Exports, tourism considered as major economic engines

BANGKOK, Dec 1 (TNA) -- The Finance Ministry expects exports and tourism to significantly drive the economy in the last two months of this year and result in a 4.7% economic growth rate in the fourth quarter. Sorapol Tulyasathien, macroeconomic policy director of the ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office, said that October that was the first month of the fourth quarter was full of positive factors for economic growth including demand and supply. He viewed that the positive factors continue from the third quarter when the national economy expanded by 4.3%. Mr Sorapol said exports were rising well and consumption in the private sector played more important roles in supporting the economic growth. Meanwhile, the arrivals of foreign tourists peaked in 26 months. The Fiscal Policy Office maintained its economic growth projection for this year at 3.8%. However, he said the growth rate might rise to 4% if the pace increased to 4.7% in the fourth quarter of this year. He said that will be possible if exports and tourism continue to grow well as they did earlier. (TNA)