Thailand’s capital of Bangkok is under threat of inundation — being underwater — within a century, and researchers warn that current flood prevention measures in the city are not ready to prevent such a happening. Thailand Business News
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Thailand’s capital is under threat of being underwater within a century
Domestic demand has also shown signs of life, but the severe weather, the withdrawal of consumption-based fiscal stimulus and political uncertainty should be a drag on growth. With a large fraction of the population still occupied in agriculture or working in rural areas, agriculture is a critical variable for the performance of household consumption.
The continuation of certain government policies, especially the pension to the elderly and free education should also support higher consumption levels for the poor. The longer-term goal of reducing reliance on external demand will take time, especially given political uncertainties that hinder the government’s ability to implement not only its investment program but also needed structural reforms.
Alexander Wood, a founding partner of AWR Lloyd, believes the global crisis has acted as a catalyst for a fundamental, structural change in the global capital markets. The real new players in the markets are the sovereign wealth funds.
Many Thai companies don’t even really need to be in the market, with only a limited need to raise capital.
