Thailand is making AI and semiconductors the focus of its next five-year development plan

Thailand Business News - Oct 1, 2026

Thailand’s draft 14th development plan covers 2028–2032 and prioritises AI, semiconductors, advanced electronics and clean energy.

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P5-T investment needed to develop 25 GW hydropower

Oct 23, 2026

P5-T investment needed to develop 25 GW hydropower

MANILA, Philippines — Expanding the country’s hydropower capability with an additional 25 gigawatts will require about P5 trillion in new investments, an energy official said Thursday. According to Ariel Fronda, division chief of the DOE’s Hydropower & Ocean Energy Management Division, activating one megawatt from hydropower would cost about P200 million. READ: The inverse relationship between

1st Pampanga hospital makes renewable shift

Oct 23, 2026

1st Pampanga hospital makes renewable shift

MANILA, Philippines — Lopez-led First Gen Corp. has clinched a new pact to energize a tertiary hospital in Pampanga with renewable energy. On Thursday, the company announced it closed the agreement with Mother Teresa of Calcutta Medical Center (MTCMC) under the government’s retail aggregation program (RAP), allowing local households to consolidate demand to meet the 100-kilowatt

DA, BOC tighten protocols for farm imports inspection

Oct 23, 2026

DA, BOC tighten protocols for farm imports inspection

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have partnered to simplify the handling and inspection of shipments entering the country, including the disposal of confiscated farm goods. Both agencies signed a memorandum on the inspection and disposal of confiscated agricultural and fishery products. READ: Department of Agriculture opposes sale of

BSP unleashes jumbo rate hike vs inflation

Oct 23, 2026

BSP unleashes jumbo rate hike vs inflation

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) raised its policy rate by half a percentage point to 5.5 percent on Thursday, delivering a bigger-than-expected increase as it stepped up its fight against stubbornly high inflation. The decision by the Monetary Board, the central bank’s top policymaking body, brought the overnight borrowing rate to

BPI 9-month profit slips down to P48.9B

Oct 23, 2026

BPI 9-month profit slips down to P48.9B

MANILA, Philippines — Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) saw its nine-month net income fall 3.2 percent to P48.9 billion as higher provisions and operating expenses outpaced revenue growth. January to September earnings declined from P50.5 billion a year earlier, despite increases in lending and fee income. READ: BPI’s H1 profit slipped on higher expenses

Philippine merchandise exports seen breaching $100-B mark in 2026

Oct 23, 2026

Philippine merchandise exports seen breaching $100-B mark in 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine merchandise exports could breach the $100-billion mark for the first time this year, as booming global demand for semiconductors and electronics continues to drive the country’s shipments to record highs. Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo expressed confidence that exports would sustain their momentum through the remaining months of 2026, and potentially push

Miners decry proposed policy on contract awards

Oct 23, 2026

Miners decry proposed policy on contract awards

MANILA, Philippines — A joint circular from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) might undermine the government’s efforts to make the Philippine mining industry a major driver of economic growth, according to industry players. The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines and the Philippine Nickel Industry Association warned

Peso extends losses, falls past 63.5:$1

Oct 23, 2026

Peso extends losses, falls past 63.5:$1

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine peso sank to another record low on Thursday, extending its slide despite a larger-than-expected interest rate increase by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), as broad US dollar strength continued to weigh on the currency. The local currency weakened by 15.9 centavos to close at 63.52 per dollar, surpassing the

Ecozone investments meet P300-billion 2026 target early

Oct 23, 2026

Ecozone investments meet P300-billion 2026 target early

MANILA, Philippines — Investments at economic zones drew closer to reaching a record high in 2026 after the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) approved new projects that brought its year-to-date pipeline to P309.63 billion, surpassing the agency’s full-year target. According to Peza, the investment tally as of October marked a 76.56-percent increase from P175.365 billion

State-firm Psalm gets no offer for Quezon City property

Oct 23, 2026

State-firm Psalm gets no offer for Quezon City property

MANILA, Philippines — The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) failed to realize at least P11.09 billion from the planned sale of a portion of its Diliman property, after prospective buyers were no-shows on the bidding deadline. Psalm President and CEO Edward Dela Serna said the state-run company declared a “failed bidding” on

The Adoption Reality Gate: Why superior products die without behavioral strategy

Oct 23, 2026

The Adoption Reality Gate: Why superior products die without behavioral strategy

Authors’ Note: This is Step 2 of the six-step Strategy Logic Chain within the PILA Reasoning Stack (Problem, Insight, Logic, and Assumptions). Step 1, the Value Proposition, defines the value a company intends to create. This article asks whether customers will change their behavior to realize that value. MANILA, Philippines — Every year, companies launch products

Visa eyes stablecoin rollout in PH 

Oct 23, 2026

Visa eyes stablecoin rollout in PH 

MANILA, Philippines — Global payments firm Visa is exploring stablecoin use cases with Philippine banks and fintechs as it seeks to reduce the cost and friction of cross-border payments, amid still limited awareness and trust in the emerging digital currency among Filipino consumers. This comes as Visa’s Money Travels 2026 study found that roughly four

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