Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Drug crisis deepens our economic woes
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 11/12/2024
» Thailand faces a dual crisis that threatens the foundation of its future economic development: declining fertility rates, leading to a shrinking population and a simultaneous surge in drug addiction rates.
Monetary policy really needs to tighten in Japan
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 12/11/2024
» Last month, returning to Japan for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, I was struck by how significantly prices had increased. In February 2020, a simple lunch in downtown Tokyo cost about JP¥1,000, then the equivalent of about $10 (324 baht); today, it costs more like JP¥2,000. To some extent, this mirrors the experience in the US, where, even as inflation moderates, prices remain well above their pre-pandemic levels. The difference is that Japan has also experienced a sharp currency depreciation, which benefits foreign visitors: that JP¥2,000 bill translated to just $13.
Trump redux and US-Thai-Asean ties
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 12/11/2024
» Under President Donald Trump, the trajectory of US-Thai-Asean relations will be defined by three factors -- rising trade imbalances, intensifying US-China rivalry and Asean's long-term aspirations under its Community Vision 2045. Donald Trump's "America First" policies will impose many challenges.
Strengthening vulnerable coastlines
Oped, Karen Sack, Published on 05/11/2024
» Roughly 40% of the world's population inhabits coastal areas. In addition to being home to 12 of the world's 15 largest cities, these regions serve as an essential lifeline for countless small villages and towns. With around 80% of international trade passing through seaports, coastal regions also play an outsize economic role, accounting for 60-70% of global GDP.
Be it red or blue: SE Asia's pivot is true
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 05/11/2024
» Red or blue, the next US administration must firmly engage with Southeast Asia and its regional organisation, Asean, to protect its strategic interests.
Key to unlocking trade benefits
Oped, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala & Makhtar Diop, Published on 29/10/2024
» Supply chains form the backbone of international commerce, representing over half the value of global merchandise trade. They also create large numbers of jobs and lower the bar for countries and companies to participate in the world economy. But the finance underpinning supply chains is inadequate, leaving too many small businesses in emerging and developing economies cut off from the benefits of global trade.
Unplugging the electricity monopoly
Oped, Rapeepat Ingkasit, Published on 18/09/2024
» Thailand's electricity prices remain stubbornly high, burdening consumers and businesses alike.
Europe's AI Act will shake up businesses
Oped, Saliltorn Thongmeensuk, Published on 11/09/2024
» As businesses across the globe brace for the European Union's newly adopted Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, the ramifications are becoming more apparent. The AI Act will create opportunities and challenges, particularly for companies that rely heavily on AI technology. The regulation classifies AI systems based on the level of risk and will mandate new standards for developers and deployers, pushing businesses to reevaluate their strategies in a bid to comply with this EU legislation that will open doors to the EU market.
Venice suffers from 'beauty curse'
Oped, Edoardo Campanella, Published on 10/09/2024
» Countries with great wealth or natural abundance often fall victim to their own blessings. Economists have long known that resource-rich countries can get stuck in cycles of slow economic growth, intense environmental degradation, and weak democratic institutions. But places endowed with a unique artistic and architectural heritage also can suffer from this "resource curse". Breathtaking monuments from a storied past can generate economic rents and sectoral distortions, not unlike those created by large reserves of fossil fuels and precious minerals.