Srettha calls urgent meeting on the economy
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Srettha calls urgent meeting on the economy

GDP growth lags behind most Asean countries

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin at a seminar organised by the Thai Chamber of Commerce in November. He has called an urgent meeting with economic ministers on Monday following the low GDP growth reported in the first quarter this year. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin at a seminar organised by the Thai Chamber of Commerce in November. He has called an urgent meeting with economic ministers on Monday following the low GDP growth reported in the first quarter this year. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has called an urgent meeting with ministers in charge of the economy on Monday following the slow rate of GDP growth reported in the first quarter.

The prime minister said in a Twitter post on Monday night that he would chair an "unofficial meeting of economic ministers" next Monday, after he returns to Bangkok from overseas.

The meeting was called after the National Economic and Development Council reported economic growth of 1.5% year-on-year, for the first three months. The economic planning agency also revised annual growth down to 2.5% from 2.7% projected in the previous quarter, due to the impact of growing trade tensions  between the United States and China.

Thailand's growth in the first quarter came in below six other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Philippines and Vietnam led the pack, each with 5.7% expansion, followed by Indonesia (5.1%), Malaysia (4.2%) and Singapore (2.7%), according to NESDC figures.

Mr Srettha was still in Italy as part of a three-country trip which will end in Japan, where he is due from Wednesday to Friday. He visited France before Italy.

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