Investment Opportunities Remaining Strong In Thailand
Tags: Bangkok, Business, Thailand
Things are continuing to look up for foreign investment in Thailand. Looking out of the Bangkok Base office windows a little over 2 months ago I could not see that that would be the case any time soon. There were fires burning throughout central Bangkok and a pall of black smoke hung low over the city. Along with many other people I was thinking about what would happen when the smoke cleared and everybody went home. What would this mean for the city and the rest of the country? Is this the start of a prolonged downturn in the country’s economy? Who is going to invest here now? Read the rest of this entry »
More Dark Clouds on the Thailand Tourism Horizon
Tags: Bangkok, Business, Suvarnabhumi, Thailand, travel
As we rapidly approach the high season for tourism, which is a keystone in the Thai economy, we have to be pragmatic in our predictions for economic growth and tourism revenue. We must avoid attempts to create facts from hopes regardless of how altruistic our intentions. There is a dark cloud on the horizon and we have to face it, more blind zealotry is simply callous, not to mention ignorant.
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Thailand’s Getting Ready to unveil its’ new Airport Railway Link in December 2009
Tags: Bangkok, Business, Suvarnabhumi, Thailand
The government has recently announced that Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport Link is tentatively scheduled to open in December. The high speed airport train link (ARL) runs nonstop from Makkasan in the city center to the airport (express line) or from Phayathai to the airport (city line), which has 8 stations. This may come as a surprise to many who have been following the saga of this project. After years of planning and delays most people are eager to check out this new additional to the Thai transportation infrastructure.
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Developing Security in Thailand
Tags: Business, Security, Thailand
Like many other countries which are currently facing the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression, the Thai government has followed suit and pumped billions of Baht into public spending. Given the recent economic woes, political problems, and violence in the south, this public funding may have a profound effect on some local businesses.
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Doing Business in Asia is about to get Easier
During the recent 41st ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) meeting here during August12-16 the long awaited and much anticipated ASEAN FTA was signed. This agreement which will take effect on January 1, 2010 should dramatically increase trade between ASEAN members.
Why is this so important? ASEAN is becoming a single market and this will make Southeast Asia the world’s most lucrative region for foreign businessmen, says the new president of the US-ASEAN Business Council.
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Bangkok’s Me First Attitude Damages all of Thailand
Tags: Bangkok, Business, SRT, Thailand
For the last week or so the headlines across Thailand focused on the recent railway strike. The daily rags and blogs were filled with anti-labor union rants and fervent nationalistic appeals to avoid any foreign involvement regarding the rail system. Calls were once again made to end the government monopoly, solve some of the corruption issues, land allocation issues and to end the blatant mismanagement of SRT. We also saw some suggest that Thailand should start some form of international cooperation with more developed countries that have experience running efficient, economic and safe railway systems. Despite all of the recent talk on this matter, I think we can all rest assured that nothing will change within the SRT. Why? Because the rich in Thailand don’t travel by train and not much happens in Thailand, unless the elite approve. Sounds fairly cynical, right?
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