Thailand's Ministry of Commerce raised the country's 2010 export target to least 20 per cent growth, valued at US$183 billion, higher than earlier forecast at 19 per cent, Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai said on Monday.

Thailand’s exports in the first half of 2010 expanded 36.6 per cent, compared to the same period last year. Export growth in June hit record high of 46.3 per cent, worth US$18.04 billion, she said.

The country's targeted exports to potential markets with high purchasing power, particularly the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, are forecast to grow 30 per cent, and China by 50 per cent, India by 25 per cent, Russia by 50 per cent and the Middle East by 12 per cent, she said.

The ministry has planned several marketing campaigns in the second half of this year to drive export growth. Thailand’s strategies will focus on markets in Asia, China, Japan and India, while maintaining major US and European Union markets.

The commerce minister said the US, EU and Japanese economies in the next 3-5 years are likely to experience slow recovery due to macroeconomic uncertainties.

The Thai government is paying attention to the planned ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and export promotion under free trade agreements. Export and domestic market development will help reduce the country’s dependency on exports in the long term, she added.