Showing 1 - 10 of 13
Grasping the VAT nettle
Oped, Editorial, Published on 24/11/2025
» The proposal to raise value-added tax from 7% to 8.5% in 2028, and to 10% in 2030, by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas is a display of political courage rarely seen in a political landscape where politicians are quick to spend money in the name of "economic stimulus" but stay mum when asked how to finance the schemes.
Rethink tax policy
Postbag, Published on 22/11/2025
» Re: "Minister vows VAT increases", (BP, Nov 21).
US fiscal state is everyone's issue
Oped, Paola Subacchi, Published on 28/05/2025
» As Donald Trump's "big, beautiful" tax bill heads to the US Senate, investors everywhere are growing increasingly uneasy. On May 16, the credit-rating agency Moody's downgraded US sovereign debt from its long-held triple-A status to Aa1 -- following similar decisions by Standard & Poor's (in 2011) and Fitch Ratings (2023). Given the sheer volume of US debt -- which now stands at $36 trillion, or 124% of GDP -- and rising interest costs, these institutions have concluded that US debt metrics are no longer in line with those of similarly rated sovereigns.
Untangling bond market credit ratings
Oped, Pichamon Keakij and Dollada Kasarn, Published on 07/05/2025
» The Thai bond market now averages 65 billion baht in daily transactions -- a remarkable increase from just 1 million baht in 1994.
LA fires reveal limits of California's utility fund
News, Mark Chediak & Eliyahu Kamisher, Published on 21/01/2025
» Financial losses from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires are mounting after the blazes incinerated entire neighbourhoods and destroyed thousands of homes. And now, investors are growing increasingly concerned that a US$21 billion (720 billion baht) state fund crafted to backstop utilities will fall far short of what's needed if companies are found liable.
After another boom and bust, where to for lithium?
Andy Home, Published on 13/07/2024
» Lithium boom has turned to lithium bust over the last two years as a wave of new supply overwhelms weaker-than-expected demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
Macron gambles on investor faith
News, Marcus Ashworth, Published on 12/06/2024
» French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a serious gamble in calling early parliamentary elections. The consequences of putting politics above economic stability could be profound. Financial markets don't like unnecessary or unexpected political volatility, especially at the core of the European Union. The electorate only gets to vote at elections; financial markets get to vote every day, and so far, they're giving a thumbs down to Mr Macron's ploy.
A tale of nickel and copper
News, David Fickling, Published on 23/02/2024
» The world's biggest miner, BHP Group Ltd, grew powerful by building dominant positions in producing the minerals of the future. That makes the challenges it's facing with two key clean-tech ingredients a sobering lesson for the energy transition.
Credit ratings and climate chaos
Oped, Emily Wilkinson & Kanni Wignaraja, Published on 13/12/2023
» The sun-drenched coral islands and reefs of the Maldives are in existential danger. With 80% of the country's population living just one metre above sea level, many islands could become uninhabitable as climate change causes the ocean's level to rise. By the end of this century, half a million people could be displaced. The Maldives is confronting this threat with a range of innovative adaptation initiatives, from restoring coral reefs to floating solar-power systems. But survival does not come cheap.
Thailand's murky jab considerations
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 08/01/2021
» Thailand is off to an unpromising start in 2021. As the global coronavirus pandemic rolls into its second year, much of the country is gripped by a new wave of Covid-19 infections after nearly nine months of minimal cases. As case numbers have more than doubled in recent days, the fresh wave has revealed the gross incompetence and corruption among Thai authorities. More alarmingly, while other countries are seeing light at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel with expanding vaccination, Thai people's vaccine accessibility and affordability appear murky.