The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) dropped again in September to 77.9 points, from 79.3 points in August, the Economic and Business Forecasting Centre of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce reported on Thursday.
All consumer confidence indices were down for the sixth straight month and at a record low for the past 12 months, since October 2012, it said.
The centre said confidence in the overall economy over the month stood at 69.5 points, confidence in job opportunity dropped to 70.6 points and confidence in future income went down to 95.1 points.
An index below 100 points indicates consumers are still worried.
Negative factors that eroded consumers’ confidence included concerns that the current flooding would affect agricultural output and the tourism sector, the delays in 2014 fiscal budget bill and the Fiscal Policy Office slashing its growth projection for 2013 to 3.7%.
The lowering of the exports growth forecast for 2013 to only 1-3% by several economic agencies and the political uncertainty, particularly when the Constitution Court accepted for consideration the legality of the charter change bill on the make-up of Senate, were also reasons behind the decline in consumer confidence, the centre reported.
The weakening baht and the declining in domestic retail prices of fuel were only two positive factors in September, the centre said.