Thailand relaxes FX rules

Thailand's central bank on Wednesday announced a further relaxation of foreign exchange rules in a bid to curb the strengthening of the baht, Asia's top performing currency this year.

The changes, effective Nov. 8, include allowing exporters to keep foreign currency proceeds overseas, and retail investors to directly invest in foreign securities, Bank of Thailand Governor Veerathai Santiprabhob told a news conference.

Exporters with proceeds below $200,000 per bill of lading will be allowed to keep the proceeds abroad, without a time limit, compared with the current $50,000 threshold, the central bank said in a statement.

Exporters with foreign currency proceeds exceeding the new threshold will be allowed to use the revenues to offset foreign currency expenses, without having to repatriate the funds, it said. Retail investors will be allowed to directly invest up to $200,000 per year in foreign securities, it added.