People wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Thailand. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand’s central bank on June 23 decided to keep key rate unchanged at recordlow 0.5 percent and cut 2021 economic growth forecast following thecomplicated development of COVID-19 in the country.
Assistant Governor of the Bank of Thailand (BoT) TitanunMallikamas said the COVID-19 inoculation drive is the key to recover the economy.
The BoT now expectsSoutheast Asia’s second largest economy to grow 1.8 percent this year, down from aprevious forecast for 3.0 percent.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha this week moved toallow more social activity in the capital, even as COVID-19 related fatalities rose to a record on June 23,which took total deaths to 1,744, since the pandemic began last year. As ofJune 21, about 11 percent of the population had received at least a first dose ofanti-COVID-19 vaccine.
Thailand’s urgency in reopening stems fromits dependence on tourism, which contributed about one-fifth of economicoutput before the pandemic. The Cabinet on June 22 gave final approval forthe Phuket “sandbox,” which will allow quarantine-free travel for vaccinatedvisitors to the popular tourist island from July 1./.
Assistant Governor of the Bank of Thailand (BoT) TitanunMallikamas said the COVID-19 inoculation drive is the key to recover the economy.
The BoT now expectsSoutheast Asia’s second largest economy to grow 1.8 percent this year, down from aprevious forecast for 3.0 percent.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha this week moved toallow more social activity in the capital, even as COVID-19 related fatalities rose to a record on June 23,which took total deaths to 1,744, since the pandemic began last year. As ofJune 21, about 11 percent of the population had received at least a first dose ofanti-COVID-19 vaccine.
Thailand’s urgency in reopening stems fromits dependence on tourism, which contributed about one-fifth of economicoutput before the pandemic. The Cabinet on June 22 gave final approval forthe Phuket “sandbox,” which will allow quarantine-free travel for vaccinatedvisitors to the popular tourist island from July 1./.
VNA
