Thailand’s exports last month reached US$18.7 billion, a 10.5 percent increase year-on-year, thanks to positive performances in industrial and agro industrial products, a senior Commerce Ministry official said last week.
Vatchari Vimooktayon, permanent secretary for commerce, said exports that rose were electronics 45.2, electrical appliances 4.3, automobiles and parts 19.1, construction materials 15.8, furniture 17.1 percent, textiles 7.9, frozen seafood, canned food and processed food excluding shrimps 11.6, and frozen and processed chicken by 10.2 percent.
Exports of some agricultural products fell, including rice by 8.4 percent, rubber 8.1 percent, tapioca products 14.2 percent, and frozen and processed shrimp by 30.8 percent.
She said the satisfactory performance in April contributed to higher export volumes in the first four months of this year at US$75.67 billion, or 5.74 percent higher.
The positive export results were mainly due to expansion in the industrial sector and a slight depreciation of the baht, Vatchari said.
She called on the central bank to find appropriate measures to deal with the baht so that the Commerce Ministry achieves its 7-7.5 percent export growth target.
She said exporters of agricultural produce may have to lower their prices to stay competitive in the global market if the baht continues to surge.
Thailand’s imports in April totaled US$21.55 billion, an increase of 8.91 percent, while the trade deficit in January-April this year was US$10.76 billion, she said.
