Competitiveness of a country requires continuous upgrading and, sometimes, major transformation. Thailand is at the crossroad. It can no longer pursue a strategy based on low-cost advantages, but its capability achievements are still too low to become an advanced economy. This book points out weaknesses of Thailand's national innovation system or education and suggests how the country should develop new capabilities to survive and prosper in the globalized and fiercely competitive world. It will be useful to researchers and students who want to learn more about Thailand and emerging countries, and also to policy-makers and executives involved in economic and industrial development. Co-published with IRASEC (Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia), Bangkok

This article assesses the economic, legal and environmental conditions that Thai rubber farmers face and evaluates actions they can take to increase incomes. Statistical analyses determine relationships between prices of oil, natural and synthetic rubber. Pearson correlation tests found a strong positive relationship (r = 0.887) between the price of Brent crude and Thai ribbed smoked sheets, and a moderate positive relationship between price changes in Brent and synthetic rubber (r = 0.648). Regression analysis showed Brent oil price is a good predictor of natural rubber price. Moderate to strong positive relationships were also found between natural rubber price and the gross domestic products of Japan, China and the United States. Criminal antitrust behavior in the rubber industries appeared to interfere with normal pricing in rubber markets. No significant bi-variate correlation was found between rainfall in Thailand and natural rubber price, production or export, although flooding and other environmental issues clearly affected rubber farms. A survey of options showed that Thai rubber farmers can best improve their livelihoods through the collective purchase and use of new technologies and by integrating into downstream supply chain industries. At the very least, farmers are urged to abandon mono-crop methods and supplement their incomes with fruit, fi sh, livestock or pigs.

Competitiveness and the macroeconomic framework; Restructuring the financial system; Competitiveness of the industrial sector; Export Competitiveness and spatial strategies; Removing bottlenecks in infrastructure services.