Brexit and Thailand

Most commentators and newspapers are predicting that while Brexit will affect the world economy generally, it will have little affect on the Thai economy specially.  Siam Commercial Bank Economic Intelligence Center had this to say about Brexit’s likely affect on the Thai economy:

Impact on the Thai baht and export remains limited. Thai exports to the UK are about 2% of total Thai exports. Therefore, the short-term direct effect on trade is limited. Also, the effect of the Brexit risk on THB/USD is small. Nonetheless, the referendum remains on a list to be closely monitored. The unlikely event of Brexit could put the EU and UK economies in recession. This could have a strong consequence on Thailand’s export sector because combined exports from Thailand to the EU and the UK account for 12% of total exports. Additionally, the ongoing free trade negotiation between Thailand and the EU (currently suspended since mid-2014) will not cover the UK and will require a separate talk.

The Bangkok Post says: “tourism is expected to be a short term causality”.  The Nation also reports that Brexit will likely have a limited affect on the Thai economy other than in tourism.

Various accounts say that the U.K. only amounts to 3-4% of the Thai exports.  The bigger seems be that Brexit put both the EU and UK in recession, in which case the Thai economy faces greater dangers, since the UK and EU economics account for 12% of total Thai exports. Stay tuned. And of course there is the danger that this will trigger and even larger world-wide down turn in the global economy.