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Our East and South East Asian vessels call
at Sri Racha port on all voyages combiming to make an effective weekly service for importers
and exporters in Bangkok as well as the industrial
area around Laem Chabang.
Economic Indicator
| Population |
63.4 million (2004) |
| GDP |
US$143.2 billion (2003) |
| GDP Growth Rate
|
6.7% (2003) |
| GDP Per Capita
|
US$2,270 (2003) |
| Inflation |
2.5% (2003) |
| Total Imports |
NZ$ 143.7 billion (2004) |
| Total Exports |
NZ$146.4 billion (2004) |
| Currency |
1 baht (B) = 100 satang |
| Exchange Rate |
NZ$1 = 28.4 baht (March 2005) |
| |
US$1 = 38.6 baht (March 2005) |
Sources: Bank of Thailand, Worldbank and Thai Customs Department
Overview
The Kingdom of Thailand is one of the largest countries in the region of South East Asia. It shares a border with Myanmar to the west, Laos to the north and northeast, Cambodia to the east, and Malaysia to the south.
Thailand is rich in natural resources. Its fertile soil is ideal for the cultivation of a wide range of cash crops and fruits. Rice is the most important agricultural product followed by rubber, tapioca and poultry. The agricultural sector employs about 65% of the national workforce. Thailand also has vast sea resources as its seaboard coastline lies alongside the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The composition of Thailand's GDP is made up of services 49%, industry 39%, and agriculture 12%.
Thai-Chinese, mainly second or third generation, make up 12% of the population and play a dominant role in the economic development of the country.
In the past, the Thai economy was characterised by substantial trade deficits but this has not been the case for the last four years. The eighth Five-Year Plan (1997-2001) placed emphasis on the development of the private sector, industry and the service sectors with a strong focus on the further deregulation of trade, finance and industry.
Environmental protection and pollution control have been high on the agenda, along with increased government spending on infrastructure development and health care. Land reform, improved education and government decentralisation are also priorities. The ninth Five-year Plan, starting in 2002 will focus on poverty alleviation, economic rehabilitation, strengthening a foundation for sustainable development, and good governance.
Thailand is a member of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a trade grouping which accords members certain advantages and privileges when dealing with each other. Thailand is currently negotiating free trade agreements with a number of countries including Australia. The Australian agreement will be modelled on CER, will include non-tariff barriers and will be tackled on a sector by sector basis.
Thailand is committed to a wide range of tariff reductions which has made the market more attractive for products such as processed foods, timber and other wood products, newsprint, apparel, furniture and household electrical appliances.
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Thailand's
Top Ten Exports for 2004 (NZ$ million)
| Automatic data processing machines and parts |
8,099.6 |
| Electronic integrated circuits |
7,479.5 |
| Parts for office machines |
5,576.2 |
| Rubber |
5,138.5 |
| Motor vehicles for transport of goods |
4,056.6 |
| Rice |
4,048.4 |
| Air conditioning machines |
3,018.2 |
| Oil (not crude) |
2,765.2 |
| Television receiver and parts |
2,469.5 |
| Printed circuits |
2,230.0 |
| Total of all exports |
146,439.5 |
Source: Thai Customs Department
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Thailand's
Top Ten Imports for 2004 (NZ$ million)
| Crude oil |
16,212.7 |
| Electronic integrated circuits |
11,165.2 |
| Parts for office machines |
5,074.0 |
| Motor vehicle parts and accessories |
3,757.5 |
| Semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel |
2,948.7 |
| Automatic data process machines |
2,297.8 |
| Transmission apparatus for radio and television |
2,177.9 |
| Gold |
1,727.1 |
| Diamonds |
1,723.7 |
| Oil (not crude) |
1,646.5 |
| Total imports to Thailand |
143,740.0 |
Source: Thai Customs Department
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New
Zealand's Top Ten Exports to Thailand for 2004 (NZ$ million)
| Milk and cream, concentrated or sweetened |
141.5 |
| Malt extract |
21.3 |
| Buttermilk and yogurt |
20.5 |
| Butter |
20.2 |
| Wood |
13.3 |
| Frozen fish |
9.5 |
| Chemical wood-pulp, soda or sulphate |
9.3 |
| Wool |
9.0 |
| Machines for making up pulp and paper |
7.3 |
| Cheese and curd |
5.7 |
| Total NZ exports to Thailand |
364.6 |
Source: Statistics New Zealand
The above information is an excerpt from the New Zealand Trade & Enterprise Country Briefs. For a more comprehensive
account visit:
http://www.nzte.govt.nz
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