Thailand's exports down 4.5 per cent in July
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The value of Thailand's exports dropped 4.5 percent year-on-year in July, led by a 21.4-per-cent decline in imports by the debt-plagued European Union, the Commerce Ministry said Wednesday.
Exports for the month amounted to 19.5 billion dollars while imports were 21.3 billion, up 13.7 per cent as factories hit by last year's flooding returned to operations with purchases of equipment and left the country with a 1.7-billion-dollar trade deficit.
Exports to all of Thailand's main trading partners fell in July except for the United States, where they rose 2.3 per cent.
Thai exports to Japan fell 3.5 per cent, to China by 7.5 and the Association of South-east Asian Nations 11.9 per cent.
Leading export sectors, such as electronics and garments, declined 15.4 per cent and 14.3 per cent, respectively. Automobile exports were up 18.2 per cent, the main exception in an otherwise negative report.//DPA
