IMF Technical Assistance Office (THAILAND)

Job Opportunities

Asia Pacific Regional Economic Outlook

October, 2018

Office Information

c/o Bank of Thailand, 3rd Floor Building 4, 273 Samsen Road Phranakorn Bangkok
Thailand 10200
Tel: +66 22836527;
Fax: +66 22814751
Email: cdotinfo@imf.org
Office map

David Cowen,
Director

David Cowen has headed CDOT since September 2015. A staff member in the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department (APD), he served previously as the department’s mission chief on Indonesia, led divisions in East and South Asia, and was an advisor in APD’s front office. In his capacity as a mission chief, he also led the Fund’s work on Bangladesh and Solomon Islands, each under an IMF-supported program, as well as on Cambodia and Lao PDR, covering a range of macro-financial surveillance and capacity development issues. Earlier, he was a desk economist on India and Vietnam and in the Fund’s African Department.

Between 2004 and 2008, David was based in the IMF’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Tokyo, where he focused on regional capital market developments and integration issues. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

Teruhide Kanada,
Government Finance Statistics Advisor

Teruhide Kanada joined the CDOT in September 2014 from the International Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Finance (MOF). Previously, he worked in the Lao PDR finance ministry as a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) expert, providing capacity building and training on fiscal data compilation at the central and local level.

Prior to the assignment in Lao PDR, Mr. Kanada’s long experience in the Japan MOF’s International Bureau included responsibility for monitoring capital flows in the Balance of Payments Statistics and Foreign Exchange Market Division. He was also Division Director for personnel management in the Coordination Division. Earlier assignments included the Office of the Executive Director for Japan at the IMF, the Asian Development Bank Institute, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

Holger van Eden,
Regional Public Financial Management Advisor for Southeast Asia

Holger van Eden has been based at CDOT since November 2016. His project covers emerging economies (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand) and developing ones (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam), focusing on fiscal management and forecasting, budget planning and execution, public investment management, and fiscal risk management, as well as other PFM topics.

Mr. van Eden was previously a deputy division chief in the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) Public Financial Management (PFM) II Division, where he worked on TA delivery, strategy, and coordination in the Asia-Pacific region. As an IMF staff member and earlier as an international project manager, he worked extensively on PFM issues in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe, leading and/or participating in technical assistance missions to more than 50 countries the past 20 years. Within FAD, he has had a leadership role in developing IMF research and board papers and coordinating training and seminars on medium-term expenditure frameworks, program budgeting, fiscal responsibility legislation, public investment management, and fiscal transparency.

Jun Iwasaki,
Monetary and Foreign Exchange Operations Advisor

Jun Iwasaki joined CDOT in September 2017 as an expert on monetary and foreign exchange operations conducted by central banks, including financial markets development. Previously, he worked for the Bank of Japan (BOJ) for 30 years, where he spent his career in various market-related sections, in addition to serving as General Manager of Oita and Yokohama Branches and Chief Representative of BOJ’s Representative Office in Washington, D.C. He also served as a member of the Markets Committee of the Bank for International Settlement during and after the global financial crisis.

While at the BOJ, Mr. Iwasaki gained regional exposure through membership in working groups in EMEAP (Executives’ Meeting of East Asia and Pacific Central Banks) and interaction with other regional bodies, including SEACEN (South East Asian Central Banks Research and Training Centre). He holds an M. Phil. Degree in International Relations from University of Cambridge.

Angsupalee Wacharakiat,
External Sector Statistics Advisor

Angsupalee Wacharakiat joined CDOT in January 2018. Prior to this, she was a Senior Economist in IMF Statistics Department’s Balance of Payments Division, co-managing capacity development projects on external sector statistics (ESS) for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam and a group of African countries.

Before working at the IMF, Angsupalee was the Assistant Director in the Statistics and Information Systems Department at the Bank of Thailand (BOT), where she worked for 19 years as an ESS compiler, analyst, and manager. She has also served outside of the BOT as short-term expert, conducting technical assistance missions and workshops on ESS in several countries in the Asia-Pacific region for the IMF and for the ASEAN Secretariat’s capacity building programs.

Sanjay Kalra,
Macroeconomic Advisor

Sanjay Kalra joined CDOT as Macroeconomic Advisor for Cambodia, Lao P.D.R., Myanmar and Vietnam in January 2019. He was recruited as an economist by the IMF in 1994 and has worked on a number of countries in the Asia and Pacific Department (Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, Nepal, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam) and European Department (Slovenia, Republic of North Macedonia, Albania, Iceland, Luxembourg), and has also worked with the IMF’s Executive Board.

During 2011-15, Sanjay was the IMF’s Regional Resident Representative for Vietnam and Lao PDR. In 2010-11, he was a Visiting Scholar at the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He holds degrees in Economics from Columbia University (M.Phil. and PhD) and Delhi School of Economics (Masters). Prior to joining the IMF, he was an Assistant Professor in Economics at Tufts University and has also taught at Columbia University and New York University. He has published extensively on macroeconomic and international trade and policy issues.

Suhas Joshi,
Regional Treasury Advisor

Mr. Suhas Joshi joined CDOT in May 2019 as the Regional Treasury Advisor, covering Cambodia, Lao P.D.R., Myanmar, and Vietnam. Previously, he was a regional public financial management (PFM) advisor for the IMF in the Caribbean. Since joining the Fund in 1999, Suhas has worked in a diverse set of PFM areas in more than 40 countries, with a first assignment as a PFM advisor in Russia. He subsequently worked as a regional PFM advisor for West Africa, in the Pacific Financial and Technical Assistance Center (PFTAC) in Fiji, and for South and Southeast Asia based in Cambodia and covering 12 countries.

Prior to the IMF, Suhas worked for 18 years in senior government positions in India. He holds an MBA and an M. Sc. in National Development and Project Planning from the United Kingdom.

Matanee Satraphai,
Economist

Matanee Satraphai is an economist in CDOT mainly supporting IMF surveillance in the beneficiary countries and its integration with capacity development. Joining the office in December 2017, she is currently seconded from Bank of Thailand (BOT). Previously, she worked as a senior economist in the BOT’s Macroeconomic Department. She was a member of International Economic Division, which is responsible for analysis and forecasting Thailand’s major trading partners’ economies. Her experience as a country desk economist focused on China, Japan, Taiwan Province of China, Korea, Malaysia, and Philippines.

Earlier in her career, she worked on research projects related to macroeconomics and finance at Fiscal Policy Research Institute Foundation under Thailand’s Ministry of Finance. She has a Masters of Public Policy (Macroeconomic Program) from National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Japan and a B.A. in Economics (with honors) from Thammasat University.

Waratch Thananant,
Economist Analyst

Waratch Thananant mainly supports the resident expert advisors in CDOT on preparation of training, technical, and research materials. He has been seconded from the Bank of Thailand (BOT) since November 2017. Previously, as an economist in the BOT’s International Department, he focused on capital account liberalization as part of ASEAN’s financial integration. In this context, he was involved in capacity building programs for Brunei and the CLMV countries and monitored macroprudential policies and capital flow measures. He was also tasked on initiatives to promote the use of local currencies for intra-regional trade and investment with ASEAN member states.

Waratch is currently enrolled in the graduate program at Thammasat University on international relations. He holds a BA in Economics from Chulalongkorn University. During his undergraduate studies, he volunteered at the Chaipattana Foundation (a local development NGO), interned at the Stock Exchange of Thailand’s Capital Market Research Institute, and co-founded a tech startup.

Pichaporn Gulati,
Office Manager

Pichaporn Gulati joined CDOT in June 2017. Prior to her joining us, she worked as an Executive Assistant to the Regional Head of MAN Truck & Bus Asia Pacific.

Pichaporn holds a Master Degree in Communications Arts from Bangkok University, and a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Bradford University.

Kitti Anantrukvanij,
Senior Administrative Assistant

Kitti Anantrukvanij supports the expert advisors in CDOT, mainly under macroeconomic management project, including coordination of training activities. He joined the office in January 2018 on secondment from the Bank of Thailand (BOT). Previously, as a senior examiner in the BOT’s Supervision Group, he helped organize and coordinate training programs (local and international) for the Examiner Training School at the BOT.

His previous experiences also include serving as an administrative assistant at the BOT’s London Representative Office and as a senior analyst in the BOT’s Human Resources Department, where he helped coordinate interaction with various overseas partner institutes and universities, as part of the department’s scholarship team.

Regional Economic Outlook

At a Glance

Established in Bangkok in September 2012, originally as the IMF Technical Assistance Office for Lao P.D.R. and Myanmar (TAOLAM).
Main beneficiaries: The core beneficiary countries are Myanmar, Lao P.D.R., Cambodia and Vietnam. Select capacity development projects based in CDOT also cover other countries in Southeast Asia and in the Pacific Island region.
External donors: Thailand and Japan. The Bank of Thailand hosts the CDOT Office. The Japan Administered Account for Selected IMF Activities (JSA) supports project activity in public financial management, monetary and foreign exchange operations, government finance statistics, external sector statistics, and macroeconomic management.
Capacity development is delivered to the beneficiary countries by a group of regional advisors, working closely with and supported by IMF functional departments, TA missions and training providers, and resident advisors and short-term experts. These advisors also collaborate with regional development partners.
Regional collaboration: CDOT also works in tandem with other IMF offices in the region involved in capacity development, including the IMF-Singapore Regional Training Institute , South Asia Training and Technical Assistance Center, and Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Tokyo.

Office Activities

Statement on Fifth Meeting of the Advisory Committee of the IMF Capacity Development Office in Thailand (CDOT)

March 15, 2019

The Fifth Advisory Committee Meeting of the IMF Capacity Development Office in Thailand (CDOT), which convened in Hanoi and was hosted by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) on March 15, 2019, highlighted efforts made by CDOT to support regional economic reforms, mainly in Cambodia, Lao P.D.R., Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV). Meeting discussions centered on the effectiveness of technical assistance (TA) and training being provided by CDOT in strengthening macroeconomic statistics, operational tools, and policy frameworks to better ensuring countries’ capacity to maintain a stable macroeconomic environment, supportive growth conditions, and manageable debt levels. Read more.

Statement on the IMF’s Capacity Development Office in Thailand (CDOT)

September 11, 2018

Effective September 10, 2018, the IMF’s Technical Assistance Office for the Lao P.D.R. and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (TAOLAM) located in Bangkok was renamed to the IMF Capacity Development Office in Thailand (CDOT). The name change reflects the complementary role that training plays with technical assistance, as the two pillars of capacity development at the IMF. As in recent years, CDOT will continue to focus on providing technical assistance and training to Lao P.D.R. and Myanmar, as well as Cambodia and Vietnam, as its core beneficiary countries. The principal objective of CDOT will remain to strengthen capacity in macroeconomic management and statistics in support of countries’ reform priorities. CDOT’s activities are made possible through direct financial support from the Government of Japan and an in-kind contribution from the Bank of Thailand.

Statement on Fourth Meeting of the Advisory Committee for the Technical Assistance Office in Thailand

February 2, 2018

TAOLAM’s Advisory Committee Meeting highlighted these developments at its annual meeting on January 18, 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. Read More.

Statement on Third Meeting of the Advisory Committee for the Technical Assistance Office in Thailand

December 9, 2016

TAOLAM’s Advisory Committee met at its annual meeting on December 8, 2016 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. Read more.

Bank of Lao PDR Hosts the Second Annual Meeting of the Advisory Committee for the IMF Technical Assistance Office for Lao PDR and Myanmar

Press Release No. 15/537, November 24, 2015

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Technical Assistance Office for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (TAOLAM) continues to expand the breadth and reach of its activities through a range of tailor-made capacity building projects. Read More

IMF Technical Assistance Moves to Strengthen the Capacity of Officials in South East Asia on Macro-Financial Linkages and Diagnostics

Press Release No. 15/203, May 8, 2015

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Technical Assistance Office for Lao P.D.R. and Myanmar (TAOLAM) in cooperation with the IMF’s Singapore Regional Training Institute (STI) organized a workshop from May 5-6 in Bangkok, Thailand, to help officials from Cambodia, Lao P.D.R, Myanmar and Vietnam build capacity in the areas of macro-financial linkages and diagnostics. Read More

Regional Economic Outlook

October 11, 2018

Asia has achieved remarkable economic success over the past five decades. Hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty, and successive waves of economies have made the transition to middle-income and even advanced-economy status. And whereas the region used to be almost entirely dependent on foreign know-how, several of its economies are now on the cutting edge of technological advance. Even more striking, all of this has happened within just a couple of generations, the product of a winning mix of integration with the global economy via trade and foreign direct investment (FDI), high savings rates, large investments in human and physical capital, and sound macroeconomic policies.

Read the report

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