BANGKOK: There's a joke among the International Monetary Fund people that if a crisis-hit country wants to turn around its economy, what it only needs to do is to change at least five finance ministers or five central bank governors.
Thailand has verified this theory of economic salvation. Since the 1997 crisis, Thailand has had five finance ministers – from Amnuay Viravan to Suchart Jaovisidha – and four central bank governors – from Rerngchai Marakanond to MR Pridiyathorn Devakula.