Showing 1 - 10 of 15
In an uncertain world, gold is a comfort
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 05/02/2026
» With Thai citizens heading to the polls this Sunday to decide which party will form the next government, I have decided to postpone my article on the economic crisis for another two weeks.
Is a return to gold standard possible?
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 11/12/2025
» We are now in the middle of the holiday season. Therefore, I will refrain from writing about heavy and depressing issues like the Thai economy and the outlook for 2026 and beyond. In this moment of joy, I will write about the possibility of returning to the gold standard, which some supporters say can be seen in central banks aggressively buying gold bullion to replace the dubious US dollar. The last article of the year will be about the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).
Key to success: Give what Trump wants
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 10/04/2025
» This article is for all nations wanting US President Donald Trump to lower or eliminate reciprocal tariffs, not just Thailand. I feel that the issue is of immediate urgency, and I am writing this article as a special edition.
GDP figures don't reflect real situation
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 26/12/2024
» This article is the last for 2024. I have made many bad predictions about the Thai economy throughout the year. Many became true, like the contracting credit market, the NPL explosion, and an ineffective cash handout programme. Many have not become true (or have they?). One was GDP growth. Instead of shrinking as I predicted, GDP growth rates improved from quarter to quarter. They were 1.6% for Q1, 2.2% for Q2, and 3.0% for Q3. And it is expected to be 3.5% for Q4 to fulfil the annual 2.6% growth projection.
BoT ought to revise exchange rate policy
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 26/09/2024
» This is not the usual time slot for my article. My articles are usually published every other Thursday. The next one was for Oct 3. However, I feel that the "too strong" Thai baht requires immediate attention.
2024 GDP forecast is wishful thinking
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 14/12/2023
» If one thinks 2023 was a not-so-good year for the Thai economy because GDP growth is likely below 2%, 2024 could be worse owing to three major economic risks: liquidity inadequacy, high gasoline price, and high electricity cost.
BoT can't afford to hold interest rates
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 14/07/2022
» Like all countries in the world, the Bank of Thailand (and Monetary Policy Committee, or MPC) believes they can run monetary policy independently based on local economic conditions.
Oil price volatility demands tax rethink
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 24/03/2022
» We are living in a time of unprecedented oil price volatility. On Feb 8, the world oil price (WTI Crude) was a little less than US$90 (3,030 baht) per barrel (dpb), but a month later the price jumped violently to 124 dpb.
Weighing the value of cryptocurrencies
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 16/12/2021
» I am sure that almost everybody has heard about cryptocurrencies. Some might even be investing in them. But few understand what are they really for and, most importantly, how should they be valued? As of Dec 15, one Bitcoin had a market price of US$48,144 (slightly over 1.6 million baht per coin).
A Wuhan lockdown will not work here
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 22/07/2021
» Originally, I planned to write an article titled "Will it be a soft landing or hard landing?" which would have been about the future of the world's financial markets and the economy.