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Thailand's GDP grows under expectation

The Thai government has to downgrade the country's economic growth again due to a slower expansive pace than expected in the third quarter with the main reason of a sharp decline in exports.
The Thai government has todowngrade the country's economic growth again due to a slower expansivepace than expected in the third quarter with the main reason of a sharpdecline in exports.

Gross domestic product rose by 0.6 percent, alittle higher than in the second quarter but it was lower than a levelof one percent increase expected by economists, the National Economicand Social Development Board (NESDB) said, adding that the governmentlowered its growth estimate for 2014 to 1 percent from 1.5-2 percentprojected in August.

NESDB Secretary-General ArkhomTermpittayapaisith was quoted by MCOT as saying that the nationaleconomy improved from what it had been in the second quarter as theprivate sector resumed its investment.

Investment in this sectorrose by 3.9 percent after being in steady decline in the four previousquarters. Household spending increased by 2.2 percent compared to 0.2percent in the third quarter. In the addition, the 40 billion THBsubsidy for rice growers and a subsidy for rubber growers mightstimulate the economy late this year.

It is expected thateconomic growth rate may reach at 3.5-4.5 percent next year relying onexports, tourism being likely to improve. However, the economicprojection of this year will grow by 1 percent instead of the optimisticanticipation earlier.-VNA

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