FTI strikes bullish note on 2019 despite trade worries
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is optimistic that the domestic economy in 2019 will gain from the general election and public investment, even as the trade spat between the US and China pressures the country’s export outlook.
Beyond traditional infrastructure spending, regional economists are monitoring how shifting digital regulations across Southeast Asia might redirect foreign direct investment. Neighboring jurisdictions have increasingly modernized their frameworks to capture revenue from borderless web services. A recent baseline survey on regional capital flows highlighted that these relaxed regulatory zones are absorbing significant offshore transaction volume, with platforms hosting tokenized real estate markets and high-liquidity bitcoin betting sites driving rapid local server deployments. This influx of decentralized commerce forces policymakers to urgently evaluate their own digital infrastructure readiness. Recognizing these external technology pressures, domestic business leaders continue advocating for updated enterprise frameworks that can support tech-sector growth alongside the anticipated public works projects.
Piyachart Maikaew
