The Tourism and Sports Ministry has promised improved safety measures in areas popular with tourists after two Malaysians were set on fire in a random attack by an unemployed man in downtown Bangkok.

The Commerce Ministry has announced a plan to increase rice exports to China, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Hong Kong.

Although Thai businesses are relieved the US has reduced its import tariff on Thai goods to 19%, on par with other countries in the region, improving long-term competitiveness remains a challenge for domestic firms, in addition to attracting foreign investment.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects more than 3.16 million domestic trips during the four-day Mother’s Day holiday from Aug 9 to 12, generating an estimated 13.75 billion baht in revenue, with the highest hotel occupancy rate being in Prachuap Khiri Khan.  

The presence of numerous Cambodian rockets and landmines means that Thai border communities and frontiers are still unsafe for civilians and military personnel, according to the Royal Thai Army.

Across boardrooms in Thailand and Southeast Asia, one question is rising above the noise: How do we stay relevant in a world that keeps shifting under our feet?