Thai factories moving to Myanmar

For years Europe stopped textile & garment exports from Myanmar. Now with democratic change, Europe will give Myanmar textiles a tariff advantage.

Myanmar women work at a garment factory in Yangon. The country's reinstatement to the EU's Generalised System of Preferences is expected to significantly boost its textile exports. (AP file photo)

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Myanmar textile exports 'set to surge'

20 May 2013
Saritdet Marukatat

Myanmar is on course for a big jump in textile exports to Europe following the return of trade privileges by the European Union (EU), according to the Thailand Textile Institute.

The lifting of the ban on Myanmar under the EU's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) would rapidly drive up Myanmar's exports of textiles, it said. The institute did not predict the size of the increase, but said it would be significant.

Myanmar's textile exports rose 18% last year over 2011, totalling US$946 million (27 billion baht) .

The EU reinstated trade benefits to Myanmar on April 22 in the wake of democratic reforms after years under the rule of a military junta. Garments are a key industrial sector of the country. Myanmar was struck off the GSP list in 2003 in a protest against the country's dictatorship.

Many textile producers, including companies in Thailand, have relocated to Myanmar in expectation of benefiting from the GSP, low wages and abundant labour. In Myanmar the minimum monthly wage is US$32, compared with $90 in Cambodia and $100 in Vietnam. Myanmar has a 32.5 million-strong work force in a population of 55 million.

The Thailand Textile Institute warned of poor infrastructure in Myanmar, including inadequate electricity supply and lack of facilities at Yangon port, which it said is hampering business.

The EU grants GSP privileges to less developed and developing countries as a means to help their exports to the EU.

(Source: Bangkok Post, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, Myanmar textile exports 'set to surge', 20 May 2013, Saritdet Marukatat, link)


Textile Industry Vocabulary

Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) - a system that lowers tariffs on export of the least developed countries to help them economically (See Wikipedia)

textiles - fabric made by weaving or knitting (See Wikipedia)
textile imports
textile exports

Myanmar's textile exports rose 18% last year over 2011, totalling US$946 million (27 billion baht) .

garment - clothes
garment factory

Myanmar women work at a garment factory in Yangon.

reinstatement - using or having something such as a law, right or benefit again การได้สิทธิทางกฎหมายคืนมา
reinstatement to the EU's Generalised System of Preferences

significantly - in an important way อย่างสำคัญ
boost - to increase; to strengthen เพิ่ม; ทำให้มีกำลังมากขึ้น
significantly boost

expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
expected to significantly boost

The country's reinstatement to the EU's Generalised System of Preferences is expected to significantly boost its textile exports.  

upbeat - happy and positive because you are confident that you will get what you want มีความหวัง
prospects - the chances of being successful; what might happen in the future, the possibility of success in the future  ความเป็นไปได้

Thai textile body upbeat about prospects in Myanmar

surge - increase quickly 
set to surge - will likely increase quickly (the conditions are right for this)

Myanmar textile exports 'set to surge'

trade - the buying and selling of goods การค้าขาย
privileges - special things you can do or have that others cannot

trade privileges
the return of trade privileges

Myanmar is on course for a big jump in textile exports to Europe following the return of trade privileges by the European Union (EU), according to the Thailand Textile Institute.

ban - an official statement ordering people not to do something ห้าม  การห้าม  ห้ามอย่างเป็นทางการ
lifting of ban - ending the ban

drive up - increase
rapidly drive up Myanmar's exports of textiles

predict - to say that an event or action will happen in the future, especially as a result of knowledge or experience คาดการณ์ว่า พยากรณ์จากสถิติว่า
predict the size of the increase

significant - large enough to be important or have an effect ที่สำคัญยิ่ง
the increase would be significant.

The lifting of the ban on Myanmar under the EU's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) would rapidly drive up Myanmar's exports of textiles, it said. The institute did not predict the size of the increase, but said it would be significant.

benefits - goods things that can happen from something ผลประโยชน์
trade benefits

reinstated - restore, give back something that was taken away in the past
reinstated trade benefits

reforms - improvements in the way that government works
democratic reforms

in the wake of ... - after a big event ....
in the wake of democratic reforms

junta - a group of military officers that governs a country, usually without having been elected รัฐบาลทหาร
years under the rule of a military junta

key - important คนสำคัญ
sector - a part of a country's economy or business activity ภาคเศรษฐกิจของประเทศ
a key industrial sector

protest - a strong complaint or disagreement ประท้วง
dictatorship - government by someone who takes power by force and does not allow free and fair elections เผด็จการ
a protest against the country's dictatorship

The EU reinstated trade benefits to Myanmar on April 22 in the wake of democratic reforms after years under the rule of a military junta. Garments are a key industrial sector of the country. Myanmar was struck off the GSP list in 2003 to a protest against the country's dictatorship.

relocated - moved to a new place
Thai companies relocated to Myanmar

wages - the amount of money earned per hour by a worker
abundant - exists in large quantities that are more than enough มากมาย
low wages and abundant labour

Many textile producers, including companies in Thailand, have relocated to Myanmar in expectation of benefiting from the GSP, low wages and abundant labour.

wage - an amount of money that you earn for working, usually according to how many hours or days you work each week or month ค่าจ้าง
minimum monthly wage - the smallest amount a worker can earn in one month

work force - all the people available to work in a country or company
a 32.5 million-strong work force

population - the group whos live in one country, area or place กลุ่มที่อาศัยอยู่ในบริเวณหนึ่ง
a 32.5 million-strong work force in a population of 55 million

In Myanmar the minimum monthly wage is US$32, compared with $90 in Cambodia and $100 in Vietnam. Myanmar has a 32.5 million-strong work force in a population of 55 million

infrastructure - the high-cost facilities that everyone in the economy shares (water, roads, electricity, trains) สาธารณูปโภค
poor infrastructure in Myanmar

inadequate - not enough, or not good enough for a particular purpose อย่างไม่เพียงพอ
inadequate electricity supply

lack - does not have ขาดแคลน
facilities - the buildings, equipment and services provided for a particular purpose สิ่งอำนวยความสะดวก  สถานที่และสิ่งอำนวยความสะดวก

port - an area of water where ships stop, including the buildings around it ท่าเรือ
lack of facilities at Yangon port

The Thailand Textile Institute warned of poor infrastructure in Myanmar, including inadequate electricity supply and lack of facilities at Yangon port, which it said is hampering business.

grants - gives
grants GSP privileges

means - methods; ways วิธี, วิธีการ
as a means to help their exports

The EU  to less developed and developing countries as a means to help their exports to the EU.