THAILAND | Growth picks up in Q1 but prospects remain subdued
The Thai economy accelerated notably in the first quarter of this year, thus providing some relief to the military government which is struggling to revive the economy since it took power two years ago. In Q1, GDP expanded at the fastest pace in nearly four years on an annual basis. This came mainly on the back of an improvement in the external sector’s contribution to overall growth as exports accelerated markedly and imports tallied a steeper contraction compared to Q4’s figures. In addition, growth in government spending almost doubled the previous quarter’s reading amid an aggressive fiscal stimulus. Conversely, high household debt weighed on private consumption and the recent severe droughts did the economy no favors. While Q1’s acceleration is a sign of improvement, the economy’s prospects remain dismal as exports and private consumption—the two main growth drivers—remain sluggish.
The fiscal stimulus measures undertaken by the government are welcomed by businesses, however, there is uncertainty regarding whether this will be enough to shore up a recovery amidst a weak external sector. Moreover, political uncertainty will weigh on growth this year. FocusEconomics panelists expect the economy to grow 3.0% in 2016 and 3.3% in 2017