Thailand's Diamond Exports Up 23% In January - October 2008 Period

[Mid]

THAILAND'S DIAMOND EXPORTS UP 23% IN JANUARY - OCTOBER 2008 PERIOD
30 December 2008

Thailand exported a total of US$971.3 million of polished diamonds in the first ten months of 2008, marking a 23 percent increase from exports a year earlier, according to figures from the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association (TGJTA). The two top export destinations are Antwerp, Belgium, with exports of US$247.4 million for the period and Ramat Gan, Israel with US$239.4 million, followed by Hong Kong with US$187.2 million.

The country's diamond, gemstone and jewelry exports continues to rank fourth on Thailand's export listings, preceded by the machinery, cars and energy industries.

Diamond imports during the first ten months of 2008 reached US$1.4 billion, marking an 18 percent increase from the same period in 2007.

Explaining why diamond imports were significantly higher than exports, Vichai Assarasakorn, President of the TGTJA, says, "This is logical. On the one hand, this year Thailand manufactured and exported diamond worth more than one billion dollars. So we import rough for production. But we also operate an enormous jewelry manufacturing industry that needs huge quantities of smaller, polished diamonds for its production. Once set in finished jewelry pieces, these imported diamonds are 'absorbed' into the reported export jewelry statistics category that will report exports worth almost nine billion dollars in 2008.

"Times are not easy, and in January we'll all have a better idea of where the market is heading. However, Thailand is one of the centers with the best chances to succeed this coming year. It offers a wide and high quality product range, cheap labor costs, expert workmanship and manufacturing as well as excellent service," adds Assarasakorn.

diamondintelligence.com

[Butterfly]

looks like Thaksin finally found a way to take his money out of the country

Diamonds are great for storing cash value, much better than anything actually, and they are easy to carry. Instead of going around with suitcases, just a small bag of diamonds can do the trick.

[lom]

It's good for the Thai economy to have a trade sanctioned neighbour who wants
to sell teak, gems, and drugs.

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Japan's Polished Diamond Imports +21% in March
Deena Taylor
Apr 29, 2012

Japan’s polished diamond imports rose 21 percent year on year to $73.5 million in March, ‎Momozawa reported citing the Finance Ministry.

By volume, the imports fell 3 percent ‎to 147,024 carats while the average price of the goods increased 24 percent to $500 per ‎carat.
‎
Polished diamond imports from India grew 52 percent year on year to $40.9 million, imports from Belgium rose 4.4 percent to $10.8 million, while imports from Israel rose 60 percent to 4.9 million.

Polished imports from Thailand rose 12 percent to 3.9 million during the month.
‎
During the first quarter of the year, Japan’s polished imports rose 18 percent to ‎‎$216.2 million while the volume of imports declined 18 percent to 469,082 carats.

diamonds.net

[robuzo]

Wonder what that's all about.