How Thailand Went From Asian Leader to Laggard

Thailand is one of the world’s most popular travel destinations—a place where modernity coexists with deep tradition; where beaches, skyscrapers and global cuisine define a postcard image. But beneath the surface, Thailand is confronting a long‑brewing economic crisis marked by slow growth, political instability, soaring inequality, demographic decline and a shrinking workforce. Over the past decade, Thailand’s economy has slipped behind its Southeast Asian peers, struggling with weak GDP growth, declining foreign investment and an overreliance on tourism and low‑value manufacturing. While neighbors like Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia power ahead with new industries and rising exports, Thailand is battling what many economists see as a perfect storm of structural challenges. In this Bloomberg Originals Weekly Documentary, we break down what went wrong—and what it will take to fix it. 0:00 Thailand’s Two Realities 1:20 Thailand’s Growth Engines Under Pressure 3:10 The 1997 Asia Crisis 4:30 Political Power Struggle 6:50 Inequality, Monopolies & Household Debt 8:50 Talent Gap & Aging Workforce 10:09 Thailand’s Path Forward #Thailand #ASEAN -------- Like this video? Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/Bloomberg?sub_confirmation=1 Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com for just $1.99 your first month: https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions?in_source=YoutubeOriginals Bloomberg Originals offers bold takes for curious minds on today’s biggest topics. Hosted by experts covering stories you haven’t seen and viewpoints you haven’t heard, you’ll discover cinematic, data-led shows that investigate the intersection of business and culture. Exploring every angle of climate change, technology, finance, sports and beyond, Bloomberg Originals is business as you’ve never seen it. Subscribe for business news, but not as you've known it: exclusive interviews, fascinating profiles, data-driven analysis, and the latest in tech innovation from around the world. Visit our partner channel Bloomberg News for global news and insight in an instant.