bangkok feb 7 reuters  thailands exports are likely to grow 1 to 2 this year unchanged from a previous forecast due to slowing global demand the countrys shippers council said on tuesday shipments a key driver of economic growth also face high currency volatility chaichan chareonsuk chair of the thai national shippers council told a news conference there are several negative factors but we see some positive factors from chinas recovery he said exports are expected to contract 37 in the first quarter from a year earlier before recovering to a 07 dip in the second quarter and posting gains in the second half of the year the group said in a statement exporters wanted the baht currency to ideally be around 3435 per dollar to help with trade competitiveness and be in line with regional currencies chaichan said despite a sharp fall on monday the baht has still gained by 3 against the dollar so far this year becoming asias best performing currency it was trading at around 336 per dollar on tuesday the shippers group also urged the central bank to ensure the baht was stable and interest rates were at appropriate levels chaichan said reporting by orathai sriring and satawasin staporncharnchai editing by kanupriya kapoor