Economics

This development economics course focuses on these central questions: Why do some countries develop earlier than others? Why do some countries fail to develop while others are successful? This course provides an overview of the main topics in development economics. The course aims to a) trace the history of ideas in economic development, contrasting developmentalist theories and state-led industrialization strategies in the post-war era with market-led economic development; b) analyze the economic challenges in their quest for development; and c) cover a range of selected topics in development micro- and macroeconomics. The course consists of lecture classes and training units to discuss and deepen the lectured topics.

This course examines the most important challenges facing our globalized society including inflation, unemployment, growth and sustainable development, environmental conservation, and international economic relations. It focuses on the economic principles that can be used to design, guide, and interpret economic and social policy. This course explores various instruments in economic policy including monetary policy, foreign policy, fiscal policy, and labor policy. It discusses current experiences in economic policy such as implementation of policies in the EU, transition countries, and underdeveloped countries.

This course introduces basic economic principles and applies them to the management of the global economy-environment system. It provides a basis for further specialized study of agricultural, resource, or environmental economics within the agricultural science, environmental science, environmental management, resource management, economics, and other degree programs.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the contemporary Japanese economy, focusing on the economy's performance, changing characteristics and the challenges for the future. The class discussions often include comparison between the Japanese economy and the Chinese economy. The course covers basic concepts and analytical tools of economics which are applied to the Japanese economy, and how useful economics is in understanding the real world affairs. Text: THE JAPANESE ECONOMY-THEN, NOW, AND BEYOND by Mitsusru Taniuchi.

This course introduces managerial economics including the organizational aspects of business. Managerial economics extracts from microeconomic theory those concepts and techniques that enable managers to select strategic direction, to allocate efficiently the resources available to the organization, and to respond effectively to tactical issues. The course analyzes how the economist is able to provide valuable insights to managers on topics such as costs, prices, markets, mergers, divestitures, globalization, and personnel policies. The important role of the entrepreneur in the economy is examined and insight into the real world- functioning of business management is also provided.

This course introduces econometric techniques and their applications in economic analysis. It covers basic statistical tools, linear regression with one regressor, linear regression with multiple regressors, and methods for analyzing experimental data. Course emphasis is on practical issues in econometric analysis of cross-sectional data. Microsoft Excel is used for computer-based calculation.

This course explores an advanced perspective on the microeconomic principles underlying financial markets and financial decision-making. Students learn key concepts including risk and return, asset pricing, asset allocation, portfolio optimization, financial market equilibrium, and efficient market hypothesis. Students looks at arbitrage pricing and pricing of options and futures, and how these can be used to understand investment decisions, and trends in financial markets.

This course is designed for students wishing to clarify and advance their career goals through a 16-week internship in Thailand. It provides a structured learning environment to help students make the most of their internship experience. While there are no regularly scheduled class meetings, internships are conducted under the close academic supervision of the Social Policy & Development department at Thammasat University. An assigned internship coordinator provides oversight and guidance for the duration of the internship. The course requires a minimum of 128 total work hours. To facilitate the completion of the internship and maximize skill acquisition, students are required to work at least one full day per week at their internships. Assessment: attendance, weekly journal, supervisor evaluation, final internship report. Graded Pass/No pass only.

The course will introduce the student to major theories of the exchange rate and balance of payments and discuss evidence on the empirical tests of these theories. This will be followed by a discussion of the effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policies under fixed and flexible exchange rate regimes. The international monetary system will be the next major topic that will be addressed. This will be followed by a discussion of optimum currency areas with application to ECOWAS. The course concludes with a discussion on the international monetary and financial systems and global financial crises.