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Nov 13, 2026

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Nidec Ends Cambodia Production

Nidec has stopped production at its Cambodian factory as the border with Thailand remains closed even though a ceasefire was agreed to at the end of 2025. The motor maker stopped work after fighting erupted, briefly restarted and then shut the plant again on October 22. Quite a few Japanese manufacturers make parts in Cambodia for finishing in Thai factories. Incredibly, MinebeaMitsumi is now shipping between the two countries by sea, adding four days to the journey, and is starting to buy more materials elsewhere. Bilateral dropped by about 70 percent to $2.06 billion from January through August, as the land trade all but vanished.

Anutin to Announce Trade Deal Progress With Trump in Manila

Anutin Charnvirakul has Cabinet clearance to announce or sign a joint statement with Donald Trump at the ASEAN Summit in Manila that’s running next week from November 15 to 17. It is expected to say that Thailand and the United States have agreed on the substance of a reciprocal trade deal, but it will not likely specify any specific tariff rate or final terms. The last published rate was 19 percent, which was well below the 36 percent Washington had originally threatened. Both governments will still need to get need domestic approval before they can finalize any deal, of course. Anutin is heading to China for APEC meetings after Manila.

Li Qiang to Visit Bangkok Before ASEAN Summit

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit Thailand from today to the 15th before he goes to the Philippines for the China-ASEAN Summit. Beijing has not made any comment about the agenda for his Bangkok stop.

Sihasak Presses Min Aung Hlaing on River Arsenic

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has flown to Naypyidaw to press President Min Aung Hlaing about pollution in the Kok, Sai and Ruak rivers, in addition to discussions on border security and trade. Untreated Sai River water at the Mae Sai treatment plant in Chiang Rai reportedly contained 0.3 milligrams of arsenic in every liter a figure that’s 30 times the Thai surface water standard. Farmers in 39 villages are using the Sai and Ruak to irrigate about 60,500 rai of rice. It needs to be said that some of the suspected mines are beyond Naypyidaw's full control, so enforcement is understandably a challenge. A new water quality group is expected to meet at the end of the month.

Read more: Khaosod English (delegation), Japan Times (enforcement), UA News (monitoring)

Cabinet Sets Noise, Water, Zoning for Data Centers

The Cabinet has approved draft standards that will limit noise at 70 decibels at site boundaries and that will require operators to recirculate and test cooling water before discharge. Data centers that pull more than 20 megawatts would have be placed only in industrial zones. More than 110 applicants have requested more than 30,000 megawatts, but the finance minister says only about a quarter of the applications come with “serious” investment plans. Eligible projects that were already approved before August 14 will apparently be given a year to meet the new guidelines.

SEC Proposes 5M THB Daily Stablecoin Cap

The Securities and Exchange Commission wants to cap stablecoin deposits and withdrawals at 5 million baht each per customer, operator and day. Transfers involving third party wallets would be forbidden, and operators would be required to verify wallet ownership and use blockchain analysis. Moves between a customer's own accounts at SEC supervised operators might be exempt if both follow the Travel Rule. Public comment closes November 26.

Read more: BigGo Finance (compliance), Crypto News (liquidity rules)

MPs Press Police on Pegasus Budget

People’s Party MP Phakamon Nunanan says that the 2027 budget sets aside 100 million baht for Pegasus spyware and related surveillance tools. Her House committee is asking police and other agencies to explain how they are using (or, presumably, plan to use) state surveillance. The questions come not long after Apple reportedly sent warnings about spyware that was targeting specific Thai activists and opposition members. Police, at least until now, insist that no law enforcement agency has bought or used Pegasus to monitor any activists.

Read more: Bangkok Post (Circles spending), UA News (Chaiwut admission)

AirAsia Parent Loses 2.37 Billion Baht

Asia Aviation, parent of Thai AirAsia, lost 2.37 billion baht in Q3 after cutting capacity by about a quarter. Passenger numbers dropped by almost a third to 3.37 million, average fares rose by almost a quarter to 2,023 baht, but revenue still went down 13 percent to 8.07 billion baht. Only 42 of the carrier's 62 aircraft were flying at the end of September. CEO Phairat Pornpathananangoon wants to see 54 in service by December as routes to Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phuket return through Suvarnabhumi. The airline wants to capture 40 percent of the domestic market.

Indorama Ventures Swings to 2.17B THB Q3 Profit

Indorama Ventures made a 2.17 billion baht Q3 net profit, reversing an 818 million baht loss a year earlier. EBITDA was up almost two thirds to 13.72 billion baht as business improved and cost cuts started to take hold. Fixed costs are expected to drop to 74 billion baht this year from the 84 billion reported in 2023. Asset sales, including the Rotterdam PTA/PET plant, should be able to bring in about 6.6 billion baht through the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years.

Gulf Development to Sell LNG Cargoes to PetroChina

Gulf Development has agreed to sell PetroChina International four LNG cargoes with a total of about 300,000 tonnes for delivery to China in 2027. Gulf LNG International, its Singapore trading arm, will be handling the sale. The deal moves Gulf into new territory beyond buying gas for its Thai power plants and into overseas trading. The company was sure to reassure investors that its plants are still going to be able to get all the gas they need.

E-Waste Panel Readies Scrap Import Curbs

Inspectors found Factory Act violations at half of the (752) facilities they checked, and the government's e-waste committee is now turning its work toward investigating scrap metal imports. The panel, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Suphajee Suthumpun, is considering a mandate of country of origin certificates for iron, aluminum and copper scrap, in addition to inspections by Customs, Industrial Works and the Pollution Control Department. The committee is also exploring export bans on some scrap in order to help keep raw materials in-country. The proposals will next be sent to the National Environment Board before Cabinet consideration in December.

Bangkok, Beijing Plan Tourist Safety Group

Chinese arrivals were down almost 14 percent year-on-year in October, the first drop since February. Bangkok and Beijing say they’re working on a plan to protect tourists, share information and coordinate help. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul brought the idea up with Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jianwei recently, after the embassy warned its citizens to beware fraudulent job offers. Thailand was the recipient of 4.2 million Chinese visitors through October and expects that the full year total will be between 5.1 million and 5.5 million.

Two More Uyghurs Face Deportation to China

Two Uyghur men reportedly are likely to soon be deported to China after serving seven year sentences for trying to escape immigration detention in 2020. Authorities have repositioned them to the custody of immigration, but the pair are appealing to the National Human Rights Commission. One said that he would be "like a slave" if sent back. Human Rights Watch is asking Thailand to allow both of the men to be released to a safe third country. Thailand deported 40 Uyghur men to China last year despite resettlement offers from both the United States and Canada, and UN says their current whereabouts are unknown.

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