Somkid a pragmatist who can turn things around

In the space of less than a month, new economic tsar Somkid Jatusripitak has raised our hopes by pointing out the wasted economic year prior to the changeover.
Yet the call to veer away from dependency on exports has been made repeatedly by Kosit Panpiemras since he was industry minister in 2007. Taking heed now might be too late, since our dependency on exports has climbed from 40 to 70 per cent of GDP and is entrenched in our economy. Fortunately, we now have a pragmatist holding the economic reins. His stated eagerness to join the US-led 12-nation Tran-Pacific Partnership has lifted the spirits of many, who might now forgive Thailand for having missed the boat in refusing to be a founding member of the world’s biggest free-trade deal.
Songdej Praditsmanont