Slutting around http://www.thai-blogs.com/ found this list of the top 15 items exported by Thailand in the first part of this year ... in order of importance to the Thai economy.

Nothing particularly startling, but the more interesting items are those in brackets beside . . . (the top exported items of 100 years ago).

  1. Computers and parts (Rice) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  2. Cars and parts (Pepper) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  3. Electrical circuits (Teak timber) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  4. Rubber (Bullocks) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  5. Plastic pellets (Dried Mussels) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  6. Gems and jewellery (Fried Mackerel) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  7. TVs, radios and parts (Buffalo Hides) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  8. Garments (Salted Fish) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  9. Finished oil products (Rose Wood) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  10. Chemicals (Tin) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  11. Iron, steel and products (Dried Fish) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  12. Air-conditioners and parts (Caradamon) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  13. Rubber-based products (Sapan Woods) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  14. Canned and processed seafood (Buffalo Horns) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]
  15. Rice (BirdsтАЩ Nests) [/*:m:1m2rzueo]



Regarding the last item (i.e. 'rice') ... even though it is #15 in order of importance, Thailand is still the world's largest exporter of rice:

Quote Originally Posted by [url="http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060704/4/2mpjx.html"
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060704/4/2mpjx.html[/url] ]HANOI, July 4 Asia Pulse - Vietnam will export 5 million tonnes of rice this year, down by 200,000 tonnes from last year, according to the Vietnamese Trade Ministry.
Export revenue however is expected to be US$1.4 billion, equal to last year.

Vietnam is the world's second largest rice exporter after Thailand.

Rice exporters have been told to look to Asia-Pacific countries where demand is expected to rise because of inclement weather.

Over the first half of the year, rice exporters have shipped 2.93 million tonnes of rice abroad, earning export turnover of US$796 million, an increase of 7 per cent compared with the same period last year.

The price of rice exports has risen in the last six months, with 5 per cent broken rice climbing to US$270 a tonne and 25 per cent broken rice going to US$250-255 a tonne.

Vietnam recently agreed to export an additional 100,000 tonnes of rice to the Philippines, bringing rice exports to 1.6 million tonnes to that country since the beginning of this year.

. . . Last year, Vietnam exported 5.2 million tonnes of rice, earning almost US$1.4 billion in export revenue, the highest in terms of output and value since the country began exporting rice 17 years ago.

In addition, exports of agricultural products have posted strong growth.

Rubber production in the first half of the year hit 270,000 tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 39 per cent, tea 45,000 tonnes (up 40.6 per cent), and vegetables and fruit (up 9.2 per cent).


Cheers ...

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