UTTC:Oil spills do not affect Thai tourism

BANGKOK, August 6 (TNA) - The Economic and Business Forecasting Centre, under Bangkok-based University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), says that recent oil spills off Rayong province in the Thai East appear not to seriously worry people and has not affected domestic tourism and seafood consumption. But the centre's director, Thanawat Polvichai, acknowledged on Tuesday that ongoing anti-government rallies in Bangkok could have some impacts on domestic consumption and tourism. Thanawat foresaw if the political rallies remain peaceful, they are expected to reduce Thailand's economic growth rate by only 0.1-0.2 per cent this year, but if they turned violent, the national economic growth rate should be lower by 0.5 per cent. According to the senior economist, Thailand’s consumer confidence index (CCI), however, fell to 80.3 points in July 2013, its fourth consecutive monthly decline and the lowest level in seven months, due to consumers' concerns over uncertainties of the domestic political situation and possible impacts on the Thai economy from a slowdown in the world economy currently. (TNA)