Thai Dec private consumption declines

BANGKOK, Jan 31 (Reuters): Thailand's private consumption contracted in December from the previous month while investment rose slightly, central bank indexes showed on Wednesday, suggesting that a recovery in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy is still patchy.

The Bank of Thailand's (BOT) private consumption index for December fell 0.4 per cent from November, when it rose 0.2 per cent.

The index for private investment rose 0.2 per cent in December from the previous month, when it rose 0.4 per cent.

The BOT said there was a current account surplus of $3.86 billion in December, after a $5.29 billion surplus in November.