Amid Credit Crisis, It's Fit to be Thai

In an uncertain global liquidity crisis, some say stocks in the country that only 10 years ago suffered the worst credit crunch of all may be poised to surge.

In August, year-over-year exports in Thailand rose 17.9% vs. a rise of 5.9% in July, while the country's trade surplus rose to $770 million from $211 million. And at the end of September, the Ministry of Finance revised economic growth for the year up 50 basis points to 4.5%, and at 31.64 vs. the dollar, the baht is climbing its way back up to its July levels.

The scenario is a far cry from 1997, when the baht dropped 30% overnight vs. the dollar and Thailand was thrown into a cash crisis.

The Thais are "continuing the healthy export momentum seen through the first 6 months of this year," says Adrian Foster, head of capital markets at Dresdner Kleinwort in Beijing. "Thai producers may start cranking up their production runs to meet demand from new production rather than inventories, which would be a positive for the overall economy."

In September, Bank of Thailand left rates unchanged at 3.25%, dismissing a move as "unnecessary," stalling equities. When the Bank meets again on Oct. 10, Asia commentators expect it to slash rates to quash political unrest and pass on the positive domestic economic growth to equities.