For this year, the ministry has projected export value of between US$210 billion and $218 billion, the first figure representing a 2-per-cent decline and the second figure marking expansion by the same percentage. Exports to Latin America this year will shrink by 3.9 per cent, but next year's contraction should be smaller at minus-0.1 per cent. Export to tThai exports he European Union will face flat growth both this year and next year.Export growth to the Middle East, expected at 2.4 per cent this year, is forecast to improve to 3.3 per cent next year. Export to Africa, likely to decline by 8 per cent this year, should turn around to growth of 5 per cent.Export growth to South Asia will rise from 0.5 per cent to 2 per cent, and to Asean from minus-0.8 per cent this year to growth of 2.5 per cent in 2017. Export to Australia will continue to grow by 5 per cent in 2017, which is also the expansion expected this year.Exports to East Asian markets will grow slightly next year.

Source: The Nation Bangkok September 07, 2016 18:04 UTC