Sharing borders with four neighboring countries, namely Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, Thailand operates border checkpoints to facilitate cross-border trade with the four countries. In the first six months of 2010, Thailand’s border trade with its neighboring countries expanded significantly, at 33 percent over that of the same period in 2009.

Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade Pongpun Gearaviriyapun said that between January and June 2010, Thailand’s border trade was valued at 388.6 billion baht, 243.6 of which involved exports, up by 49.3 percent, and almost 145 billion baht involved imports, up by 12.6 percent. Malaysia accounted for 63.6 percent of Thailand’s border trade during the period, followed by Myanmar, 17.7 percent, Laos, 11.5 percent, and Cambodia, 7.2 percent.

Thailand’s border trade with Malaysia was worth 247 billion baht, an increase of 44.3 percent. Thailand gained a trade surplus of 64 billion baht. Major Thai exports to Malaysia include rubber and computers.

Border trade with Myanmar was valued at 68.6 billion baht, a rise of 6.5 percent. Thailand suffered a trade deficit of 11.9 billion baht. Major exports to Myanmar include fuel, soft drinks, palm oil, and cement.

As for border trade with Laos in the first six months of this year, it was valued at 44.5 billion baht, an increase of 30.2 percent. Thailand gained a trade surplus of 21.3 billion baht. Major Thai exports include fuel and machinery.

Thailand’s border trade with Cambodia was valued at 28 billion baht, a rise of 28.2 percent. Trade balance was in Thailand’s favor, with Thailand gaining a surplus of 25 billion baht. Major exports include sugar, cement, fuel, and auto parts.

Thailand has set a target for its border trade with neighboring countries at 700 billion baht in 2010. The target is likely to be achieved, after the country’s border trade in the first half of this year reached 55 percent of the whole year’s target.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva believed that trade liberalization under the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) would benefit the overall Thai economy. During the first six months of 2010, ASEAN became Thailand’s largest trading partner. Thai exports to ASEAN during this period came to 21.68 billion US dollars, an increase of 55 percent over the same period of last year.

Thailand attaches great importance to developing relations with neighboring countries in every dimension and at all levels. The Ministry of Commerce has facilitated trade contact between Thai entrepreneurs and their counterparts in neighboring countries. One of the objectives is to increase Thailand’s border trade with neighboring countries to one trillion baht by the year 2012.