Thailand moves to tackle crude palm oil smuggling from Malaysia
The Thai Government has ordered the Internal Security Operations Command to closely inspect crude palm oil movement along the Thailand-Malaysia border to prevent smuggling from the neighbouring country.
Jariya Sutthichaiya, Secretary-General of the Agricultural Economics Office (Source: bangkokpost.com)
Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai Government has ordered the Internal SecurityOperations Command to closely inspect crude palm oil movement along theThailand-Malaysia border to prevent smuggling from the neighbouring country.
Accordingto Jariya Sutthichaiya, Secretary-General of the Agricultural Economics Office,higher prices of crude palm oil (CPO) in Thailand could trigger smuggling fromMalaysia.
Thailand'sCPO price averaged 19.20 baht (0.63 USD) a kilogramme in June, or 6-7 bahthigher than that in Malaysia.
Thegovernment is afraid that CPO smuggling from Malaysia, if left unchecked, maycause a decrease in domestic palm prices, Jariya said after the June 28 meetingof the National Oil Palm Policy Committee.
Averagepalm nut prices rose to 3.45-4.10 baht a kg in June, up from 2.70 baht in May,while CPO stocks fell to 270,000 tonnes from 400,000 in May.
PermanentCommerce Secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit said the committee on June 28 approveda revised palm oil strategy to fit the national 20-year strategy (2018-37).
Thestrategy covers six areas: production, innovation, standards, energy, marketingand management.
Thecommittee agreed that Thailand should focus on innovation, increase the valueof palm products and develop oleo, a raw material for cosmetics, soaps andchemicals.
Thecommittee also resolved to maintain palm oil farmland at 800,000ha, producing16.8 million tonnes of palm nuts.-VNA
Malaysia on March 24 announced that the country may stop buying new fighter jets from European arms companies in retaliation against a plan of the European Union (EU) to curb palm oil use.
The Thai government is making efforts to sell some of its domestic supply of raw palm nuts and crude palm oil to ease its current high stock of 400,000 tonnes of oil, compared to the normal level of 250,000 tonnes.
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Jariya Sutthichaiya, Secretary-General of the Agricultural Economics Office (Source: bangkokpost.com) 
