Commerce ministry sets five policies to boost Thai exports in 2010

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Sept 6 (TNA) – Top officials of Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce Department of Export Promotion (DEP) were meeting on the weekend to formulate five key policies to boost Thailand’s exports next year, DEP chief Rachane Potjanasuntorn said.

The two-day discussions, beginning Saturday, have been organised to plan for the country’s 2010 export strategies on five policy areas, including ways to boost exports of agricultural and food products, supporting enhanced ASEAN transportation networks to reduce costs, exploring new markets with an objective to boost exports by 53 per cent and over 55 per cent in 2009 and 2010, respectively, as well as maintaining existing, key markets, said Mr Rachane.

He said the other two policies are boosting Thai exports and “creative services” and to give importance to the ASEAN Community, which will formally materialise in 2015.

These strategies will be explained to Thai commercial attaches based overseas in mid-September so that all concerned officials can work in coordination, he said.

Regarding the country’s exports, Mr Rachane said there are signs that exports during the last quarter of 2009 would change direction, and turn around to become positive by some 3-5 per cent, making exports for the calendar year 2009 contracting only 15 per cent and not over 20 per cent as many had predicted earlier. (TNA)