I Bangkok Posts bilaga "Spectrum" idag: En rätt dyster artikel om Thailands ekonomi, nu och i framtiden.
"With consumer confidence low and forecasts grim, economists fear the short-term struggles are signs of long-term financial weakness"
It’s almost noon and the Toyota saleswoman still hasn’t seen her first customer. Thaiyont, a Toyota dealership in Chon Buri’s Muang district, used to serve at least eight customers a day. But these days, they are lucky to have two
“In the past, we couldn’t keep up with the customers. Nowadays, we need to seek them out,” said Kulcha Jariyawiwat, who sells mid-range models mostly to factory workers who already have a hard time making ends meet.
“They tell me that in the past, they would work overtime every day. But nowadays they are being paid only for the days they work, which on average is now three days a week,” Ms Kulcha said. “So not only do they have to make tougher decisions when buying a car, but it’s also hard to get financing.”
Det handlar såklart inte bara om minskad nybilsförsäljning
Rapporter citeras med dystra ekonomiska utsikter.Förklaringarna är många. Populism säger en, konservatism någon annan. Japans chargé d affaires varna för att Japanska företag kan söka sig till Vietnam eller Indonesien istället
"In 2010, there was disturbance from the red shirts, in 2011 there were the floods, in 2013 there was another anti-government demonstration, and last year there was a coup,” Mr Saito told Spectrum.
“Now we recognise the security situation has calmed down, but for company headquarters in Japan, when they make investment decisions, the recovery of democracy will be helpful. We wish for an early election and a return to the democratic process"
Militärjuntan får en del kängor för att göra för lite . Korn, Demokraternas vice, rycker ut till deras försvar (på sätt och vis i alla fall)
"They [economic advisers to both governments] have a similar way of thinking — a conservative approach to things,” former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij told Spectrum.
"We need to accept the limitation that everyone related to this government is of the old generation, and naturally they might be more used to the bureaucratic system than the demands of people,” he said.
But while public attention remains focused on the slow pickup in the economy, Mr Korn pointed out that the country has had a return of peace and order from the first day of the coup.
“The main purpose of the coup was because the country did not have stability. They [the coup-leaders] did not see it as the best solution for the economy, and I’m not judging them in terms of economics. Because that is not the reason why they came [to power],” he said."
Tungt läge tycks de allra flesta *"experter" som kommer till artikeln. Men några egentliga lösningar har ingen (troligtvis är för många av dem nationalekonomer och därmed oförmögna att leverera lösningar).
Jag tycker bilden blir lite väl mörk. Givet Thailands minst sagt instabila politiska nutidshistoria har man trots allt gjort det rätt bra, jämfört med flera andra länder i ASEAN och det kan säkert bli bra framåt också. Men jag får nog samtidigt hålla med Khun Korn. Bort med de konservativa militärgubbarna fortast möjligt, då kan det bli fart på ekonomin igen.
