Report by the WTO Secretariat

For over 30 years Thailand has pursued a policy of export-led development that has successfully turned the county into a major exporter of industrial goods and led to rapid economic growth, particularly in the 1990s. Growth slowed in the 2000s - due partly to lower investment growth and infrastructure bottlenecks - but still remained strong at an average of 5.7% between 2003 and 2006. Although the 2008 global financial crises led to a fall in GDP in 2009, growth picked up again in 2010 when it reached 7.8%. Between 2007 and 2010 GDP per capita rose from US$3,740 to US$4,737, and Thailand has been able to reduce poverty and meet its Millennium Development Goals, although significant income and regional disparities remain.