• OPINION

  Downsides to digital cash handout plan

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 21/09/2023

  » I announced in a previous article that today's story would focus on liquidity and debt. But after careful consideration, I have decided to postpone this for another fortnight. The main reason being that I want to wait for the Bank of Thailand's economic data release for August due out on Sept 29.

• OPINION

  Whoever takes office will inherit a mess

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 15/06/2023

  » The election result is clear and the MOU to form a 312-seat government in the 500-seat parliament is agreed. But who will lead Thailand and its economy for the next four years is unclear. Whether it will be a pro-equality government, pro-growth government, or even a pro-big-spending government remains in doubt.

• OPINION

  World faces prospect of financial tumult

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 23/03/2023

  » Today, I was supposed to present the third article, Managing Household Debt, in the series "Changing Thailand". In fact, I have finished drafting a payment reduction model which could reduce monthly debt payments by 4.6 times without the hair-cutting debt principal or requiring government financial support. But I will delay that article for now.

• OPINION

  Thai economic prospects far from rosy

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 09/02/2023

  » Logically, one would imagine that 2023 would be a much better year than 2022. Covid is over in every corner of the earth and economic activities resume. The world oil price is below US$80 (2,677 baht) per barrel and inflation is coming down. At the first meeting of 2023, the Fed raises interest rates to merely 25 basis points as opposed to the 50-75 basis points for each meeting in 2022.

• OPINION

  Putting a dampener on Thai recovery

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 26/01/2023

  » After three years in which the economy suffered from Covid effects, I am sorry to say that 2023 will not be the year of economic recovery as everyone had hoped. The global economy will still be plagued by inflation threats and several adverse factors such as excessive debt and the Russia-Ukraine war. These negative factors prompted the World Bank to revise its global economic growth prospects downward from 3.0% to 1.7% for 2023. The key point is a marked slowdown from 2.9% growth in 2022.

• OPINION

  Economic risks to watch out for in 2023

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 29/12/2022

  » The world will end 2022 with big celebrations. Yet not because of robust economic growth, as growth this year is projected to be only 3.2% -- following the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) recent projections -- compared to 6.0% growth in 2021.

• OPINION

  How are Thais spending so much now?

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 01/12/2022

  » Third-quarter GDP growth for 2022 (Q3/2022) is 4.5% -- substantially higher than the expected 4%. The main driving factor is robust private consumption -- not tourism income -- which expanded 9% in real terms and 15.7% in nominal terms, compared to the same quarter last year. On the surface, this high growth phenomenon may look normal as most Asean countries have enjoyed similar benefits of low Covid infections and pent-up demand. For instance, Malaysia's private consumption also expanded 15.7% in the same third quarter.

• OPINION

  World economy downhill from here

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 17/11/2022

  » When I planned for this week's article, I wanted to write about the illusions of today's economic picture such as the robust GDP growth in emerging economies, declining inflation rates, booming travel business, strengthening of the Thai baht, and so on. But even with the economic data and theories to back up my claims, who would believe me? Who would believe that the current robust demand is nothing but an example of short-term, pent-up demand after two years of the Covid-19 outbreak? Who would consider the fact that consumers have no increased purchasing power to sustain today's level of consumption? Most of all, who would imagine that things would change drastically in the fourth quarter after consumers face the reality of a higher cost of living and stagnant income?

• OPINION

  Risk of global financial crisis spiking

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 03/11/2022

  » I am writing this article in Tokyo. Judging from my walks around the city during the past week, and despite the fact everyone is wearing face masks, it's like Covid has vanished. Subways and trains are jam-packed and shopping areas are full of people. However, the pandemic has left some scars. Many shops have gone under, including my favourite 50-year-old sushi restaurant.

• OPINION

  Interest gap could spell economic peril

  Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 06/10/2022

  » On a recent Monday, the Fed called an emergency meeting. The discussion topics were not made known. Could it possibly be about turmoil in the UK bond market and the financial troubles of large investment banks? At this fragile time, the world cannot afford another Lehman Brothers-type disaster.

1 2 3 Next Last