Showing 1 - 7 of 7
We don't need 'Seven Dangerous Days'
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 27/02/2026
» Every Thai driver recognises the moment. The light turns green. Naturally, you can move; yet in Thai-style traffic, your instincts tell you to be hesitant. Despite the traffic light, a reckless motorcycle may still cross. A pickup may not stop. Drivers behind start honking as they wait to pass through the intersection. For a brief second, drivers just cannot afford to be certain about how others will behave.
From FDI to homegrown growth
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 11/09/2025
» For decades, Thailand has leaned heavily on foreign direct investment (FDI) as the engine of growth. That strategy once delivered jobs and exports, but today it yields diminishing returns. Inflows are volatile, competitiveness is slipping, and dependence on external capital leaves the economy vulnerable to global shocks. Thailand must change course.
Thailand must redefine FDI for future
News, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 14/08/2025
» Thailand's economic future looks increasingly uncertain. Once a rising star among emerging markets, the country now faces persistent stagnation. A key reason lies in how we have treated foreign direct investment (FDI) -- not as a strategic lever for national economic development but as a short-term fix driven by rent-seeking behaviour, bureaucratic collusion, and a failure to safeguard the nation's long-term economic interests and its goals for equitable development.
Thailand still has chance to shine
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 31/07/2025
» Thailand's economy is losing momentum. Growth rates have steadily declined, from 7.2% in 2012 to just 1.9% in 2023. Without a new vision for development, the country faces the real possibility of becoming stuck in permanent stagnation. The absence of bold leadership and structural reform has left Thailand vulnerable, while its regional peers -- Singapore, China, and South Korea -- surge ahead. These countries have demonstrated that visionary and compassionate leadership, combined with political reform and good governance, can transform the economic fortunes of an entire nation.
Time to rethink Thailand's soft power
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 09/04/2025
» For years, Thailand has marketed itself to the world through golden temples, glittering beaches, street food, and warm hospitality. The "Land of Smiles" has become a global brand, but soft power is not a marketing campaign -- it's a long game of developing and nourishing values, trust, and strategic diplomacy. In that game, Thailand is falling behind.
Harnessing Thailand's human capital
News, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 28/06/2024
» Thailand is currently on a distressing trajectory towards depopulation, with the number of deaths each year surpassing the number of births. The latest available data from the Department of Provincial Administration paints a grim picture, showing over 48,000 more deaths than births last year. This number is set to escalate as the number of births continues to plummet and death rates surge. Should the current trend persist, by 2083, Thailand's population is projected to shrink by half to 33 million. The leading cause of this demographic dynamic is the decline in fertility rates among Thai women. These declining fertility rates have severe repercussions and thus warrant the attention and actions of national leaders.
Thailand's development model splutters
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 16/03/2023
» Location-based economic development (LED) strategies, defined as government efforts to improve a particular area's economic and social conditions, were implemented in economically advanced countries long before they were in Thailand.