Thailand Shippers See Export Growth Of One Pct This Year

By Piyarat Nisangkard BANGKOK, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- The Thai National Shippers Council expected Thailand's export growth this year to be around one per cent, far lower than its earlier projection of 1.6 per cent. Council president, Nopporn Thepsithar, said this was mainly due to the less-than-impressive performane in July in which exports contracted 0.85 per cent to US$18.896 billion. "Thailand needs to boost exports. If they were to grow by about three per cent a month for the remaining months of the year this year's exports will increase by just one per," he told a media briefing here Monday. The country's exports for January-July period contracted by 0.42 per cent to US$131.601 billion, mainly due to the declining exports of agricultural products, he said. Wallop Wattanakorn, vice president of the TNSC, was he confident exports would grow by one per cent this year. He said the Ebola outbreak has also affected exports as it has resulted in the reduction in people travelling for business and the smaller companies had suspended shipments. "The other factors include the possible escalation of war in Iraq which could affect exports to West Asia," Wallop said. -- BERNAMA