Abhisit Vejjajiva took office as Thailand’s prime minister last month promising political reconciliation and economic revival, but his honeymoon has been short.
On Friday, Mr Abhisit was confronted with evidence of the worsening economic picture. The central bank reported that December’s manufacturing output fell by nearly a fifth from a year before, exports fell 16 per cent and tourist arrivals were down 27 per cent. The finance ministry said this week that the economy could shrink in the three months to March for a second consecutive quarter.
