Siam Kubota has acknowledged that the agricultural machinery market in 2025 is slowing due to economic headwinds, with new machinery sales declining for the first time in years during the first half. However, after-sales service business is growing counter to the trend, reflecting farmers' tendency to extend equipment lifespan rather than purchase new machines.

Economic slowdown dampens machinery market but service business thrives in reverse

Waipoj Hamala, Head of Customer Solutions at Siam Kubota Corporation, revealed that the overall agricultural machinery market in 2025 has been hit by weak economic conditions and reduced purchasing power among farmers, resulting in the first drop in new machinery sales in the first half in years. Full-year sales are still expected to hover near 50,000 million baht, matching last year's performance.

However, despite the slowdown in new machinery sales, the after-sales service business continues to grow. Service work volume in the first half increased by approximately 6%, as farmers choose to repair and extend equipment life rather than invest in new purchases. Although average repair values have declined about 3% as customers opt for essential repairs only to manage cash flow during the incomplete economic recovery, this signals that after-sales service plays a vital role in customer retention, Waipoj noted.

"Economic conditions make farmers more cautious about spending. Many choose repairs over new purchases, increasing service work volume. Although repair values per case have dropped, it shows that after-sales service is critical to maintaining our customer base," he said.

Elevating after-sales service to build confidence throughout equipment life

Waipoj stated that although Thailand's agricultural sector retains growth potential—with the Agricultural Economics Office estimating first-quarter 2025 agricultural economic expansion at 2.4%—farmers still face risks from volatile weather, rising energy costs, and higher production expenses.

As a comprehensive agricultural solution provider, Siam Kubota has made after-sales service a key strategy alongside agricultural machinery development. The company aims to build customer relationships throughout the product's operational life under the concept "Purchase Once, Lifetime Confidence" or "Choose Kubota, Value That Never Ends."

The company has invested in personnel, technology, management systems, and dealer networks to reduce machinery downtime during critical planting and harvesting seasons—periods crucial to farmers' income.

77% of customers prioritize service over price

A company survey found that approximately 77% of farmers consider more than just product price; they prioritize long-term value, spare parts availability, service centers, and quick repair turnaround. Machinery downtime during the growing season can directly impact farmers' income.

Customers receiving fast service and timely problem resolution are more likely to return and recommend the brand to other farmers, resulting in Siam Kubota achieving a service satisfaction score of 978 out of 1,000—or 97.8%.

Leveraging AI and a database of over 820,000 machines to elevate proactive service

Waipoj stated that the company is accelerating the adoption of digital technology and AI to develop its service system by linking usage history, repair history, machine types, and maintenance schedules to build a customer database from all available contact channels. The company currently maintains a database of over 820,000 machines in its system, connected to the tracking platform.

Young actor Tao Sethapongsanun has become the latest victim of ransomware, a type of malicious software that encrypts and locks a victim's NAS (Network-Attached Storage) device—a private network data storage system. In response to the crisis, Tao has turned to social media to urgently seek help from IT specialists or data recovery teams. He posted on his personal Instagram account: "Please help! My NAS has been hit with ransomware. If anyone can recover the data or knows an expert who can help, please DM me. Thank you so much."

PHUKET: Phuket tourism officials and private-sector operators are stepping up efforts to attract more Russian and Belarusian visitors ahead of the launch of direct flights from Minsk later this year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachai Suthathummaphan is preparing to submit a proposal to the cabinet on August 5, 2026, to appoint a new high-level administrator from the Commerce Ministry to fill the position of Permanent Secretary after current holder Wutthikrai Livireraphan retires on September 30, 2026. The leading candidates are Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, and Ormon Saithwithorn, Director-General of the Department of Intellectual Property. Poonpong has distinguished himself by championing the "Thai Help Thai" initiative to reduce prices of essential goods, which became a cornerstone of government policy to ease cost-of-living pressures during the Middle East conflict. He has also led efforts to combat nominee problems through systems to prevent nominee business registration, coordinate enforcement with related agencies, upgrade corporate registration systems, and strengthen various business sectors. Ormon has overseen intellectual property operations including streamlining patent and trademark registration, promoting geographical indication products, assisting SMEs in leveraging intellectual property as capital, fostering research and innovation, protecting intellectual property rights against counterfeits, and supporting Thai entrepreneurs facing IP violations abroad. The cabinet is expected to consider only one nomination, with multiple sources predicting Poonpong will be proposed as the new Permanent Secretary. Separate cabinet consideration is anticipated for other level-10 appointments to replace retiring officials, with rumors suggesting Varawut Somwang, Commerce Ministry Inspector-General, may be proposed as Director-General of the International Trade Promotion Department; Kanicha Nonchuy or Watthanasakul Seua-ia, heads of inspection offices, or Chakka Yodmani, Deputy Permanent Secretary, as Director-General of the Domestic Trade Department to replace incumbent Withayakorn Moonenet, whose management of cost-of-living and energy price issues has not satisfied Deputy PM Supachai; and potential reshuffling of positions within the ministry hierarchy.

An 18-year-old first-year vocational student died in a tragic accident after his motorcycle lost traction on a wet road and slid beneath a van while he was heading home in heavy rain.

At 4:45 p.m. on August 4, 2025, police in Muang Phetchaburi District received a report of a motorcycle-van collision with a fatality near the Nong Son traffic light on the Phetchaburi–Ban Laem Road in Nong Son Subdistrict. Officers and paramedics from Phra Chom Klao Hospital responded and found a white Toyota van parked in the middle of the road with the student's body trapped underneath. A Honda Wave motorcycle was wedged against the side of the van.

According to the victim's friend, the student had just finished classes at the technical college in Phetchaburi and was riding toward his home in Ban Laem District. As he approached the Nong Son red light, his motorcycle lost control and slid into the side of the van, with his body sliding underneath the vehicle. Police investigating the van driver found that heavy rain had made the road surface slippery. The van was turning right onto the Phetchaburi road when the motorcycle, already losing traction, collided with its side and became trapped underneath along with the rider. Authorities transported the body to hospital and are reviewing CCTV footage to investigate the true cause of the accident.

Thailand is preparing for a historic step in space exploration, with a Thai-designed and developed scientific payload set to travel to the Moon as part of China's Chang'e 7 mission on 24 August 2026.

Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsawat announced the country's readiness on 4 August during a press conference titled "Thailand's First Mission to Explore the Moon."

The CE-7 MATCH scientific payload, developed by Thai researchers and engineers at the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), will be one of seven international scientific instruments carried by the Chang'e 7 mission. The Long March-5 Y14 rocket carrying the Chang'e 7 spacecraft will launch from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in China's Hainan province on 24 August, with the launch broadcast live.

This marks the first time a Thai-developed scientific payload has passed international standards and been selected to participate in a major global lunar exploration mission. Yotsanan described the achievement as evidence of Thailand's progress in developing human capital and moving towards an innovation-driven economy.

The mission will operate in an orbit approximately 200 kilometres above the Moon's surface and present significant technical challenges while creating opportunities to develop advanced engineering expertise and strengthen Thailand's emerging space economy. The CE-7 MATCH instrument will monitor space conditions and measure cosmic radiation while studying the relationship between Earth, the Sun and the Moon, conducting continuous observations of solar storms over the next three years.

The data could contribute to monitoring and warning systems for satellites worldwide while helping develop Thai engineers with expertise in space-grade technology. Yotsanan emphasized that the most important outcome was not only the scientific instrument itself but also the development of people.

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation and the Ministry of Education are working together to broadcast the historic launch to more than 3 million young people across Thailand. The initiative will also partner with Sea (Thailand), using digital platforms with more than 20 million users to expand access to STEM education and inspire young people to pursue careers in science, engineering and technology.

Education Minister Akaranan Kannkittinan said the Ministry of Education had long promoted STEM learning, but the greater goal was to create inspiration among young people. The mission would show Thai children that technology developed by Thai people could achieve global recognition and reach the Moon, encouraging them to dream bigger and potentially become world-class scientists in the future.