Thai investment rises

BANGKOK: Thailand´s private consumption and investment rose from the previous month, central bank indexes showed on Friday, suggesting that a recovery in Southeast Asia´s second-largest economy is gaining momentum.

The Bank of Thailand´s (BOT) private consumption index for November rose 0.2 percent from October, when it fell 0.60 percent.

The index for private investment gained 0.4 percent in November from the previous month, when it rose 0.30 percent.

The BOT said there was a current account surplus of $5.29 billion in November compared with a $3.54 billion surplus in October.

Exports, based on financial settlements, rose 12.3 percent in November year-on-year after October´s 13.4 percent jump.

On Dec. 20, the BOT raised its growth forecasts to 3.9 percent for both 2017 and 2018, from 3.8 percent. Last year´s growth was 3.2 percent.