Editorial Note

Abstract

This issue, Volume 31, No. 1 (January-June 2024), commemorates the 31st anniversary of the Asian Journal of Applied Economics (AJAE), a respected publication from the Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University. It is remarkable how quickly time passes. For three decades, our journal has been consistently published, and we are now entering our 31st year of sharing research findings in economics and related disciplines. The journal's journey over the past 30 years has seen its share of challenges and triumphs. Positioned as an economic journal from Thailand and not indexed in Scopus, we have faced difficulties in attracting new submissions and boosting our publication and citation numbers amidst the proliferation of academic journals. Nevertheless, we remain committed to maintaining the high standards and timely publication of our articles. We greatly appreciate your ongoing support, whether you contribute as an author, reviewer, or reader.

In this January-June 2024 issue, we present a collection of seven articles that showcase a range of empirical findings in applied economics and related fields in business administration. These articles employ economic concepts and econometric methods through various case studies in Asia, offering valuable insights into Asian economies. The first two papers use panel regression models: one highlights the economic and social benefits of ICT in reducing inequality risks in Indonesia, and the other evaluates the impact of public expenditure on economic growth in India. The next four articles use micro-level data to explore research topics in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Lao PDR, respectively. These studies provide practical policy implications for promoting pro-environmental behavior, enhancing sport participation and well-being, understanding CEO characteristics and stock market performance, and analyzing consumer perceptions of organic vegetables. The final paper introduces an early warning system for debt rescheduling in ASEAN countries. The summaries of these articles are as shown in the PDF.

I am confident that the articles in this issue will greatly benefit both engaged readers and policymakers. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to our late editor, Dr. Kanchana Sripruetkiat, who dedicated four years to our journal before moving on to new endeavors. Additionally, I am deeply grateful to the Center for Applied Economics Research (CAER) at the Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University, for their unwavering support and sponsorship throughout the journal's production. Lastly, I would like to thank ChatGPT4o for assisting with the proofreading.

There is a small request we would like to make to our valued authors. Our journal does not charge any fees, and we are fortunate to have the support of the CAER. However, there are still costs involved in the review process. We kindly ask authors to respect our community by submitting manuscripts that are thoughtfully prepared. Please review the author guidelines on our website to help streamline the process and enhance your manuscript's quality.

AJAE remains committed to enhancing our standards, and we extend an open invitation for more articles within the realm of applied economics, particularly those offering pragmatic solutions to real-world challenges in the Asian context. For those considering publication in AJAE, we encourage you to submit your manuscripts via our online journal system (ThaiJo). All articles remain accessible through open access, and there are no associated fees throughout the entire process. For detailed author guidelines and submission instructions, please visit our website.