Maria Lapiz, Head of Institutional Research at Maybank Kim Eng, Thailand talks about the ongoing situation in Thailand and what it means for investors. Having lived in Thailand for the past 25 years, she explains if, how and why protests seem different this time. Points covered include:
- global investors sold a net $6.2 billion of Thai equities in 2013, the most since Bloomberg began compiling the data in 1999. After two months of street demos, and ongoing protests, will political stalemate continue?
- how worried is she about Thailand
- against the dollar, the baht has slid more than other regional currencies as political turmoil is worsening - how much further downward movements for the baht
- on the upside - Aberdeen buying in, so’s another top Thailand stock picker, pointing out how Thailand has emerged strongly from a number of crises in the past few years. Franklin Templeton’s Mark Mobius remains unfazed and said Thailand’s past resilience to crises made him committed to the economy. - her take and when best to go in
- should investors stay reluctant despite prices being cheaper? Has market priced in the political uncertainty and its impact on the economy?