Showing 1 - 10 of 30
Mid-year economic outlook: Growing with a bubble?
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 30/06/2017
» For the first time in several years, the World Bank has not adjusted its global growth forecast downward, even though there are signs of new risks. It foresees the world economy recording solid growth of 2.7% this year, improving to 2.9% in 2018 and 2019 -- thanks to the improving performance of large emerging economies such as China, India and Russia and a recovery in world trade after two bad years.
Investment: A great rotation and a market bull run?
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 24/02/2017
» I started investing in the stock market a long time ago and I have been through many ups and downs of stock market cycles. Given the experience, I am generally quite resilient when it comes to stock market crashes. In the nearly 10 years since the subprime crisis in 2008, the Thai stock market has performed very well. In fact, if you had been investing in Thai equities since then, you would have received a total return including dividends much higher than if you had invested in any other neighbouring countries. Over the past year alone, the SET index has gone up 22.6%.
Global economic outlook: Cautious optimism for new year
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 30/12/2016
» December has come once more. To me this is the time to assess how we did the previous year and to think about what might lie ahead. I think we all agree that this has been a year of Black Swan events -- extremely surprising developments that have major consequences.
Immigration and economic development
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 03/10/2016
» I happened to be at an Apple store in the US when the iPhone 7 was launched. The store was certainly one of the busiest in town that day. I was there for an iPad, which was lucky because almost immediately after the new iPhones went on sale, they sold out.
The gig economy and the future of work
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 29/07/2016
» For the past several years, I've spent a lot of time thinking about why we have to work the way we do. Why do we need to be in the same place from 9-5 for five days a week to do our jobs, when we could be anywhere in the world and still deliver exactly the same output? Why shouldn't we take on inspiring new projects whenever we want and work the hours that suit us?
An older, smaller world
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 25/03/2016
» My grandmother just celebrated her 94th birthday this month. She is one of the lucky 0.2% of people aged over 90 in the world. Despite the more frequent economic and social crises that we face these days, we are actually living longer and healthier lives. The global median age has increased from 23.5 years in 1950 to 29.6 today and is projected to increase to 36.1 by 2050. This is also associated with a significant gain in global life expectancy -- from 47 years in the early 1950s to 70.5 today.
Negative interest rates: another new normal?
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 26/02/2016
» I went to the bank the other day and found one of the accounts I had put aside for many years had hardly increased in value. I never used to think much about my savings in the bank, as I always assumed that over time, money would work for you.
Goodbye 2015: A farewell to easy money
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 25/12/2015
» This Christmas marks the beginning of the end to an unprecedented era of easy money, a period in which businesses, investors and consumers had access to credit at cheaper prices. The US Federal Reserve last week voted unanimously to raise key interest rate by a quarter-percentage point after keeping rates near zero since the subprime crisis. The last increase was almost a decade ago in June 2006 -- a year before the first iPhone was released.
Japanese tourism as a new growth driver
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 27/11/2015
» It's been more than 20 years since I last went to Japan. I had been meaning to return several times, especially after the Japanese government waived the visa requirement for Thai tourists, but somehow I never managed to go.
Time to tap the power of microfinance for SMEs
Business, Tientip Subhanij, Published on 30/10/2015
» At a time of slow economic growth, it is welcome news that the government has recognised small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development as an important economic policy priority. It has rightly pointed out that Thailand needs more new businesses to jump-start economic activity and move the economy forward.