[Reuters] Stubborn political crisis hangs over Thai economy
["It can be a source of concern ahead," said Euben Paracuelles, an economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland. "Our clients are starting to ask again about politics."
So far this year, the market toll from political unrest is minimal. The baht has gained 2.32 percent against the dollar, the second-best performer among Asian currencies after Indonesia's rupiah. The benchmark stock index is up 42.3 percent, turning around from a 47.6 percent fall last year.
Foreign investors, net sellers of Thai stocks in January and February, turned net buyers between March and July.
And in what some see as a vote of foreign confidence, Thailand received net foreign direct investment of $25.2 billion in three years to 2008, lower only than Singapore's $35.3 billion and far more than Indonesia's $6.5 billion and the Philippines' $3.5 billion, according to data compiled by HSBC.]
BP: Long, interesting article showing some mixed signals about the economy.[The Nation] 3 officials killed, 4 injured in bombing ambush in Yala
[Insurgents detonated a bomb to ambush a team of assistant district chief of Yaha district and defence volunteers Saturday afternoon, killing three of them and injuring four others.]
BP: This is the second big attack today. There was another one in Narathiwat (should also be in the same post)[The Nation] 2 soldies killed, 2 others injured, 1 policeman hurt in insurgency attack in Narathiwat
[Insurgents on two pick-up trucks bombarded a security checkpoint in this southern border province with gunfire early Sunday morning, killing two soldiers and injuring two other soldiers and a policeman.]
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