Showing 1 - 10 of 109
Thai baht under watch
News, Editorial, Published on 03/02/2026
» As Thailand heads to the polls this Sunday, the campaign trail has been crowded with promises of wage hikes, subsidies and generous domestic giveaways. Yet last week, a far more sobering message arrived from Washington. The US Treasury has placed Thailand back on its currency monitoring list, a move that carries implications well beyond a routine financial assessment.
VAT hikes alone won't narrow deficit
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 27/11/2025
» This article is not meant to attack Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas’s Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF) for the fiscal years from 2026 to 2030. It is meant to emphasise the fragility of a Thai fiscal position that requires multiple revenue enhancement measures.
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.
Is Takaichi Sanae the 'Iron Lady' of Japan?
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 10/11/2025
» For the first time in its history, Japan's parliament has selected a woman, Takaichi Sanae of the Liberal Democratic Party, to be prime minister. In this sense, Ms Takaichi has already followed in the footsteps of her political idol, Margaret Thatcher -- the UK's first female PM. But whether she is remembered as Japan's own "Iron Lady" will depend on her ability to manage three key challenges: inflation, low female labour-force participation and a fraught geopolitical environment.
No time to wait for Thai fiscal reform
Oped, Wichit Chantanusornsiri, Published on 17/09/2025
» The daunting mission of the four-month-old government led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is to revive an economy that has been sluggish for a long time. Can the Anutin government deliver? After all, tackling "bread-and-butter" issues requires fiscal sustainability.
Facing down BRICS threat
Oped, Editorial, Published on 14/07/2025
» After slapping a 36% tariff on Thai exports to the United States, President Donald Trump recently warned BRICS nation members may face an additional 10% tariff, citing what he call their "anti-American policies".
Thai LNG hub ambitions need caution
Oped, Imran Arif, Published on 25/06/2025
» Despite local and global headwinds, Thailand's energy demand, driven by economic activities, continues to grow. Such seemingly insatiable energy demand has been met primarily via natural gas, which, according to Thailand's Electricity Generation Authority (EGAT), is used to generate 60.85% of Thailand's electricity.
Why US Treasury yields are rising
Oped, Dambisa Moyo, Published on 16/06/2025
» Sovereign bond yields have been rising sharply around the world, driven by growing concerns over US President Donald Trump's economic policies and an increasingly uncertain global outlook. In less than a month, the yield on 10-year Treasuries jumped by 50 basis points to 4.6%. And in May alone, the 30-year Treasury rate rose by 30 basis points, briefly topping 5%.
If in doubt, just have a cup of tea
Roger Crutchley, Published on 25/05/2025
» You may recall last week's Battle of Britain item in PostScript featured two English ladies' who came across a German pilot who had crashed in a field. Their first reaction was to offer him a cup of tea, an indication of just how "having a cuppa" is ingrained in British culture. Admittedly that was 85 years ago but even these days most Brits wouldn't turn down a "cuppa".
Watch your step these stormy nights
Roger Crutchley, Published on 18/05/2025
» The rainstorms during the past week have been really refreshing. They've cooled things down a bit which is quite a relief after perspiring my way through April. I also appreciate the accompanying rolling thunder which provides a stirring theatrical soundtrack for the rain sloshing down. It's just another reminder of how powerful Mother Nature can be.