Thailand’s banking sector is well capitalised and highly conservative, a legacy of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, which left financiers in the region averse to systemic risk. It is also a very local affair, with less than 15% of assets held by foreign banks. This may change in 2015 when new banking regulations come into force, but little shakeup is expected for the time being. The banking...
All Countries and All Sectors
Displaying 3913 - 3918 of 4126
Thailand’s plans to climb the ladder toward becoming a high-economy country were put on hold by disastrous floods in late 2011. Real GDP contracted 9% and losses were estimated at $44.7bn, but recovery, particularly for the hard-hit industrial estates, has been relatively swift. The focus is now on mitigating Thailand’s dependence on low-cost manufacturing exports for growth, which is risky given...
Chapter | Country Profile from The Report: Thailand 2012
This chapter features interviews with His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand; Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand; Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, ASEAN; Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, Minister for Economic Affairs, Kingdom of Bhutan; William Hague, UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; and Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the UK.
Located in the heart of South-east Asia, Thailand combines an ancient Buddhist culture with an emerging industrial economy. It is the only South-east Asian country never to have been colonised, and the monarchy dates back to the 14th century.
Ras Al Khaimah has a rich history. This chapter examines a recurring theme of RAK’s past, the emirate’s defence against foreign incursions. The area that now makes up present-day RAK was historically a popular target for invaders due to the location at the entrance of the Gulf. This maritime potential made RAK an important shipping point throughout the ages. Indeed, RAK drew military challenges...
Though one of the smaller emirates in the UAE, RAK is developing as a tourism destination. The emirate received 835,200 tourists in 2011, a significant increase over the previous year, which saw 600,000 visitors. There are hopes that these figures will continue to rise to reach 1.2m by 2013. To facilitate this, RAK International Airport is currently being expanded at a cost of $27m. New runways...