Thailand exports higher by 10%

Thailand's exports last month reached 18.7 billion U.S. dollars, a 10.5 percent increase year-on- year, the Thai Ministry of Commerce revealed Thursday. Permanent Secretary for commerce Vatchari Vimooktayon said the increase is the resulted of positive performances in industrial and agro industrial products. Exports which rose, by percentage points, were electronics 45.2, electrical appliances 4.3, automobilies and parts 19.1, construction materials 15.8, furniture 17.1, textiles 7.9, frozen seafood, canned food and processed food excluding shrimps 11.6 and frozen and processed chicken by 10.2 percent, Vatchari said. Exports of some agricultural products fell, including rice by 8. 4 percent, rubber 8.1 percent, and frozen and processed shrimp by 30.8 percent. She said the satisfactory performance in April contributed to higher export volumes in the first four months of this year at 75. 67 billion dollars, or 5.74 percent higher. The positive export results were mainly due to expansion in the industrial sector and a slight depreciation of the baht, Vatchari said. She said exporters of agricultural produce may have to lower their prices to stay competitive in the global market if the baht continues to surge. Thailand's imports in April totalled 21.55 billion dollars, an increase by 8.91 percent, while the trade deficit in January-April this year was 10.76 billion U.S. dollars, she said.