2.Domestic macroeconomic policy. The most obvious element of macroeconomic policy in most crisis countries was the use of fixed exchange rates. Fixed exchange rates encouraged international capital flows into the countries, and many debts incurred in foreign currencies were not hedged because of the lack of exchange rate volatility. Once pressures for devaluation began, countries defended the pegged exchange rate by central bank intervention-buying domestic currency with dollars. Because each country has a finite supply of dollars, countries also raised interest rates to increase the attractiveness of investments denominated in domestic currency. Finally, some countries resorted to capital controls, restricting foreigners access to domestic currency to restrict speculation against the domestic currency. For instance, if investors wanted to speculate against the Thai baht, they could borrow baht and exchange them for dollars, betting that the baht would fall in value against the dollar. This increased selling pressure on the baht could be reduced by capital controls limiting foreigners' ability to borrow baht. However, ultimately the pressure to devalue is too great, as even domestic residents are speculating against the domestic currency and the fixed exchange rate is abandoned. This occurs with great cost to the domestic financial market. Because international debts were denominated in foreign currency and most were unhedged because of the prior fixed exchange rate, the domestic currency burden of the debt was increased in proportion to the size of the