Mr. Chaiyacharn Jaroensuk, President of the Thai National Shippers' Council (TNSC) <\/strong><\/span>revealed that the TNSC forecasts that Thai exports in 2021 will grow by more than 7%<\/strong><\/span>. The average monthly export value from now on is expected to be 19 billion USD, with the potential to grow up to 10%, averaging 21 billion USD per month. If the goal for the entire year is set at 15%, the average monthly exports would need to reach 23 billion USD. However, this opportunity may be limited due to various factors, and exporters must push for exports vigorously.
                          
For exports to grow, positive factors must support this, including a strong recovery of the global economy and key trading partners such as the United States, China, the European Union, and Japan, driven by large-scale economic stimulus measures and progress in vaccination efforts that boost public confidence in returning to normal economic activities and spending.<\/strong><\/span>
 
Risk factors affecting exports include:<\/strong><\/span> 1. Labor shortages.<\/strong><\/span> The recovering economy has increased the demand for labor in production processes. Many foreign workers have returned to their home countries and have not yet returned due to border closures. Additionally, the current supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Thailand is insufficient for the number of workers in the production sector, exacerbating the labor shortage issue.
 
2. Severe COVID-19 outbreak situations in the country,<\/strong><\/span> such as clusters of outbreaks in various industries, which have begun to impact production processes, causing temporary halts and delays in shipping goods to destination countries. 3. Insufficient production factors and rising costs.<\/strong><\/span>
 
And 4. The shortage of shipping containers and high freight rates.<\/span><\/strong> The TNSC urges the government to take all necessary actions to accelerate vaccine distribution to cover all groups, especially workers in the production sector, as vaccines are the only means to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that can support the export and production sectors, which are the supply chain for exports and the only economic engine that can continue to move forward, helping the economy recover and survive.
 

In May 2021, exports were valued at 23.057 billion USD, growing by 41.59% compared to the same month last year.<\/strong><\/span> The export value in Thai baht was 714.885 billion THB, expanding by 36.22% year-on-year. Meanwhile, imports in May 2021 were valued at 22.261 billion USD, growing by 63.54% compared to the same period last year, resulting in a trade surplus of 795 million USD, equivalent to 14.967 billion THB for May 2021.

For the overall period from January to May 2021, Thailand's total exports were valued at 108.635 billion USD, growing by 10.78% compared to the same period last year, with an export value in Thai baht of 3.279 trillion THB, expanding by 7.64% year-on-year. In contrast, imports were valued at 107.141 billion USD, growing by 21.52% compared to the same period last year, equivalent to 3.280 trillion THB, expanding by 18.27% year-on-year, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.494 billion USD and a deficit of 600 million THB for the January to May 2021 period.


            Mr. Suphap Suwanphimolkul, Vice President of the Thai National Shippers' Council (TNSC) <\/strong><\/span> stated that they want foreign workers to have access to vaccinations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as they are also an important group. Additionally, they urge government agencies to expedite the control of the outbreak and accelerate vaccination efforts, as the Thai economy currently relies on the export sector. Industries that continue to grow include rubber and its products, food processing, automotive parts, and electrical appliances. They also hope that the depreciation of the Thai baht will help boost exports.
 
“We urge the government to take all necessary actions to accelerate vaccine distribution to cover all groups, especially workers in the production sector, as vaccines are the only means to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that can support the export and production sectors, which are the supply chain for exports and the only economic engine that can continue to move forward, helping the economy recover and survive.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>