The government set a goal of reviving cross-border trade including transit trade this year after the value contracted by 2.6% in 2023 from the previous year to 1.7 trillion baht.
Ronnarong Phoolpipat, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said to achieve the target, the Commerce Ministry is committed to expediting cross-border and transit trade under the government's investment promotion strategy for 2024-27.
This involves collaboration with relevant state agencies to facilitate and stimulate cross-border and transit trade, such as establishing one-stop service (OSS) centres and linking export-import documents through the National Single Window system to streamline trade processes.
Transit trade involves the passage of goods through more than one country.
"In 2023, the ministry opened OSS centres in eight provinces comprising Chiang Rai, Tak, Trat, Songkhla, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan and Udon Thani. Moreover, Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai directed the ministry and related agencies to speed up efforts on all fronts to expand trade and investment," said Mr Ronnarong.
"I recently visited Laos to discuss with high-level officials cross-border trade issues and to promote expansion of cross-border and transit trade between the two countries."
According to ministry data, cross-border and transit trade tallied 1.74 trillion baht in 2023, down by 2.6% from a year before. Of the total, exports accounted for 981 billion baht (-4.6%) and imports 762 billion (+0.2%). Thailand maintained a trade surplus for the year of 219 billion baht.
Cross-border trade with four neighbouring countries tallied 930 billion baht in 2023, with exports comprising 580 billion and imports 350 billion. Thailand had a trade surplus of 230 billion baht.
Malaysia was the top trading partner at 287 billion baht, followed by Laos at 261 billion, Myanmar at 220 billion and Cambodia at 162 billion. Key exports included diesel, refined oil, and computers and accessories.
The customs border checkpoint with the highest cross-border trade value was Sadao with 226 billion baht, followed by Mae Sot and Aranyaprathet at 107 billion and 97.2 billion, respectively.
Regarding transit trade to third countries, the total value was 813 billion baht last year, up 11.2% from the previous year. Of the total, exports represented 401 billion baht (+5.3%) and imports were worth 412 billion (+17.7%).
China was the top transit trade partner with a value of 423 billion baht, followed by Singapore at 107 billion and Vietnam 70.1 billion. The customs checkpoint with the highest transit trade value was Mukdahan at 286 billion baht, followed by Sadao at 208 billion and Nakhon Phanom 95.4 billion.
"In 2023, despite a slowdown in cross-border trade with neighbouring countries attributed to economic challenges such as high inflation and weak currency exchange rates in Laos, ongoing conflict in Myanmar and subdued consumer demand in Cambodia, transit trade expanded for both total value and exports," he said. "For transit trade with China, which accounts for 52% of Thailand's transit trade, the total value increased by 44.1% to 423 billion baht and exports rose by 35.4% to 214 billion baht."
Key exports to China included fresh durian (93.7 billion baht, +81.7%), hard disk drives (27 billion, +41.8%) and processed wood (19.2 billion, +49.9%).
The main checkpoints for durian exports to China were Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom and Chiang Khong, while hard disk drives and processed wood were exported through Sadao and Padang Besar checkpoints.