Manufacturing industries in Thailand

The purpose of this study is to provide a description of the manufacturing sector of the Thai economy and of the conditions and problems under which Thai manufacturing industries have been operating. It is divided int o three main parts . The first (Chapters 2 - 3) traces the historical development of the Thai economy and manufacturing sector in the light of major political and economic influences from 1851 to 1957, and goes on to a brief survey of later political economic and institutional developments. Together these describe the setting under which the manufacturing sector, as it is found at present, will be studied. The second part (Chapters 4 - 5) is factual and descriptive , and deals in detail with the present structure of manufacturing industries in Thailand and the major characteristics of the more important industries. The third part (Chapters 6 - 11) is more analytical ; it surveys in turn the supply and demand factors which h ave dominated the operation of Thai manufacturing and the effect of government promotion measures . Conclusions are presented in Chapters 12 and 13, the former discussing short and long-term industrialization projects , the latter giving a critical assessment of the Thai government's role