BANGKOK, Nov 24 — Thailand’s printing industry may contract slightly this year due to the economic slowdown, said Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the Printing and Packaging Cluster under the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
Mr Kriengkrai, a vice chairman of the FTI, said the printing industry normally enjoys booming business before the year end due to printing orders for new calendars, greeting cards and other forms of printing.
But banks, state enterprises and major corporations this year have cut orders by as much as 20 per cent while small- and medium-sized enterprises have been most affected as their orders are reduced by some 60 per cent, Mr Kriengkrai said.
The outlook of the industry this year is not for growth, he said, but could suffer contraction with income projected at only Bt300 billion.
However, it is hoped that the entire industry next year will grow in tandem with overall national economic growth estimated by the National Economic and Social Development Board at between 3.5-4.5 per cent if the government invests fully in its planned investment programmes and exports grow at 4 per cent, he said.
Thailand’s printing industry plans to penetrate neighbouring countries after the ASEAN Community takes effect at the end of 2015. Some major printing firms have already entered Vietnam and Myanmar with plans to penetrate markets in Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines later.
