Free Trade Agreement has brought in a dramatic rise in exports of textiles and garments for Thailand as forecast by the Textile Institute.
Thailand takes advantage of the agreement signed with other nations and from quota restrictions the US has imposed on China, said Virat Tandechanurat, the Institute Director.
Thai textiles exports to US, Japan and Europe would go up 12 percent, added Virat.
He said, last year the value of exports was recorded at Baht270 billion (US $6.75 billion).
The increase has been attributed to high quality of Thai textiles and garments, which has helped opening new markets in the Middle East, Africa and Russia.
At the same time, Virat is quite worried about the problem of shortage of skilled workers, which might stifle or stunt the future growth plans.
Currently, the industry employs around one million workers and this workforce comes from colleges, said Virat.
He also advised factory owners to set up production bases in the neighbouring countries of Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam to employ cheap labour there while still using Thai raw materials.
