Thailand to achieve GDP growth 4.5 pct

Thailand has to achieve the gross domestic product (GDP) growth of at least 4.5 per cent annually to keep up with other Asean countries, but it is something that it is not expected to achieve this year. If the GDP is lower than that, it means Thailand is retrograding, Federation of Thai Industries Chairman Supant Mongkolsuthee said. He said as the average growth rate of Asean countries is at six per cent, Thailand's growth should not be below 4.5 per cent. According to the UNCTAD Trade and Development Report 2014, most countries in Southeast Asia should keep growing at around or above five per cent, driven by private consumption and fixed investment, with little or no contribution from net exports, according to bernama.com