Thai exports expected to grow 5% in 2014

BANGKOK, November 27 (TNA) - The Ministry of Commerce says, despite a fall in Thai exports this year, the country's overall shipments of products to overseas markets are expected to grow by at least 5 per cent next year. Urawee Ngowroongrueng, Deputy Director-General of the ministry's Department of International Trade Promotion, told journalists on Wednesday that recent discussions with the private sector found all parties have agreed Thai exports should expand by at least 5 per cent year-on-year in 2014, thanks to the recovering world economy and rising exports of locally-produced industrial goods. Urawee assessed that Thailand's monthly export values next year should stand 20 billion US dollars on average. Urawee acknowledged that Thai exports during the first 10 months this year fell 0.02 per cent compared to the same period of last year. According to the senior official, Thailand's earning from exports during the January-October 2013 stood at about 191.53 billion US dollars, down 0.02 per cent from the corresponding period of last year. The senior official also noted that Thailand faced a trade deficit of of about 19.44 billion US dollars during the first 10 months of this year. The Commerce Ministry remains optimistic that Thai exports should sustain one per cent year-on-year growth on average this year. The senior official cautioned that there is a need to, nonetheless, closely monitor impacts from ongoing domestic political rallies and world economic problems. (TNA)