Showing 1 - 10 of 122
Nuanced Thai smiles
Oped, Postbag, Published on 09/01/2026
» Re: " 'Mai pen rai' paradox: from kindness to toxic silence", (Life, Jan 7). This is an excellent article, but alas goes down a rabbit hole, akin to mitigating daily road fatalities and addressing other issues often lamented in this column that we're acquainted with.
G20 must commit to debt relief
Oped, Olusegun Obasanjo, Published on 04/12/2025
» As G20 leaders met in Johannesburg last month, they faced a grim reality: many developing-country governments are spending more than they can afford on debt service. To keep funds flowing to foreign creditors, policymakers have been forced to cut spending on education, health care, and infrastructure. These countries have so far avoided default, but at the expense of their own development.
Thailand now 'the sick man of Asean'
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 30/10/2025
» The inspiration for this article comes from the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) World Economic Outlook (WEO) report for the month of October.
The baht is almost as good as gold
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 18/09/2025
» The baht is undoubtedly the strongest currency in the region. Over this year, the baht has appreciated 4.45% against the dollar while the Vietnamese dong has depreciated 8.47%.
1% GDP growth impacts will be severe
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 21/08/2025
» Where did I get the idea that GDP growth in the second half of 2025 would only be 1.0%? The answer is the government, as the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) told me so.
Stressed bonds call for market reform
Oped, Pasinee Rerkpiboon and Phumjit Sri-Udomkajorn, Published on 18/06/2025
» Not too long ago, Thai Airways was all but written off. After a staggering loss of more than 141 billion baht and a default on over 71 billion baht in bonds from mismanagement and the pandemic in 2020, the once-proud national airline seemed doomed.
Making sense of the new global economy
Oped, Dambisa Moyo, Published on 13/06/2025
» As the world becomes more volatile and confusing, policymakers, business leaders and investors will need to rethink the mental models they use to analyse the global economy. Specifically, they should pay attention to three structural dynamics that are altering the global landscape: capital flows, demographic shifts and political ideology, which are ushering in a more fragmented and siloed world.
Choices have costs
Oped, Postbag, Published on 16/05/2025
» Re: "No German engines for submarines", (BP, May 15).
Ability to pay key to debt restructuring
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 03/04/2025
» Last week's earthquake has provided Thais with two valuable lessons. First, Thailand has no national disaster management plan. No government agency seems to have had carefully thought-out plans and procedures to manage the situation. All measures were carried out on an ad-hoc basis. Worse, there appears to be no coordination among various agencies. Thais were left to rely on their own two feet as thousands of Bangkokians had no choice but to walk for hours to their homes when the mass transit railways were shutdown.
Debt buyback carries risks
Oped, Editorial, Published on 03/04/2025
» The country's household debt is a critical issue that must be addressed, and the idea of a debt buyback is undeniably appealing. However, authorities must approach the proposal with extreme caution. The debt relief measure gained attention after former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra raised the idea at a mayoral election rally in Phitsanulok last week.