October 21, 2009
BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai exports in September fell 8.53 percent year-on-year, a slower rate of decline than a month earlier, the commerce minister said Wednesday, as she continued to project recovery for the sector.
Shipments hit their highest level for the year at 14.9 billion dollars, a 12.2 percent gain on August. Exports were 18.4 percent lower year on year in August.
"The Commerce Ministry maintains its projection that exports will fall up to 13 percent over 2009, but next year the trend is set to reverse with Thai exports seeing positive growth of not less than 10 percent," Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai told reporters.
She said the global economic recovery and the government's stimulus package had boosted exports, particularly in agricultural products.
But average exports to key markets including Southeast Asia, the European Union, Japan and the United States plummeted 29.2 percent while those to new markets such Eastern Europe and Australia dropped 13.2 percent, she said.
Thailand enjoyed a trade surplus of 1.9 billion dollars in September as imports worth 12.9 billion dollars represented a 17.9 percent fall from last year.
