Thai 2015 GDP may miss forecast, exports could shrink: central bank

[BANGKOK] Thailand's economy may grow less than the central bank's forecast of 3.8 per cent this year and exports could contract again, a senior central bank official said on Thursday.

An annual fall of 6 per cent in February exports was below the central bank's expectations and "it's more likely that exports will be negative for the third year", Don Nakornthab, director of the macroeconomic and monetary policy department, told reporters.

The central bank's current export projection is for 0.8 per cent growth this year.

The economy grew only 0.7 per cent last year and has yet to gain traction after an army coup last May ended months of destabilising political unrest.

REUTERS