Thailand's GDP growth may fall to 4.7-5.2% in 2005: UTCC.

(From Thai Press Reports)

Section: Economy - The tsunamis disaster, the current severe drought and the oil price hike could cut Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP) to 4.7-5.2 percent this year, compared with the previous projection of 5.5-6.0 percent, according to a survey of the Economic and Business Forecasting Center at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The center's director Thanawat Ponwichai said if the retail price of diesel fuel is to be free-floated, there is a possibility that the country will experience economic growth lower than four percent.

He said the tsunamis that hit the six southern coastal provinces of Thailand on …