BANGKOK (NNT) - The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has revealed that the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak is threatening to prevent the export sector from achieving its 8%-10% growth target, as more factories become hamstrung by rising infections.


FTI vice-chairman Kriengkrai Thiennukul said disease transmission is affecting production capacity and will eventually hit plans to export goods. Some production lines have stopped and manufacturers are being forced to delay product delivery.


He said better export prospects are partly the result of the global economic recovery, driven by the two largest economies, the US and China. However, the high number of daily infections in Thailand during a vaccine shortage is causing serious concerns among people and businesses.


According to Mr Kriengkrai, entrepreneurs have to keep conducting COVID-19 tests or they cannot run their businesses, which is expensive. The FTI plans to send 50,000 rapid antigen test kits to their members to help them screen workers, so they can take those infected for treatment. This is part of the effort to stop the virus spread in the industrial sector.



National News Bureau Of Thailand