Thai export department seeks to boost Thai exports

BANGKOK, May 27 (TNA) - The Thai Export Promotion Department will gather with the Federation of Thai Industries and 65 commercial attaches around the world, in an attempt to boost Thai exports which have slipped during the first quarter this year. Deputy Commerce Minister Poom Sarapol says Monday’s meeting will look at the overall picture of Thai exports in the world market, with a target of expanding exports by 15 per cent this year – or around 263 billion U.S. dollars in value. Much of the meeting will look at exports of agriculture, fisheries and fashionable goods, OTOP and heavy industrial products. Thailand’s exports contracted 3.92 per cent in the first quarter this year, but a positive return was expected in the second quarter. Touching on the issue of fresh elections to be held in Greece in June, which was viewed to unspin the situation in Europe towards a more constructive one, Mr. Poom said he personally believed that debt-ridden Greece would remain a member of the euro zone. Pressuring Greece to leave the euro zone would simply deteriorate global economy, he said, as well as hamper monetary and European fiscal system. (TNA)