November marked the fourth consecutive month of growth for Thailand’s customs-based exports, which saw a 4.9% rise from the same period last year, according to data from the customs department. However, this fell short of the projected 6.3% year-on-year increase anticipated in a Reuters poll. Last month, October had witnessed an 8% year-on-year rise.
In an unexpected turn, imports for November soared 10.1% from the previous year, surpassing the poll’s predicted increase of 3%. Consequently, the trade deficit for the month stood at US$2.4 billion (about 84 billion baht), a stark contrast to the anticipated deficit of US$0.55 billion (about 19.2 billion baht).
The customs department attributed the surge in exports – a crucial component of Thailand’s economy – to increased shipments of oil, rice, computers, and computer parts. However, it…
