The Bank of Thailand (BoT) yesterday decided to raise its 15-month-long key policy rate of 1.25 percent by 0.25 percent, due to the country’s economic recovery and the central bank’s confidence in continuous economic growth.
In April last year, the BoT’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had cut the one-day repurchase rate from 1.50 to 1.25 percent when the global financial crisis, which hit its peak in September and October 2008, still affected Thai economy significantly through the contraction of the country’s exports.
The 1.25-percent policy rate was then put on hold during …

The Bank of Thailand (BoT) yesterday decided to keep the key interest rate unchanged at 1.25 percent during the fourth meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) this year.
BoT assistant governor Paiboon Kittisrikangwan, who announced the outcome of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, disclosed that the decision to maintain the policy rate at 1.25 percent was mainly due to the uncertainties related to the impact of sovereign debt problems in Europe and the domestic political situation which are still the key risks to Thailand’s growth outlook.
According a statement of …

Thailand's GDP soars by better-than-expected 12 percent in Q1 ahead of recent riots in the capital city of Bangkok.
Thailand’s economy expanded by 12 percent, the highest in 15 years, during the first quarter of this year as a result from global economic recovery and the improvement in the country’s exports, tourism, and private investment and consumption collectively.
Dr. Ampon Kittiampon, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), on Monday said the higher-than-expected growth of 12 percent, compared with that of the same period last year, expanded from 5.9 …

The Bank of Thailand (BoT) yesterday decided to keep its policy interest rate, which has come into effect since early April last year, unchanged at 1.25 percent.
The central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) during its meeting yesterday still saw several risk factors which could hamper the continuation of global economic recovery despite the country’s economy has improved satisfactorily since the last quarter of last year.
Paiboon Kittisrikangwan, the central bank’s assistant governor, on behalf of the MPC’s secretary, said although the global economic outlook has improved and some countries have begun …

Thailand’s national planning agency yesterday announced that the country’s economy grew 5.8 percent in the last quarter of last year, compared with the same period of 2008, after a prolonged contraction during three previous quarters.
According to Dr. Ampon Kittiampon, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), the overall economy for the entire 2009 however still contracted 2.3 percent as a result from the contraction of 7.1, 4.9 and 2.7 percent in the first three quarters of the year, when compared with the corresponding periods in 2008.
The NESDB, …

Thailand’s Finance Ministry has forecasted that the country’s economy is likely to contract by three percent for the entire year in 2009 despite a growth of 3-4 percent expected in the fourth quarter.
According to the ministry’s spokesman Ekniti Nitithanprapas, the Thai economy is forecasted to contract between 3.5 and 4.0 percent in the third quarter of this year, when compared with that of the same period last year, and is expected to expand 3-4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Dr. Ekniti, who is also the director of Macroeconomic Policy …