Showing 1 - 10 of 23
Some shock therapy or slow healing?
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 02/04/2026
» Do readers prefer shock therapy or slow healing? This is not a health question, but an important economic one.
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.
Data paints economy as 'black hole'
News, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 12/12/2024
» I am known for being pessimistic about the Thai economy. Apart from encouraging official economic growth figures of 1.6% in Q1, 2.2% in Q2, and 3.0% in Q3, I do not think anyone can be optimistic about the economy. It is obvious that GDP data and the actual economic situation do not go hand in hand. It is beyond my comprehension that the non-performing loan (NPL) level rose 14.1% in Q3 while the economy expanded 3.0%. Shouldn't it be the opposite when debtor's income rises?
BoT, govt may have wrong inflation data
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 17/10/2024
» At the time of writing (Tuesday), the Bank of Thailand's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had not met to decide on the policy interest rate which is currently set at 2.50%. The panel was scheduled to meet yesterday and the committee was under pressure to lower the rate by 25 basis points. The pressure arises from many months of low inflation rates and the recent strong Thai baht. Several central banks in the region have cut their policy interest rates for those two reasons. The latest one is the Bank of Korea.
Zombie banking deepens economic woes
News, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 19/09/2024
» This is the second of three articles, following the earlier article "Problems with Dr Thaksin's Visions". The series will end with an article titled "Call for a paradigm shift".
Thaksin's 'vision' might be outdated
News, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 05/09/2024
» This article is not meant to diminish the brilliance of the spiritual leader of the Pheu Thai Party, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. It is to demonstrate that, despite his immense knowledge and vast experience, Thailand's current economic problems are caused by structural deficiencies and cannot be resolved by traditional stimulus measures. One needs a good understanding of economic principles to approach the problems correctly.
Q2 GDP growth may be misleading
News, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 22/08/2024
» I eagerly awaited the release of the Q2/2024 GDP growth figure which became available on Monday. The 2.3% growth figure, presented by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), did not surprise me. A friend had warned me that the quarterly growth could be as high as 2.5%, even though my estimation for the quarter was only 1.0%.
Digital wallet tokens could hit scheme
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 08/08/2024
» I bet the government never thought of this when they thought of the Digital Wallet scheme. It probably does not make sense to it that there could be millions of people shunning pseudo money, namely Digital Wallet Tokens (DWTs). Perhaps, in the government's mind, a DWT is almost on a par with genuine money -- fiat money.
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.
A new middle class and core industries
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 04/05/2023
» This article, after a few interruptions, is Part 3 of "Changing Thailand: The Series." It began with a prologue that presented an overview, emphasising that Thailand has been lagging behind its neighbours in terms of per-capita income growth.