Bangkok (NNT/VNA) - Thailand's Departmentof Foreign Trade (DFT) has revealed that border trade during the first fivemonths of the year grew by 6.4 percent and expressed confidence that totaltrade growth this year will reach its target of 15 percent at 1.5 trillionbaht. 

DFT Director-General Adul Chotinisakorn revealedthat border trade from January to May this year was valued at over 560 billionbaht, growing by 6.4 percent from the same period last year. The figureconsists of border trade, which grew by 4.18 percent to over 460 billion baht,and cross-border trade, which grew by 18 percent to over 100 billion baht. 

Trade between Thailand and Malaysia was thehighest among neighbouring countries at over 230 billion baht, but grew only0.5 percent. That was followed by Laos, which grew by 7.52 percent to over 90billion baht; Myanmar, which grew 9.47 percent to 81 billion baht; andCambodia, with over 58 billion baht in trade. Trade with Myanmar grew by thelargest margin due to higher imports of natural gas. 

Border and cross-border exports in the first fivemonths of the year were valued at 320 billion baht, down 1.53 percent. Importsover the same period increased by 18.98 percent at over 243 billion baht,yielding a trade surplus of over 76 billion baht. 

Cross-border trade is expected to increase, led byVietnam at over 34 billion baht or 17.63 percent growth, followed by SouthernChina at 33 billion baht, or 21.9 percent growth. Trade growth with SouthernChina was attributed to an increase in agricultural exports, especially freshand frozen fruits that expanded by 224 percent. In addition, the import agencyfor agricultural products in China added 22 items of fruit that can be exportedto the country. 

There are several campaigns to promote border andcross-border trade in the second half of the year. The Thai-Myanmar Border EconomicPartnership event is being organized in Kanchanaburi province from June 28 to July1 this year.

Hat Yai of Songkhla province will be one ofseveral hosting border trade exhibitions this year, including for theIndonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and the East ASEAN GrowthArea (BIMPT-EAGA) between Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Timor Leste. 

DFT Director-General Adul was confident that theupcoming campaigns will help trade growth reach its target of 15 percent at 1.5trillion baht.-NNT/VNA