snoop1130 Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 Thai January factory output falls 4.6% year-on-year, down for ninth month FILE PHOTO: Workers work at a STS Consumer Product factory in Bangkok, Thailand, March 28, 2016. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's manufacturing production index (MPI) contracted for a ninth straight month in January, down 4.59% from a year earlier, on lower production of cars, sugar and palm oil, the industry ministry said on Wednesday. The outcome was worse than a forecast drop of 3.9% in a Reuters poll, and against December's revised decline of 4.37%. Capacity utilisation in January was 66.48%, up from a revised 64.02% in December. In January, production of cars fell 12.8% from a year earlier while sugar dropped 15.2% and palm oil tumbled 40.7%, the ministry said. But production of hard disk drives rose 13.5% last month year on year and air conditioners jumped nearly 22%. The ministry expects the coronavirus outbreak, which originated in China and spread to more than two dozen countries, to have a short-term effect on Thailand's manufacturing output, mainly on the food industry, due to a drop in tourists, Thongchai Chawalitpichaet, head of the ministry's Office of Industrial Economics, told a news conference. The Tourism Authority of Thailand previously said the number of foreign tourists might fall by 5 million to around 35 million this year as the virus outbreak has raised fears of a pandemic. However, a weaker baht <THB=TH> and higher production of health products should lend support, he said. "So, the overall picture should be positive," Thongchai said, adding February's output was expected to be similar to January's level. The ministry has forecast the MPI will rise 2% to 3% this year after last year's 3.7% contraction. -- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-26 Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chelseafan Posted February 26, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted February 26, 2020 The ministry has forecast the MPI will rise 2% to 3% this year after last year's 3.7% contraction. 9 months of consecutive decline. Is it me or does anyone else see a problem with this ? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardColeman Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 4 hours ago, Chelseafan said: The ministry has forecast the MPI will rise 2% to 3% this year after last year's 3.7% contraction. 9 months of consecutive decline. Is it me or does anyone else see a problem with this ? Considering Thailand's TAT just posted a rise in Tourism today I really do not see any problem that cannot be 'amended' to some piece of Tolkien like fantasy fiction 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedrogaz Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 The military continuing to do a bang up job with the economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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