An Analysis of Thai Financial Reporting Practices and the Impact of the 1997 Economic Crisis

We focus on listed Thai companies between 1993 and 2002 to ascertain whether the 1997 economic crisis, which we refer to as an economic disturbance, had an impact on financial reporting practices. Both changes in measurement and disclosure practices are considered and the period of study is divided into three sub-periods: the pre-economic crisis period (1993-96), the economic crisis period (1996-98) and the post-economic crisis period (1998-2002). The results show that there were significant increases in disclosure levels over the ten years but no substantial changes in measurement methods. This work takes on added relevance in the light of the recent (2007-08) economic bubble and subsequent financial crisis worldwide.