BANGKOK, 24 June 2011 – Business executives in Thailand are concerned over the domestic political situation in the latter half of the year, according to a recent survey by the Thai Listed Company Association (TLCA).
TLCA Director Pensri Suteerasarn elaborated that the survey was conducted with CEOs from 95 companies in nine industries listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI).
Based on the survey, the majority of the respondents have confidence that the Thai economy will grow by 3.5% while one-third of them expect an economic growth of 4-4.5%.
Nonetheless, they are worried about domestic political stability in the latter half of the year which they consider as the most important factor to drag the Thai economy down. Other risk factors remain in the global economic slowdown and the rising inflation.
92% of the respondents viewed the political problem as No.1 risk to their business operation. Other factors are social conflict, rising prices of raw materials and oil, and a government economic policy after the election.
The respondents hence called on a new government to expedite a policy that will maintain high political stability and, at the same time, promote investment in basic infrastructure and reduce corporate income tax.
