THAILAND: Garment Chiefs Confident Despite Export Plunge
Thai trade chiefs said on Friday they were not concerned at a 12.6 per cent year-on-year plunge in first quarter garment exports to $1.1 billion as they are confident the market will recover during 2002. Deputy Commerce Minister, Suvarn Valaisathien, said that the "rebound" of the global economy should boost the garment and textile industry which saw a 5.7 per cent drop in exports last year to $5.3bn compared to the year-ago period.