If you meet these criteria, consider becoming a homeowner again when the monthly cost of renting exceeds what it would cost to pay a mortgage's PITI (principal, interest, taxes and insurance).

WSJ: When to Buy After a Foreclosure��WSJ House Talk

Chatu-mongkol has helped clean up the image of the BOT and its operations after it was tarnished for its role in the 1997 meltdown, says Bangkok Bank executive vice president Piti Sithi-Amnuai.

CNN: Thailand's New Enforcer

"He has constantly maintained his goals of keeping the central bank independent of political pressure and the adoption of international standards, not only at the BOT but across the entire Thai banking industry, " says Piti.

CNN: Thailand's New Enforcer