This article was published November 17th and I highly doubt much has changed in the last month.

This has not been a good year for the once Tiger economy of Thailand. While the country has been mired in dubious political ventures which culminated in another coup last May, its economy has slipped and exports are down dramatically.Instead of spending time and energy constructively in positive pursuits like building infrastructure and modernizing manufacturing plants, the Thai people have involved themselves in undemocratic behavior which has cost them dearly. In October, economists from the World Bank predicted that the Thai economy would grow at the slowest rate of any South East Asian economy, as compared to neighbors Myanmar at 8%, Cambodia and Laos at 7%, and Indonesia with its new market-friendly government, Malaysia and Vietnam all at between 5 and 6%.According to Thailand’s Board of Investment, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) applications have fallen 38% compared to 2013. Thailand must understand that they are no longer the only kid on the block and that there are other countries in their neighborhood that are now politically and economically stronger than they are.

Next year's economy is going to be worse than this year's...

I don't understand why people are saying the baht is strong - it was deliberately manipulated last year yes, when it reached 44 to £1

IMO keep your money in dollars for now, change to sterling before the UK elections, then back to baht straight afterwards

Edited December 16, 201411 yr by fish fingers

He doesn't look like he has bad intention, he just doesn't look real bright....

I wouldn't be too confident about any country's economy next year, quite honestly. And Thailand will float or sink with everyone else.

An army general in a suit talking economic growth targets leaves me anything BUT confident.

Edited December 16, 201411 yr by OnMyWay2

This guy started off by displaying so much promise ............

I wish i was as confident about one thing as he is about everything.

I sprinkled this article over my garden, you should see the SIZE of my tomatoes!

The way this country has been treating foreigners on just about every facet of interface, you can rest assured we're going to start spending our hard-earned cash just about anywhere else.

Get real, dewd! Hubris is the main thing standing between you and reality. Until you can REALLY look in the mirror and take an honest inventory THEN straighten things out, your country will remain what it is - a laughing stock of the free world, a harbor for villains of all shades, and one of the very few soapy massage sponsors. P.S. - keep that last one running, it's a winner!