ZCZC
BCN-31
THAI-FTA-GSP
Thai exporters use privileges of FTA, GSP to boost export
BANGKOK, Oct. 18, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – Thai exporters have made use of the
privileges of free trade agreement (FTA) and the Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP) to boost export, the Foreign Trade Department said on
Wednesday.
“The use of privileges under FTAs and GSP by Thai exporters amounted to
49.9 billion U.S. dollars in the first eight months this year, up 19.1
percent from the same period last year,” said Adul Chotinisakorn, director-
general of the Foreign Trade Department, “the utilisation rate for the period
was equivalent to 74.6 percent.”
Adul also said that from the total values, FTA privilege use tallied 46.7
billion dollars, up 19.8 percent from the first eight months last year, with
shipments under GSP totalling 3.16 billion dollars, an increase of 10.4
percent.
The Foreign Trade Department data indicated that the trading partners with
which Thailand used FTA privileges the most were Chile, Australia, China,
Japan and South Korea. Product items that saw the highest privilege usage
were trucks, rubber products, durian, cane sugar and petroleum.
Adul said Thai exporters also made better use of GSP benefits, with the
value of preference utilisation rising 3.6 percent in the first eight months
to 2.85 billion dollars.
The top five products for which GSP was used were air-conditioner parts,
beverages, rubber gloves, processed food and motorcycles.
BSS/XINHUA/HR/1315