The economy expanded at its fastest quarterly pace in four years in the first quarter, boosted by recovering exports, but monetary policy will likely remain loose to cushion still-subdued investment activity. The pace was slightly faster than the 1.2% forecast in a Reuters poll and the 0.5% growth in the previous quarter, which was revised up from 0.4%. From a year earlier, growth was 3.3%, also slightly better than a median forecast of 3.2%, and the 3% in the final quarter of last year. The planning agency narrowed its 2017 economic growth forecast to a range between 3.3% and 3.8% from 3% and 4% projected earlier. The economic growth has lagged other regional peers since 2014, when the army seized power to end months of street protests.

Source: Bangkok Post May 15, 2017 06:00 UTC