Showing 1 - 10 of 33
2026 will be a year of debt struggles
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 08/01/2026
» Forget GDP growth. Forget tourist arrivals. Forget export figures. In 2026, Thailand's overriding economic challenge will not be growth but debt repayment.
VAT hikes alone won't narrow deficit
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 27/11/2025
» This article is not meant to attack Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas’s Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF) for the fiscal years from 2026 to 2030. It is meant to emphasise the fragility of a Thai fiscal position that requires multiple revenue enhancement measures.
The baht is almost as good as gold
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 18/09/2025
» The baht is undoubtedly the strongest currency in the region. Over this year, the baht has appreciated 4.45% against the dollar while the Vietnamese dong has depreciated 8.47%.
Thailand's financial system on the brink
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 20/02/2025
» The issue of a financial crisis hitting Thailand is of grave importance. If it happens, it will push the Thai economy back by five years, triggering indescribable pain and suffering.
Digital wallet scheme hits another snag
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 13/06/2024
» The new financing problem of the 10,000-baht cash handout, commonly known as the Digital Wallet Scheme (DW), has not made much noise in the media. This may be because the government wants this to be a non-issue, but in reality, it is a serious one that could wreck the entire scheme.
Stark reality behind economic figures
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 16/05/2024
» At the time of writing this, the official Q1 GDP has not been announced by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). I expect the growth figure will be around 1.2%. My own estimation, using the Output Approach and actual sectoral production index, gives a growth figure of 0.98%. Detailed data are in the below table.
Why the economy is heading for a crisis
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 02/05/2024
» I wish I were this good when it comes to picking winning lottery ticket. Just a few days ago, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) lowered its 2024 GDP growth projection from 2.8% to 2.4%, citing blah, blah, blah.
Handout difficult without BoT's help
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 18/04/2024
» The purpose of this article is to educate the public about the real issue of the digital wallet scheme. The issue is not "HOW to get the 500 billion baht?" but "Is there 500 billion baht AVAILABLE to be borrowed?"
Soft or hard landing for Thai economy?
News, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 08/02/2024
» Personally, I am sure the Thai economy will crash this year. I can even estimate the time when the crash will start. It is likely to be the month of May as several big economic bombs will explode that month. Confirmation of this belief came in December 2023's economic data. The most disturbing part is industry's capacity utilisation rate of 56.2% (seasonally adjusted), which is the second lowest in the world. The world's lowest is Nigeria!
Better options to govt's cash handout
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 19/10/2023
» The 10,000-baht cash handout scheme has been under heavy criticism. More than 100 economists, led by two ex-Bank of Thailand governors, oppose the scheme that would bring more harm than good.