Using panel data collected from financial statements of 28 commercial banks in Vietnam, this paper investigates their competitiveness through an analysis of such a few elements as bank size, technological level, human resources quality, and managerial level. For a more objective evaluation the paper employs the Panzar–Rosse (P–R) model along with the use of some common econometrical techniques like Pooled OLS, FEM, REM, GLS, and H-statistic. The results show that the overall competitiveness of these banks is higher, compared to the pre-crisis period of 2008–2009. The monopolistic competition among them are also found, together with certain improvements in bank competitiveness, observed through increased bank size, enhanced human resources quality, better technological advances, and higher levels of managerial skills in compliance with international standards.

This study aims to investigate the link of trade balance and exchange rate for the case of Thailand in different aspects by initially attempting to examine what factors determine the trade balance in Thailand and then to test the long-run relationship between the exchange rate and Thailand’s trade balance. The empirical findings indicate that the exchange rate and relative growth rate of income play central roles in explaining Thailand’s trade balance, and fiscal and monetary policies are beneficial in some cases. Additionally, panel fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) estimations illustrate that a devaluation of Thailand Baht offers a significantly positive improvement on its trade balance in the long run, especially for the groups of countries with upper middle and high income in America and Europe. Individual FMOLS regressions of Thailand’s trade balance and each of its 62 trading partners suggest that a devaluation of Thailand’s currency would stimulate Thailand’s trade performance with over 20 trading partners, but hurt its performance with the other 10 countries and be inconclusive to the others.

This paper studies the feedback effect between damages caused by cyclones and unsustainable tourism in Southeast Asia. The data are constructed based on the Annual Tropical Cyclone Reports from the United States National Climatic Data Center website for the period of 1995–2013. Establishing a cyclone damage index by combining the maximum speed when each cyclone goes through a region and characteristics of each region affected by cyclones in Southeast Asia, we first attempt to quantify the two-way causality between these cyclones and the proportion of tourist arrivals per capita. We then analyze differences among the affected countries compared to the aggregate effects. Based on the results, policy suggestions for sustainable tourism are provided in order to mitigate the cyclone damages.

This article analyzes the role of real effective exchange rate as a transmission channel for the impact of economic growth on Vietnam’s exports. Using quarterly data for the period of 1994–2013, the analysis results show that economic growth, real effective exchange rate (REER), and exports tend to fluctuate in the same direction. Furthermore, according to the results of the VAR model, economic growth impacts on and promotes export growth through increased productivity that improves the competitive advantage of products. The exchange rate, as an important channel, allows for a positive impact of economic growth on exports in Vietnam.

In this article, using a combination of risk-related factors, we address the governance of financial institutions, mainly Vietnam’s commercial banks, in light of such international standards as of Basel II and III. Additionally, we employ multiple regression approach to shed light on the effect of each type of risk on bank performance and propose a few recommendations for effectively governing the commercial banking system of Vietnam until 2020.

This paper examines the process of financial liberalization in Vietnam over the period from 1993 to 2013. On adopting Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), the results suggest that there is a long-term relation between economic growth and financial liberalization, in which the financial market liberalization and financial services liberalization provide better support during the growth of Vietnam’s economy. In addition, using various techniques including Granger causality test, impulse response analysis, and variance decomposition, the paper also clarifies the motives for financial liberalization from the process of short-term financial development and economic growth in the country.

Based on the theories on quality and efficiency of public investment and on the ground of a new economic model, this study carries out an analytical assessment of the management of Vietnam’s public investment, with the primary aims to detect limitations on management, carry evaluation of the investment, and propose solutions to improving its quality and efficiency. The findings indicate that both the public investment quality and efficiency of Vietnam reveal certain limitations, and no evidence can be found for the effectiveness of investment expenditures in short terms, although a long-term relation exists between the public investment and economic growth. A few comprehensive solutions to investment enhancement until 2020 are as follows: (i) Rationally adjusting investment structures and portfolios, (ii) Improving institutional environment; (iii) Controlling investment efficiency; and (iv) Modernizing the monitoring system for the public investment.