Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the fourth quarter of 2012 is expected to come in at 15.9% after all the information is collated, a substantial increase from the contraction of 8.9% in the fourth quarter of 2011, Ekniti Nitithanprapas, deputy director general of the Fiscal Policy Office, said on Wednesday.
When combined with the 2.6% economic expansion over the first three quarters of last year, GDP growth for 2012 would stand at 5.7% as targeted, he said.
Mr Ekniti projected the economic growth for this year at 5%, on the back of a 10% gropwth in exports.
The persistent strengthening of the baht would not have any impact on the economy because the baht was moving in line with the projected framework of between 29.70 baht and 31.70 baht to the US dollar, he said.