BANGKOK (Reuters) -The Thai economy improved in April from March, driven by the manufacturing sector after a sharp increase in exports drove inventory replenishment and also helped by a slight rise in tourism, the central bank said in a report on Friday.
It was too early to see adverse impacts from the U.S. tariff policy, which was announced in early April, the Bank of Thailand said, noting that private investment continued to expand.
And while the tourism sector slightly improved from March, it remained weaker compared to the same period last year.
“Although exports to the U.S. slowed slightly, they remained at a high level,” the central bank said.
Total exports rose 9.9% in April from a year earlier and imports increased by 17.3%, the BOT said, leading to a trade deficit of $1.4 billion.
Thailand recorded a current account deficit of $1.5 billion in April.
(Reporting by Orathai Sriring, Kitiphong Thaichareon and Thanadech Staporncharnchai; Editing by John Mair)
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