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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 […]

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The year ahead for Thailand´s hotel and resort development sector will witness a rebound from the impact of the global financial crisis, local recession and domestic political turmoil, according to property experts. But while the outlook is less turbulent, growth will remain anaemic and patchy, and project financing will remain tight. Occupancy levels in Thailand´s […]

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BANGKOK — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s recent appointment of Thailand’s former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, as an economic adviser was the diplomatic equivalent of precision bombing, whose shockwaves have sent relations between the neighboring Southeast Asian nations into a tailspin. But as the dust settles, observers say it is unclear who actually benefited from the […]

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Developing an Asian rail network to expand trade and economic development within the region will come a step closer this week when a new intergovernmental agreement comes into force. The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network, which commits signatories to co-ordinate the development and operation of international rail routes linking 28 countries, is scheduled […]

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Renewed unrest on the streets of Bangkok has done little to boost confidence in the real estate market by Greg Lowe While the double-impact of economic downturn and political uncertainty will scare-off many potential investor’s in Thailand’s real estate market, it could also provide bargain hunters with better opportunities. The political turmoil will weigh down […]

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Thailand’s economic outlook remains decidedly bleak, but in Bangkok, some are bucking the trend by Greg Lowe Some Bangkok mid-range condominium projects are bucking market trends by achieving record sales amidst an increasingly negative domestic economic outlook. Developments in prime locations have sold out in a matter of hours in some cases, as developers resort […]

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Some property brokers and analysts forecast a 20-30 percent price correction as resort-grade property by Greg Lowe Some property brokers and analysts forecast a 20-30 percent price correction as resort-grade property undergoes a decline similar to plummeting markets in Hong Kong, Singapore and London. Others said the lack of buyer and developer leveraging means sales […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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Greg Lowe | 26 Feb 2009 World Politics Review When Thai security forces recently raided the offices of the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP) in the country’s insurgency-torn south, it may have been business-as-usual for a military with a checkered human rights record. But a report released last week by the International Commission […]

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