Thailand approves US$2.8 billion more economic support measures

A medical worker administers a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the Covid-19 to a man at a vaccination centre in southern Thailand's Pattani province on October 18, 2021. - AFP

BANGKOK, Oct 19 (Reuters): Thailand's cabinet on Tuesday approved a further 92 billion baht (US$2.76 billion) of relief measures to help boost its flagging economy as the South-East Asian country deals with its biggest and most prolonged coronavirus outbreak.

Thailand's economy is expected to grow just 0.7% this year after a 6.1% contraction last year, the central bank forecast, with the key tourism sector still stumbling. Thailand earlier this year approved a further 500 billion baht borrowing plan to mitigate the impact of the epidemic.