December 26, 2008
Bangkok (Manager Online) - 62 percent of Thai people were worried about cost of living, unemployment and reduction of working hours, according to a survey.
The respondents were uncertain about those factors which would affect their income in the next six months.
95 percent of the entrepreneurs were affected by decreasing exports, and they might have to reduce the number of staff and working hours so that their businesses would survive the economic crisis.
Entrepreneurs also expressed concerns over liquidity, believing businesses would be in trouble if commercial banks were more strict about loan giving.
About 520,000 people or 1.4 percent were unemployed in November, 70,000 people more than that of October.
The poverty figures remained at 8.9 percent compared to 8.5 percent in 2007, according to the National Statistical Office.
The government was urged to handle consumer product prices to be in line with people’s shrinking income.
It is forecast Thailand’s economy is likely to grow between zero and two percent next year.
Economic growth can contract in the last quarter of this year because of global economic crisis.
