The headline index fell from 49.7 in June to 49.5 in July, signalling a second successive monthly deterioration in operating conditions at Asean manufacturers. Furthermore, this marked the lowest reading in exactly two years.

Contributing to the decline was a slight reduction in overall output, the first recorded since July 2017. This occurred alongside only a marginal increase in new orders, although the rate of growth was slightly stronger than in June. Demand conditions were also strengthened by the fastest rise in foreign sales for a year. However, employment continued to fall.

July 2019 data were collected July 12-25, 2019.

Country-level data showed business conditions improving in four of the seven monitored areas. Myanmar’s manufacturing sector continued its run of solid improvements, posting a headline reading (52.9) broadly in line with that seen in June.

Vietnam also saw a strong rate of growth during July (52.6) that was the most marked for seven months.

The Philippines meanwhile recorded a moderate improvement in manufacturing conditions, with the headline index (52.1) rising for the third month in a row.

By comparison, Thailand saw growth slow to only a marginal pace in July (50.3).

Indonesia’s manufacturing sector meanwhile slipped into decline, with firms reporting the quickest deterioration in operating conditions since the end of 2017 (49.6).

Malaysia continued to signal weakening manufacturing conditions, as the headline index fell to a four-month low (47.6).

Lastly, Singapore extended the current run of deterioration in its manufacturing sector to one year, although the downturn in July (44.5) was softer than in June.

Commenting on the latest survey results, David Owen, an economist at IHS Markit, said the Asean manufacturing sector remained in decline in July, according to the latest PMI survey data. “In fact, the rate of deterioration was the steepest in two years, driven by lower output and employment. Firms were led to reduce production levels on the back of only marginal increases in new orders in recent months.

“As such, manufacturers appear in a difficult position, and require stronger demand growth to lift them out of the current soft patch. Output prices also rose at a subdued pace, the joint-slowest since August 2016, suggesting that some firms are relying on discounts to attract customers. Thus, next month’s data will show whether the downturn in the Asean region is temporary or long term.”

The IHS Markit Asean Manufacturing PMI is compiled by IHS Markit from responses to monthly questionnaires sent to purchasing managers in panels of manufacturers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, totalling around 2,100 manufacturers.

These countries account for 98 per cent of Asean manufacturing value added. The panels are stratified by detailed sector and company workforce size, based on contributions to GDP.

Survey responses are collected in the second half of each month and indicate the direction of change compared to the previous month. A diffusion index is calculated for each survey variable at the national level. The index is the sum of the percentage of “higher “responses and half the percentage of “unchanged” responses. The indices vary between 0 and 100, with a reading above 50 indicating an overall increase compared to the previous month, and below 50 an overall decrease.

The headline figure is the Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI). The PMI is a weighted average of the following five indices: new orders (30 per cent), output (25 per cent), employment (20 per cent), suppliers’ delivery times(15 per cent) and stocks of purchases (10 per cent).

Speaking at a seminar on the direction of the energy industry, hosted on Wednesday by the Thansettakit newspaper, Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong said the revision would offer investment opportunities for the private sector and on a community basis with the establishment of a community power plant.

Communities will be able to buy back shares from the investment, which will focus on renewable power plants. He also instructed related state agencies to map out zones for the establishment of community power plants and keep them within reach of the transmission network.

Sontirat also asked the Energy Conservation Fund, which will be financing this move, to revise its criteria for seeking funding to support the promotion of this community power plant development and come up with a proposal for his consideration next week. The fund has a budget of Bt12 billion.

The minister said the PDP revision must also be in line with Thailand’s policy of becoming Asean’s power hub. If all plans are achieved, the price of electricity in Thailand will drop to less than Bt3.576 per unit – a target that should be achieved in the next 20 years as set in the current PDP.

He added that though he cannot specify when the PDP revision will be completed, as it requires the opinion of many parties, he promised that the review will not affect existing projects.

FTI Vice Chairman Montri Mahaplerkpong said investment growth in the second half would either stay flat or decline, as the policies announced by the new Cabinet would take at least a month for adjustment at the ministry and departmental levels, after which they would have to be translated into action plans. Thus, most policies could not be launched sooner than the end of 2019 or even early next year.

“EEC related investment should continue as planned,” he said. “However, other private investments will likely slow down as investors wait for clarity of the government policies, such as details of investment policies from the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) and industrial promotion policies from the Ministry of Industry. We should see a steady flow of investment from the private sectors starting next year.”

From his discussions with overseas trade partners, Montri said, he believes that most of them still see Asean as a high potential investment destination.

“Vietnam is the investment destination for industries that rely on manual labours, while high technology investors would opt for Thailand,” he said.

FTI Vice Chairman said the government should further promote robotics manufacturing. By establishing robot factories in Thailand, foreign investors will realise our potential which may lead to more investments in the high-tech industries, such as e-vehicle assembly, aircraft components, and medical equipment. These industries require high-precision machinery that can only be provided by robotics.

“Furthermore, we should establish universities with a focus on high-tech industries, similar to the aerospace engineering schools in Mexico that supply hundreds of graduates with specialised skills a year to Boeing, Airbus, and other aircraft manufacturers worldwide.

Doing so will complete the development efforts in all dimensions: infrastructure, technology, and manpower” he said

The events are being organised by the Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC), in cooperation with the Thai Foreign and Commerce ministries as well as the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry, and Banking which comprises the Board of Trade of Thailand, the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Bankers’ Association.

The ABIS 2019 is expected to  serve as a platform for the business community to engage with the leaders from Asean and beyond, business leaders, high-profile entrepreneurs and key decision-makers who are shaping and influencing Asean economies. It also provides an ideal platform to identify, discuss and present solutions for pressing issues that affect the region’s economic activities, investment attractiveness and business potential. At the same time, the event will be touching on the key global issues and exploring the challenges faced by businesses in the world today.

Asean-BAC chairman Arin Jira said: “The ABIS 2019 is Asean’s premier annual business and investment event organised by the Asean-BAC of the country holds the Asean chair. This event is held in conjunction with the Asean Summit every year in the host country. This year the event will be held under the theme ‘Empowering Asean 4.0’.”

Arin said the main focus of the theme will be: digital infrastructure, digital connectivity, Asean human empowerment and development, and micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The key topics of the event are: advancing Asean 4.0 in the global value chain; sustainable Asean 4.0: circular economy; next generation MSME access to finance; Asean digital transformation and connectivity; Asean human empowerment and development, and Asean mentorship for entrepreneurs network for MSMEs.

Arin added that heads of states or governments across and beyond Asean countries will be invited to attend the event and deliver the keynote addresses during the two-day event. The key leaders will come from within and beyond Asean. Key business leaders and high-level officials of international organisations are also invited to participate in the panel discussions. It is expected that over 800 participants will attend the event this year.

Indicators for private consumption expanded at a slower pace in almost all categories, while indicators for private investment contracted. Public spending also shrank in both current and capital expenditures. The value of exports continued to contract, in line with a drop in merchandise import and manufacturing, though the tourism sector rebounded thanks to a rise in Indian tourists. However, the number of tourists from China continued to contract.

The Bank of Thailand put the moderate expansion in private consumption indicators to a drop in the purchase of durable goods and a decline in domestic vehicle sales and a lower number of newly registered motorcycles.

The fundamental factors supporting overall purchasing power appeared softer, mainly due to a softer increase in non-farming income, though income from agriculture showed a favourable expansion.

However, the improvement in farm income was mainly put down to the rise rubber and pineapple prices, while the price of other main crops continued to fall. This reflects a disparity in the benefits gained from a rise in farm income consistent with the Consumer Confidence Index, which has continued to drop.

Private investment indicators tightened from the same period last year, while spending in construction also dropped due to a reduction in permitted construction area, except for manufacturing purposes, while the sale of construction materials expanded. Investment in machinery and equipment also contracted in all categories. After seasonal adjustment, private investment indicators dropped slightly from the previous month from both investment in construction and in machinery and equipment.

Public spending, excluding transfers, contracted from the same period last year from both current and capital expenditures. Current spending contracted mainly from the use of goods and services, while compensation for civil servants rose slightly. Capital spending contracted due to a reduction in the budgets allocated to provincial clusters, and a contraction in the disbursement of funds due to constraints on investment efficiency after the reassessment and realignment of investment projects under the 20-year National Strategy Framework.

The value of merchandise exports contracted by 2.1 per cent from the same period last year, and excluding gold, the value of merchandise exports dropped by 9.1 per cent. This continual contraction can be attributed to a weaker global demand owing to slower economic growth in a number of major trading economies, protectionist policies resulting from the US-China trade war, continued downturn in the electronic cycle and a fall in global crude oil prices. The contraction was mainly due to a drop in the export of petroleum-related products in terms of both price and export volume; electronic products, especially hard-disk drive and integrated circuits; agricultural products, especially rice; and agro-manufacturing products, especially rubber-based products and sugar. However, export in some categories continued to expand such as automotive and parts, particularly commercial vehicles and car tyres.

The value of merchandise imports contracted by 9.6 per cent from the same period last year, and excluding gold, the value of merchandise imports declined by 10.5 per cent. The contraction was attributed to a decline in the import of raw and intermediate goods, particularly crude oil in terms of both price and import volume, partly due to the shutdown of oil refineries for maintenance, and imports of electronic parts, in line with the continued contraction in exports of such products; import of capital goods excluding aircrafts, ships, floating structures, and locomotives, particularly telecommunication equipment, and machinery used in manufacturing, consistent with the slowdown in private investment; import of consumer goods especially non-durable goods following a drop in the price of tuna from the same period last year; and automotive and parts consistent with the contraction of automotive production and domestic car sales. The value of imports showed a solid reduction from last month, contributing to an increase in trade surplus.

Meanwhile, the number of foreign arrivals rebounded by 0.9 per cent from the same period

last year, mainly due to a continual expansion in the number of Indian tourists, who partly benefited from the exemption of visa-on-arrival fee. However, the number of Chinese tourists continued to contract as a result of the slowdown in Chinese economy and stronger competition from neighbouring countries. Moreover, the number of Malaysian tourists reduced from last year owing to an acceleration after the Malaysian 2018 general election. After seasonal adjustment, the number of foreign tourists rose from the previous month, mainly due to the return of Chinese visitors to the North after the air-pollution problem was cleared.

On the stability front, headline inflation decelerated to 0.87 per cent from 1.15 per cent

last month, due mainly to the decelerated core inflation, coupled with a fall in domestic retail petroleum prices. However, fresh food prices accelerated from a rise in fruit and pork prices.

Due to a global economic slowdown, soaring fuel prices and the appreciation of the baht, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently lowered the projected number of international arrivals for 2019 to 40.2 million. “As such, tourism players can expect a tough year ahead. It is therefore paramount for the industry, including hoteliers, to be prepared to face the challenging conditions ahead,” Expedia said. “One of the ways to rise above this is the innovative use of technology. As online bookings continue to grow at an incredible pace, the APAC travel market will swell from US$418.1 billion in 2018¬ to $540.3 billion. By 2022, and the online share of travel bookings will climb from 44 per cent to 53 per cent in the same period.” Despite the massive growth opportunities, the online travel realm remains hugely complex, the company said.

“There are about two million destinations around the world that people are looking to visit and more than 10 ways that a traveller can describe their accommodation – from hotel through to bed and breakfast, apartment or even treehouse. Travellers will also search for relevant terms such as family-friendly, pet-friendly, beach resort and look for amenities ranging from wi-fi, swimming pool to facilities for special needs,” said Pimpawee Nopakitgumjorn, director of market management at Expedia Group.

“Expedia Group has catalogued over 160 additional qualifying terms that people might think about when they are refining their searches. Realistically, there could be approximately 3.2 billion search combinations. This huge amount of combination makes it extremely challenging for travel providers and hotels to reach their customers. Hoteliers who can leverage relevant data and technology to navigate through these complexities will be best positioned to win in this digital age.”

On a daily basis, there are one billion peak searches and over two billion lodging supply updates on the Expedia Group platform. “By harnessing the power of its global platform and simplifying petabytes of traveller data into tools and actionable insights, Expedia Group is empowering Thai hoteliers to make smarter and better business decisions,” Pimpawee said. “Last year alone, the company invested US$1.6 billion in technology, taking automation to the next level by pairing the power of its platform with data science to make automation more customer and partner-centric.

“Guest Insights – available to Expedia Group’s hotel partners – is a prime data analytic tool that allows hotels to leverage guest booking data and get a deeper understanding of where travellers are coming from and their booking behaviour. This will enable them to identify opportunities to reach and convert travellers from specific countries, allowing them the opportunity to grow their revenue. Globally, one in three Expedia Group accommodation partners look at some form of analytics reporting on a daily basis. It is therefore critical for Thai hoteliers to leverage such data insights in order to stay competitive in the online marketplace.

Machine learning is a powerful and positive disruptor which can help solve industry challenges and put the power of global platforms, such as Expedia Group, into the hands of accommodation players of all sizes. “Today, machine learning is already helping Expedia Group’s accommodation partners reduce their operational expenses and increase revenues by forecasting demand for their inventory,” Pimpawee said.

“As an example, Rev+ is a free revenue management tool that Expedia Group offers its accommodation partners. Rev+ is designed to provide them with smart, actionable data and predictive analytics, all in real-time. This means hotel partners can have access to predictions such as what they should charge based on competition, compression and other market dynamics. Globally, over 53,000 hotels are actively using Rev+ to optimise their revenue management strategy on Expedia Group Platform. Hotels who are highly engaged with Rev+ were able to gain an average 20 percent incremental uplift in revenue than hotels in their competitive set not using Rev+, generating US$28 million incremental revenue combined.

“Looking forward, the company will be taking AI and Machine learning one step further by providing personalised recommendations via a video bot to its hotel partners. “In the not-too-distant future, everything we’ve dreamt of through science fiction movies will be coming to life in the way we conduct business. Technology is already creating the type of experience where that automation feels just that little bit more human.”

Success will also come to those who emphasize diversification into new markets and innovation to meet modern consumers’ demands, it said.

EXIM Thailand has stepped up its support for exporters, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, as they launch or expand their export business. There has been a sharp increase – at 69 per cent – of outstanding credit among SMEs over the past five years. That growth has resulted from continued product and service development and the incubation of new exporters.

The bank’s president Pisit Serewiwattana said that in the first half of 2019, Thai exports shrank by 2.9 per cent as a result of the ongoing trade war between the US and China, which has continued to dampened Thai exports to supply chains with a heavy dependence on the Chinese market, such as computers and parts, printed circuit boards and plastic resin, among other products.

The gloomy outlook has led EXIM Thailand among other agencies to revise down their export growth forecast to a mere 0.2 per cent for 2019.

Thai export growth in the second half of 2019 will depend largely on a group of rising star products that have recorded consistent growth for the past years amid several looming risks, according to EXIM.

This group of products comprise consumer goods in which Thailand has high expertise, especially processed foods, fruits and vegetables, beverages, seasonings and cosmetics.

Certain goods – Thai foods, herbs and kitchenware – have meanwhile benefited from Thai tourism, which helps highlight Thai identity on the global market

In addition, the side-effects of the US-China Trade War have indirectly helped Thai products bearing certain similarities and serving as close substitutes for Chinese goods to increase US market share, such as car tyres, toys, garments, electrical appliances, among others.

Concurrently, a number of products continue to maintain competitiveness, thanks to the adaptability of Thai producers and their ability to evade the trade war impacts.

These are products taking refuge in alternative markets. Most of these products are a part of the Chinese supply chains, including computers and parts that are seeing high growth in India, Mexico and Vietnam, printed circuit boards which have grown healthily in Mexico and Belgium, and wood and products that are seeing impressive expansion in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), as well as India.

Though these markets cannot fully replace the Chinese market, they have reduced the prevailing adverse impact and sustained Thai exports to some extent.

At the same time, certain products have responded to existing demand and expanded into new markets, somewhat substituting for the demand shrinkage in the existing markets.

Demand for rubber, for example, contracted as a result of pricing problems and slowing demand from China (which is Thailand’s largest rubber market), but robust growth has been witnessed in such markets as eastern Europe and Canada.

However, Thai rubber requires greater development to better compete in the long term. Likewise, export of auto and parts to Australia, which is Thailand’s largest export market for the products, has continued to contract against the backdrop economic slump.

On the other hand, export to the CLMV and India has expanded, driven by demand from the increasing middle-class population and its desire for oil-fuelled cars. Nevertheless, in the long run, Thai products will need to use production technology and innovation to fulfill the changing demand of new-generation consumers. For example, with the increasing awareness of environmental protection and energy saving in several countries, demand for electric vehicles (EV) and bio-chemicals has been on an upward trend.

Another engine that may help sustain Thai exports comes from the service sector. Thai tourism has already reached the top 10 on the global scale in terms of both revenues and number of visitors, but other service sectors such as construction, logistics and recreation have grown in reputation, giving a boost to exports from other related industries.

Pisit further said that EXIM Thailand has recently accelerated support for Thai exporters, particularly SMEs, for their business start-up and expansion. Outstanding loans to SMEs surged from Bt22.930 billion in 2014 to Bt38.834 billion as of the end of June 2019, representing a growth of 69 per cent in the past five years and 17.79 per cent year on year.

Total outstanding loans of the Bank in the first half of 2019 amounted to Bt107.183 billion, a 11.10 growth year on year. This contributed to a business turnover of Bt94.750 billion, of which Bt52,953 million came from SMEs.

SME exporters continue to gain greater access to EXIM’s financial facilities, representing 12.48 per cent of SME exporters across the country. The gain is attributable to the Bank’s product and service development and export incubation projects for Thai entrepreneurs.

At present, EXIM has extended loans for international projects to a total Bt86,024 million, with outstanding loans of Bt41,330 million as of the end of June 2019. Outstanding loans to support Thai entrepreneurs’ trade and investment expansion to the CLMV amounted to Bt30,415 million, a Bt1,338 million increase year on year.

In addition, EXIM Thailand has rendered export credit insurance to enhance Thai entrepreneurs’ confidence in penetrating new frontier markets or expanding export. In the first half of 2019, the Bank recorded Bt53,920 million in export credit and investment insurance business turnover, up by Bt9,153 million year on year, of which Bt11,487 million came from exports by SMEs, representing 21.56 per cent of the Bank’s accumulated insurance business turnover.

Customised shipping options and fuss-free returns policies are also appreciated, but the study by UPS highlights that regional satisfaction with returns is low.

Now in its seventh year, the UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper study sheds light on consumer online shopping behaviour. It also, for the first time, features insights into the buying habits of business purchasers. Conducted in Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong and South Korea, as well as 11 other markets across the Americas, Europe and India, the study tracks evolving trends and demands from e-commerce customers.

The findings reveal three factors that impact consumers’ purchasing decisions – visibility across the purchase journey, incentives offered, and ways in which shoppers can customise their purchase and delivery experience.

“Consumers in Asia Pacific are increasingly knowledgeable about the options available to them when shopping online, and this is driving a demand for complete clarity and access to information throughout the purchase journey, as well as greater flexibility in both the shopping and shipping process,” said Sylvie Van den Kerkhof, vice president of marketing for UPS Asia Pacific.

“As consumers are presented with more options to buy online and competition increases, expectations are becoming more refined and retailers need to be agile enough to stay ahead of the trends. The ability to offer incentives not just in the form of a unique product offering but also in the shipping and delivery experience will be crucial to success in the evolving e-commerce landscape.”

Russell Reed, managing director of UPS for Thailand and Vietnam, said: “The value of the Thai e-commerce industry is expected to grow from US$3 billion in 2018 to US$13 billion by 2025. A large portion of this is driven by cross-border e-commerce and high demand for Thai products.

“The Asia Pacific edition of the study helps retailers in Thailand tap into this rapid growth by providing more in-depth analysis of customer purchasing behaviours across the region. The patterns and trends revealed by the study can then be leveraged to ensure that overseas customers are receiving the service they expect, in turn maximising customer loyalty and the potential for repeat business.”

A significant 90 per cent of all consumers globally research their product before proceeding with a purchase. While price is the most commonly researched information worldwide, by comparison it is less important for consumers in Asia Pacific (74 per cent), than for those in the Americas and Europe (both 81 per cent).

Reviewing a retailer’s returns policy is often part of the pre-purchase process, with 42 per cent of online shoppers in Asia Pacific doing this before making a transaction, reinforcing why it is important that retailers make this information clear and easy to find.

Furthermore, the findings identify that shoppers may cancel a purchase when they find out the retailer is based internationally, if they were unaware of this initially. Some 77 per cent of shoppers in China have done this, as well as 65 per cent in Australia, and 60 per cent in Hong Kong and South Korea. At the same time, 75 per cent of all shoppers in Asia Pacific have knowingly made purchases from international sellers, suggesting that online shopping is situational and, with international purchases likely taking longer to arrive, how long a customer is willing to wait may depend on what they are buying.

Continuing the trend from previous years’ studies, consumers still value free shipping, as highlighted by the fact that high delivery cost is the most common reason for an abandoned shopping cart. Asia Pacific shoppers will often take actions to reduce shipping costs, with 37 per cent indicating that they are willing to add items to their cart to qualify for free shipping, and 27 per cent saying they would purchase an alternative product priced above the retailer’s free-shipping threshold. These figures indicate that shoppers can actually be incentivised to spend more on the actual purchase, if this action will reduce the cost of shipping.

In addition to being a key part of the pre-purchase routine, a good returns policy can also encourage customer loyalty. And with just 5 per cent of Asia Pacific shoppers saying they are “very satisfied” with the returns process, there is huge potential for retailers with a good returns policy to rise above the competition. The common causes of dissatisfaction with the returns experience were a delay in receiving refunds (cited by an average of 32 per cent of respondents across the region), having to pay for their own returns (31 per cent) and delays in receiving a replacement product (25 per cent).

Furthermore, shoppers have been empowered to “vote with their clicks” when they have bad experiences with a merchant. In Asia Pacific, 93 per cent of consumers who receive poor customer service will either stop using that merchant or reduce how often they purchase from them. This is most apparent with South Korean shoppers; 70 per cent of whom will stop buying from a merchant altogether due to bad customer service.

The popularity of alternative delivery locations in Asia Pacific is a continuing trend, with the study finding that only 36 per cent of the region’s consumers prioritise receiving their package in-person at their home – compared to 62 per cent in Europe – while 19 per cent are happy to have the package left on their doorstep or porch.

Consumers in Asia Pacific are also more likely to know about and make use of specialised delivery services, such as UPS My Choice. The ability to select shipping options offers added convenience, with the research revealing that the ability to choose a delivery day has the greatest appeal.

As an alternative to purchasing directly from a retailer, marketplaces are also a popular purchasing platform, with 93 per cent of Asia Pacific shoppers having purchased from a marketplace in the three months prior to the survey. The region has notable market-level variations when it comes to the marketplace that businesses should take into account and cater to – 100 per cent of respondents in China had made a purchase from one of these platforms in the three months leading up to the survey, whereas 14 per cent in Australia and 10 per cent in Hong Kong don’t use marketplaces at all, the highest rates of non-usage in the world.

Expanding the study to cover B2B purchasing this year, the findings show that business buyers follow many of the same trends as consumers.

Similar to the consumer shopper, 96 per cent of Asia Pacific buyers consider the ability to track packages important, with the preferred method of tracking deliveries being a carrier’s website. 92 per cent of business purchasers would like to see all elements of their delivery managed by the supplier or shipper, and this is particularly so in Hong Kong, where respondents unanimously chose this option.

One area where the responses differed however was that while 42 per cent of B2C buyers will check the returns policy before making a purchase, this number jumps to 71 per cent when it comes to business purchasers, even when the buyer already has a contract with the supplier.

Furthermore, business purchasers in Asia Pacific are more likely than the global average to purchase products from non-domestic marketplaces, with 71 per cent purchasing internationally, the highest percentage of all regions surveyed. Of those that purchase internationally, 42 per cent stated that they did so because of higher product quality, while 41 per cent said it was because the product they wanted could only be bought from international suppliers.

One area of commonality among business purchasers globally is the importance of knowing the fully-landed cost, or the total price of a product once it arrives at their location. Asia Pacific confirms this trend with 94 per cent of buyers in the region indicating that this is important to them.

“For both consumers and business purchasers, the 2019 UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper reveals that here in Asia Pacific, we are navigating a world of choice and we expect to make purchases on our terms,” added Van den Kerkhof.

“In a crowded space like e-commerce, the kind of insight revealed by the Pulse of the Online Shopper study can make all the difference in helping businesses stay one step ahead – today, tomorrow, and next year.”

The resolution is also aimed to promote the consumption of B20 biodiesel and stabilise the palm oil market.

The resolution means the price of B20 biodiesel will remain lower than that of conventional biodiesel by Bt5 per litre until September 30. This price gap was scheduled to expire on July 31.

The committee decided to maintain the subsidised B20 at Bt4.50 per litre.

The Bt5 price gap between the two diesel types began on December 1 last year. The daily consumption of B20 diesel is around 5 million litres at the present.

As of July 21, there were 13 oil retailers selling B20, at a total 1,181 stations.

This is to see if the operational practices of the corporations are anti-competition, said the commission chairman Sakon Varanyuwatana.

The office is under the Commerce Ministry.

The study will include the “vertical mergers” of two major companies from different sectors, such as those in the retail sector combining with those in the ride-hailing sector. The commission needs to step in to solve the problem if this kind of vertical merger is found to reduce fair competition, he said.

There have been several complaints that the big business platforms, such as those in retail and hotel sectors, are forcing small operators onto their platforms and to launch heavy promotions against their will or beyond their capacity to do so, Sakon added.

He added that the panel would also seek cooperation from related parties throughout Asean to create the harmonisation of laws to prevent companies outside Asean to reap benefits from the region without sharing those benefits within the region.

He said that Asean had begun talks to find a way to prevent such corporate giants from, for example, setting up a server in Singapore that would provide their service to Thailand and milk benefits from Thailand without paying local taxes.

Also under close watch by the commission is those foreign logistic businesses that are expanding at a rapid pace in rural areas at the expense of existing rural logistic firms, he added.

The commission is also revising existing guidelines which detail the kinds of practices that point to unfair competition. The revision will be brought into line with the current market situation.