Thai economy can expand 7% in 2012, says DPM

BANGKOK, Feb 17 (TNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong has projected that the Thai economy can expand by up to 7 per cent this year, a sharp rebound after heavily affected by the country's massive flooding late last year. Kittirat, who is also the finance minister concurrently, said in an interview published in the US Wall Street Journal on Friday that, if well-managed, Thailand's economic growth rate in 2012 could reach some 7 per cent, boosted by a surge in post-flood domestic consumption and investment. The deputy premier also assessed that Thailand's exports could grow by 15 per cent this year. The Bank of Thailand or BOT has, meanwhile, forecast that the national economy should expand by 4.5-5.0 year-on-year in 2012.(TNA)