BANGKOK, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Thai Foreign Trade Department (FTD) under the Ministry of Commerce on Friday announced that the total value of border-trade exports rose 0.31 percent year-on-year to 321 billion baht (about 10.464 billion U.S. dollars).
According to the department, corresponding imports rose 4.94 percent to 256 billion baht (8.345 billion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of this year, with a 65-billion-baht trade surplus.
The FTD's director-general Adul Chotinisakorn indicated that direct cross-border exports from Thailand to four neighbouring countries were valued at 262.97 billion baht (8.57 billion U.S. dollars), down 3.15 percent; while imports from the four neighbouring countries amounted to 203.56 billion baht (6.63 billion U.S. dollars), up 5.82 percent.
The result was a trade surplus of 59.41 billion baht, said Adul.
The FTD's press statement said transit cargoes to three neighbouring countries were estimated at 58.37 billion baht (1.9 billion U.S. dollars), up 19.54 percent, and transit imports at 52.49 billion baht (1.7 billion U.S. dollars), up 1.66 percent, for a surplus of 5.88 billion baht.
Malaysia was Thailand's biggest partner for border trade, followed by Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, while China was the biggest partner for trade in transit cargoes, followed by Vietnam and Singapore, the press statement said.
Adul however said that negative impacts on border trade in May and June were the results of the baht's appreciation, global economic slowdown and the trade war.
"Exports of rubber and rubber products to Malaysia were also seriously affected," said Adul, "while border trade with Laos and Myanmar was slowed down."
However in regards to Thailand's border trade with Cambodia, trade soared by 21.56 percent, noticeably with the export of non-alcoholic beverages, automobiles and parts, Adul said.
