THA: Struggling Thai Economy Battle The Global Downturn

BANG PAKONG, THAILAND - MARCH 11: Workers load a ship with 1000 tons of rice bound for Africa at the Asia Golden Rice export company on March 11, 2009 in Bang Pakong, Thailand. The rice export company is getting a lot of orders from Africa and U.A.E so is surviving in the financial crisis. Exports in Thailand have taken a hit from the global financial meltdown with Thailand's rice exports falling 37.74 percent year-on year in terms of volume according to the Commerce ministry. The country shipped only 628,792 tons of rice valued at USD331 million compared with 1.01 million tons last year valued at USD421 million and overall the country's exports for 2009 are expected to decline 10 percent. Unemployment is another major problem as the new school graduates start looking for work this summer and if layoffs continue the number of jobless will be as high as 1.3 million. (Photo Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)