Thailand’s border trade strongly surges in Q1

Traffic at the Sadao checkpoint in Songkhla province, on the border with Malaysia (Photo: https://www.bangkokpost.com/)

Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand's border and transit trade value increased by 19.3 percent year on year to 384 billion baht (12.3 billion USD) in the first quarter of 2021.

According to the Foreign Trade Department of Thailand, the rise was mainly driven by trade with Malaysia and rising demand for Thai rubber.

Of the total, exports from Thailand valued at 226 billion baht, up 20.5 percent from the same period last year, while imports rose 17.7 percent to 158 billion baht, resulting in a trade surplus of 68.4 billion baht during the reviewed period.

Trade with Malaysia, including transit trade, saw the highest value of 146 billion baht, up 26.7 percent, followed by Laos, up 34 percent to 144 billion baht.

The department said the border trade value of Thailand with its four neighbouring countries in the quarter amounted to 223 billion baht, up 9.57 percent.

Meanwhile, the transit trade with other countries, including Singapore, Vietnam and southern China, totaled 161 billion baht, up 36.1 percent, it added./. 

VNA