HOME OWNERSHIP VS. CREDIT CARD & AUTO DEBT
The composition of household debt in Thailand and Malaysia further amplifies the concern. In many developed countries, three-fourths of household debt is in the form of mortgages (see graphic). In Thailand and Malaysia, half is consumption-related -- credit-card, personal loans and auto loans.
So what is the problem? The assets underlying consumption-related loans depreciate in value quickly. In contrast, house prices usually go up, so a house is considered an investment.
So one type of loan makes borrowers poorer, while another type makes them richer. Unfortunately, Thai and Malaysian consumers are holding a lot of the former.
Admittedly, economists have devoted less attention to household debt than to public debt, foreign debt and corporate debt. We don't even know how to reduce it effectively. So far, we've seen only one event that could bring down the household debt -- the 2008 subprime crisis [the 2008 financial crisis that began in the US].
In the end, we're not saying governments should not stimulate the economy via household debt in a downturn. But household debt should be managed carefully. If fiscal space represents a government's ability to stimulate an economy through public spending, household debt space represents the ability to do so through consumption. All governments must be careful not to lose both spaces at once -- especially during a slowdown such as the one we're experiencing today.