THAI TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS IN FEBRUARY
Thailand's trade deficit widened to an
estimated 4.7 billion baht in February from 2.1 billion in
January and 2.8 billion a year ago, the Bank of Thailand said.
    Exports fell to around 18.9 billion baht from 20.4 billion
in January compared with 17.4 billion a year ago, the bank
said.
    Imports rose to 23.6 billion baht from 22.5 billion in
January. They were 20.2 billion in February 1986.
    The bank said the trade deficit for the two months widened
to an estimated 6.8 billion baht from 5.2 billion a year ago.
    February's current account showed a 1.2 billion baht
deficit compared with 1.7 billion in January and 263 mln a year
ago.
    The current account for the two months posted an estimated
500 mln baht surplus, down from 1.2 billion a year ago.
    A surplus in the country's balance of payments narrowed to
3.2 billion baht in February from 4.6 billion the previous
month but was higher than 1.5 billion a year ago.
    The bank said the balance of payments surplus for the first
two months of 1987 widened to 7.8 billion baht from 4.6 billion
from the same period in 1986, while the net capital inflow rose
to five billion baht from 3.1 billion.
 REUTER
