularly for high-end electric vehicles, vice president Sebastien Dupuy said in an interview, referring to previously unreported discussions. Thailand is Southeast Asia's largest car producer and exporter, and its second-largest sales market after Indonesia. Japanese automakers are so dominant that for decades they have treated it almost as an extension of their home market. Thailand's pitch to Chinese EV makers has been its existing supply base – built largely for Japanese automakers – and readiness to provide incentives.

Persons: Athit, Sebastien Dupuy, Pasit Chantharojwong, Wall's Ora, Tesla, Isuzu, Hajime Yamamoto, Yamamoto, Goldman Sachs, General Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Narong Sritalayon, BEV, Chayut, Daniel Leussink, Kevin Krolicki, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Siam Motors, Nissan Motors, EV, Reuters Graphics CHINA, JAPAN, Toyota Corolla, China's SAIC, Toyota, Honda, Nomura Research, Reuters, Thailand's, of Investment, Wall, Thomson Locations: Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand BANGKOK, Siam, BYD, China, Thai, Southeast, Indonesia, Japan, Europe, JAPAN Bangkok, Tokyo

[1/2] The logo of Chinese carmaker Geely Auto is pictured at the second media day for the Shanghai auto show in Shanghai, China April 17, 2019. Thailand's Board of Investment held discussions with five major Chinese EV makers including Geely during a roadshow to China in April, its Secretary-General Narit Therdsteerasukdi said. "All expressed keen interest in Thailand's policy to develop a regional EV production base and an integrated EV supply chain," Narit said, without providing more details of the talks with Geely. BYD and China's Great Wall Motor Co Ltd (601633.SS) are already working on building local EV production in Thailand. China's Great Wall Motor has said it is considering a research and development centre in Thailand that could work on battery-powered pickup trucks.

Persons: Aly Song BANGKOK, Geely, Narit Therdsteerasukdi, JAC Motors, Narit, Aston Martin, China's, Devjyot Ghoshal, Zhang Yan, Jamie Freed Organizations: Shanghai, REUTERS, Reuters, of Investment, BYD Co, Chongqing Changan Automobile Co, Jiangling Motors Corp Ltd, EV, Wall Motor Co, Volvo, Aston, Malaysian carmaker Proton, Toyota Motor Corp, Isuzu Motors, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Thailand, Chongqing, Geely, Swedish, Southeast Asia

The Hebei-based company is also considering establishing a research and development centre in Thailand that could work on battery powered pickup trucks, Narong Sritalayon, managing director of Great Wall Motor Thailand said in an interview. "I think there is a lot of things we can learn from Thailand's unique market for pickup trucks," Narong said. Great Wall launched its Ora Good Cat compact EV in Thailand in late 2021. Great Wall entered Thailand in 2020 after taking over a former General Motors Co (GM.N) plant that currently makes two of its Haval hybrid vehicles for sale in the country. But the facility could be upgraded for battery cell production with additional investment depending on demand and Thai government support, Great Wall added.

Move Forward's main coalition partner would be the Pheu Thai party, backed by the billionaire Shinawatra family that was - until now - the main challenger of the conservative, military-backed royalist establishment that has held power for the last decade. Pheu Thai, which won the last five general elections but got pushed out of power each time, secured 141 seats, according to the latest projections, only 10 fewer than Move Forward. "There are many obstacles that Move Forward and Pheu Thai have to overcome." Full-time politics came in 2019, when Pita entered parliament with 80 other members of the Future Forward Party. To become prime minister, Pita must also navigate the upper house.

[1/2] Move Forward Party leader and prime ministerial candidate, Pita Limjaroenrat, looks up at the crowd during the general election in Bangkok, Thailand, May 14, 2023. Move Forward has shaken the political landscape, long dominated by military-backed parties or the opposition Pheu Thai party driven by the billionaire Shinawatra family. Move Forward's charismatic prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat was jubilant. A chunk of Move Forward's support has come from young voters, including 3.3 million eligible to vote for the first time. "I feel like my vote has improved the country," she said, dressed in orange, Move Forward's colour, at party headquarters.

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