UDON THANI, Thailand -- Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has called for government incentives to help local businesses invest in the U.S. since Donald Trump's return to the White House will inevitably affect the Southeast Asian nation's trade-oriented economy.
In his first interview with a major media outlet since returning to Thailand in August 2023, Thaksin told Nikkei Asia that geopolitical friction around the world -- including mounting tension between Washington and Beijing -- "will be a tailwind for the Thai economy, which maintains neutrality." However, he expressed concern that if Thailand's trade surplus becomes too large it might become a target of American retaliation.
