thegreglowe.com

By GREG LOWE
IN BANGKOK
BUSINESSES that have been hit hard by months of protests and deadly clashes on the capital’s streets say that it is too early to assess the full impact of the recent violence on their operations.
Protesters rampaged across Bangkok on Wednesday, torching more than 30 buildings, after leaders of the red-shirt United Front [...]

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By GREG LOWE
IN BANGKOK
THAI-LISTED companies saw net profits surge by 42 per cent last year to 446.51 billion baht (S$19.13 billion) on sales totalling 6.39 trillion baht, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) says.
The top-performing industry groups were resources, finance, and property and construction respectively, with PTT, Siam Cement, PTT Exploration and Production, Bangkok Bank [...]

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Low interest rates and excess liquidity in Western economies could result in Asia’s markets falling prey to asset bubbles and speculation throughout the coming year, leading international and regional financial experts say.
Relatively high interest rates and plentiful opportunities will increasingly spur western investors to look to Asia. The International Monetary Fund forecast the region will [...]

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By GREG LOWE
IN BANGKOK
GOVERNMENT activity and fiscal stimulus remain key factors driving the Thai economy which is showing strong signs of improvement after a rebound in exports to key global markets, says Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij.
Mr Korn said the government had performed well in its first year in office by facing down the global and [...]

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Preventing foreigners from owning land and property in Thailand does many things: it protects powerful Thai landlords and agricultural monopolies, forces overseas investors to consider setting up shop in other regional markets, drives Thai capital from the country and provides a pool of nationalist bile for tub-thumping politicians to draw on and whip up a [...]

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ASEAN’S 14th summit concluded in Thailand on March 1 having made some significant economic and political developments, but the association’s lofty goals will be hindered by protectionism and its non-interference policy, experts say.
The Asean Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration affirmed the 10 member states’ commitment to free trade, the development of regional economic, social and cultural [...]

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By GREG LOWE
IN BANGKOK
DETERIORATING asset quality is becoming a serious issue for Thailand’s commercial banks, according to new central bank figures, but analysts say the sector can face down the recession due to its strong fundamentals.
Bank of Thailand figures for the last quarter showed that re-entry non-performing loans (NPLs) - failed loans that became NPLs [...]

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