Border trade value grew 5.2% in first 5 months

NONTHABURI, July 24 (TNA) -- The value of border trade with neighboring countries increased by 5.2% in the first five months of this year. Satisfied with the trade growth, Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn attributed it to effective marketing strategies with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV). She said the border trade value with the four countries amounted to 445.54 billion baht from January to May. The value of trade via neighboring countries to southern China, Vietnam and Singapore was estimated at 83.96 billion baht, rising 13.4%. The combined value of border trade and transit trade reached 529.50 billion baht, up 6.4%. From the trade, Thailand posted a surplus of 122.13 billion baht. “The trade growth results from the popularity of Thai products and services among neighboring countries as well as Thai investment and employment of workers in the countries,” the commerce minister said. She also said that border trade played important roles in Thailand’s export strategies which focused on Southeast Asian markets. Last year the Thai trade value in the region with altogether 600 million people reached 3.21 trillion baht, forming 22% of all Thai trade worldwide, Ms Apiradi said. (TNA)