BANGKOK: Thailand's economy is likely to have grown 2.8% in 2013, down from 3% forecast earlier this month, due to weaker-than-expected exports and domestic demand while anti-government protests in Bangkok are hurting confidence, a senior official from the finance ministry said on Thursday.
Next year, the economy could expand 4%, albeit lower than 5.1% seen earlier, thanks to improved global trade which will help exports and domestic demand, the ministry's fiscal policy office chief, Somchai Sajjapong, told reporters.