Premature Deindustrialization Risk in Thailand

Abstract

This study investigates the possibility of premature deindustrialization risk in Thailand, where the pressure of globalization and uneven industrial policies remain. This study adopts the latecomer index to materialize premature deindustrialization risk, which is expressed as the downward shift of the manufacturing–income relationship at the earlier level of income. The results of our empirical analysis confirm the presence of premature deindustrialization risk in Thailand’s regions as a result of globalization pressure (represented by China’s entry into the World Trade Organization) and uneven industrial policies conducted by the Thai government. Thus, the current industrial policies of the Thai government should be reconsidered to overcome premature deindustrialization risk in remote regions.