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Internet search engine Google has officially opened its representative office in Thailand in a drive to boost local content of its web services and the visibility of its business online.

Recap: The Stock Exchange of Thailand caught the S&P Flu along with the rest of the world last week but staged a modest rebound after the US Federal Reserve pledged to keep interest rates near zero for two more years if that's what it takes to get the world's largest economy moving again.

There will be no immediate impact on AsiaPacific sovereign ratings resulting from the lowering of the issuer credit ratings on the US to 'AA+' on Friday, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today amid selloffs across the region.

Thailand could witness its economic growth slow to 4-4.5 per cent this year, given its automotive sector hit by the supply chain disruptions from Japan's disasters and the tightened monetary stance to curb inflation, according to the Asian Development Bank.

Key elements of the incoming government's populist policies, particularly the planned increase in the minimum wage and heavy subsidies, are a major concern for companies, as they fear the measures will slow the business sector down over the remainder of the year and during 2012.

The Revenue Department is ready to cut the corporate income tax rate, though it is also proposing a rise in the value-added tax (VAT) rate, says Satit Rungkasiri, director-general of the department.

The governor of the Bank of Thailand has expressed confidence that there were no signs of bubbles in the banking sector, which witnessed average loan growth of more than 10 per cent in the first half of this year.

The Thai automotive industry is likely to miss its export target of 1 million units this year because of a shortage of car parts over the past two months resulting from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the Automotive Industry Club under the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) says.

Hangover 2 has boosted Thai tourism by creating a new route featuring the movie's shooting locations, increasing foreign filmmakers' confidence in shooting their movies in the country.

The Thai Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) surged to 81.7 points in June, the highest in four and a half years, with consumers expecting the new government's policies to result in better economic conditions.