Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand’s exports to member countries of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the first four months of 2022 reached 24billion USD, up 17 percent year on year.
According to the TradeNegotiations Department, ASEAN is Thailand’s largest export market, accounting for 24.7percent of the country’s total exports.
The first four months saw “satisfactorygrowth”, said the department, with exports up 60 percent to Singapore; 34 percentto Indonesia; 24 percent to Myanmar; 11 percent to Malaysia; 8 percent to Laos;7 percent to Cambodia; and 0.4 percent to Vietnam.
Growth was driven by exports of sugar (up140 percent), wheat and instant foods (12 percent), animal and vegetablefat/oil (81 percent), animal feed (21 percent) and tapioca (72 percent).Agricultural products accounted for 16 percent of all exports to ASEAN.
Industrial products, which made up 72 percent of Thailand’s exports to ASEAN,also rose, including vehicles and auto parts (up 1.4 percent), plastic pelletsand chemicals (14 percent), electronic circuits (27 percent), machinery andparts (21 percent) and electric appliances and parts (8 percent).
The department expects exports to the regional nations will grow furtherin the second half of 2022 following relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions andexport bans of key foods such as chicken by other ASEAN countries./.