Thai economy grows under 2% last year

Thailand's economy grew by 1.8% in 2023, down from the 2.6% year-on-year, as the manufacturing and export sectors contracted, the country’s Finance Ministry said on January 25.

People shop at a supermarket in Thailand (Photo: VNA)

As reported by the local news site The Nation, Fiscal Policy Office director-general Pornchai Thiraveja, who acts as the ministry’s spokesman, said economic figures from the last quarter of last year showed a contraction in the Manufacturing Production Index, which fell by 4.7% in November for 14 consecutive months. Several key products saw declines for many months in a row, including computers, cars, rubber, and plastics.

The ministry expects GDP growth at 2.8% this year as the country has seen increased exports of goods and services, the official said.

He said another factor to help boost economic growth this year will be the anticipated 33.5 million foreign tourist arrivals, 19.5% higher than last year. Tourism revenue has also been projected to rise by 23.6% annually to 1.48 trillion THB (41.47 billion USD).

In October 2023, the Fiscal Policy Office had forecast the country’s economy to expand by 2.7% for the entire year./.

VNA