Thailand swung to a trade surplus of $1.589b in December from a $78m deficit in November, the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday. Based on raw customs data, exports returned to growth in December, rising 1.9% from the same period a year earlier to $18.8b, Dow Jones reported. But imports continued to weaken, falling 8.74% to $17.2 billion, said Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director- general of the ministry’s International Trade Promotion Department. The rise in exports was driven by stronger rice and industrial products shipments. Exports unexpectedly fell 1% in November, after showing the strongest growth in almost two years in October.
