Commerce bids to hit export target
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The Commerce Ministry, worried that exports would be hurt by the euro crisis, has called a meeting of its commercial councillors and private firms to find measures to boost exports.
Deputy Commerce Minister Phum Saraphon said he would call a meeting of commercial councillors on May 25 to accelerate a plan to boost exports to meet the target of 15-per-cent growth this year, equivalent to US$2.36 billion (Bt710 billion).
Thailand’s exports in the first three months of this year contracted by 3.92 per cent, due to last year’s massive floods and the weak global economy.
“We want to urge commercial councillors to work harder as manufacturing sectors have recovered from the floods and they have to convince importers that our production is back to normal,” said Phum.
He said he would ask the councillors to survey market share taken by competitors during the floods in order to win back old customers.
Wuttichai Duangrat, deputy director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion, said that during the meeting business leaders would be invited to consult with commercial councillors on how to expand the export market.
The department will also hold an export clinic at Swissotel on May 29-30, to provide advice to exporters who want to export to China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, India and Bangladesh.
Councillors who work in Asean, Latin America and Africa would give lectures to executives of Saha Pathana Inter Holding, he said.
Ponsak Assakul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, expressed his concern that the crisis in the euro zone will certainly affect Thailand’s exports.
