ID :
40866
Thu, 01/15/2009 - 20:34
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/40866
The shortlink copeid
Thai consumer index rises slightly in December
BANGKOK, Jan 15 (TNA) - Thailand's consumer confidence index rose slightly to 67.5 in December from 67.1 in November, the first increase since August, according to Thanawat Palavichai, director of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) Economic and Business Forecast Centre.
Speaking on Thursday, he said the slight increase in the consumer confidence index last month was, however, lower than 100 for 56 consecutive months. It demonstrated that Thai consumers still did not have confidence in the country's economic well-being, employment and their incomes in the future as the country is confronting the global economic meltdown although Thailand's domestic political turbulence has eased.
The Centre has projected that local consumption will remain poor from now until the second quarter of 2009 as consumers are worried over the slowdown of the Thai economy.
It advised that the government ought to boost the economy in a transparent manner beginning in the second quarter in order to improve consumer confidence and private investment and to enable economic growth to reach 2 per cent this year.
On the government's supplementary spending budget totalling Bt115 billion of which a Bt2,000 allowance would be given to employees earning less than Bt15,000 monthly, he said the help would enter the economic system most quickly and that the public would have more money to spend.
Adding this programme to the government-sponsored economic relief measures which have been extended for another six months, starting February, the country's economy direction should move on positive direction.
Mr. Thanawat suggested that the government should issue more stimulus measures to boost the property sector.
He said the government's supplementary budget along with speedy disbursement of rural budget amounting Bt100 billion and loans amounting another Bt100 billion by state-run financial institutions could help growth reach 2 to 2.5 per cent this year, up from the 0 to 2 per cent earlier forecast. (TNA)
Speaking on Thursday, he said the slight increase in the consumer confidence index last month was, however, lower than 100 for 56 consecutive months. It demonstrated that Thai consumers still did not have confidence in the country's economic well-being, employment and their incomes in the future as the country is confronting the global economic meltdown although Thailand's domestic political turbulence has eased.
The Centre has projected that local consumption will remain poor from now until the second quarter of 2009 as consumers are worried over the slowdown of the Thai economy.
It advised that the government ought to boost the economy in a transparent manner beginning in the second quarter in order to improve consumer confidence and private investment and to enable economic growth to reach 2 per cent this year.
On the government's supplementary spending budget totalling Bt115 billion of which a Bt2,000 allowance would be given to employees earning less than Bt15,000 monthly, he said the help would enter the economic system most quickly and that the public would have more money to spend.
Adding this programme to the government-sponsored economic relief measures which have been extended for another six months, starting February, the country's economy direction should move on positive direction.
Mr. Thanawat suggested that the government should issue more stimulus measures to boost the property sector.
He said the government's supplementary budget along with speedy disbursement of rural budget amounting Bt100 billion and loans amounting another Bt100 billion by state-run financial institutions could help growth reach 2 to 2.5 per cent this year, up from the 0 to 2 per cent earlier forecast. (TNA)
