Showing 1 - 10 of 88
Policy options for an overvalued baht
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 25/12/2025
» This is the last article of 2025. I have to thank readers for following my articles throughout the years. I believe I wrote my first article for the Bangkok Post in January 2020. So, it has been a five-year collaboration with the paper. Thank you, Bangkok Post.
Is a return to gold standard possible?
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 11/12/2025
» We are now in the middle of the holiday season. Therefore, I will refrain from writing about heavy and depressing issues like the Thai economy and the outlook for 2026 and beyond. In this moment of joy, I will write about the possibility of returning to the gold standard, which some supporters say can be seen in central banks aggressively buying gold bullion to replace the dubious US dollar. The last article of the year will be about the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).
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 excuse for abuse
News, Editorial, Published on 08/11/2025
» The International Labour Organization estimated in 2021 that 27.6 million people were victims of forced labour, including sexual exploitation -- a global challenge that remains a serious concern for Thailand as well.
Cutting Asia's reliance on dollars
Oped, Yasuto Watanabe & Hiro Ito, Published on 02/10/2025
» The US dollar remains the world's leading reserve currency, but recent developments -- particularly President Donald Trump's unilateral economic diplomacy, including weaponisation of the dollar -- have fuelled doubts about whether it will maintain that status. While some of America's geopolitical rivals may hope to displace the dollar, the real challenge facing Asian economies is to manage the vulnerabilities created by their heavy dependence on it.
Trump's tariff threat looms over Japan teamakers
News, Toma Mochizuki, Published on 19/07/2025
» A breeze carries murmurs and quiet laughter between the rows of bright green tea leaves that are growing in dappled shade as workers harvest the plants that are destined to become matcha.
Financing FY 2026 deficit will fall short
News, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 12/06/2025
» My message is short, loud and clear. There will not be enough money to finance FY 2026's 860 billion baht budget deficit. Without enough money, the budget will collapse and take the economy down with it. The government is learning the bitter lesson of drying up finance sources now, but budget financing will be in crisis in the 2026 fiscal year.
Mar-a-Lago accord may aid China
News, Yao Yang, Published on 07/06/2025
» The provisional trade deal reached by China and the United States in Geneva last month exceeded expectations, with the two sides agreeing to roll back for 90 days the majority of tariffs and other countermeasures they had imposed in the preceding weeks.
IMF exit would be true dollar shock
News, Mike Dolan, Published on 30/04/2025
» The US dollar has suffered its worst start to any year since 1989 as the Trump administration has put forward once unthinkable economic policies, unnerving global investors.
Trump, Bitcoin and the dollar
Oped, Carla Norrlöf, Published on 13/03/2025
» In a March 6 executive order, US President Donald Trump established a "digital gold" Bitcoin reserve, to be capitalised with any BTC seized by federal law enforcement. With the supply of BTC capped at 21 million coins, the administration wants the United States to secure a first-mover advantage as a major holder of an emerging store of value. But since it is unlikely that seized BTC alone can achieve the desired scale, the US also may purchase it on the open market.