Commercial attaches ordered to promote Thai exports worldwide

BANGKOK, September 13 (TNA) - Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom convened Thai commercial attaches to foreign countries worldwide Thursday morning to assign them to promote Thai exports. At the meeting with Thai commercial attaches in 61 countries, Boonsong told them to do their best to market Thai products despite a global economic slowdown and low demand from trading partners in the lead-up to the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays. Boonsong insisted, however, that Thailand's export growth target at 15 per cent this year has been maintained although many parties have predicted that the country's export growth will likely be lower than 5 per cent in 2012, saying that he believes Thailand's export growth should exceed 5 per cent or even exceed 7.3 per cent. Boonsong acknowledged despite two negative factors, including a flooding crisis in Thailand late last year which has contributed to a drop in production capacity in the country and impacts from the ongoing eurozone debt crisis which has caused a plung in the country's export growth to only 2.21 per cent during the first seven months of this year, Thailand remains better off than several other countries facing the same global economic slowdown. The commerce minister explained that his ministry's target for Thailand's export growth at 15 per cent this year is not a projection, but is is aimed to encourage all concerned parties to work at the best of their abilities to promote and boost Thai exports. According to the commerce minister, his ministry will also carry on cooperation with the relevant parties to stimulate Thai exports in the rest of this year. (TNA)