Hor Kimsay

An uncharacteristic slump in imports from Thailand since the start of the year is the result of lower oil prices and fierce competition from cheaper Chinese and Vietnamese products, representatives from the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh said yesterday.

According to the embassy’s trade data, the value of exports to Cambodia totalled $1.4 billion from January to April, a decline of nearly 20 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier. Meanwhile, Cambodian exports to Thailand climbed 12 per cent during the period, totalling $350 million during the first four months of the year.

Jiranan Wongmonkol, commercial counsellor of the Thai embassy, attributed the smaller bill on Thai products to a variety of factors, including oil prices. She noted that while the volume of oil shipments from Thailand to Cambodia has remained stable, their value has decreased in line with global oil prices.

read more http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/rough-year-thai-imports

Lots of Thai products on the shelves in Laos and Cambodia but this is only because Thailand was quicker off the line. This will peak and decline as Laos and Cambodia catch up. Maybe it has peaked already?