Thai consumer confidence rises

The Economic and Business Forecasting Centre at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce reported on Thursday that the consumer confidence on job opportunity stood at 71.1 and at 98.5 on future income.

The center said the positive factors that boosted the consumers' confidence included the dissolution of House of Representative to pave way for fresh election, the expectation that the new government would come up with more economic stimulus measures, and the decline in domestic fuel prices.

The National Economic and Social Development Board's decision to maintain its growth projection for the year at 3.5 to 4.5 percent, the rising prices of agricultural products, the weakening baht value and the continuing export expansion had also helped restore confidence of consumers, it added.

The negative factors were higher cots of living, political uncertainty, impacts of natural disasters and the fragile world economic recovery, according to the centre.