Showing 1 - 10 of 10
Building a dynamic Thai-Indonesia relationship
Oped, Prapan Disyatat & Rachmat Budiman, Published on 07/03/2025
» On this day 75 years ago, the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of Thailand marked an auspicious milestone in their relationship, with the formal establishment of diplomatic ties with one another. However, the relationship between the two countries, and people, can be traced back long before March 7, 1950 -- as far back as the ancient Kingdom of Sriwijaya, and to the times of the Majapahit and Ayutthaya kingdoms.
Transition-finance for a green economy
Oped, Sarinee Achavanuntakul, Published on 05/03/2025
» For those who advocate for more timely and meaningful climate finance commensurate with the increasingly cataclysmic impact of climate change, the year 2025 seems to begin on a rocky start. Early last month, 11 large US and Canadian banks exited the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), the UN-backed coalition of banks that claim their dedication to advancing global net zero goals through financing activities.
Role of banks in climate change future
Oped, Sarinee Achavanuntakul, Published on 22/01/2025
» On Jan 10, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that 2024 was the warmest year on record, likely the first year with a global mean temperature of more than 1C above the 1850-1900 average. Despite the alarming fact, the year 2025 is not off to a good start. The same week that WMO made that ominous announcement, JP Morgan became the sixth and latest bank in the United States to withdraw from the UN-backed Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), following the earlier exits of Citigroup, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs -- all of which left since the start of last month.
Pushing banks towards green finance
News, Sarinee Achavanuntakul, Published on 02/10/2024
» In an earlier article in this space, I mentioned that "the Bank of Thailand should integrate [Thailand] taxonomy into its reporting and disclosure regulations for the financial sector, as the EU has done, because the public scrutiny of activities in the banking sector can and should be part of the learning process on the journey towards greener finance".
Bank of Thailand needs to communicate
News, Editorial, Published on 29/04/2024
» Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's decision to meet key figures from Thailand's major commercial banks to discuss the possibility of cutting interest rates last week raised a lot of eyebrows. It was highly unusual for a prime minister to appeal directly to commercial banks to change interest rates, as the nation's financial institutions generally follow the rates prescribed by the Bank of Thailand (BoT).
Self-interest leads to climate push
Oped, Srikanya Yathip & Gita Sabharwal, Published on 04/01/2022
» In recent years, business risks linked to climate change have become increasingly clear, while the impact in other areas, such as biodiversity loss, are only now being recognised. Investment decisions can have a transformational effect on the economy and society, and following the COP26 climate conference in November, financial institutions will have a major role determining Thailand's development pathway going forward.
Tough times still lie ahead
Oped, Editorial, Published on 08/08/2020
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has initially won a political tug-of-war by making a cabinet reshuffle and filling vacant positions with people he mostly trusts, without breaking up the ruling Palang Pracharath Party -- yet.
Unreliable bank apps
News, Editorial, Published on 04/09/2018
» The second failure this year of the bank transfer system once again came out of the blue, and once again came with assurances it can't happen again.
Cybercrime a real threat
News, Published on 04/08/2018
» As the government pushes to transform Thailand into a "cashless society", a series of security breaches of banks' computer systems over the past few years have made many reluctant to fully embrace online and mobile banking services. Last week's hacking of two major banks should be seen as a warning sign to bankers, regulators and lawmakers that they are lagging in the fight to counter cyber attacks and protect consumers.
Plan now for the digital era
News, Editorial, Published on 02/02/2018
» Over the past few months, news reports have indicated Thailand has entered a new era of technological development, with more companies embracing digital technology via the use of artificial intelligence and robots. But such technological progress has made some people worried about what the future holds for them.