City Bangkok Financial News

Thailand declined to an over three-year low this week due to U.S. President Donald Trump's move to impose import tariffs and an existing market surplus, while India's export prices neared a two-year low on subdued demand. A flat 26% tariff was imposed on all goods being exported by India to the U.S., while Thailand's exports to the U.S. will attract 36%, Bangladesh 37% and Vietnam 46%. Thailand's 5% broken rice fell to $395-$400 per metric ton, its lowest since January 2022.

For the emerging megacities of Asia, the oil crisis that spread out from the Strait of Hormuz is like the acute phase of a chronic condition. The largest migration in human history is filling their streets and alleyways to bursting point.Urbanization and births will add a billion more people between now and 2050. Jakarta and Dhaka, with 42 million and 37 million people respectively, have overtaken Tokyo at 33 million as the world’s biggest metropolises.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Earlier this year, I was in Dubai—a city Indians now treat like the third long weekend of every quarter. I was travelling with a friend who had proudly picked up a “zero forex" travel card just before the trip.

Humanity’s future lies in some of the most vulnerable spots on the planet. We’ve seen that in stark relief of late. A United Nations report last month concluded that the world’s population is increasingly crowded into a group of often low-lying, middle-income megacities in Asia and Africa.Jakarta and Dhaka dethroned Tokyo’s long-held status as the world’s biggest city, with 42 million, 37 million and 33 million people respectively.

Yunus following talks between PM Narendra Modi and Chief Adviser claiming that the Indian leader undermined former PM Sheikh Hasina and stated that he has no negative views about her extradition call into question both the seriousness and the good faith of the interim government. With regard to remarks by the Press Secretary to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, sources dismissed the account as mischievous and politically motivated. Modi spoke of the progress in bilateral relationship since 2014 and characterized it as a deep friendship between our societies and people. Sources noted that the characterisation of Modi's remarks regarding the relationship between Yunus and the previous government was also inaccurate. Modi also mentioned the importance of elections as the basis of legitimacy in any democracy. A continued procrastination in this regard would damage the Chief Advisor’s reputation.

Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) deployed in Sri Lanka nearly four decades back. On the second day of his visit, Modi visited the IPKF Memorial in this Sri Lankan capital city and laid a wreath. In a social media post, Modi said the «unwavering courage and commitment» of the brave soldiers of the IPKF remained a «source of inspiration for us all.» «Laid a wreath at the IPKF Memorial in Colombo. We remember the brave soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force who laid down their lives in service of peace, unity and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka,» he said. «Their unwavering courage and commitment remain a source of inspiration for us all,» Modi added. India had lost around 1,200 soldiers during the IPKF's stay in Sri Lanka between July 1987 and March 1990.

In 2024, at the India-ASEAN Summit, Modi gifted a vintage brass Buddha statue to Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, symbolizing shared heritage and India’s commitment to cultural diplomacy. In the same year, India sent several sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples to Thailand. The relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Maha Moggallana, were taken to Bangkok by an Indian delegation and displayed for 25 days in four cities of Thailand . In 2023, PM Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the Bal Bodhi Tree at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi, reinforcing the deep-rooted Buddhism ties between India and Japan. India also hosted the first-ever Global Buddhist Summit, bringing together scholars and practitioners to discuss contemporary challenges through the lens of Buddhist philosophy, where Modi stressed that Buddha’s teachings provide solutions to global issues. In 2022, PM Modi visited Lumbini, Nepal, on Buddha Purnima and laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage, a landmark project promoting Buddhist culture and strengthening Indo-Nepal spiritual ties.

Modi landed in Colombo last evening after concluding his trip to Bangkok where he attended a summit of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation). «PM @narendramodiwas welcomed by President @anuradisanayake with a ceremonial reception at the Independence Square in Colombo,» External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X'. «Bilateral discussions to foster a partnership for a shared future & mutual prosperity of our people, lie ahead,» he said. Officials said it was the first time a foreign leader was accorded such a welcome at the Independence Square.

death toll from Myanmar's devastating earthquake climbed to 3,354, with 4,850 injured and 220 missing, state media said on Saturday, as the visiting U.N. aid chief praised humanitarian and community groups for leading the aid response. The leader of the military government, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, was back in the capital Naypyitaw after a rare foreign trip to attend a summit in Bangkok of South and Southeast Asian nations, where he also met separately with the leaders of Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and India. Min Aung Hlaing reaffirmed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the junta's plans to hold «free and fair» elections in December, Myanmar state media said. Modi called for a post-quake ceasefire in Myanmar's civil war to be made permanent, and said the elections needed to be «inclusive and credible», an Indian foreign affairs spokesperson said on Friday. Critics have derided the planned election as a sham to keep the generals in power through proxies.

husband who was married on May 11, 2003 experienced a very challenging time in his life when his wife persistently harassed and threatened him with suicide for about 15 years. The irony is he had supported his wife to get an MSC degree from the New York Institute of Technology, U.S.A. The mental health of this now middle-aged husband broke down to such a degree, that he resigned from his job at TCS (Tata Consultancy Employee) and chose to stay at home. The reason for his resignation, as written by him to the company’s HR was constant and repeated harassment, suicidal threats and physical cruelty performed by his wife.

The leaders discussed ways to boost cooperation in areas like trade, investment, tourism, culture, and education, with a focus on linking India's northeastern states with Thailand. «Today, we have decided to elevate our relations to the level of a Strategic Partnership,» Modi said following his talks with Shinawatra in Bangkok on the eve of the BIMSTEC Summit. At a joint press conference after the talks, Modi stated: «In the Indo-Pacific, we both support a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based order.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : Bangkok-headquartered Dusit International's founding family wants to make its second India innings India count with a flurry of new hotel signings. India is one of the most important markets for Thailand, the third-generation hotelier Siradej Donavanik, vice-president of development for global hotels, told Mint on Thursday.

NDRF) team has begun rescue operations under Operation Brahma at the U hla thein monastery, where around 170 monks are still stuck, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on Monday. The Army team will visit the hospital site on Monday and will setup their Medical Services on Tuesday. The NDRF are also trying to get the NDRF team deployed at the Sky Villa (where four towers of 11 storeys each have collapsed). The towers have several foreigners. The relief material (arriving tomorrow) will also be given to the Secretary General of state Mahanayak Committee (2nd highest of the Committee in Myanmar) where around 2,000 monks are sitting outside the monastery. The monks are not injured, but they have nowhere to go and have no basic amenities. Teams will also be deployed to the Mandalay Palace, Maha Muni Pagoda, MIIT, and other such places where substantial damage has occurred. The teams are providing assistance to members of Indian community for their stay and food. Rescue efforts are underway in Myanmar after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country, killing at least 1,700 people and leaving widespread destruction in its wake. The quake, which was felt as far away as Bangkok and Chinese provinces, has left many more injured or trapped under rubble, CNN reported.

Customs officials seized exotic wildlife, including including king snakes, monitor lizards and turtles, at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneshwar on Saturday. The seized wildlife were concealed in chocolate boxes and were being smuggled from Thailand capital, Bangkok. They were being taken to Chennai, Injeet Kumar Mohanty, a Customs official engaged at the airport, told PTI. The luggage of a person from Chennai was searched after officials received a tip-off. Following the search, seizures were made, he said, adding the passenger was detained and was being questioned. As many as nine California king snakes, 10 pig nose turtles and 12 Nile monitor lizards were seized, of which three lizards were dead, he said. The wildlife species have been handed over to the forest department.

BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey unveiled key outcomes, including the Bangkok Vision 2030 and underlined that the grouping is set to grow stronger by partnering with other external partners such as Indian Ocean Rim Association and ASEAN. In an online conference organised by Centre for Global India Insights (CGII), a think tank focused on global affairs, Pandey underscored the growing political will and commitment of member states to strengthening BIMSTEC, enhancing its effectiveness, and ensuring time-bound implementation of decisions. The conference, titled “Bolstering BIMSTEC: Mapping the Next Steps,” was held ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangkok to attend BIMSTEC summit and featured eminent diplomats and experts from India, Thailand Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Diplomats from other BIMSTEC countries also attended the conference. Besides BIMSTEC Secretary General Pandey, Sumith Nakandala, First Secretary General, BIMSTEC Secretariat; Amb. (Retd.) Riva Ganguly Das, India’s Former High Commissioner to Bangladesh; Prof Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Dhaka; Dr. Piyanat Soikham, Director, India Studies Centre, Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand; Prabir De, Professor, RIS; and Yash Pal Sachar, Vice-President, Ashok Leyland participated in the panel discussion. The conference was moderated by Manish Chand, CEO, Centre for Global India Insights. “Our leaders will adopt a joint declaration. They will also adopt a BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030. This is for the first time that BIMSTEC will adopt its own vision document,” said Pandey.

As of now, over 1,000 people have been confirmed dead in Myanmar, with thousands injured. In Thailand, the death toll stands at 20, with dozens still trapped under collapsed buildings.

The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar in the early afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The quake destroyed buildings, downed bridges, and buckled roads across swathes of Myanmar, with massive destruction seen in Mandalay, the country's second biggest city and home to more than 1.7 million people. At least 1,002 people were killed and nearly 2,400 injured in Myanmar, the ruling junta said in a statement. Around 10 more deaths have been confirmed in Bangkok. But with communications badly disrupted, the true scale of the disaster is only starting to emerge from the isolated military-ruled state, and the toll is expected to rise significantly.

7.7 magnitude earthquake that was felt across Myanmar, Thailand, China, and Vietnam, Indian tourists in Bangkok safely returned to New Delhi Airport on Saturday, recounting the difficulties they faced in getting back home. Speaking to ANI at Delhi airport, Bharati Khurana described the challenges they encountered due to emergency closures in the city. «The situation is fine now, but yesterday it was very bad. We went out to the market, but it was closed due to the emergency.

India will send the relief materials to Myanmar aboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J aircraft from Air Force Station Hindon, sources stated. According to sources, the relief package includes tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, hygiene kits, solar lamps, generator sets, and essential medicines such as paracetamol, antibiotics, syringes, gloves, and bandages. The tremors, including a 7.2-magnitude quake, caused structural damage and panic in Myanmar and neighboring Thailand. An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 on the Richter Scale jolted Myanmar on Friday at 11:56 pm (local time), according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).

Myanmar on Friday, causing extensive damage across a wide swath of one of the world's poorest countries and prompting officials to warn that the initial death toll — above 140 — was likely to grow in the days ahead. In neighboring Thailand, at least six died in Bangkok, where a high-rise under construction collapsed. The full extent of death, injury and destruction was not immediately clear — particularly in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a civil war, and where information is tightly controlled. «The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,» the head of Myanmar's military government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said as he announced on television that at least 144 people were killed and 730 others were injured in his country. In Thailand, authorities in Bangkok said six people were killed, 22 were injured and 101 were missing from three construction sites, including the high-rise. They revised the death toll Saturday morning from 10 reported the previous day, saying several critically injured people were mistakenly reported dead. The 7.7 magnitude quake struck at midday, with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar 's second-largest city. Aftershocks followed, one of them measuring a strong 6.4 magnitude.

Elon Musk has revealed the date he plans to 'ditch US President Donald Trump' and leave Washington DC after his DOGE purge of Federal departments. The Tesla CEO sat down with key members of his DOGE team to discuss the work his team has carried out for the first few months of Trump's administration. Elon Musk plans to step down from his cost-cutting role in the Trump administration at the end of May after reducing the US deficit by $1 trillion, the tech billionaire said on Thursday, according to The Fox News. Musk, 54, expressed confidence in getting close to that goal, which would halve the annual federal deficit, in just 130 days — saying his team was averaging “$4 billion a day, every day, seven days a week.” ALSO READ: Myanmar earthquake: Emergency declared in Bangkok; Thailand's stock exchange suspends trading