What makes our household debt so high? There are several contributing factors, among them low borrowing costs and the average age of the population. (Young adults usually borrow more.) But we believe the main factors in Thailand and Malaysia have been government policies to stimulate consumption via leveraging. As we discussed in a previous article, governments like consumption-based stimulus schemes because they are three times more effective than other approaches in the short run. However, once the party ends, consumption falls more sharply and recovers much more slowly. For proof, look no further than the aftermath of Thailand's first-time car buyer scheme