Thai agriculture reels from drought in blow to ailing economy

Commuters wearing protective masks travel by train in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday (Feb 15). The Bank of Thailand cut its benchmark interest rate to a record low as the coronavirus outbreak, a stalled government budget and bad drought imperil economic growth. - Bloomberg

BANGKOK: Thailand is scaling back production forecasts for key agricultural commodities because of a drought, dealing a further blow to the country’s struggling economy.

Rice, rubber and sugar are among the crops that help to sustain 11 million jobs, drive consumption and colour the political mood of the rural population. But farmers are now grappling with the worst drought in four decades.