Media OutReach
NIA Highlights Key Innovation Trends for 2026, Spotlighting Innovation Policies Driving Thailand’s Economy and Society
Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of NIA, said that rapid advances in artificial intelligence, escalating geopolitical tensions across multiple regions, trade decoupling and reciprocal tariff measures that create uncertainty in the global economy and value chains, as well as environmental issues and natural disasters, were major forces shaping change in 2025. ‘Innovation’ remains a critical tool for coping with these disruptions and uncertainties.
Looking ahead to 2026, Thai entrepreneurs will need to continue closely monitoring and adapting to change. Key innovation trends present both opportunities and challenges, starting with technology trends that help reduce costs and build long-term competitiveness. Notable technologies include Agentic AI, which can autonomously perform tasks such as customer chat responses, sales closure, order management, queue booking, price comparison, and automated purchasing; Hyper-Automation, which integrates bots and systems to reduce repetitive tasks, improve efficiency and accuracy, and enable real-time data-driven decision-making; and Carbon Accounting, which is becoming essential for SMEs involved in exports or global supply chains. Businesses are increasingly required to measure carbon footprints across energy use, production, logistics, and waste, in response to stricter global regulations such as the EU’s CBAM and Thailand’s forthcoming Climate Change Act.
Business trends highlight growth opportunities across several sectors. These include Health and Wellness, covering not only treatment but also prevention and therapy, particularly for working-age populations facing stress, office syndrome, and sleep disorders. Opportunities span physical therapy clinics, aromatherapy and sleep-aid products, herbal supplements, wellness tourism, yoga, and meditation. Another fast-growing area is the Pet Economy, as the Thai pet market continues to expand despite economic headwinds. This sector now includes holistic and organic pet food, fresh pet meals, fashion apparel, multifunctional pet furniture, and premium services such as pet spas, hotels, and condominiums. Additionally, Green and Circular Businesses are gaining traction, with upcycling and recycling ventures transforming waste and local materials into higher-value products. Although costs may be higher, sustainability-driven products can command premium prices, creating opportunities for community-based SMEs through innovative design aligned with environmental and fashion trends.
Consumer trends reveal a shift toward value-for-money and self-care. Hyper-Personalization is increasingly important, as consumers seek products tailored to individual needs, supported by advanced data analytics—such as supplements based on blood test results or skincare customized to personal skin conditions. Silver Solutions address the needs of Thailand’s aging society, with services focused on convenience, safety, and quality of life, including home modifications, slow-life travel programs, and assisted healthcare services. Meanwhile, Muketing or the Magic Economy reflects the enduring role of belief, spirituality, and cultural traditions in Thai society, creating economic value through religious tourism, spiritually inspired products, and design-driven items that blend art with faith.
Dr. Krithpaka added that NIA’s long-term mission is to transform Thailand into an innovation-driven economy, with startups and innovation-based entrepreneurs at its core. This requires the creation of new industries to drive growth and position Thailand as an “Innovation Nation” through three key objectives: developing innovations based on advanced and deep technologies that are difficult to replicate; creating high-value products and services rooted in creativity and cultural capital; and preparing a highly skilled workforce capable of keeping pace with rapid technological change and evolving demographic and labor market structures. NIA works closely with domestic and international partners in its role as a Focal Conductor of Innovation, supporting innovative businesses through the 4G framework: Groom (incubation and capability building), Grant (funding support), Growth (market expansion and access to capital), and Global (international market entry). In 2026, NIA will drive Thailand’s economy and society through four key innovation policy pillars.
The first focuses on promoting investment in innovative businesses, offering a range of financial mechanisms including grants for early-stage ventures and co-investment schemes for growth-stage firms, such as corporate co-funding, public venture mechanisms (NIA Venture), global investment link programs, and capital gains tax exemptions to support startup fundraising. The second pillar emphasizes innovation linkages, strengthening collaboration between academia and industry to translate research into real-world applications through acceleration programs, innovation hubs, ecosystem platforms, tax incentives, and future mechanisms such as intellectual property financing. The third pillar supports regional innovation development, enhancing local economies and quality of life through Social Innovation Driving units (SID), Open Innovation programs, City and Community Challenge, Social Innovation Villages, and Ninmungkornth The Reality, which inspires new or small entrepreneurs to become local economic champions. The final pillar aims to enhance national innovation competencies, cultivating innovation mindsets, technological and business skills, entrepreneurial thinking, and global readiness across youth, startups, SMEs, and organizations. Key initiatives include STEAM4INNOVATOR, Startup Thailand League, NIA Academy training programs, and productivity-focused projects such as INNOProductivity for SMEs, aligned with international innovation management standards like ISO 56001.
Through these integrated efforts, NIA seeks to strengthen Thailand’s innovation ecosystem and ensure that innovative businesses can grow resiliently and compete on the global stage.
Hashtag: #NIA #NationalInnovationAgency
https://www.nia.or.th/The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
VinFast’s electric SUV is earning loyalty from Vietnam to the Middle East by fitting seamlessly into real lives, long drives, and daily routines.
HAI PHONG, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 January 2026 – VinFast’s VF 8 is traveling well, winning over drivers across markets with everyday performance, thoughtful design, and uncommon peace of mind.
A VF 8 owner belong to a relatively exclusive, self-selecting club that its maker VinFast have built across the globe. It is the kind of club formed less by marketing than by shared curiosity and a willingness to move early. Owners tend to recognize one another not by badges or decals, but by the confidence that comes from having made a deliberate choice.
The VF 8 holds a special place for VinFast. It was the brand’s first fully international offering, the vehicle tasked with introducing a young Vietnamese automaker to demanding markets abroad. As a result, the car was designed to travel well. Styled in collaboration with Pininfarina, the VF 8 favors clean proportions over visual noise. Beneath the surface, its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system and 402 horsepower provide performance that feels reassuring.
In Vietnam, the VF 8 has appealed to high-mileage drivers like Nguyen Phuong Hoang Dung, a Ho Chi Minh City-based construction project manager who covers about 5,000 kilometers a month. “When you drive that much, comfort and stability directly affect your health, your mindset, and how well you work,” he said. Having spent years with gasoline cars, he switched to the VF 8 in August 2025, drawn by its smooth throttle response and calm, seamless acceleration. Now, with more than 20,000 kilometers behind him, he said, “The more I drive it, the more confident I am that choosing the VF 8 was the right decision.”
As the VF 8 expanded into North America and Europe, it increasingly settled into a simpler role: a dependable everyday vehicle. Robert, who has driven his for more than a year and a half, said it has been “a great vehicle,” adding that “you will not find another this size in the price range they offered it.” For Jonathan, the VF 8 fits neatly into daily routines. “For us it’s a city vehicle with short rides every day, and it answers our needs,” he said. “Very comfortable, impressive performance, good in snow, and strong overall.”
In the Middle East, the VF 8’s appeal sharpens as VinFast pairs the car with ownership benefits that are rare in the segment, including complimentary maintenance coverage for five years or 100,000 kilometers. These are not small details in markets where peace of mind often matters as much as design. “The maintenance package made the decision easy,” said an owner in Dubai. “You know exactly where you stand.”
The idea of a VF 8 community is beginning to take shape. Across markets, it connects drivers in Vietnam, Europe, North America, and the Middle East through a shared understanding of what modern electric ownership can be. Thoughtful design. Capable performance. A clear push toward sustainability without asking drivers to compromise their routines.
For those inside the club, the VF 8 is not simply a statement car. No, something even better. A car that makes sense, day after day, in very different parts of the world.
Hashtag: #VF8 #VinFast
https://me.vinfast.com/enThe issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Media OutReach
ONYX Hospitality Group Partners with Yee Fung Group to Launch “Y Hotel Nanshan Shenzhen”, Expanding its Portfolio in China
ONYX Hospitality Group oversees renowned brands including Amari, OZO, Shama, and Oriental Residence across key destinations in the Asia–Pacific region. This agreement marks another significant milestone in strengthening ONYX’s presence in the Chinese market. Scheduled to open in Q4 2026, the hotel supports ONYX’s long-term growth strategy as it works toward its target of managing more than 75 properties by 2030.
Mr Yuthachai Charanachitta, Chief Executive Officer of ONYX Hospitality Group, commented: “This collaboration reflects the strong confidence Yee Fung Group has in ONYX, following our successful partnership in managing Y Hotel Hong Kong. It represents a significant step forward in building on that success and further expanding ONYX’s presence in the Greater China market. At the same time, this partnership reinforces ONYX’s position as a distinctive ‘Regional Player’, well-positioned for stable and sustainable growth across the region.”
Y Hotel Nanshan Shenzhen featuring 82 thoughtfully designed guest rooms and suites, located within YEE FUNG PLACE on a strategically significant site surrounded by key national infrastructure. The area is supported by five major national sea and land ports, including Shekou, Chiwan and Mawan, servicing more than 150 shipping routes. It is also situated at the heart of one of China’s leading innovation and industrial hubs, home to sectors such as integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, biomedicine and the marine economy, alongside more than 50 specialised industrial parks.
Y Hotel Nanshan Shenzhen is ideally suited for leisure travellers, offering convenient accessibility just 35 minutes from Shenzhen Baoan International Airport and 31 minutes from Shenzhen North Railway Station, and only 650 metres from Lilin Subway Station. The surrounding area features vibrant food markets and nightlife destinations such as Nanyi Fang, Shekou Sea World, Green World and Houhai, as well as cultural and recreational attractions including Shenzhen Poly Theatre, Shenzhen Talent Park, Nanshan Museum, Nanshan Park and Shenzhen Bay Park. Guests will also find leading shopping centres nearby, including Walmart, Xinhe Shopping Plaza, Garden City, Haiya Mega Mall, Coastal City and Shenzhen Bay MixC.
Furthermore, the hotel is located close to the headquarters of major national technology companies such as ZTE, Tencent, Huawei, Alibaba, Han’s Laser and Mindray, as well as Shenzhen University, positioning it as both a relaxing retreat and a strategic hub for business travellers seeking comfort alongside a distinctive lifestyle experience.Hashtag: #ONYXHospitalityGroup #YeeFungGroup #YHotel #HospitalityManagement #HotelManagement #LifestyleHotel
https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyx-hospitality-group/
https://www.facebook.com/ONYXHospitalityGroup
https://www.instagram.com/onyxhospitalitygroup/
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About ONYX Hospitality Group:
ONYX Hospitality Group, a reputable force in Southeast Asia’s hospitality industry, operates a collection of comprehensive yet complementary brands – Amari, OZO, Shama and Oriental Residence – catering to the distinctive needs of discerning business and leisure travellers in Southeast Asia where their expertise lies. In addition to its brand portfolio, ONYX Hospitality Group also operates additional hospitality services across spa and food and beverage. With over five decades of management experience, the company extends its innovative solutions throughout the region, upholding internationally recognised standards and ensuring optimal operational manoeuvrability. By fostering enduring relationships with like-minded business partners, ONYX Hospitality Group delivers unparalleled experiences in a dynamic and competitive market, meeting the ever-evolving demands of travellers.
More information: 
www.onyx-hospitality.com
More Compact Size, Greater Power Output
The AFERIY Nomad1800 keeps the same battery capacity while boosting power output by 50% through system and structural optimization. Weighing 11.6 kg, it is about 10% lighter than the previous model.
Despite its lighter design, it delivers 1800 W rated AC output (peak 3600 W), powering appliances like rice cookers, kettles, car refrigerators, and induction cooktops for camping, RVs, and home emergencies.
Fast Charging: 0–80% in 36 Minutes
The Nomad1800 adopts a hybrid fast-charging solution supporting both AC grid power and solar input. It can charge from 0% to 80% in just 36 minutes, significantly reducing charging time. This fast-charging capability allows the Nomad1800 to adapt to short stops, travel intervals, and unexpected power outages, providing users with efficient and predictable energy support.
Safe and Durable LiFePO₄ Battery
The Nomad1800 is equipped with a 1024 Wh lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) battery supplied by EVE Energy. After more than 4,000 charge and discharge cycles, the battery retains up to 80% of its capacity.
An intelligent BMS monitors voltage, current, and temperature to ensure safe, stable operation even under high load or fast charging.
Industry-Leading Seven-Year Warranty
AFERIY offers the Nomad1800 an industry-leading seven-year warranty on core components and systems, reflecting confidence in its quality, safety, and durability.
Comprehensive Power and Safety Protection
The Nomad1800 features multiple output ports, enabling simultaneous power supply to multiple devices. It also supports UPS functionality, switching within 10 milliseconds during grid power interruptions to protect sensitive equipment such as computers and routers.
Under low-load operation, noise levels remain below 30 dB. In addition, the unit includes built-in LED lighting and an SOS flashing mode to enhance safety during nighttime and emergency use.
For more information, please visit the official AFERIY website or AFERIY on Amazon.
Hashtag: #AFERIY
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About AFERIY
AFERIY is a global brand focused on portable energy storage and clean energy solutions, committed to providing efficient, safe, and reliable power for outdoor activities, home emergency use, and professional applications.
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