Thai exports shrink 4.98 pct in Jan.-Sept.

Thailand's exports totaled 161.56 billion U.S. dollars in the first nine months of this year, a 4.98-percent contraction year-on-year, the Commerce Ministry said Monday.

In September, exports declined for the ninth consecutive month to 18.82 billion U.S. dollars, down 5.51 percent from the same period last year, figures from the ministry's Trade Policy and Strategy Office showed.

In the January-September period, imports fell by 10.5 percent year-on-year to stand at 153.8 billion U.S. dollars while the figure for September alone was 16.02 billion, registering a 25.2-percent dive.

Exports to Japan, France, China, South Korea, Britain and the United States shrank by 20.6, 18.1, 17.9, 15.9, 10.1 and 3.6 percent respectively, according to director-general of the office Somkiat Trirattanapan.

The country's exports dropped at a comparatively slower rate than such countries as Australia, France and Singapore, Somkiat said, adding the ministry's projection for export growth in 2015 was maintained at a 3-percent contraction. Enditem