Trade Unaffected by Thailand Crisis
26 May 2014 08:34 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Directorate of Customs at the Finance Ministry said Thailand's political crisis did not disrupt trade with Indonesia as the crisis in the previous years did not affect import volume from Thailand to Indonesia.
"Export from Thailand to Indonesia is still high as if it is unaffected by the political crisis," said Customs Director, Susiwijono Moegiarso, yesterday.
Thailand has the world's third or fourth largest product importers for Indonesia. Main products from Thailand are mostly automotive and spare parts.
The current trade value of both countries is towering and has large deficit. "Indonesia's import value from Thailand is bigger than export's," said Susiwijono.
According to the Customs data, Indonesia's import from Thailand in the first quarter of this year was US$2.35 billion, while export was US$1.30 billion. "So there is a deficit of US$1.05 billion."
Budi Darmadi, the Industry Ministry’s Director General for High-Technology Priority Industries, said he had yet to comment on the possible effect of Thailand’s political crisis to Indonesia’s automotive industry.
MARIA YUNIAR
