Thailand
A Seventh Hike of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Rate
June 2, 2011
The Bank of Thailand lifted its key policy interest rate for a seventh time on Wednesday. Six prior moves had been implemented, three in 2010 (July, August and December) and three more in January, March and April of this year. All seven increases were by 25 basis points from a cyclical low of 1.25% to […] More
A 25-Basis Point Hike of the Thai One-Day Repo Rate
March 9, 2011
The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to lift its key interest rate to 2.5% from 2.5% today. Earlier rate hikes of the same size were announced on January 12, December 1, August 25, and July 14, 2010. A released statement expects the spike in oil and other commodity prices to have a […] More
Third Rate Hike in Thailand
December 1, 2010
The Bank of Thailand’s one-day repo rate was raised to 2.0% from 1.75%. When rate normalization paused at the prior meeting on October 20 following 25-basis point rate increases at back-to-back meetings on July 14 and August 25, officials stressed global economic and financial uncertainties, but a new statement today claims that those uncertainties lessened […] More
Thailand Monetary Policy Not Changed This Time
October 20, 2010
The program of interest rate normalization, as at some other regional central banks, was paused in Thailand, but a statement accompanying today’s decision to leave the one-day repo rate at 1.75% said more rate hikes would be coming and attributed today’s decision to greater uncertainty surrounding global economic and financial prospects since the previous policy […] More
Thailand Gets a Second 25-Basis Point Monetary Tightening
August 25, 2010
The Bank of Thailand’s one-day repo rate was raised to 1.75% following a 25-basis point initial increase to 1.50% announced July 14. Officials released a statement noting that second quarter GDP growth of 0.2% from 1Q and 9% from 2Q09 had been faster than expected. Sectors that could have been hurt by earlier political unrest […] More
Thailand Gets a Central Bank Rate Hike
July 14, 2010
Interest rate normalization has begun in yet another Asian economy. The Bank of Thailand had delayed that decision because of domestic political unrest. But officials now conclude that any adverse impact on tourism, consumption or investment had been surprisingly mild and temporary. That’s the message of a statement released today after a 25-basis point increase […] More
No Policy Change From Bank of Thailand
June 2, 2010
Thailand’s policy interest rate has been at 1.25% since a 25-basis point cut in April 2009, which followed reductions of 100 bps in December 2008, 75 bps in January 2009 and 50 bps in February 2009. A rate level this accommodative is not consistent with Thailand’s economic circumstances. A statement released today concedes that GDP […] More
Bank of Thailand Retained a 1.25% Benchmark Rate
April 21, 2010
Until domestic political unrest erupted earlier this month in Thailand, the central bank there had appeared set to lift its record low policy interest rate this week. A hawkish statement had been released following the prior meeting on March 11th that observed a reduced downside risk to growth and declared that such “has significantly lessened […] More
Hawkish Statement From the Bank of Thailand
March 10, 2010
The Bank of Thailand left its benchmark interest rate at 1.25%, the level since a 25-basis point cut last April 8. Prior cuts of 100 bps, 75 bps, and 50 bps had been implemented in December 2008, January 2009 and February 2009. A considerably more hawkish statement from monetary authorities today sets the stage for […] More
