BANGKOK - Thailand's Textile Institute Monday predicted a bright increase in export values for textiles and garments this year, thanks to free trade agreements Thailand has signed with other nations and quota restrictions the US government has imposed on China.
Virat Tandechanurat, the institute director, said Thai textiles have benefited from the lifting of trade barriers and quotas under free trade agreements which would push up their export value with the US, Japan, and Europe by 12 per cent. He said last year, the value of exports was recorded at Bt270 billion (US$6.75 billion).
Thai textiles and garments have been well accepted for their high quality, he said, which has led to opening new markets in the Middle East, Africa, and Russia.
''Our industry will benefit from the quota restrictions America has imposed on Chinese textiles," Mr. Virat said. "This will help us reach our export and growth targets.''
However, Mr. Virat said, the sector faces shortages of skilled workers which could hinder future expansion.
''Everyone is quite concerned with this problem," he said, "because it can affect our expansion plans. We now employ about one million workers in the sector and currently need another 60,000 additional
workers.
"We are talking directly with colleges, asking them to produce skilled manpower to serve us,'' he said.
To solve the problem quickly, however, he suggested that factories move their production bases to the neighbouring countries of Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam to profit from cheaper labour costs while still using Thai raw materials.
''By doing so, we make the same money," Mr. Virat said, "and rid Thailand of problems in hiring migrant workers.''
