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Thai exports hit record high in September
Thailand’s exports in September hit a record high of
US$12 billion, bringing the export value of the kingdom in the first nine
months this year to the US$95 billion mark.
According to Permanent Secretary for Commerce Karun Kittisataporn, the
export figure in September represented a 16.4 per cent increase over the
same month last year.
The export performance in September alone has also earned Thailand US$1.5
billion in trade surplus. This helped to ease concern over a possible trade
deficit, as with the September achievement, the overall deficit for the
whole of 2006 is projected at US$500 million, he said.
Mr. Rachane Pojanasunthorn, Director-General of the Foreign Trade Department
attributed the robust export performance in September to cheaper energy
prices and the awareness of the Thai people to economise on energy
consumption, which reduced costly energy imports.
In September this year, Thailand imported US$10.5 billion, up 9 per cent
from the same month last year. On the basis of this year’s nine-month
performance, imports from January to September increased 7.7 per cent in
relation to the same period last year.
For the remaining three months of the year, the Export Promotion Department
intends to achieve exports valued at US$11.6 billion per month in order to
meet the target of exporting US$130 billion for the entire year of 2006.
Mr. Karun said with the joint public-private sector efforts, these targets
are attainable. (TNA)
Thailand to promote export of pickups and passenger cars
Soaring worldwide oil prices are expected to hurt the
automobile industry, but Thailand’s automotive trade is looking to benefit from
the situation by widening a niche market and promoting the expanded export of
pickups and passenger cars.
Ninnart Chaitheerapinyo, honorary advisor of the Thai Automotive Industry
Association and vice president of Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd., said during a
programme on Modernine TV that he expects the exports of one-tonne pickup trucks
from Thailand to continue to grow during the next five years, a market that
currently sees about 100,000 units exported annually.
The target is for the industry in Thailand to produce 1.8 million units of cars
annually by 2010 although Ninnart admitted that this figure would be difficult
to achieve if world oil prices continue to stay at a high level.
Wallop Tiasiri, the director of the Thailand Automotive Institute, said the
kingdom is now considered to be an important base worldwide for the production
of one-tonne pickup trucks as it has the capacity to produce about 900,000 units
a year compared to 1.2 million units currently produced worldwide.
Meanwhile, a five-year auto industry development plan, starting in 2007, calls
for the increased production of small energy-efficient passenger cars using
either reduced amounts of gasoline or alternative energy sources.
Mr. Wallop said, that the Institute would prepare details on the industry
proposals to expand auto exports as well as promoting exports of small passenger
cars in the near future. (TNA)
Suvarnabhumi Airport set to become regional hub
Able to move six million tonnes of freight per year, Suvarnabhumi Airport -
which began full commercial operations September 28 - is on its way to
becoming Southeast Asia’s regional cargo hub.
Supachai Kaewsiri, director of the Information Technology Division of Thai
Airport Ground Services (TAGS), said that his firm has invested Bt700
million in establishing its Airport Cargo Community System (ACCS) connected
with the cargo network of the newly opened airport in Bangkok.
During the past 27 days, Supachai said, TAGSs supervision of the IT network
in Suvarnabhumi proved a smooth operation as planned. Right now both cargo
and baggage transport are operated by Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and
ACCS.
German consultants have recommend that both systems be used in parallel for
the initial three months so as to allow entrepreneurs to familialise
themselves with the new IT system of ACCS.
Mr. Suphachai added that Suvarnabhumi Airport’s cargo warehouse has served
about 10,000 business operators. When ACCS is in full use in January 2007,
Suvarnabhumi is highly likely to become the primary cargo hub for all of
Southeast Asia as cargo services will be centred at one stop. (TNA)
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