BANGKOK: Thailand's annual industrial output rose more than expected in February, boosted by higher production of cars, petroleum, hard drives and plastic pellets.
The manufacturing production index (MPI) in February increased 4.66 percent from a year earlier after January's 4.70 percent rise, which was revised up from a 3.44 percent gain stated earlier, the Industry Ministry said on Friday.
The median forecast in a Reuters poll was for a 3.9 percent rise in February.
The ministry expects the index to rise 2 percent this year after gaining 1.58 percent last year.
In February, capacity utilisation at factories eased to 70.43 percent from January's revised 70.55 percent.
Industrial goods account for 80 percent of exports, which in turn make up about two-thirds of the Thai economy, the second-largest in Southeast Asia.
The state planning agency has forecast 2018 economic growth of 3.6-4.6 percent after last year's 3.9 percent, the fastest pace in five years.
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