BANGKOK, Nov 25 – Total domestic printing sales this year are projected to drop sharply by Bt50-60 billion (US$1.6-2 billion) thanks to the country’s worst flooding in decades, according to the Thai Printing Association.
Pornchai Rattanachaikanont, association president, predicted that overall 2011 printing sales are likely to shrink by 30-40 per cent, or some Bt50-60 billion.
Domestic sales in 2011 were forecast at Bt240-250 billion ($8-8.3 billion) in total, dropping from Bt300 billion ($10 billion) last year
Mr Pornchai explained that the floodwaters hit several printing houses while other printing houses, which survived the flood, lost their marketing and sales opportunities as well.
The months-long inundation also had an impact on the exports of Thai printing, which failed to achieve its target of export expansion by 30 per cent, the president said.
He expected this year’s value of printing exports to stay unchanged at Bt70 billion ($2.3 billion) because export markets also suffered from the flood.
