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2026 Tech Trends: Shaping a Smart and Sustainable World

For Thai farmers, outputs of rice will tend to strengthen over 2022-2024, helped by what is forecast to be better weather, higher rainfall, and a greater supply of irrigation water. In addition, government support for rice growers, in particular income guarantees that are expected to be ongoing, will encourage farmers to expand the area under cultivation and/or the number of plantings.

Rubber is another important crop of the economy of Thailand. Found that there are farmers as well as those who do business related to rubber

The Thai electronics industry is forecast to return to healthy rates of growth over the three years from 2021 to 2023 thanks to a number of different developments on the technology front. In particular, demand for electronics parts will be boosted by the development and rollout of 5G technology and the need for equipment that supports this, and by the increasing market penetration of smart cars, which will in turn encourage a greater uptake of hyperconnected internet of things (IoT) applications. These changes to the commercial landscape will then drive stronger demand for integrated circuits (ICs) and hard disk drives (HDDs), especially for the large-capacity HDDs that are used in data center and cloud computing applications, where demand for big data applications is growing rapidly. In terms of consumer demand, the COVID-19 pandemic has also helped to precipitate a sudden explosion in working from home and distance learning that has then translated into stronger sales of PCs, notebooks, tablets and smartphones. Meanwhile, the shortage of ICs that was weighing on the industry (especially for use in auto assembly) should begin to dissipate in 2Q21, because production capacity has now risen on greater investment expansions from technology-leaders.

1/ The Thai rubber industry consists of 1) the Upstream rubber industry, which refers to rubber farmers who cultivate natural rubber (NR), tap fresh latex, and in some cases, perform primary processing into dry rubber forms (such as cup lump, rubber scrap, unsmoked rubber sheet, and crepe rubber), where almost all of Thailand's upstream rubber output is used as raw material for the domestic intermediate rubber industry; 2) the Intermediate rubber industry, or processed rubber industry, which involves taking upstream rubber products from farmers and processing them into intermediate rubber products, such as ribbed smoked sheets (RSS), technically specified rubber (TSR), concentrated latex, compound rubber, and mixtures with characteristics and properties suitable as raw materials for downstream rubber product manufacturing; and 3) the Downstream rubber industry, or rubber product industry, such as tires, rubber gloves, condoms, and elastic thread, in which certain types of downstream rubber production may utilize synthetic rubber (SR), a petrochemical product, as a co-raw material to achieve properties appropriate for manufacturing each specific type of downstream rubber product. 2/ This comprises rubber sheets, technically specified rubber (TSR), concentrated latex, compound rubber, and mixtures, as assessed by the export value of natural rubber and the value of natural rubber consumed domestically. 3/ Calculated based on dry rubber content (DRC) only, excluding water and other chemical mixtures. 4/ Other products cover industrial rubber products, machine parts, and general consumer goods, which are categories characterized by high demand elasticity. When the global economy slows down, the manufacturing sector and purchasing power within the luxury and non-essential goods segments are the first to experience a decline. 5/ Elastic thread is primarily utilized within the apparel and textile industries. 6/ The rubber product weight measured at customs checkpoints, when calculated specifically for dry rubber content (DRC), totals 3.3 million tonnes. This is based on an average DRC for concentrated latex of 60.0%, while the average DRC for compound rubber and mixed rubber ranges between 80.0-95.0%. 7/The export of HS Codes 4001 and 4002 via the Mekong River route decreased from 20.0% to 0.0%, which enhanced Thailand's competitiveness to a level comparable with the CLMV group. 8/The HS Codes consist of 4001, 4005, and 400280. 9/Assuming no permanent felling of rubber trees and a lack of cooperation in supply reduction among major Asian rubber-producing nations. 10/ According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the most recent El Niño occurred during 2023-2024, resulting in a relatively high probability of La Niña during 2025-2026. Krungsri Research expects this condition to persist for 1-2 years, after which weather conditions are likely to return to neutral, with a projected transition back to El Niño in 2027-2028. 11/ This is a result of government schemes that ran over 2003-2013 that had the goal of expanding the total area of rubber plantations by 1 million rai. 12/ Generally, rubber trees begin to provide high and consistent latex yields when they reach 10-20 years of age. 13/ Having first emerged in Thailand in 2019 and persisting through 2023, outbreaks of rubber leaf fall disease involve both existing and emerging strains and can be found across all cultivated rubber varieties. The disease is difficult to control and eradicate, with current strains identified as either Pestalotiopsis sp. or Colletotrichum sp. fungi. Transmission occurs via wind and rain, as well as through the movement of saplings or planting materials from infected plots. This results in stunted tree growth and leads to a significant reduction in production volume of approximately 30.0-50.0%. 14/ Thailand is currently categorized within the low-risk group of countries. Regarding enforcement, the implementation date has been rescheduled to December 30, 2026, while for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), enforcement is expected to commence around June 2027. 15/ The European Union Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) will begin enforcement for large companies (with more than 5,000 employees and global revenue exceeding EUR 1,500mn) starting July 26, 2027, with full implementation expected by July 26, 2029. 16/ Adaptation guidelines following ESG and SDG trends in the Thai rubber industry include the Environmental pillar, where operators focus on eco-friendly production by utilizing energy and water efficiently, maintaining standard wastewater treatment and odor filtration systems, and implementing waste segregation across the entire supply chain while restoring nature through reforestation and green space creation. Regarding the Social pillar, operators enhance quality of life and safety standards by complying with occupational health laws, emphasizing community engagement through local employment, supporting education, and providing disaster relief assistance. For the Governance pillar, operators establish policies rooted in procurement transparency and information disclosure, ensuring equal treatment of labor, fostering strong customer relationships, and instituting anti-corruption regulations in all forms within the organization. 17/ The rising prices of chemicals used in processing raw rubber and smoked rubber sheets have impacted farmers' costs, leading some to reduce fertilizer application for rubber trees. Consequently, the dry rubber content (DRC) of fresh latex has declined from 30-35% and may drop to 25-29%.

In 2020-2022, the chemical fertilizer industry is expected to grow gradually. Which was driven by the expansion of cultivated areas of some major economic crops

The global agricultural sector is facing challenges from a growing population, trade wars, climate change, and outbreaks of plant and animal diseases, which are leading to food insecurity and economic inequality.

The market for agricultural machinery contracted in 2023 on a combination of the onset of El Niño and the resulting drop in farm yields, and high levels of household debt. However, conditions should improve over 2024 to 2026, and the market is expected to swing back to average annual growth of 3.0-4.0%

The announcement of a framework for a trade agreement between Thailand and the U.S. on October 26 might be considered “good news” by many parties.

Krungsri Research sees the fertilizer industry facing moderate growth over the period 2023 to 2025. Fertilizer prices will tend to drift downwards, though more expensive energy will keep the cost of imported materials elevated, and this will maintain domestic prices above their pre-Covid level. At the same time, domestic demand for fertilizer should grow at an average annual rate of 2.0-3.0%