Chuck Bao
11/18/2008, 01:12 AM
I'm stressed now. I have to come up with a set of questions that are easy to ask and difficult to answer. Okay, they are difficult to ask because they are difficult to answer and not make that person supposed to answer them look bad.
We are arranging a lunch gathering of fund managers and the commercial attache of the US embassey is the guest speaker. My job is to get the topics lined up so that the fund managers know what to expect and the commericial attache gets the questions before they are asked.
Did I mention that I'm stressed about the whole ordeal.
These are my questions:
US economic policies under the new Obama administration in
response to a global economic/financial crisis and threat to world trade
Key issues:
Expectations of sharply slowing US economic growth and the resulting impact on the global economy.
Arguments for or against the view that US consumers are already tapped out and stimulus packages are essentially wasteful and prolong the inevitable reckoning that US consumers can no longer afford to be the key growth engine of global demand.
Possible measures adopted by the Obama administration to support the housing market and stem the tide of deflation and wealth destruction.
Possible changes in accounting policy to allow gradual re-capitalization and recovery in asset values of the banking sector.
The ability of the Obama administration to curb outsourcing. Possible tax incentives and other measures to stem the relocation of industries to export-oriented Asian economies.
Possible measures of the Obama administration to re-negotiate current trade agreements, particularly in regard to the environment, health and wealth care of workers, labor unions and more market appropriate exchange rates.
The ability of the US to support and promote specific key industries that are deemed strategic and have large-scale employment, such as auto, aero, medical/pharmaceutical/entertainment.
The scenario where anti-piracy measures are stepped up and cheap medicine becomes more of a trade issue regardless of the affordability of the importing nation.
The scenario of a weakening dollar and rising interest rates on the back of increasing cost of financing of rising US government debt.
Recommended advice to the Thai government in dealing with a contracting global economy and continuing to attract new foreign investment.
Did I forget anything?
Probably. Help me out here.
On a side note, the MarketWatch.com finally posted their piece on Thailand and I was only quoted a couple of times. It was taken out of context and they ended with my quote. I should have done the video thing.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/thailand-faces-local-global-problems/story.aspx?guid=%7B2C7CDA11%2D7E14%2D4EEF%2DA69A%2 DFDE0B5DBC5B2%7D&dist=msr_1
We are arranging a lunch gathering of fund managers and the commercial attache of the US embassey is the guest speaker. My job is to get the topics lined up so that the fund managers know what to expect and the commericial attache gets the questions before they are asked.
Did I mention that I'm stressed about the whole ordeal.
These are my questions:
US economic policies under the new Obama administration in
response to a global economic/financial crisis and threat to world trade
Key issues:
Expectations of sharply slowing US economic growth and the resulting impact on the global economy.
Arguments for or against the view that US consumers are already tapped out and stimulus packages are essentially wasteful and prolong the inevitable reckoning that US consumers can no longer afford to be the key growth engine of global demand.
Possible measures adopted by the Obama administration to support the housing market and stem the tide of deflation and wealth destruction.
Possible changes in accounting policy to allow gradual re-capitalization and recovery in asset values of the banking sector.
The ability of the Obama administration to curb outsourcing. Possible tax incentives and other measures to stem the relocation of industries to export-oriented Asian economies.
Possible measures of the Obama administration to re-negotiate current trade agreements, particularly in regard to the environment, health and wealth care of workers, labor unions and more market appropriate exchange rates.
The ability of the US to support and promote specific key industries that are deemed strategic and have large-scale employment, such as auto, aero, medical/pharmaceutical/entertainment.
The scenario where anti-piracy measures are stepped up and cheap medicine becomes more of a trade issue regardless of the affordability of the importing nation.
The scenario of a weakening dollar and rising interest rates on the back of increasing cost of financing of rising US government debt.
Recommended advice to the Thai government in dealing with a contracting global economy and continuing to attract new foreign investment.
Did I forget anything?
Probably. Help me out here.
On a side note, the MarketWatch.com finally posted their piece on Thailand and I was only quoted a couple of times. It was taken out of context and they ended with my quote. I should have done the video thing.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/thailand-faces-local-global-problems/story.aspx?guid=%7B2C7CDA11%2D7E14%2D4EEF%2DA69A%2 DFDE0B5DBC5B2%7D&dist=msr_1