
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand'sexports in January climbed 8 percent year-on-year thanks tothe global economic recovery, an easing of thecontainer shortage, and promotions by local authorities.
The Thai Ministry of Commerce reported on March 2 that the country’s customs-cleared exports fetched 21.3billion USD, with imports rising by 20.5 percent to 23.7 billion USD, resultingin a trade deficit of 2.52 billion USD.
Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said the economy is on course to recover as indicated by a continuous rise ofthe global manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI), which stood above 50 points for the 19th consecutive month.
The ministry still maintains its export growth target at 3-4 percent this yeardespite a host of risk factors such as rising oil prices from the escalatingconflict between Russia and Ukraine.
After chairing a joint meeting between theministry's senior officials and the private sector, Jurin said thatthe conflict in Ukraine has not had much impact yet on Thai trade.
According to Thailand's Joint Standing Committee on Commerce,Industry and Banking (JSCCIB), growing concerns over the Russia-Ukraine tensionmay cause the country's economic growth to slow to 2.5 percent this year from the targetof 3-4.5 percent set previously.
Last year, Thailand’s exports rose by 17.1 percent to 271 billionUSD, while its imports surged by 29.8 percent to 268 billion USD./.