TISI for next three months up

BANGKOK, March 19 (TNA) - The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) says a latest survey in February found that the Thai Industries Sentiment Index (TISI) for the next three months stood at 103.1 points, up from 101.5 points in its survey in January. FTI Chairman Payungsak Chartsutipol (พยุงศักดิ์ ชาติสุทธิผล ) told journalists on Tuesday that the increased TISI for the next three months was boosted by rising purchase orders, sale and production volumes and improving business performances, acknowledging, however, that the TISI for the next quarter dropped in local small and medium-sized industries. Payungsak noted that the TISI in February 2013 alone fell to 95.5, from 97.3 points a month earlier, due to a drop in overall purchase orders, sales, production, as well as operational costs and results. The FTI chief attributed the decline in the TISI to fewer work days last month, when locals with the Chinese origin celebrated the Chinese New Year festival. Besides, increased wages, as well as energy and raw material costs affected business operators. According to the FTI chief, oil prices in February were the biggest concern of local business operators, followed by unstable foreign exchange rates, as well as uncertain global economic conditions, domestic political situation and lending interest rates. The FTI chair acknowledged local business operators also said they want the Thai government to solve drought and the shortage of unskilled and skilled labor, create sustainable energy management and political stability and convince local financial institutes to offer soft loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The FTI chair, nonetheless, pointed out that the TISI of overall orders, sales and production exceeded 100 points last month, when the index of overseas sales also reflected the recovering global economies and increasing Thai exports. (TNA)